The calendar’s flipped, the CFP’s shifting, and once again, James Franklin has something to say about the chaos college football is knee-deep in. The ever-candid Penn State coach didn’t waste time voicing his unease about the direction of the sport’s postseason. Between expansion chatter and rival coaches—like Ryan Day—campaigning for multiple Big Ten teams in the playoff, Franklin has drawn his line in the sand. It’s not just about getting in; for him, it’s about how you get there and whether the current structure truly rewards the best. As the power brokers play chess with the future of the CFP, Franklin is watching carefully—and warning of old, familiar habits creeping back in.

During the June 13th Adapt & Respond segment, RJ Young blasted the Penn State Nittany Lions. “They could absolutely take that L against Ohio State this year and still make the playoffs, still win the Big Ten championship because we’ve seen how that thing can go,” he said, sounding more exasperated than skeptical.

Young’s frustration centered on PSU’s soft non-conference schedule. “Nevada, that’s your opener. August 30th. Florida International, that’s your second game. Villanova, that’s your third game. And then all of a sudden, you got to put up playing Big Ten teams like Oregon, right?” He wasn’t done. “Everybody else you play is somebody that you should beat.” It was the kind of schedule that invites wins, but not necessarily respect.

Young didn’t stop there. He took a blowtorch to the Lions’ recent big-game history. “Last year, Penn State plays Ohio State, they lost. Last year, Penn State plays Oregon in the conference championship game, they lose. Last year, they play Boise State in a playoff game. They win. They get to a game which was pretty outstanding against Notre Dame, they lose. It’s almost as if this team can only beat the teams that it’s supposed to beat and none of the teams that are on its level.” That’s the perception Franklin’s team is battling: a perennial 10- or 11-win machine that folds when the lights shine the brightest.

And as Young aptly put it, “That dude has not beaten a team that I think is capable of winning the national championship yet. Full stop.”

Much of that criticism lands squarely on the shoulders of QB1 Drew Allar. The former five-star phenom flashed brilliance but wilted in the biggest moments. Against Ohio State, the offense stalled in the red zone—unable to punch it in from the three, four, or five-yard line when it mattered most. That was the story too many times. Allar’s arm is as gifted as any in the country, but Penn State’s national title hopes hinge on whether he can finally win a heavyweight fight.

The talent is undeniably there. A reloaded offense brings back key pieces, and the Nittany Lions might boast the best one-two punch at RB in the country. Their wide receiver corps was a major liability last season, but with development and transfers, that group should no longer be the Achilles’ heel.

This season, Penn State’s moment of truth comes in Columbus. “Penn State winning that game by double digits, that’s gonna convince me that that team is for real about winning a national championship,” Young said. And the stakes couldn’t be clearer. “Buckeye fans would be the first people to tell you they got to come in the Shoe. And we make a habit of beating Penn State. They don’t make a habit of beating us. And that would really bug me if I’m Penn State because Michigan has won a national championship and beaten Ohio State four straight times.” That’s the ultimatum hanging over Happy Valley. Beat OSU. Prove you belong.

Because until Penn State breaks that wall—scarlet and gray, or green and yellow—they’ll stay on the outside looking in. “If Penn State had the kind of brass in its back to go and give Ohio State the what for and the how now,” Young continued, “we would be talking about a team that is playing for the national championship.” But they haven’t.

Drew or false? James Franklin hopes it’s true

James Franklin knows what’s at stake—and he knows who it hinges on. Drew Allar has to play better. No more training wheels. No more “next time.” If Penn State is serious about crashing the national championship party, it begins with winning in Columbus. If they pull that off, Franklin’s squad could have a clear inside track to the Big Ten title game. But that golden path only stays golden if Allar doesn’t trip over his own arm.

“I can’t get behind a team with a quarterback who has not shown me he is capable of winning the big game,” Young said, calling Allar out with some tough-but-true talk. “No, quarterback wins is not a quarterback stat. But throwing the ball to other people is. Coming up short when somebody else doesn’t is.” He laid it bare: “I watched Riley Leonard find a way against Penn State. I watched Drew Allar throw the game away.”

“Whenever the game has been on the line, he hasn’t been the guy to come through. I need that to change. I want that to change. I want him to have a hero moment. I really do,” Young added. “But until such time as he does… Penn State continues to be Penn State because James Franklin continues to be James Franklin. Are you going to do better than him? I don’t think so.”  He has to find a different way to try to break through, or they’ll just be stuck.