"Biggest fraud in all of sports": Calls mount for James Franklin to be fired from Penn State fans after disastrous 30-24 loss to Oregon

James Franklin lost their first game of the season on Saturday night. The Penn State Nittany Lions suffered a 30-24 OT loss at the hands of the Oregon Ducks in Beaver Stadium. What made the loss more bitter was the fact that this was their first major game of the season.

Fans of the program were not happy with the team's performance in a game that affects their chances of competing in the 12-team playoffs. They took to social media to demand that Penn State fire James Franklin as the team's head coach and bring in someone else as his replacement.

The Nittany Lions had taken the lead in the second quarter after a 49-yard field goal by Ryan Barker. However, Atticus Sappington's 42-yard field goal leveled the playing field at halftime. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore then found Dierre Hill. Jr with an eight-yard TD pass to give them a 3-17 lead in the third quarter.

However, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar found two consecutive touchdown passes to take the game to overtime. In the first OT, James Franklin's team took the lead thanks to a four-yard rushing TD by Kaytron Allen. However, Dante Moore found Jamari Johnson with a two-yard TD pass to keep the game alive.

In the second overtime, Moore once again scored a 25-yard touchdown pass. This was enough to help the Ducks secure the win over their opponents on the road.

James Franklin opens up about disappointing loss to the Oregon Ducks

In the post-game press conference, the Penn State coach shared his thoughts on losing at home to Oregon. He stated that he understands the frustration of the fanbase because of the importance of the game.

James Franklin also took responsibility for the loss and stated that they had to improve their game for a chance to compete for the national championship.

"I kinda look at the entire picture," Franklin said as per CBS Sports. "I get that narrative. It's really not a narrative. It's factual. It's facts. I get it. But I try and look at the picture and what we have been able to do here. But at the end of the day, we have to find a way to win those games. I take ownership and responsibility."

Franklin and his team next take on the UCLA Bruins on Oct. 4 at Rose Bowl Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ at 3:30 pm ET.

About the author

Priyam is a College Sports content executive at Sportskeeda with a master's in Advertising and Marketing Management and over two years of experience as a writer. When it comes to reporting, Priyam believes doing a technical deep dive is one of his biggest strengths and he loves to dissect plays on the field and factor out the strengths/weaknesses of players.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Priyam sees Nick Saban as the greatest coach of all time. He is also rooting for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milore after following his progress over the years. The Michigan Wolverines football team is another of his favorite programs and it will be interesting to see how both these teams perform in new coaching eras.

When he’s not reporting, Priyam is usually at the gym or indulging in music. He has been a guitarist and a drummer for the past 17 years and finds his time of peace when playing music.

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Edited by Priyam Hazarika