During today’s press conference in Happy Valley, Penn State football head coach James Franklin was asked about non-conference scheduling, leading to some backlash on social media and more. Many Wolverines fans feel that Franklin’s comments were directed at this year’s Michigan football schedule; however, few heard the actual quotes, and many missed the part where he hinted at Indiana instead of Michigan. Here is what Franklin had to say.
No, James Franklin didn’t take a shot at the Michigan football schedule
Now, to be clear, James Franklin believes that Penn State football plays enough good Big Ten teams to justify playing weaker teams during the non-conference slate — he has advocated for as much in past years. Still, this fall, the Nittany Lions played West Virginia, the Buckeyes played Notre Dame, and Michigan football played three easier teams. Say what you will about this year’s scheduling, but here is Franklin’s take, which was not really a shot at the Wolverines. This first quote is likely directed at Indiana, though again, is seemingly not intended as a shot.
“There is a team in this conference (the Big Ten) specifically that is buying out of a ton of game contracts that have already been signed, to go in the complete opposite direction,” Penn State head coach James Franklin began. “You look at people who are going to have to play — just in our conference — it is going to be even more challenging than it has ever been (to make the CFP).
“You have to do whatever you possibly can to — number one, give yourself a chance to be undefeated at the end of the season. … On top of that, if you’re not scheduling to be undefeated, you’re scheduling to have as (few) possible losses to give yourself a chance to be in the playoffs.”
Franklin hints at Michigan’s scheduling
Yep — that is what people are upset about. If anything, it seems that Franklin is siding with softer non-conference schedules, just as he has in the past. Additionally, for most of that, I am pretty sure James Franklin was talking about Indiana, though this next quote from the Penn State head coach is likely about Michigan football.
“There is another team in (the Big Ten) that has had a lot of success that last couple of years, that I think would follow the same argument. … If anything, I think it magnifies (non-conference scheduling in regards to the playoff race) even more.”
This is likely not a shot at the Wolverines, or anyone for that matter
Again, historically, James Franklin has pushed for Penn State to go in the direction that Michigan football has seemingly gone over the last few years — he thinks that the Big Ten is hard enough, so why risk losing more games? In fact, if you look back to 2016, the Nittany Lions missed the College Football Playoff — despite being Big Ten Champions — due to an early-season non-conference loss against Pitt.
So, despite what social media is saying, it is very unlikely that James Franklin meant any of this as a direct shot against Michigan football; if anything, it sounds like he is in agreement with what the Wolverines have been doing, even pointing out the team’s recent success.
Here is the video, for those interested:
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