Overview

• CBS Sports analyst Damien Harris said Franklin must win a national championship this season or face calls to be fired, likening Penn State’s hype-to-results pattern to the Dallas Cowboys.
• Countering the criticism, The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel predicted Penn State will win its first Big Ten title since 2016, citing an 11-1 regular season and a roster he called loaded.
• The Nittany Lions return quarterback Drew Allar, feature the Nick Singleton–Kaytron Allen backfield, and added targeted transfers such as receivers Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross and linebacker Amare Campbell.
• Franklin hired former Ohio State coordinator Jim Knowles to lead the defense, and Andy Kotelnicki enters his second year running the offense, moves viewed as aligning schemes with veteran talent.
• Despite a 101-42 record, Franklin’s struggles in marquee games persist — including 1-9 vs. Ohio State and 1-15 against AP Top-5 teams — and he has acknowledged that many fans remain frustrated after last season’s semifinal exit.