‘Unforgivable loss.’ Those words echoed in the minds of Penn State fans as they watched their team prepare for Boise State in the CFP quarterfinals. For James Franklin, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Desperate to shed the ‘big-game loser’ tag, Franklin faced mounting pressure to deliver. Then came Paul Finebaum on Get Up, throwing fuel on the fire. “This would be just an unforgivable loss for a guy who has had a lot of unforgivable losses,” he declared, summing up the do-or-die moment for Franklin’s career.

But the Nittany Lions flipped the narrative. They handed Boise State the ‘unforgivable loss,’ securing a 31-14 victory that left Finebaum’s biting commentary in the dust. As the Fiesta Bowl approaches, Finebaum’s critique still lingers, but the focus shifts to what lies ahead.

Leading up to the game, doubts loomed large. Boise State, armed with Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty, seemed poised to pull off an upset. While Penn State cruised past SMU 38-10 in the previous round, Boise State had a bye to regroup. Fans were uneasy, questioning whether Franklin would rise to the occasion—or if they were headed for another heartbreak. One frustrated fan summed it up: “Doing everything we possibly can to try and lose this football game. Typical of James Franklin-coached teams.”

But the game didn’t go as predicted. Boise State had its chances, but missed opportunities defined their night. A potential touchdown in the third quarter was called back due to a hands-to-the-face penalty, and a critical fourth-quarter field goal to cut the lead to seven went wide. Meanwhile, Penn State capitalized, pulling away in the second half and silencing the doubters—for now.

Let’s not sleep on Franklin’s history against AP Top-10 teams: 3-24 overall and 3-19 at Penn State. Despite a Big Ten title and three New Year’s Six Bowl wins, his struggles against heavyweights like Ohio State and Michigan have tarnished his record. Yet, as Paul Finebaum puts it, “He usually beats the teams he’s supposed to.” This time, Franklin delivered, but the haunting unpredictability of college football remains.

Fans can’t forget what happened when Florida toppled LSU—a reminder that anything is possible on the field. For now, though, Franklin and Penn State live to fight another day, while Boise State is left wondering what might have been. But that didn’t stop PSU supporters from expressing their concerns on social media.

The biggest worry for Penn State fans? James Franklin

On Saturday night, Penn State was defeated by Oregon 45-37 in the Big Ten championship game. Although the Nittany Lions put up a fight, Penn State lost the most important game of the season due to errors. You have to play clean if you want to defeat the nation’s top squad. That is not what Penn State did.

Throughout the majority of the game, Drew Allar performed admirably and made some spectacular throws. However, two of the interceptions were vicious. The Ducks started with a bang, recovering a pick-six at the one-yard line on the first play. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Allar’s day, as his second interception sealed the game in the final seconds. But hey, he wasn’t the only one who made mistakes.

Penn State fans are starting to question Franklin’s game plan after that crushing loss to Oregon. It looks like he needs to hit the drawing board and come up with a new strategy. This defeat has some fans wondering if he’s the right guy to lead this team to the next level. One fan wrote, “James Franklin really doesn’t like trying to win Big Games.”

However, as of now, Penn State boasts an undefeated 8-0 record in Fiesta Bowl appearances, including a victory over Boise State that snapped their winning streak in the desert. However, some fans still have their doubts about Franklin’s consistency, given his past performance in big games. As one wrote, “Now I remember why I hate backing James Franklin.”

The Nittany Lions’ defense came up with another big play when Zakee Wheatley intercepted Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen and returned it 28 yards. But then disaster struck. Dani Dennis-Sutton was called for a personal foul, wiping out Wheatley’s huge return. That was a costly mistake by Penn State, who seem to be hitting themselves in the foot with all these penalties. One fan even said, “James Franklin is playing with his food way too much to be declining these penalties.”

Boise State is a rushing machine, averaging a whopping 6.8 yards per carry. Slowing down Ashton Jeanty is the obvious game plan, but let’s be honest, everyone knows that. “Can someone please tell James Franklin to stick with running between the tackles till Boise State learns to stop it? #fiestabowl,” was a hilarious comment made by a PSU supporter in light of this.

Despite all the doomsayers and the jokes, James Franklin showed everyone he’s got what it takes to win the big games. He shut down those ‘unforgivable loss’ fears in a big way.