In a stunning turn of events after Penn State opened the season as a perceived national championship contender, the Nittany Lions fired coach James Franklin on Sunday. Three consecutive losses, including two to Big Ten bottom-dwellers UCLA and Northwestern , prompted Penn State to make the biggest move thus far on the 2025 coaching carousel.

The Franklin era is done after 12 years, across which Penn State reached the College Football Playoff once, won three New Year's Six bowl games and was a perennial top 10 team. It goes without saying that the Nittany Lions coaching job is one of the best in college football, and with its high-profile nature comes a lengthy list of premium options to replace Franklin.

The next Penn State coach will be tasked with achieving what Franklin coul

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