Penn State head coach James Franklin is one of the many head coaches who has a ballot in the US LBM Coaches Poll throughout the college football season, but the ballots of coaches are not made public until the end of the season. Following the crowning of this year’s national champions, the Michigan Wolverines, USA TODAY released each voting member’s final ballot for the US LBM Coaches Poll, including Franklin’s.
Naturally, Franklin was among the coaches casting a unanimous no. 1 vote for Big Ten foe Michigan after the Wolverines completed a 15-0 season with Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship victory over Washington, whom Franklin ranked second on the ballot. Franklin went with another playoff team at no. 3, Alabama, before sliding in Georgia at no. 4 and one spot ahead of Texas.
The rest of Franklin’s top 10 included Oregon, Florida State, Missouri, and Ohio State (respectively). The 10th team on Franklin’s list was Ole Miss, the team his program lost to in the Peach Bowl. Franklin ranked Penn State no. 11 on his ballot, one spot ahead of LSU.
Franklin ranked Iowa at no. 17. Only Barry Odom of UNLV ranked Iowa higher (no. 15). Franklin also ranked West Virginia at no. 20. Penn State opened the 2023 season with a home victory over the Mountaineers and the Nittany Lions travel to Morgantown to open the 2024 season.
Here is what Franklin’s full US LBM Coaches Poll ballot looked like at the end of the season;
- Michigan
- Washington
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Texas
- Oregon
- Florida State
- Missouri
- Ohio State
- Mississippi
- Penn State
- LSU
- Arizona
- Notre Dame
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Iowa
- Louisville
- Oklahoma State
- West Virginia
- North Carolina State
- Liberty
- SMU
- Tulane
- Kansas State
You can see every coach’s final ballot here.
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