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Head coach James Franklin did not see any reason to get excited over Penn State’s 33-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Pittsburgh pulled off the upset in 2016 by defeating the Nittany Lions 42-39, and it seems Franklin noted the Panthers celebration.
Penn State got revenge on Saturday with QB Trace McSorley throwing for three touchdowns and RB Saquon Barkley rushing for 88 yards and a TD. Penn State moved to 2-0 on the season and will likely hold on to the No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll.
Nevertheless, Franklin said beating the Panthers was like beating Akron.
Ben Jones shared Franklin’s comments on Twitter:
James Franklin: "I know last year beating us for them was like the Super Bowl. This was just like beating Akron for us."
— Ben Jones (@Ben_Jones88) September 9, 2017
Words like that are usually fought over among in-state rivalries. Pittsburgh will likely remember them heading into next season’s matchup.
Franklin previously coached at Vanderbilt where he led the Commodores to back-to-back nine-win seasons and a 24-15 record in three seasons.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
