Regular season and bowl game success is great, but nowhere near the expectations of being national championshp contenders. The difference between Penn State and Virginia Tech is that the expectations aren't deblitating in Blacksburg. Nearly every coach and player in the nation defended Franklin even after he was let go because of his resume.

Penn State, the preseason pick to win the Big Ten, opened the season with three consecutive wins. However, the Nittany Lions lost their next three contests, which led to the firing of longtime coach James Franklin. In its first game with Terry Smith as the interim coach, Penn State lost at Iowa on Saturday, dropping the team’s record to 3-4.