The Penn State Nittany Lions were supposed to finally get over the hump after hiring defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Instead, they're 3-2 and coming off a loss to a previously winless UCLA Bruins.
There might be hope for Penn State to make the College Football Playoff even with one more loss, but those hopes aren't exactly the predominant story in University Park. No, that'd be James Franklin's scorching hot seat, something Knowles' salary was supposed to pay to cool down.
For The Win USA Today's Tyler Nettuno believes Franklin's legacy coaching the Nittany Lions could be defined by the UCLA loss, which he predicts could be the beginning of the end for Penn State and its longtime headman.
"The assumption was that Franklin would win the remaining games on the schedule that he should, but after losing to what could be the worst team in the Power Four, I don't believe that to be true anymore," Nettuno wrote.
"Despite the frustrating losses, Franklin's value proposition has always been that he will keep the program in contention by beating the teams Penn State is more talented than. Now, he's 3-2 with a roster that is loaded on paper, and despite hiring perhaps the most highly regarded defensive coordinator in the sport, Jim Knowles, this offseason, the Nittany Lions defense still gave up 42 points to one of the most moribund offenses in the country.
"Barring a turnaround the likes of which we've never seen Franklin pull off before, this team isn't going to the playoff. Assuming that's the case, this could be the game that kick-started the permanent souring of Penn State's relationship with its longtime football coach."
No one thinks PSU could beat OSU. Or the Indiana Hoosiers. Faith in the Nittany Lions has dissipated dramatically over the last week. Few talking heads were giving Penn State grief for their White Out loss to the Oregon Ducks, but the Bruins are a bridge too far. Especially since Jerry Neuheisel was the least experienced play-caller the Power 4 has ever seen.
Knowles isn't replicating his dominance in Columbus. But Matt Patricia is somehow raising last year's bar.