Penn State’s James Franklin jabs at Notre Dame ahead of CFP matchup: ‘Everybody should be in a conference’

As Penn State head coach James Franklin prepares his Nittany Lions to take on the Fighting Irish for a spot in the national title game, he didn’t hold back when discussing Notre Dame’s independent status. Franklin expressed his belief that every team in college football should belong to a conference, especially with the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

During a joint press conference with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, Franklin voiced his opinion, stating, “It should be consistent across college football. This is no knock at [Freeman] or Notre Dame, but I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play a conference championship game, or nobody should play a conference championship game. I think everybody should play the same number of conference games.”

Franklin’s point was reinforced by Penn State’s loss in the Big Ten championship game to Oregon, who went on to secure the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. Penn State played one more game than Notre Dame, who entered the playoff as an at-large team with the No. 7 seed.

With the playoff expanding and more teams entering the mix, Franklin believes that having a standardized approach to scheduling and conference affiliation is essential for fairness. However, Notre Dame has long prided itself on its independent status, which has been a defining characteristic of the program for decades.

Despite the differences in scheduling and conference affiliations among teams, Franklin emphasized the need for consistency in the selection process. He pointed out the challenges faced by the selection committee in comparing teams that have varying numbers of conference games.

Freeman acknowledged Notre Dame’s unique position as an independent program and the advantages it provides, such as the ability to rest and recover during conference championship weekend. He expressed his satisfaction with the program’s current status and the decisions made by the Notre Dame administration.

The Capital One Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame promises to be a thrilling matchup, with both teams vying for a spot in the national title game. As the coaches and players prepare for the highly anticipated showdown, the debate over conference affiliation and scheduling differences continues to be a topic of discussion in college football.