Following another embarrassing loss, Penn State has fired head coach James Franklin. After their narrow loss against the Northwestern Wildcats, the Nittany Ducks now have three losses in a row.
In 11 seasons at Penn State, Franklin had a record of 104-45, making him the second-winningest coach in the program’s history. The former head coach also won a Big Ten championship in 2016
‘He’s A Longtime Assistant Coach.’ Who is Penn State’s Replacement After Firing James Franklin? All About the 12-Year Career of Franklin’s Loyal Ally
Following the decision to sack Franklin, Penn State has already announced the former head coach’s replacement, with Terry Smith taking over as interim head coach for the rest of the season.
Terry Smith will be the interim at Penn State, per the school. He’s longtime assistant coach and has been there all 12 years with Franklin.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 12, 2025
“Terry Smith will be the interim at Penn State, per the school. He’s a longtime assistant coach and has been there all 12 years with Franklin.” ESPN reporter Pete Thamel wrote the following after the announcement.
Smith, who served as an associate head coach and cornerbacks coach under Franklin, will serve as interim head coach for the remaining six games of the season, including a Big Ten clash against conference favorites Ohio State.
Smith spent a standout stint as a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions. The interim head coach also helped PSU secure 12-straight top-25 classes as a recruiter, including a top-5 class in 2018, a top-6 class in 2022, and top-15 classes in nine of the last 11 years.
The interim head coach also served as the cornerbacks coach for Penn State. During this time, he developed seven draft picks for the Nitanny Lions, as well as coaching multiple alumni who earned All Big Ten honors.
“On brand for college football. We hate the HC so much we’re going to pay him a fortune to leave & replace him with his No. 1 asst.” One fan wrote the following the announcement.
On brand for college football.
We hate the HC so much we’re going to pay him a fortune to leave & replace him with his No. 1 asst.— Mac Engel (@MacEngelProf) October 12, 2025
This decision comes a few weeks after UCLA made the decision to promote Tim Skipper to head coach. Skipper took over for former head coach DeShaun Foster following his 0-2 start to the season, turning the side around and taking a massive win against Penn State itself.
Following yesterday’s loss, PFSN’s playoff meter currently projects the Nittany Lions to win seven games in total this season. They would need a miracle to even make it to the playoffs, with a 2% chance, as their season looks to be all but over.
