Oh boy, to be James Franklin today would be the most depressing thing. Just a day (Yesterday) before the Orange Bowl, Franklin literally threw some shade at Notre Dame for not being in a conference. “This is no knock at coach Freeman or Notre Dame, but I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play in a conference championship game or no one should play in a conference championship game,” he said. Like a man who forgot his own record in biggames. Fast forward to tonight, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish handed Franklin and Penn State yet another crushing defeat, 27-24, in the dying seconds. If irony were a sport, Franklin’s post-game presser would’ve been the championship.

Let’s talk facts because, boy, do the numbers not lie. James Franklin’s Penn State record against AP top-5 teams? A dismal 1-15, with that lone W coming against Ohio State in 2016. If we throw his Vanderbilt days into the mix, the man’s sitting at 1-18 against top-5 teams. That’s not just bad—it’s historically atrocious. To put this into perspective, Nick Saban is rocking a 24-11 record, and Kirby Smart’s at 11-7. Even Ryan Day, who’s taken his share of heat this season, has a semi-respectable 5-6. But Franklin? He’s the guy you call when top-5 teams need a confidence boost, Lmao.

This game was Franklin in a nutshell. Penn State had it—right there for the taking. Up 24-17 with less than 8 minutes to go, the Nittany Lions seemed way on their way to shut Franklin’s critics up for at least 1 given night. Then Drew Allar,  6’5′ QB who rarely throws picks, decided to gift a Notre Dame player his 1oth career interception at literally the worst possible moment. Allar’s blunder set up Notre Dame’s Mitch Jeter for a game-winning 41-yard chip shot with just 7 seconds left. And just like that, Franklin’s Orange Bowl turned into another chapter in his book of missed opportunities.

Look, what makes this even more painful for Penn State fans is that Franklin’s teams don’t just lose these big games—they crumble when it matters most. Thursday night wasn’t about Notre Dame dominating; it was about Penn State handing them the keys to the car and watching them drive off into the CFP championship game. Sure, Franklin’s a great coach when the stakes are low. But when it’s win-or-go-home, his teams fold faster than cheap lawn chairs.

That 4th quarter was a gut punch, plain and simple. After a controversial pass interference call handed Penn State a chance to go up, they did just that, taking a 24-17 lead with 7:55 to play. But from there, it was classic Franklin chaos. Just 5 plays. That’s all Penn State managed the rest of the game. A three-and-out, followed by Allar’s pick that might as well have had “Game Over” written on it. Notre Dame tied the game with ease, and once they got the ball back, it was curtains for Franklin and Co.

James Franklin’s kryptonite

The numbers don’t lie: Franklin is 0-5 or 0-6 against teams ranked in the top 5 by the CFP selection committee, losing those games by an average of 20.4 points. Twenty. Point. Four. You’d think someone would have an answer by now, but nope. It’s like watching a bad rerun where the characters keep making the same mistakes. The guy’s kryptonite is staring him in the face every time he lines up against elite competition, and yet here we are again.

Now, let’s not pretend Franklin’s a bad coach. He’s done things at Vanderbilt and Penn State that most coaches couldn’t dream of. Nine wins back-to-back at Vanderbilt? That’s borderline wizardry. And 10 or more wins in 6 of his last eight full seasons at Penn State? Impressive. But for all the good he’s done, it’s impossible to ignore the glaring holes in his resume. When the lights shine the brightest, Franklin’s teams shrink the fastest. And Thursday night’s collapse is their version of, ‘Same stuff, different day.’

So, where does Penn State go from here? Firing Franklin would be ludicrous—the guy’s too good at getting them to the dance. But at some point, fans are going to want more than just showing up. The two CFP wins this year were against teams Penn State should beat. It’s hard to celebrate when you know the big boys are waiting to knock you down a peg. Maybe Franklin gets over the hump 1 day, but today. Maybe Allar doesn’t throw that pick, and Penn State’s sitting in the title game right now. But until something changes, this is the reality in Happy Valley. Penn State’s a great program with a coach who just can’t seem to win when it matters most. And for Franklin, the clock is ticking louder than ever.