Penn State head coach James Franklin reacts during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

The James Franklin era at Penn State is over.

The university announced on Sunday afternoon that it has “made a change in leadership,” and confirmed that associate head coach Terry Smith will become the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Athletic Director Pat Kraft thanked Franklin.

“Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to Coach Franklin, who rebuilt our football program into a national power,” Kraft said. “He won a Big Ten championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.”

The move was precipitated after the Nittany Lions lost their third-straight game Saturday, 22-21, to unranked Northwestern, and loud chanting of “Fire Franklin” took place at Beaver Stadium.

Franklin was also verbally harassed by fans leading to the locker room.

See Monday’s Altoona Mirror for complete coverage.