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Auburn series, SEC foe benefit Lions' program
By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com
The entire Nittany Nation seemed to love the two-year series with Auburn -- the outcomes, the interaction with War Eagle fans and visiting their outstanding venue.
Except, that is, the one person whose vote matters most.
James Franklin didn't take long to water down the idea of future relations with not only Auburn but seemingly the entire SEC.
Asked after the Lions' 41-12 domination on Saturday if he'd like to see more home-and-home games "like this" -- Auburn had never hosted a Big Ten team -- Franklin didn't mince words.
"No, no," he said. "There's a reason that this is like one of the only games that has been scheduled in the history of the Big Ten. All the data, all the analytics, show you got to do whatever you can to win your conference. This is going to help us. We're going to build on it. It's been a great experience -- not only for this year, for us to improve going forward, but also for the freshmen."
Then he added, "We won't have to play one of these games again."
Franklin was at best lukewarm on this series from the beginning. Asked last year how it was hatched, he said, "The administrations got together."
So while he probably preferred to play Villanova, the Lions went 2-0 in the series, finishing it -- apparently -- with an exclamation point.
Franklin is still chafing for being left out of the College Football Playoff in 2016, even though the Lions won the Big Ten and, as a two-loss team, were overlooked in favor of a one-loss Washington team that won the Pac-12.
Had the Lions beaten Pitt that year -- they lost in a great game at Heinz Field, 42-39 -- they would have gone.
They were also housed at Michigan, 49-10, which wasn't exactly a resume item.
But no question 2016 -- and probably Pitt -- remains stuck in his craw.
That doesn't mean, however, that it was a bad idea to play Pitt in a four-game series or a bad idea to play Auburn.
Further, there's a mutual partnership with the fans -- the same ones that Franklin wants to cough up as much money as possible for an NIL war chest because part of college football is now about who can afford the best team.
And which opponents would you rather see at Beaver Stadium before conference play begins, Auburn or Delaware?
When the CFP expands to 12 teams, strength-of-schedule presumably will be factored into helping to determine the field, especially the at-large teams from Power-5 conferences.
Meantime, it's somewhat of a moot point because the Nits' non-conference schedule is set through 2024. Next year, they open with West Virginia, and the Lions will be double-digit favorites, but in two years, they go to Morgantown, which usually isn't easy.
Nobody begrudges a MAC team, but two? Next year brings not only UMass but also Delaware.
It all boils down to what kind of program you want. Certainly, at $8 million per year, Franklin is being paid to compete with and beat virtually every team the schedule offers.
He talks about Ohio State and being elite, and the Buckeyes shy away from no one.
We'll see if Pat Kraft agrees because left to their own devices, many coaches would favor Franklin's approach to the non-conference schedule.
There was one other confusing nugget on this topic that Franklin provided, and it came up Tuesday while previewing this week's opponent, Central Michigan.
"I thought it was interesting, kind of looking historically, I was shocked that we only ever played them one other time," he said of the Chippewas. "Just seemed strange to only play them one time."
I don't find it strange at all.
Rudel can be reached at 814-946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
Path of least resistance enhances playoff chances
By Cory Giger
sports@altoonamirror.com
What is your goal in life? What do you have to do to achieve that goal?
James Franklin's goal is to reach the College Football Playoff. And ultimately to win a national title, which would make him the first Black coach to do so, thereby cementing his status as a college football legend.
If we are only looking through the prism of Franklin's goal of reaching a playoff in the current four-team system, then Penn State does not ever have to play any good teams in the non-conference schedule.
Nobody. And I mean nobody.
Fill up the non-con every year with the likes of Delaware, Buffalo and Kent State, and as ridiculous as it sounds, that would still be good enough for the Nittany Lions to reach a playoff.
No, it absolutely would not be cool to do that. It would be ripping off the fans, who pay thousands and thousands of dollars for tickets and deserve at least one outstanding non-conference opponent every so often.
But if a coach's primary concern is reaching the playoff, then what fans think about the non-conference schedule does not matter one bit.
I'm not here to say that Franklin is right in his opinion that Penn State doesn't really need marquee opponents in the non-con. But I am here to tell you that his reasoning makes perfect sense — given his goal of getting to a playoff for the first time.
Playing a tough opponent in the non-con increases the odds for a loss. And thereby drastically decreases Penn State's chances of reaching a playoff.
The Lions play in the Big Ten East. They play Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State every year. If they beat three high school teams in the non-con and then win the Big Ten, they will go to a playoff. Even, under many scenarios, if they lose one game in the league.
But if Penn State loses to a team in the non-con, then it pretty much has to run the table in the Big Ten. Because it cannot afford to have two losses under virtually any scenario.
Just go back to 2016 for proof. Penn State lost to Pitt, and then lost to Michigan but won the Big Ten, downing Wisconsin in the championship game. If the Lions had played Villanova that year instead of Pitt, they absolutely, 100 percent would have made the playoff at 12-1.
They darn near made it at 11-2, but the Pitt defeat killed their hopes.
So, with the four-team playoff format that currently exists, and with Franklin's No. 1 goal being to reach a playoff, then he is absolutely within his right to want the path of least resistance in the non-conference schedule.
Whether fans like it or not.
Now, once we get to a 12-team playoff in 2026, then everything changes. Because at that point, numerous two-loss teams will be able to make the field of 12, and in some years, even three-loss teams might make it.
When we get to that point, then Franklin's non-conference scheduling philosophy can change to embrace at least one major opponent every year. Because, hey, Penn State could afford to lose that game AND lose to Ohio State, and a 10-2 record still would be good enough to get to a playoff most years.
Until, however, we get to a 12-team field, Penn State's best path to a playoff berth is to play the easiest non-con schedule that it can and then take care of business in the Big Ten.
Cory Giger covers Penn State for DK Pittsburgh Sports and hosts "Sports Central" weekdays from 4-5 on WRTA. He can be reached at cgsports12@gmail.com.