By Cole Kruger
In today’s Fact or Fiction I look at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
This is it for James Franklin at Penn State
My take: FACT
In recent years, James Franklin has been considered one of the best coaches in college football but during that time, Penn State has struggled to succeed within the Big Ten and the college football landscape. Coming into last season, Franklin turned to 5-star sophomore Drew Allar, but to say he was disappointing would be an understatement. Now with a year as a starter under his belt, expectations are even higher for Allar, meaning higher expectations for Franklin and this Nittany Lions team. With the expansion of the College Football Playoff, Penn State could be a trendy pick to make the Playoff as an outsider, and with Franklin signed to a long-term contract in Happy Valley, it seems the future is bright for this young squad.
That said, if the Nittany Lions struggle to find success in the next few years, especially with the Playoff expansion, I could see Franklin out the door sooner than many would expect. The recent lawsuit settled against Penn State in regards to Franklin’s actions regarding injuries doesn’t help either.
Realignment will be great for the college football landscape
My take: FACT
One of the biggest stories in all of sports was divisional realignment. In the last year, we have seen the near collapse of the Pac-12 and the growth of the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12. Coming into the upcoming season, we will see matchups that would have only been imagined in the NCAA 14 video game, including Georgia traveling to Texas and Oregon playing in Michigan.
Many were skeptical of these changes when they were first introduced and many fans still remain skeptical, but college football fans should be excited about these matchups and overall changes within the sport. Additionally, with the expansion of the College Football Playoff, this should be one of the most interesting college football seasons we have experienced in a long time.
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Luke Fickell will continue to struggle in Madison
My take: FICTION
One of the biggest moves in the 2022 offseason was Wisconsin hiring Luke Fickell away from Cincinnati. Fickell is one of the most successful coaches in Cincinnati history, and took them to the College Football Playoff in 2021, something a non-power 5 school had never done before. The hire by Wisconsin shocked the college football world and Wisconsin had new hope for the future.
With that being said, the 2023 season was a disaster for Fickell as the Badgers finished 7-6, way below expectations. Coming into this season, this is a new-look Wisconsin team, led by transfer QB Tyler Van Dyke – who showed great flashes at Miami. Van Dyke isn’t the only transfer Fickell lured in, as Fickell recruited RB Tawee Walker and CB RJ Delancy. With a new-look Big Ten and the Crimson Tide coming to town on September 14th, this season is a great opportunity for Fickell to bring the Badgers back to prominence. And I think he will.
