Penn State, James Franklin and Northwestern
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Pat Kraft wants to win national championships in Happy Valley. To try to do so, Penn State’s athletic director made the toughest decision of his career.
Head coach James Franklin's squad suffered a 22-21 loss to Northwestern at home after coming off a 42-37 defeat at the hands of unranked UCLA on Oct. 4. The Nittany Lions are now on a three-game losing streak and Franklin finds himself on the hot seat in a big way.
The SI preseason No. 1 team is now out of the postseason picture, but there are still plenty of intriguing matchups like Arch Manning vs. Bryce Underwood in the Citrus Bowl.
Drew Allar walked into a quiet Lasch Building conference room with a smile and a whole lot of optimism. It was April 2024, and the face of Penn State’s program was eagerly awaiting his second season as starting quarterback.
Some Penn State fans are wondering if Saturday's 22-21 loss to Northwestern will be James Franklin's final game as head coach.