Penn State fired head coach James Franklin on Sunday, following a 22-21 loss to Northwestern that capped a three-game losing streak and derailed the Nittany Lions’ national championship hopes.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel , Franklin was told he was dismissed Sunday afternoon, and associate head coach and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith was named the interim head coach. Franklin signed a 10-year, $75 million contract with Penn State in 2021, which means the school owes him a $49 million buyout.

Franklin was initially hired by Penn State in 2014 after having success at Vanderbilt. During his 12 seasons at Penn State, he compiled a 104-45 record , helped the school reach 10 bowl games, yet won only one Big Ten title. His teams also had trouble winning big games and found themselves on

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