James Franklin's First 10 Penn State Football Teams, Ranked

The best and worst of James Franklin's first decade at Penn State.

Penn State celebrates the 10th anniversary of hiring football coach James Franklin on Jan. 11, 2014, a day when Franklin initially set one modest goal. "Our plan is to go out and win a bunch of games so we can stay here," he said.

Ten years later, Penn State has won 88 games, is 4-5 in bowl games and has claimed one Big Ten title under Franklin. He has produced five 10-win seasons, three Big Ten losing records and one overall losing record. From successes to swoons, here are Franklin's first 10 Penn State football teams, ranked from most disappointing to most satisfying.

No. 10: 2021

• Record: 7-6, 4-5 Big Ten
• Final AP ranking: Unranked
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 16
• The story: This objectively wasn't Penn State's worst season but certainly proved to be the most disappointing. The Lions were unbeaten and ranked No. 4 when they took a two-score lead over No. 3 Iowa in October. Then quarterback Sean Clifford got hurt, Penn State lost to the Hawkeyes and the season derailed. The Lions lost six of their last eight, including the nine-OT debacle against Illinois, in a variety of bitter ways. Penn State finished with a forgettable opt-out bowl game against Arkansas.  That Penn State led the Big Ten the following year with eight NFL Draft picks only furthered the frustration.

No. 9: 2020

• Record: 4-5 (4-5 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: Unranked
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 13
• The story: This is Franklin's asterisk season, one derailed from multiple directions. The Lions installed a new offense, with a new coordinator, via Zoom during the early stages of COVID, lost Micah Parsons' to an opt-out decision, lost Journey Brown to a career-ending medical condition, lost Pat Freiermuth to a season-ending injury and lost to Indiana on a still-contested 2-point conversion in overtime. We place this season ahead of 2021 because Penn State found a way to win four straight after an 0-5 start. It's also the last year that Penn State beat Michigan, for what that's worth.

No. 8: 2015

• Record: 7-6 (4-4 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: Unranked
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 21
• The story: Emerging from the NCAA sanctions, and with a nearly-full scholarship roster, Penn State opened ominously against Temple in Philadelphia. The Owls sacked Christian Hackenberg 10 times in a dominant 27-10 victory that foreshadowed a tough year. Penn State lost three games resoundingly by 17, 28 and 39 points (the last at Michigan State). The Lions then fell to Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The Bulldogs since have made three College Football Playoff title games, winning two. 

No. 7: 2014

• Record: 7-6 (2-6 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: Unranked
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: No data
• The story: Franklin actually had a fairly strong debut season for a team with scholarship restrictions. The Lions were limited to 65, and Franklin said he had 41 eligible scholarship players available for the Pinstripe Bowl. Franklin's first victory was a memorable last-second escape from Ireland's Croke Park, and the Lions took eventual national champ Ohio State to double overtime. A 29-6 loss to Northwestern was the reality check after a 4-0 start.

No. 6: 2018

• Record: 9-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 19
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 13
• The story: The Lions began Trace McSorley's final season averaging 55.5 points in their opening four wins, though they needed overtime to beat Appalachian State. Then came the notorious 4th-and-5 decision in a one-point loss to Ohio State, followed by another cringing defeat vs. Michigan State. Michigan routed the Lions 42-7 in November, and Kentucky sealed the disappointing finish with a 27-24 win in the Citrus Bowl.

No. 5: 2023

• Record: 10-3 (7-2 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 13
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 13
• The story: A preseason playoff pick among some national writers, Penn State certainly fielded the defense to compete. The Lions ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense and allowed just 11.4 points per game before the Peach Bowl. But the offense had some blind spots, which emerged in losses to Ohio State (1-for-16 on third down) and Michigan (74 passing yards). Franklin fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich the day after losing to the Wolverines, and Penn State limped to a disappointing finish against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.  

No. 4: 2019

• Record: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 9
• 247Sports Talent Composite: 10
• The story: According to 247Sports, this is Franklin's highest-ranked team at Penn State, one that included 50 4- or 5-star recruits. And often it played like that. The Lions began the season 8-0 with ranked wins over Iowa and Michigan and a 21-point victory at Michigan State. Then P.J. Fleck's upstart Minnesota team won a high-wire 35-31 game in Minneapolis, and the Lions then lost their fourth straight at Ohio State. Micah Parsons and Journey Brown appeared to launch their Penn State careers against Memphis in the Cotton Bowl, but neither played for the Lions again.

No. 3: 2022

• Record: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 7
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 15
• The story: After Sean Clifford led a comeback win at Purdue in the opener, the Lions had verve. Michigan subdued that with a 41-17 win in Ann Arbor, and Ohio State clipped what remained in a 33-24 victory at Beaver Stadium. Still, the Lions won their last four by an average margin of 32.3 points and claimed their first Rose Bowl trophy since 1995. This marked a renewal after the sting of 2021.

No. 2: 2017

• Record: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 8
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 19
• The story: Though the Talent Composite wasn't Penn State's best, this team generated its best playoff chance under Franklin. The Lions were 7-0 and ranked second after a walk-off win at Iowa and a 42-13 rout of Michigan. But Ohio State's J.T. Barrett produced an otherworldly fourth quarter in a 39-38 win, and freak weather the following week at Michigan State led to a 27-24 loss. Penn State licked its wounds by beating Washington in the Fiesta Bowl.

No. 1: 2016

• Record: 11-3 (8-1 Big Ten)
• Final AP ranking: 7
• 247Sports Talent Composite ranking: 20
• The story: Booed off the field at halftime as they trailed Minnesota, the Lions were in trouble, and Franklin's job prospects were being questioned. Then the magic began: McSorley hit Irv Charles for an 80-yard touchdown, Saquon Barkley scored in overtime and the Lions stormed back to beat Minnesota. Thus began a nine-game win streak, punctuated by an epic victory over No. 2 Ohio State in the White Out and a rally from a 21-point deficit against Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. Even the Rose Bowl was legendary, despite finishing as a 52-49 loss to USC. The 2016 season ranks with Penn State's most memorable.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.