Penn State's James Franklin Describes Impact of Expanded Playoff, Conference Realignment

No team in college football may be more excited for the expanded CFP than Penn State. The Nittany Lions under James Franklin have been defined by near-misses in the modern playoff era, finishing a whopping six seasons within the top 12 teams in the CFP rankings but never making it to the promised land of the playoff.

Consistently losing against Michigan and Ohio State in the big games has meant that, despite constant success, Penn State fans are desperate for more.

The new twelve team format appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered for Penn State. Heading into the 2024 season, prognosticators agree that the Nittany Lions seem to fit the bill of an expanded playoff team. The team ranks third in the preseason Big Ten media poll, and holds a top-six ranking on ESPN's FPI.

Franklin sat down with FOX analyst Joel Klatt on Klatt's podcast and addressed the benefits, in his mind, of an expanded CFP.

"For programs like Penn State, the playoffs made everything more challenging, because now the definition (of success) has shifted. It was playoffs or bust, which also makes some of those games challenging when literally your players are being told by the fans and the media that when you have one loss, the season's almost over."

"So I think it's really gonna be long-term, good for college football. I know it's going to be good for Penn State, and I also think it's gonna create some fantastic matchups within the playoffs."

Franklin's excitement with the new format is palpable. Increasing the margin of error for teams to still qualify eases the pressure on his athletes and a higher likelihood of a successful season.

Franklin also touched on conference realignment, which has seen the addition of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington into the Big Ten, making the eighteen-team league a de-facto super-conference.

"I'm still getting comfortable with the whole idea that we have Pac-12 teams in the Big Ten" he said, to laughter from Klatt.

"I do think once this thing settles, it's gonna make for really exciting football, really great games that will be captivating. We are about to play one of the most exciting schedules that Penn State has ever played before."

The Nittany Lions will take on USC, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Washington, and more this season as part of a loaded Big Ten schedule. But, as evidenced by Franklin's interview, the morale in Happy Valley is high, and the seismic shift in the college football landscape over this offseason is the primary reason why.