Penn State head coach James Franklin has never been shy about sharing his opinions on what he considers good or bad for college football. And he’s certainly not one to shy away from expressing his opinion on how the game should work. As Franklin’s Penn State Nittany Lions prepare for a College Football Playoff semifinal with Notre DameFranklin shares his thoughts on whether or not his next opponent should be in conference. And this will surely ruffle some feathers in the Notre Dame community.
“This is not a knock on coach (Marcus Freeman) or Notre Dame, but I think everyone should be in a conference“, Franklin said during a joint Orange Bowl press conference with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. “I think everyone should play in a conference championship game or no one should play a conference championship game. I think everyone should play the same number of conference games.
This isn’t the first time Franklin has made statements suggesting the sport needs more consistency across the landscape. Franklin then reiterated some of his feelings about all teams playing the same number of conference games.
Notre Dame is one of the last remaining independent programs, and the Fighting Irish are the most notable independents in college football. Football independence is one of the things the school holds dear despite recent waves of major changes to the college athletics landscape. BYU joined the Big 12 last year and Army joined the American Athletic Conference, but Notre Dame remains tied to its football independence.
Franklin’s concerns about greater consistency in the sport are valid, but there are more than 130 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Asking them all to follow the exact same rules when it comes to scheduling is a nearly impossible task, whether everyone is in a conference or not.
Helmet sticker South Bend Tribune.
Follow Kevin McGuire on Topics, Blue sky, Instagram, TikTokAnd Facebook.
