Following a three-game losing streak, Penn State fired coach James Franklin after 11 years with the program. Franklin had long been criticized for falling short in big games, which they did when they lost to Oregon two weeks ago.
Losing to Oregon, a top-10 opponent, was understandable. But ensuing losses to UCLA and Northwestern, two bottom-tier programs in the Big Ten, proved unacceptable and resulted in Franklin's departure. Franklin does walk away with around a $50 million buyout from the program, but will no longer get to coach the Nittany Lions.
