By the Numbers: Evaluating James Franklin's Penn State Legacy in Joe Paterno's Shadow

It’s time to put James Franklin’s tenure as Penn State’s head coach (2014-2025) into perspective. In today’s instant gratification, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world, Franklin is often viewed as being on the coaching “hot seat.” It’s fair to scrutinize every head coach, but the scrutinization has to be fair. 

Franklin’s tenancy as the Nittany Lions head coach is frequently scrutinized, particularly regarding his performance against top-tier competition and in postseason play. So let’s do a thorough comparison of former head coach Joe Paterno’s final eleven years (2000–2011) to Franklin’s eleven years at the helm. 

Overall Win/Loss Record

Franklin has compiled a 101–42 record over his first eleven seasons, averaging more than nine wins per year and achieving a .693 winning percentage. In contrast, Paterno’s final twelve seasons yielded an 88–49 record, averaging just over seven wins per year with a .621 winning percentage. Franklin’s ability to maintain a higher win rate is particularly notable given the increased competitiveness of the Big Ten and the broader challenges of the current era, including the transfer portal, NIL, and expanded playoff formats.

There were only hushed whispers of JoePa’s shortcomings, even during the 2003-04, and 2004-05 seasons when he went 3-9 and 4-7, respectively. In contrast, every year Franklin is placed on the scale to see if — rather, when — he should be shown the door. This ever-present feeling of his impending ousting is due, mainly, to Penn State’s performance against Ohio State and Michigan. 

Performance Against Ohio State and Michigan

Both coaches faced difficulties against Penn State’s most formidable rivals:

• James Franklin: 1–9 vs. Ohio State, 3–7 vs. Michigan (2014–2024)

• Joe Paterno: 3–8 vs. Ohio State, 3–6 vs. Michigan (2000–2011)
  

While Franklin’s record against these teams is similar to Paterno’s in his final years, it’s important to note that Paterno was not widely considered to be on the hot seat for these results. The expectation to consistently beat these national powerhouses has always been a challenge, and Franklin’s record in this area is comparable to his predecessor’s. 

Bowl and Playoff Success

Franklin has led Penn State to 15 postseason games (including the College Football Playoff), with an 8–7 record. His postseason résumé features major New Year’s Six bowl victories—such as the Fiesta Bowl (2017, 2024), Cotton Bowl (2019), and Rose Bowl (2022)—as well as Penn State’s first-ever 2024 College Football Playoff appearance and wins against SMU (First Round Playoff game) and Boise State (Fiesta Bowl). Paterno, in his final twelve seasons, achieved four bowl wins. 

During his final twelve seasons, Paterno’s bowl victories included the 2005 Orange Bowl over Florida State, the 2007 Alamo Bowl against Texas A&M, the 2009 Capital One Bowl versus LSU, and the 2010 Outback Bowl against Florida

Franklin’s postseason accomplishments are both deeper and more varied, reflecting the increased difficulty of reaching and advancing in today’s postseason structure.

Franklin’s Postseason Results (2014–2024)

Season	Game	Opponent	Result	Score
2014	Pinstripe Bowl	Boston College	Win	31–30
2015	TaxSlayer Bowl	Georgia	Loss	17–24
2016	Rose Bowl	USC	Loss	49–52
2017	Fiesta Bowl	Washington	Win	35–28
2018	Citrus Bowl	Kentucky	Loss	24–27
2019	Cotton Bowl	Memphis	Win	53–39
2021	Outback Bowl	Arkansas	Loss	10–24
2022	Rose Bowl	Utah	Win	35–21
2023	Peach Bowl	Ole Miss	Loss	25–38
2024	CFP First Round	SMU	Win	38–10
2024	Fiesta Bowl (Quarterfinal)	Boise State	Win	31–14
2024	Orange Bowl (Semifinal)	Notre Dame	Loss	24–27

Program’s Historical Context and Modern Challenges

Franklin inherited a program still recovering from extensive NCAA sanctions and scholarship reductions, yet quickly rebuilt Penn State into a consistent national contender. He has maintained top recruiting classes and kept Penn State in the AP Top 10 multiple times, including having the Nittany Lions ranked No. 1 in some preseason polls. His tenure has coincided with a period of unprecedented competitiveness in the Big Ten and college football at large, making his sustained success even more impressive.

JoePa vs. Franklin

Coach	Years	Total Record	vs. Ohio State	vs. Michigan	Bowl/Playoff Wins
Joe Paterno	2000–2011	88–49	3–8	3–6	4
James Franklin	2014–2024	101–42	1–9	3–7	8

By every major metric—overall wins, postseason achievements, and program stability—Franklin’s record compares favorably to JoePa’s final years. Of course, he’d like to have logged more victories against the Buckeyes and Wolverines, but Franklin’s decision-making as head coach has kept Penn State nationally relevant and consistently competitive. There’s no objective basis for considering Franklin on the coaching hot seat. He took control of a fractured program and, year after year, improved Penn State’s legacy in the college football world.