Franklin joined Penn State in 2014, finished tied for second with 104 wins all-time in his post. Three straight losses, including back-to-back to UCLA and Northwestern as more than 20-point favorites, forced Penn State’s hand to make the move.

Penn State is looking at major names in its search to replace fired football coach James Franklin. One of those names is Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, according to On3. The website reports Penn State is going to “take a couple of big swings” after firing Franklin six games into the 2025 season following their third straight loss.

Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft answers a question about how the coaching changes are affecting recruiting during a press conference on Oct. 13, 2025.

The Northwestern loss was James Franklin’s last Penn State game. It was also the unfortunate end to Penn State quarterback Drew Allar’s career. Franklin, fired Sunday by Penn State AD Pat Kraft, confirmed shortly after the Nittany Lions’ upset 22-21 loss to the Wildcats that Allar,

Dozens of college football head coaches are fired every autumn, but Penn State's firing of James Franklin is one of those moves that will be remembered for years. His near-$50