James Franklin's Reported Contract Buyout Makes CFB History After Penn State Firing

Amid Penn State's three-game losing streak, the team made a surprising change and fired head coach James Franklin.

This move puts the Nittany Lions on the hook for a significant buyout that ranks second in college football history, per Pete Thamel of ESPN:

Ehsan Kassim of USA Today previously provided a breakdown of the contract with nearly $50 million owed to Franklin.

Penn State fell to 3-3 this season with a surprising 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Saturday, which followed losses against No. 3 Oregon and previously winless UCLA. To make matters worse, Franklin announced after Saturday's game that senior quarterback Drew Allar will miss the remainder of the year after suffering a leg injury, ending his college career.

Northwestern Wildcats - Penn State Nittany Lions Highlights

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Franklin has long been criticized for struggling to win big games, but losing games the Nittany Lions are expected to win created questions about his tenure as head coach.

"With the losses to UCLA and Northwestern, Penn State has yet to beat a Power Four team this season," Pete Nakos of On3 explained. "With a $48 million buyout on Dec. 1, sources have told On3 that there are legitimate conversations being held about Franklin's future with the Nittany Lions. Franklin could also leave Penn State and look for a new job."

The program apparently decided it was best to move on from the head coach.

Franklin had coached Penn State since 2014, and he didn't lose more than three games in a season since 2021.

The Nittany Lions will try to get back on track when they visit Iowa (4-2) next Saturday behind interim coach Terry Smith.