James Franklin landing spots: Top 4 destinations for fired coach after 12 years at Penn State ft. Florida 

The question on the lips of many college football fans is where the next potential James Franklin landing spots would be after losing his job. The Nittany Lions fired Franklin on Sunday after losing three straight games.

The former Vanderbilt football head coach ended his Penn State tenure with a 104-45 overall record after just over 11 seasons. He had led the Nittany Lions to three straight seasons with 10-plus wins.

In the aftermath of his firing, here are our top four James Franklin landing spots.

4. UCLA

It would be an ironic twist for the Bruins to hire Franklin after the part the team took in sealing his fate at Penn State. UCLA was winless and had just hired an interim coach when it shockingly beat Franklin’s Penn State 42-37.

Although Oregon started the streak and Northwestern ended it, the Bruins and their interim coach, Tim Skipper, were actively involved. Now, whether UCLA would stick with Skipper after their winning them a second consecutive game or settle for another coach, like Franklin, will be seen.

3. Wisconsin

Wisconsin is another potential James Franklin landing spot. The Badgers are struggling, languishing at 2-4 and fresh off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. It is almost a surprise that Luke Fickell is still at his job after four consecutive losses.

Wisconsin is an ideal spot for Franklin; it’s a Big Ten program in dire need of a serious coach to get them out of their current situation.

2. Arkansas

In case Franklin wants a taste of life outside the Big Ten, Arkansas is a potential landing spot. The Razorbacks are a steady SEC program in a transitional phase, with Bobby Petrino as the interim head coach.

There is a faint chance that Petrino might be confirmed as the substantive head coach, given that the team is 2-4. That makes Franklin a viable option.

1. Florida

The Gators are another SEC program that could use a fresh hand at the helm of their football team. With a 2-4 overall record, Florida’s CFP chances are almost zero, and Billy Napier’s seat gets more heated with each passing week.

This makes Florida an ideal potential James Franklin landing spot. Franklin has a proven track record and has shown he can get a CFP berth at any program.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi