Last year, Penn State came painfully close to a national title, falling just one win short. So, the expectations for 2025 are sky-high. The pressure is on head coach James Franklin, but he believes last season’s journey—making the CFP and competing for a Big Ten title—will fuel his team. Although they fell short of key goals, the experience could be the spark they need. And now, with a strong core returning and a high preseason ranking on the horizon, PSU is gearing up for a championship push next fall.

In a recent episode of College Football, David Pollack and Brent Rollins discussed who the next Ryan Day in CFB could be. You know, what was Rollins’ top pick? Penn State’s James Franklin. And his reasoning was clear. “In the SEC, mine was the coach who was number one on the list that we did earlier in the offseason about coaches with the most to gain that completely can change the narrative. And that’s James Franklin because now that he has a returning quarterback, he stole his biggest rival’s defensive coordinator; he has his OC returning; yep, everything is kind of in place,” said Rollins.

However, Rollins didn’t stop there, he pointed out, stating, “He actually is going to be on this other list that we, that you tweeted out earlier today about coaches that don’t get necessarily enough credit like he’s done a lot of good things at Penn State, like they’re in a really good place. He’s just got one hurdle that he can’t really get over right now, and that’s Ohio State.” As of now, with a loaded roster, a solid coaching staff, and a chip on his shoulder, Franklin has everything set for a breakthrough. But until he conquers OSU, that ‘next step’ remains just out of reach.

Nevertheless, hold on—here comes the nightmare stat that haunts James Franklin. As David Pollack pointed out, Franklin’s record against top-five teams is brutal. Yes, as of Jan 10, he stood at 1-15 as PSU’s head coach. And that includes tough losses to both Notre Dame and OSU. The Nittany Lions fell 13-20 to the Buckeyes in the regular season and couldn’t beat Oregon in the Big 10 Championship final. The game against Notre Dame could have gone either way. However, every loss adds to James Franklin’s poor showing against big teams.

But yet, Pollack sparked a debate with a bold defense of Franklin, saying, “Like, if we’re being honest, how many times did he really have the better roster? Like, not very many of those times.” However, Pollack didn’t stop there, and he also gave Franklin his flowers, saying, “And he’s built Penn State, like you said, he’s done a really good job finding talent, even while recruiting against, you know, other juggernauts in their conference. And it didn’t get easier with Oregon coming in either.”

Then, shifting the conversation, Pollack asked, “But do you have anybody else on your list, or why they all left?” And Rollins didn’t hesitate, throwing out an intriguing name: “I mean, I think Sherrone Moore might be an interesting one. Okay, I like that one, the funding that is now, and the what they’re doing, and the dollar bills that are being spent, and also, he is beating Ohio State two,” said the CFB insider. However, Pollack quickly agreed, adding, “And, oh, because, technically, he got the win, remember, because Jim Harbaugh was suspended. Yes, very much.”

As of now, with Moore stepping into the spotlight, the debate over the next big name in CFB for the national title just got even more interesting. But looking through just one lens doesn’t tell the whole story. We are aware that Franklin has established himself as a contender, yet until he demonstrates his ability to win the most significant games, the prospect of a national title remains merely a dream.

Does James Franklin really deserve it?

As James Franklin enters his 12th season at Happy Valley, one thing is clear—his record against elite teams is well-documented. And to his frustration, it’s not exactly glowing. See, this fall, PSU faces a brutal test. Yes, a road trip to OSU and a home clash with the reigning B1G champs, Oregon. So, the schedule is stacked with challenges. But there’s hope. The Nittany Lions have the talent, experience, and motivation to turn the tide. As of now, if Franklin can finally deliver in the biggest moments, next season could be the breakthrough PSU fans have been waiting for.

And as PSU is gearing up for a big year, the pieces are falling into place. Drew Allar returns for his third season as the Nittany Lions’ QB1. Moreover, in the backfield, the dynamic duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton is back, ready to keep defenses on their heels. On the other side of the ball, the defense gets a major boost with new DC Jim Knowles. You know, he is the mastermind who just led OSU to a national title.

However, despite all the talent returning, PSU still has questions to answer. USA TODAY Sports writer Blake Toppmeyer didn’t hold back, pointing out the cold, hard truth. “The Nittany Lions lost each of their three toughest games last season. Also, Penn State must replace defensive standout Abdul Carter and offensive standout Tyler Warren. Making the playoff seems probable, but a national championship? ‘Big Game James’ would need to stop being a sarcastic dig at Franklin,” said the writer.

To be honest, for Penn State, the road to a title isn’t just about talent—it’s about proving they can win when it matters most.