PSU likely won't be able to hire a coach whose record or list of accolades matches what James Franklin had accomplished. But there are other key factors at play in Happy Valley.
We're now halfway through the regular season, and you can probably guess where Penn State falls on our list. Conversely, there have been some nice surprises in the opening seven weeks.
Who should Penn State hire to replace James Franklin? The Big Ten hits another hurdle with private equity. An expensive offseason is proving fruitful for Texas Tech. The American conference seems bound for the CFP.
It's been a topsy-turvy start to the season. Our preseason picks aren't looking too hot, so here's a second stab at prognosticating how the rest of the year will go and who will be playing for all the marbles in Miami.
We now live in a world where a program that reached the College Football Playoff semis last season cans its coach because of a few bad games — and it feels somewhat normal.