Ohio State’s Ryan Day sounds off on Penn State firing James Franklin

Ohio State's head coach, Ryan Day, offered some heartfelt words of encouragement for former Penn State head coach James Franklin after the program parted ways with him on Sunday.

Penn State's James Franklin, left, talks to Ohio State's Ryan Day before a game on Nov. 2, 2024 in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions lost, 20-13, pushing Franklin's all-time record against the Buckeyes to 1-10. | Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State's football season quickly went off the rails, and six games in, the program decided to part ways with head coach James Franklin following a disappointing 3-3 start. Three consecutive losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern highlighted the team's struggles.

The Nittany Lions couldn't afford to let Franklin stay on the sidelines for another six games and head to Ohio State on Nov. 1, where he had never won a game as Penn State's head coach.

Franklin has faced the Buckeyes 11 times and won only once, earning his sole victory in Happy Valley in 2016. After Urban Meyer left Ohio State following the 2018 season, many expected Franklin to start turning the tide in this rivalry. However, Ryan Day took over as Ohio State's head coach and has since gone a perfect 6-0 against Franklin.

Although Day has consistently outperformed Franklin in all their encounters, the 46-year-old head coach expressed positive sentiments about Franklin during his press conference on Tuesday.

"Anytime you're somewhere, as long as he has, we had a lot of great games against each other, so you take a chance to reflect on it all, Day said on his reaction to Penn State firing Franklin. "He's gonna land on his feet. He's a really good coach."

It wasn't that long ago that Day faced the possibility of losing his job. After Ohio State’s disappointing loss to Michigan last season, many fans called for Ryan Day’s dismissal, especially since he had suffered his fourth consecutive defeat against the Wolverines.

However, Day then embarked on one of the most remarkable runs in college football history, leading his team to victories over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame to capture the National Championship.

Many expected Franklin to have a squad this season capable of winning it all, but Penn State's loss to Oregon three games ago triggered a decline in the team's progress toward their long-term goals.

Franklin was just one play away last season from a shot at facing Ohio State in the National Championship. Now, he won’t even have the chance to meet them again as the coach of the Nittany Lions in just over two weeks.

Several college football head coaching positions are already available this season, including openings at Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Arkansas. With more opportunities likely to arise, Franklin stands out as a strong candidate for one of these roles, given his proven ability to build and revitalize programs.