James Franklin Makes Stance Against Fox Clear After Learning Slim Chance to Beat Oregon

Week 5 of college football promises the best atmosphere in Happy Valley. No. 3-ranked Penn State is coming off a bye week. The Nittany Lions are welcoming the former undisputed Big Ten defending champion for their White-Out game. The game is set to kick off on Saturday night at 7:30 ET, the fans couldn’t be more excited. Word on the street is that Fox tried to get James Franklin to move the White-Out game to a Big Ten noon slot.

On September 24th, James Franklin stood on the podium and started by praising how unique and stunning Penn State football stadium attendance and environment is: “First of all, a normal game in Beaver Stadium is special, right? We are blessed and fortunate, and do not take for granted that we, on a consistent basis, will get about 106,000 fans here.” The Whiteout tradition started almost 21 years ago. In college football, there isn’t any culture bigger or more pristine than the Penn Whiteout environment. There’s something very beautiful about it—the dark sky, all whites uniform, and a thunderous crowd cheering for four hours straight.

But according to James Franklin, Fox and Big Noon tried to take away some of the magic from this year’s Whiteout: “You know, I know Fox tried to argue that a 12 o’clock Whiteout was the same as a seven o’clock Whiteout. I think people would disagree with that. So there have been factors that have impacted it a little bit.” Franklin then explained that moving the game to noon would strip away the unique fan experience and could also have a negative impact on local restaurants, communities, and bars.

The cheapest ticket for the Penn State Whiteout game is $416. That’s for the top row of the stadium. The official capacity of the stadium is now 106,304 after renovations. However, for Whiteout games, it somehow goes beyond 111,000 easily. Don’t expect anything less than maximum capacity. Fans are spending big money to see how Penn State is going to hold against the Oregon Ducks.

The last time Penn State and Oregon faced off was in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game, where Oregon snagged the victory with a 45-37 score. In their first season in the Big Ten, the Ducks showed up big, taking home the conference title. Penn State put up a heck of a fight, even rushing for a stout 292 yards, the fourth-most in Big Ten Championship history, but Oregon’s offense was just too much that night. It was a high-scoring affair, breaking the record for combined first-half points in a Big Ten Championship game with 55 points. But this time, the fate might remain the same.

Penn State’s biggest disadvantage

ESPN analysts Greg McElroy and Aaron Murray recently broke down the matchup, highlighting both the atmosphere and the talent on the field. “This game’s in Happy Valley. It’s a White Out, which is significant. I feel like Penn State always plays well in a White Out environment,” McElroy said. Penn State always plays its best football in whiteout games. Last season, they held the Washington Huskies offense to just 6 points. The Nittany Lions’ defense, led by Abdul Carter, didn’t give any benefit of the doubt. But here’s the catch: This isn’t 2024. Oregon’s offense is miles ahead of Washington’s. The Ducks are averaging just over 500 yards per game this season. The question now is whether Penn State’s defense will be enough to slow down Oregon’s high-powered attack led by OC Will Stein.

The Ducks have looked like true national contenders so far this season. Murray praised their balance and explosiveness. “They’re true contenders… Dante’s playing… their skill positions are absolutely tremendous… Benson can absolutely fly as well… I love their offense,” he said. Oregon also features two running backs averaging over 11 yards per carry, giving them another layer of firepower.

Murray admitted he still worries about Oregon’s ability to stop the run, but he believes head coach Dan Lanning will find a way to get the win. Penn State’s biggest issue, however, may come from its own roster. McElroy didn’t hold back, saying the wide receiver group still isn’t up to the standard needed to beat elite teams. “There’s just such a gap still in the skill position from where Oregon is to where Penn State is,” he explained. Even with the White Out energy, Oregon looks ready to walk out of Happy Valley with the win.