College football is drastically changing the game in 2024 with another sweeping round of realignment changes and the first expansion of the College Football Playoff. With all of the changes now in effect, it has never been easier to make the College Football Playoff than ever before as the field grows from four teams to 12. It would seem that this is a season tailor-made for James Franklin to finally get Penn State into the playoff field.
If this season’s 12-team playoff format had been in effect in the playoff era, Penn State would have been in the College Football Playoff on multiple occasions. The Nittany Lions have the kind of roster and schedule that sets them up for a decent shot to be among the nation’s top 12 teams. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee Penn State would be in the playoff, but certainly puts them in prime position for a playoff appearance. And if things go well, Penn State could be hosting a first-round College Football Playoff game.
But the big question is whether or not this has to be a playoff or bust kind of season for Franklin and Penn State.
The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder is among those who has gone on record saying that yes, this 2024 season will not be considered a success without Penn State making a playoff appearance. But even if the Nittany Lions do not make the playoff field, Snyder is reluctant to suggest Franklin would be looking for a new job in that scenario.
“Still, I do not believe Franklin’s job would be in jeopardy if it didn’t [end in the College Football Playoff],” Snyder said in a recent post on The Athletic. “There are 56 million reasons to consider why that likely wouldn’t happen. This is a good program. Franklin has undoubtedly helped move it forward. Now, it just needs to take that next step.”
This is the stance I have long taken when it comes to Franklin. Yes, he absolutely has his critics and those critics have some very valid points to offer when suggesting Franklin is incapable of elevating Penn State to the next level fans desire to see. Even the most loyal of Franklin defenders have to admit the numbers are staggering when you look at Franklin’s record against top teams, including dismal record against Ohio State with just one special teams miracle victory. Losing all three games to Penn State’s best opponents in 2023 (Ohio State, Michigan, and Ole Miss) didn’t help that debate for Franklin’s defenders either.
But unless this season goes totally off the rails, Franklin is not about to be going anywhere unless he chooses to do so. Franklin has extreme job security and has done more to prepare Penn State for this particular moment than many will acknowledge. But it is beyond time to take that next step.
The College Football Playoff just dropped the barrier for easier access to the playoff. Will Penn State take advantage of this new era, or will it be more of the same of coming up just short of the next level of college football pedigree?
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