The Penn State Nittany Lions open the 2024 season at West Virginia, which could fray coach James Franklin's nerves some more.
James Franklin begins his 11th season as Penn State's head coach the same way he started Year 1: on the road. And as history demonstrates, Penn State's visit to West Virginia on Aug. 31 should fray more of Franklin's nerves. The road opener has been nightmare fuel for the Nittany Lions and their coach.
Penn State is 3-2 in season-opening games away from Beaver Stadium, and those two losses have something in common. In 2015, the Nittany Lions lost to Temple, whose athletic director at the time was Patrick Kraft. He's now Penn State's athletic director and Franklin's boss. What does all of that mean? Who knows? But they're wild grace notes to Penn State's quirky road-opener history. Ready to relive some thrilling, and painful, memories?This game irked Franklin. The Croke Park Classic, played in Dublin, Ireland, had been agreed to two years prior by former Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, who watched from Houston as the Texans' head coach. Meanwhile, Franklin had to start his Penn State coaching career in another country.
The game was predictably wild for a first-year coach and his new team. Christian Hackenberg threw for 454 yards but needed some late witchcraft to get Penn State into field position for a game-winning field goal. Hackenberg highlighted his 7-play, 70-yard drive with a fourth-down conversion run, and Sam Ficken sent the Nittany Lions back to the U.S. with a 36-yard field goal as time expired.
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