Expectations are a dangerous thing in college football, and no program failed them more this season than Penn State.
Coming off a year in which Penn State finished one win away from a national title game appearance, the idea was that this roster and, more importantly, James Franklin, were ready to take the final step.
Instead, the season went off the rails in a way no one ever expected.
That’s why Brad Crawford of CBS Sports labeled Penn State the most disappointing team in college football this year, a title that’s sadly fair.
“Imagine telling yourself in August that James Franklin would be Virginia Tech's head coach by season's end? You wouldn't have believed it.
“After retaining a number of key players who led the Nittany Lions one win shy of a national championship game appearance last season, Franklin and Penn State fell quickly as a preseason top-3 team. The double-overtime loss to Oregon was tough to stomach, but nothing compared to what the next several weeks would involve, including the colossal setback at UCLA the next time out,” he wrote.
Penn State was a preseason top-five team with veteran leadership, continuity on both sides of the ball, and a coach, who, while some questioned, was still viewed as one of the better in the country.
For Franklin, the criticism might be all on him, for most.
Franklin has recruited at a high level, retained talent through NIL and the portal, and finally had a roster good enough to win it all. When that version of Penn State collapsed, the questions naturally got hot, and he was let go.
Crawford’s assessment may feel harsh, but it reflects the brutal showing Penn State had.
Many expected Penn State to have its best chance in a very long time to win a national title, but instead, it was arguably the most disappointing season in school history.
There will obviously be some questions going into next season for Penn State, but all we can hope is that the team will continue to do what's needed in the transfer portal and that Matt Campbell is the answer everyone's hoping he is.