Penn State has fired head football coach James Franklin in his 12th year at the helm of the Nittany Lions.

The university announced the move Sunday afternoon after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. It was the third straight loss for the Nittany Lions after entering the year ranked No. 2 and among the favorites to win a national championship. 71

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Associate head coach/cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, a Penn State letterman, will serve as the interim head coach.

According to the original terms released for the contract extension Franklin signed in 2021, Penn State owes him $56 million dollars in a buyout . However, the contract was amended in 2024 without publicly released terms. It is possible Franklin and his camp could have negotiated different p

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