Penn State's Franklin on another big-game loss: 'I own it all' - ESPN

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State coach James Franklin made the familiar walk after a big-game loss, stopping to speak with former players and other notables on his way off the field Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

He walked through the end zone where No. 3 Penn State had twice failed to score from first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line against No. 4 Ohio State. Before reaching the Victory Bell next to the team tunnel, Franklin had a brief exchange with two fans questioning the playcalling on the second goal-to-go sequence of Saturday's 20-13 loss before 111,030, the largest crowd ever at Beaver Stadium. Then, Franklin headed up the tunnel to address his team after its eighth consecutive loss to Ohio State, the fourth at home.

Penn State's latest big-game defeat under Franklin came down to two failed chances inside Ohio State's 5-yard line, several untimely penalties, a few critical officiating calls and an offense that couldn't reach the end zone even once, despite being spotted a 10-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game. But the outcome, no matter how it occurred, will be grouped in with others under Franklin, who fell to 1-12 against AP top-10 teams at Penn State and 1-15 overall as an FBS coach.

Franklin said he «understands» the fans' frustration.

«We get an unbelievable crowd here; we get unbelievable support,» he said. «You don't do that without passion, and there's great things that come from that, and there's hard things that come from that. That's part of the job, and I own it all.»

Franklin, seeking his first College Football Playoff appearance despite a 95-40 record at Penn State, has not beaten Ohio State since 2016, which marked the Lions' last Big Ten title. The Buckeyes improved to 10-1 against Franklin, who