Could Penn State’s loss to the UCLA Bruins lead to the Nittany Lions eating a $50 million buyout to fire James Franklin? There’s a chance but regardless of how profitable your football program is, $50 million is an insane amount to pay someone to not coach your football team.
This wasn’t James Franklin’s typcial struggle in big games
Franklin has had his struggles in big time games, like we saw in Penn State’s overtime loss to Oregon but their loss to UCLA felt different. Not only was Franklin out-coached by Bruins’ interim head coach Tim Skipper, the team didn’t seem fully prepared, expecting to walk all over the 0-4 Bruins.
Any hope left for Penn State making the playoff?
Penn State will now likely need to run the table for any chance of sneaking into the College Football Playoff, which is a depressing outlook for a team that entered the 2025 season with national championship aspirations. SEC Network host Paul Finebaum spoke on Franklin’s future with the Nittany Lions Tuesday morning on ESPN’s show Get Up.
Paul Finebaum’s take on Franklin’s future
“I think it is really in peril, Greeny. I’m not suggesting that he will be fired with a $50 million buyout, but it just feels like his time is up,” Finebaum said to Mike Greenberg, Heather Dinich and Jordan Rodgers. “He can do no better than he has done. And he’s done remarkably well, but not good enough for Penn State’s standards. So when he gives yet another lame apology, excuse, however you want to characterize it, it doesn’t resonate with his fanbase, who has just witnessed one of the worst losses in Penn State history or any other college football team’s history. It was that bad.” Finebaum said.
College Sports Wire’s expectation for James Franklin
College Sports Wire writer Tyler Nettuno wrote about Franklin’s buyout and what options lie ahead for the Nittany Lions.
“As Finebaum mentioned, Franklin’s buyout if he were fired is one of the largest in the sport, and it seems unlikely Penn State will fire him. Still, it’s hard to argue with his point that this marriage may have run its course. Whether that looks like the Nittany Lions ponying up a hefty buyout or Franklin looking for a soft landing spot and change of scenery elsewhere, Finebaum thinks his time in State College could be coming to a close.” Nettuno wrote.
UCLA’s role in the downfall of James Franklin
This is still going to be one of the worst seasons of UCLA football but Saturday’s win did so much in terms of bringing some positive energy into a program that’s been quite toxic this season. DeShaun Foster has been fired, the calls for Martin Jarmond’s job has continued but on Saturday everyone got to enjoy some quality Bruins’ football.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Penn State has $50 million reasons not to fire head coach James Franklin after UCLA loss
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
