“James Franklin has built a consistent winner at Penn State. But when it comes to the toughest opponents, the man known as ‘Big Game James’.” That blunt judgment from the WSJ sears like a scar—and it’s ultimately become James Franklin ‘s second identity. Now, no Penn State fan would love this, but they can’t even ignore the fact that James Franklin, despite having all the weapons at his disposal, still keeps coming short…. The resume feels more like a ‘near miss’ highlight reel, and even though James Franklin and Co. started off with a 46-11 banger, the ‘Big Game James’ narrative lingers.

“Penn State’s had a really hard time beating teams that they match up with… not Michigan when they were elite… lost to Oregon, lost to Ohio State, lost to Notre Dame… Where does that leave Penn State?

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