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- James Franklin says he'll 'win a national championship somewhere else' after Penn State exit</p>
<p>Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK October 19, 2025 at 1:06 AM</p>
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<p>Former Penn State football coach James Franklin still doesn't quite know the next steps in his career. But his coaching career doesn't appear to be over.</p>
<p>Franklin, appearing on ESPN's "College GameDay" on Saturday, Oct. 18, in his first media appearance since being fired, said he thought he was going to win a national championship at Penn State. Now, his focus has shifted.</p>
<p>REQUIRED READING: 'I was in shock.' James Franklin opens up on being fired by Penn State</p>
<p>"I thought we were going to win a national championship there, we were close," Franklin said. "That goal hasn't changed. We're just going to win a national championship somewhere else now."</p>
<p>Franklin and Penn State entered the season ranked No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but the wheels fell off fast after the Nittany Lions' nonconference slate. Penn State fell to Oregon in double-overtime at home, before dropping back-to-back games to then-winless UCLA and unranked Northwestern, which led to the school's decision.</p>
<p>Franklin also notably struggled in big games, with a 4-21 record against top-10 ranked teams.</p>
<p>Franklin made it seem like he's ready to take on another coaching challenge at a different school, however, he needs to figure a few things out before then.</p>
<p>"To be honest with you, the first thing, is like I need to take a deep breath," Franklin said. "I need to make sure the people that are around me are in a good place. But after that, I don't know anything else. I've been doing this for 30 years. I don't have hobbies. I don't golf. I don't fish. This has been such a big part of my identity, such a big part of my family. We love it.</p>
<p>"So I think it was 'Take a deep breath' kind of shock, surreal for a moment, and then it's, 'Hey, we gotta get back to doing what we do,' which is help young people achieve their dreams, get a great education, still balance what college football has become, the student athlete experience and big-time business, but there's a way to do that, and I can't wait for that next challenge, and we're going to go win a national championship at the highest level."</p>
<p>There are already a handful of coaching openings at Power Four schools, like Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Arkansas, with more likely to come as the season progresses.</p>
<p>Franklin's next step is unclear, but one thing seems quite clear: He's focused on getting over the hump at a different program when the opportunities arises.</p>
<p>This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Franklin interview: Fired Penn State coach says he'll win a national title elsewhere</p>
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