This is coaching at its best! It would have blown any college football team out of proportion to loss as an 11.5-point favorite potential playoff team. One of Week 13’s biggest highlights came from the Big Ten showdown between Penn State and Minnesota. It’s almost a showcase of two equal talents, but the game proved that aggression is more favorable than playing it safe. 

A close game for James Franklin and Penn State! The No. 4 Nittany Lions nearly gave away its No. 4 spot in Saturday’s game against Minnesota. But they kept their playoff hopes alive as one of the top four CFB teams after their close 26-25 victory over the Golden Gophers. Following the game, CBSSports gave a shoutout to the HC on Instagram on November 24. Posting a video of Penn State faking a punt in its own territory, it captioned, “What a GUTSY call by James Franklin.”

It was an intense close battle at Huntington Bank Stadium that arrived at a very crucial situation in the fourth quarter. Both Penn State and Minnesota had fourth-down opportunities which they executed differently. Minnesota HC PJ Fleck played it safe after getting a first-and-goal from the 7-yard line by settling for a field goal. As for James Franklin, he stuck to the more aggressive method on the game’s final drive. 

James Franklin called a gusty fake punt on fourth-and-one in Penn State’s territory. A risky call because it would give Minnesota a game-winning field goal if his technique was unsuccessfully executed. The call allowed TE Luke Reynolds to gain 32 yards into Minnesota’s territory. QB Drew Allar then converted another fourth down four plays later. Another crucial conversion happened on the final play when the QB connected with Tyler Warren, ultimately helping Penn State seal the final win by a mere one point. 

Penn State keeps their playoff hopes alive

Drew Allar recorded 244 yards and a touchdown as they improved their record to 10-1. It may be a close win, but the points don’t matter right now because it’s the W that matters. They’re now closer to the Big Ten Championship game. Penn State competes with Ohio State and Indiana who are all 7-1 in the conference. The winner of the three will face Oregon in the conference title game. 

Beyond the conference title, Penn State’s chance to make it to the playoffs has never been greater. Considering that No. 5 Indiana and No. 11 Ole Miss lost in this weekend’s crucial matchups, the Nittany Lions are inching closer to hosting a home playoff game at Beaver Stadium. Can we expect another victory over Maryland in their final season game to cement their playoff expectations?