By Kyle Golik
Penn State’s James Franklin sees all games as big ones. In theory, he is right, a game might be your only opportunity to achieve something or get it done. “Last week was a big game, Wisconsin, USC was a big game … Bowling Green was a big game,” Franklin said emphatically Wednesday. “If you don’t think it was, lose to Bowling Green and see how people react. They’re all big games.”
In theory, he is right but what do you call games against Ohio State, Michigan, and other big-time opponents?
This is where Franklin doesn’t have an answer for and his results show it.
It seems I point out ad nauseam the poor records Franklin has had in big-time games:
- 1-10 against Ohio State
- 6-10 against ranked teams at home
- 1-9 against Top 5 Teams overall
- 1-7 against Top 10 Teams at home.
As Franklin left the field, his Lions were serenaded with boos of frustration and Franklin interacted with one fan. After the fan heckled Franklin decided to engage with the fan. “If you’re gonna be man enough to talk, what’s your name?” Franklin said. The fan left but it was a situation that he needed to walk away from.
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The impetus of Penn State’s frustration stemmed from Penn State’s final offensive series. It seemed Penn State was going to tie it after tight end Tyler Warren rumbled for a 33-yard gain that put Penn State just three yards from the end zone.
Penn State operated out of the shotgun on their final four offensive plays, and the offensive line had no push to give power back Kaytron Allen the ability to score for the first three plays. On fourth and goal, you figure this is your money moment, you got to use Warren, your money player in some facet and live with the consequences. Penn State decided to pass and quarterback Drew Allar tried to locate tight end Khalil Dinkins only to fall incomplete. It looked like Warren was the primary target, but was well-guarded.
While Penn State had over five minutes left, their defense which entering the day was the No. 8 run defense in the country at 93 yards per game allowed, could not get any leverage against an Ohio State ground game that got four first downs and rushed for 58 yards and milked all the time left.
Overall, Ohio State rushed for 176 yards on 44 carries – take away the sack yards and Ohio State rushed for nearly 200 yards. The Buckeyes exploited the edge and boundaries against Penn State and were getting chuck plays. I talked with linebackers Kobe King and Dominic DeLuca after the game and each echoed similar sentiments about missing assignments in their over the top scheme.
I asked DeLuca after the game what does it mean to him to not be able to beat Penn State, DeLuca froze and just said, “it was a hard pill to swallow”.
For Franklin, the hard pill he needs to swallow is the big games aren’t Bowling Green, Kent State, and lesser opponents. The big games are Ohio State, Michigan, Southern California, and Oregon. It also could be Iowa, Wisconsin, or Nebraska, amongst others from time to time. No one will remember Franklin doing his job against Bowling Green, it is going to be his inability to beat Ohio State or any major game.
Today was a potential playoff elimination game for Ohio State, they faced adversity and were down 10-0 early in the first quarter against the No. 3 team in the country. Ohio State managed to recompose themselves and only surrendered a field goal the rest of the way. They know how to win the big games, Penn State doesn’t. That inability falls on Franklin and that will forever keep him from making Penn State elite.
