"I have to see it to believe it": Paul Finebaum claims James Franklin will 'screw up' Penn State's 2025 season

History hasn't been very kind to James Franklin, as Penn State often struggled to win high-stakes games, particularly against in-state rivals and cross-conference matchups. While Franklin expects to change the notion in 2025 with Drew Allar at the helm, college football insider Paul Finebaum isn't convinced.

He claims Franklin's bizarre outcomes against tough opponents is worrying and this upcoming season will be no different. Penn State has revamped its roster significantly and made a significant addition to the coaching staff with Jim Knowles' hiring as the defensive coordinator this offseason.

Finebaum laid out some statistics from last season, where Penn State looked formidable against Ohio State and even Notre Dame. But the team struggled to create turnovers and make use of its opportunities.

He added that only when Franklin wins over big opponents will he change this narrative; until then, Penn State is nowhere near the national championship contention.

Penn State has an amazing roster with the quarterback coming back. And they did lose a coordinator, but they picked up one. To me, it still has James Franklin. And this sounds like low-hanging fruit,” Finebaum criticized Penn State on Thursday’’s episode of First Take. [Timestamp - 4:17]

“He is still the coach, and I've seen him in too many situations, like last year with a lead against Ohio State, like last year with a lead against Notre Dame. I think ten points in both cases, and they ended up being the loser. It's just one of these, I have to see it to believe it moments,” he added.

James Franklin shares his reaction to never-ending criticism against Penn State

The 53-year-old was recently speaking to Josh Pate, where he shared his team's preparation and hopes for the upcoming season. Being a No. 2 team in the preseason AP Poll comes with its set of expectations. He didn't shy away from making his expectations known.

“What I think is that nobody else cares, so I’m not going to spend any time on it,” Franklin said on the Josh Pate show this week.

Franklin mentioned that he is aware of the criticisms and looks forward to shutting it down. He embraced the passion of his fanbase and claimed that every week, over 100,000 fans come to watch the live game.

It is a testament to his commitment to the program and its success over the years. The team has got nothing to prove. However, Franklin expects to make a mark and improve upon last year's mistakes this upcoming season.