As the College Football Playoff approaches its final stages, the intensity of each game increases, with teams nearing their aspirations of achieving national championship glory. The semifinal round commenced with the Penn State Nittany Lions taking on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, both vying for a spot in the national championship game.
Fans Criticize James Franklin Following Orange Bowl Defeat
Penn State jumped to an early 10-0 advantage against the Fighting Irish, but ultimately lost to Notre Dame by a score of 24-27 in the semifinal. Despite a strong season overall, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin faced criticism after yet another defeat against a ranked opponent. Throughout his coaching tenure, he has accumulated a disappointingly low record of 4-20 against top-10 teams.
After Penn State’s defeat, fans took to social media to express their frustrations with Franklin.
“James Franklin is the bronze medal of college football head coaches,” one user remarked on X, previously known as Twitter.
“James Franklin and Mike Tomlin are the same coach. They both lead their teams to winning records during the regular season but falter in the playoffs. It’s a never-ending cycle,” another fan commented.
Analyst Suggests Raiders, Allar Would Be Ideal Match
Earlier in the year, Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar indicated his intention to return to Penn State in 2025. However, following his recent performances, some are advocating that he should reconsider and enter the NFL Draft. If Allar were to declare for the draft this spring, one analyst believes the Las Vegas Raiders would be an excellent fit.
“One player the Raiders might evaluate in the upcoming NFL Draft is Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Although he has recently confirmed plans to return to college, Allar still has the opportunity to change his decision, and a standout performance in the College Football Playoffs could elevate him on many QB draft boards in what is considered a relatively weak quarterback draft class,” wrote Ezekiel Trezevant of Sports Illustrated.
The Raiders certainly require a quarterback, particularly given that every other team in their division boasts a capable quarterback. The Kansas City Chiefs feature one of the greatest quarterbacks in history with Patrick Mahomes, while the Chargers have quarterback Justin Herbert, and the Denver Broncos possess quarterback Bo Nix.
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