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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Should we have expected anything different from Penn State on Saturday before a record-breaking crowd inside Beaver Stadium? James Franklin’s defense did everything it could to secure the win, but it was the offense that broke a longstanding record against Ohio State that has now extended the questions about whether the Nittany Lions can close out a big game as the Buckeyes prevailed 20-13.

The whole narrative around this Big Ten matchup was centered around James Franklin, and his inability to win the ‘Big Game’, whether that’s against Ohio State or Michigan. Once again on Saturday afternoon, as fans clad in white and Blue made their way towards the parking lot, we were left asking the same question, about this football program. 

When in the heck is Penn State going to turn the corner? For 129 consecutive games, the offense has scored a touchdown, but on this day, that streak came to an end thanks to conservative play calling and scared tactics. It felt as if we were watching another Penn State team fall to the wayside in a game in which they could’ve won by fourteen points. 

How else do you explain the defensive touchback, pick-six and end zone interception? You showed the fans that rising up for the big moment has never been the problem, but finishing that moment has been the catalyst for the reckoning of this football team for numerous years. 

STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 02: Drew Allar #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium on November 02, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

James Franklin stood on the sidelines in the final minute of the game just looking around, wondering what had gone wrong. This was the moment for Penn State to get out of the shadows of Michigan and Ohio State, in such a big game at the most opportune time. If you thought that Ohio State didn’t show enough passion during the week leading up to Saturday afternoon, maybe it was all by design. 

“We didn’t say it publicly, we said that behind closed doors,” Ryan Day said about the magnitutde of this game. “It’s a big game for us, obviously.”

While the jubilation from the Ohio State locker room could be heard from the concourse of Beaver Stadium, as Ryan Day spoke with the media, it was clear that while the Buckeyes were back on track, this James Franklin-led squad has a ways to go, without much regular season football left.

As the PA announcer came over the stadium loudspeaker to announce this ‘James Franklin Show’ this week, there was an overwhelming chorus of boos coming from the stands, as Penn State fans were leaving the stadium. 

“I understand their frustration, guys in locker room are frustrated, if not more,” James Franklin said postgame. “I get it, we had an unbelievable crowd and support, and you don’t do that without passion. There are great things that come from that, and hard things that come from that.”

The problem is that it’s hard to get up for these games if you keep on losing them, especially for a crowd that broke an attendance record on Saturday. 

Penn State Offense Was Terrible, Which Is A Bad Sign For Future

What’s also frustrating for this fan base is the fact that 129-game streak of scoring an offensive touchdown came to and end on Saturday against the Buckeyes, only adding to the embarrassment. 

To be honest, I think just about everyone is tired of hyping Penn State up, to only see them fumble the bag when it matters. The offensive line was rough, Drew Allar made multiple mistakes, and the Nittany Lions were forced into terrible mistakes. It’s almost as if they were playing not to lose when up by 10 points in the first half, and that will not win you many games. 

Like I wrote about on Saturday morning, this Penn State team is ready to accept the hype, but they rarely come though at the biggest moments, which has followed James Franklin around Happy Valley over the past six years. Should it come as a surprise that Penn State was stopped four-consecutive times inside the 4-year line with five minutes to play in the game? 

It shouldn’t, because Penn State fans have now turned unfortunately into a group of apathetic fans, just hoping James Franklin can turn the corner and produce the big-game win. 

Now I wonder if this team is good enough to win an opening round game of the college football playoff, given that they managed to score just six offensive points, coming by field-goals. Yes, the pick-6 helped, but that was the only time Penn State would see the endxone. 

On another day in November, against a highly-ranked team, Penn State dropped the ball, and gave Ohio State every opportunity to snatch the win, which they did in dramatic fashion. 

Huge Moment For Ryan Day, Ohio State

As the Ohio State team ran towards their fans in the corner of the endzone, waving at them in the upper-deck, you could see head coach Ryan Day making his way over. 

He stood in the back, hugging every person that would come up to him, knowing how big this game was for the future of Ohio State, with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly bringing him the most joy. 

As Kelly made his way onto the field, Ryan Day pretty much leaped into his arms, jumping for joy as the team made their way to the locker room. It was a special moment between the head coach and OC, and they weren’t going to pass up the chance to celebrate on Penn State’s field. 

They deserved it, considering the play calling for Will Howard in the second half, and the way he was able to guide his team down the field to take the lead, and then extend it with a field goal. Let’s be honest, for all the flack that the Buckeyes took after last week’s close encounter with Nebraska, this game against Penn State was personal. 

All the Ohio State staff did was cut out the noise, and deliver a game plan for Will Howard to execute. Yes, there were times when Howard struggled, but it was his play in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Buckeyes, sending Penn State into panic-mode over the offensive ineptitude. 

For James Franklin, I don’t know when he’ll get this heavy weight off his back. But on Saturday, all Ohio State did was add to the pressure, which has already reached max capacity.