"I take that very personal": James Franklin breaks silence on losing to ranked teams after Oregon humiliation

James Franklin and Co. had a terrible setback in Week 5 when they lost a crucial game to the Oregon Ducks (30-24). It was quite important for Penn State since they couldn't flip the narrative of losing against ranked P4 teams. It has been a long-standing trend and has always haunted Franklin despite putting up big numbers on board.

With this loss, the curse has gained more credibility in the college circles. While speaking to the reporters on Tuesday, Franklin addressed the loss and shared his analysis of the game. He mentioned that there were moments when Penn State should have seized control but failed to create turnovers. He also added that one loss doesn't define what Penn State is.

He recalled the moments of how he built the team and the versatility that his program possesses. Even though Penn State lost to higher-ranked teams, they have always been in the top 3 of the Big Ten leaderboard.

“We have lost to really good teams. We’ve lost to really, really good teams. I take that very hard, and I take that very personally, because I know how important it is to so many different people. I always start with myself and the things I can control.

"That’s why I take things so personally. That’s why I take things so hard,” Franklin said in his press conference this week, per On3.

NCAA Football: Oregon at Penn State - Source: Imagn

Franklin also mentioned that he often tried to insulate the players from outside noise but sometimes it becomes unbearable, which is not fair for him and his team.

“Whenever you do that, you have to be careful. You try to tune out all the noise that you possibly can, which is difficult in today’s day and age. I try to insulate the players as much as I possibly can,” he added.

James Franklin gets real about upcoming matchup against UCLA

This coming weekend, the Nittany Lions will face UCLA on the road. Once again it is a blockbuster matchup however Franklin and Co. are favorites to win the game. While speaking at the presser, he gave Coach Skipper and the team due credit while also revealing that he doesn't know him personally.

“Coach Skipper and UCLA, I don’t know him very well. Met him a few times. He’s an interim coach right now. He was the interim head coach at Fresno the year before so he has some experience. I was impressed watching these guys on tape at Northwestern,” he said.

In order to secure a playoff spot, at least 10+ wins would be necessary. For Penn State it appears to be an achievable target given they don't lose any of the upcoming games and secure a thumping win over Ohio State in Week 9.