Is Penn State an “elite” program? James Franklin can prove it on an exciting national stage — or head to USC

To the Big Ten title game and CFP -- or will he move the family to USC?

… goes back to blowing a 38-27 lead in 2017

This took a while for James Franklin to return to words that he uttered a few years ago about “elite” college football programs. The Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook reminded everyone of what Franklin said after his team blew an 11-point lead with just about six minutes left and allowed Ohio State to win a game before a “White-Out” crowd. 

It was the second consecutive season in which the Nittany Lions had lost a nail-biter to the coach who is now the leader of the worst team in the National Football League. 

Cook’s analysis

As Cook pointed out, instead of Franklin castigating coaching woes for Penn State’s losses, he blamed the caliber of talent that he had recruited, even though he had just won a Big Ten title primarily by defeating “THE” buckeyes,

Remember Franklin’s passionate rant three years ago after Penn State blew a fourth-quarter lead against Ohio State for the second year in a row?

In 2017, No. 2 Penn State led No. 6 Ohio State, 38-27, with fewer than six minutes left before losing. In 2018, No. 9 Penn State led No. 4 Ohio State, 26-14, midway through the fourth quarter before Dwayne Haskins — maybe you’ve heard of him — brought Ohio State back with two touchdown passes.

Franklin lost it after that second loss, which happened before a White Out Night crowd of 110,889, the biggest crowd in Beaver Stadium history.

“The reality is, we’ve gone from an average football team to a good football team to a great football team, but we’re not an elite team yet,” Franklin said.

Ron Cook, “Penn State-Iowa game is a battle for ‘elite’ status,” Post-Gazette, October 6, 2021

Now, he can prove himself

Personally, I am not certain whether or not Penn State is deserving of “elite” status, but as I said previously, they have a unique opportunity to prove themselves. I still think that they have some major woes, particularly their running game and their leadership on the sidelines. 

However, as Cook notes, now is the time for Franklin to either assert Penn State’s predominance or dust off his resume and send it to Southern Cal,

This might be the season it finally happens for Franklin and Penn State. The team is off to a 5-0 start with impressive wins against Wisconsin, Auburn and Indiana and is No. 4 in the AP poll. A win Saturday at No. 3 Iowa would be a big step out of that murky gray area. It would put Penn State among the heavy favorites to make the playoffs even though its remaining schedule in the brutally difficult Big Ten Conference is challenging.

The problem for Penn State is Iowa is looking at the game as the same opportunity, the chance to join the elites, to use that word again. Iowa destroyed previously unbeaten Maryland on the road Friday night, 51-14, to go to 5-0. That performance enabled it to jump over Penn State in the AP poll.

Iowa always is good under coach Kirk Ferentz but hasn’t won a Big Ten championship since 2004. A win Saturday would put Iowa in a terrific spot because of its remaining schedule. It doesn’t have to play No. 7 Ohio State, No. 9 Michigan or No. 11 Michigan State. Penn State must play all three down the road.

Ron Cook, Post-Gazette, October 6, 2021

The game deserves the hype

A win at Iowa could propel them into a battle in Columbus later this month against an Ohio State team that may be the weakest in a long time. Indeed, that may propel them into the college football playoffs, but that road is one fraught with peril at this stage. 

For Penn State fans, even those who asked for Franklin’s head after the 2017 loss to the Buckeyes, this is an opportunity for redemption on a national stage,

But how do you not hype up this game?

It is the Big Ten’s first between Top 5 teams since 1997 when one isn’t Ohio State. It’s the first since 1962 when Ohio State or Michigan isn’t playing.

“I think you know how I feel about rankings in October and September,” Ferentz told the Iowa media. “Those things will be a lot more valid four, five, six weeks from now. I hope we are in that discussion. It’s not a five-week season or six-week season. You don’t get any prizes. They do the prognostications every week. I get that. They don’t really count those. They are paper money. Monopoly money. Nobody really counts until you get to the finish line.”

Iowa beat Penn State, 41-21, in Happy Valley last season, Penn State’s fifth loss in a 0-5 start. That was the game when Penn State quarterback Will Levis got the start for benched Sean Clifford. This game should be a little different. Clifford, a redshirt senior, is back in charge and playing his best football.

The game figures to be low-scoring, just like the one in 2019 when Penn State won in Iowa City, 17-12.

Ron Cook, Post-Gazette, October 6, 2021

Now, the time has arrive for Coach Franklin and his program. It is indeed an exciting stage, but a loss on Saturday could lead to a three or four loss season, and nothing would lead him out of Happy Valley quicker than that. 

Elite? We shall see.