James Franklin’s ‘Big Game’ Struggles Resurface as Virginia Tech Falls to Pitt
James Franklin’s promising 4-0 start at Virginia Tech hit a snag with a narrow 35-33 loss to Pitt, immediately reigniting criticisms about his record in high-stakes games. A missed game-winning field goal in the final seconds prompted college football analysts and former players, like LSU’s Breiden Fehoko, to declare that the ‘same old James Franklin’ narrative has returned. This defeat brings back echoes of Franklin’s past struggles at Penn State, despite his efforts to move past that reputation in his new coaching role.