In a surprising turn of events, James Franklin is no longer the biggest loser of the College Football Playoff season—thanks to Brian Kelly. On Friday night, Franklin’s Penn State team suffered another major disappointment, falling to Notre Dame in a game that once again exposed his inability to win the big one. Despite taking a 10-point lead into halftime, the Nittany Lions faltered, with quarterback Drew Allar throwing a costly interception in the fourth quarter. As a result, Franklin’s record against top-five teams dropped to a dismal 1-15, including 0-6 in the College Football Playoff era.
However, Franklin’s struggles are now somewhat overshadowed by the looming failure of Brian Kelly. Kelly, who left Notre Dame after the 2021 season in search of a better opportunity to win national championships at LSU, is now facing the harsh reality of his decision. After guiding Notre Dame to the 2012 National Championship Game, where they were trounced by Alabama, Kelly left South Bend, confident that his move to the SEC would bring him closer to a title. Yet, in three seasons at LSU, he has failed to deliver on that promise.
As the College Football Playoff unfolds, Kelly is quickly becoming the joke of the season. His absence from the playoff picture has made him a target for ridicule, especially as Notre Dame, under Marcus Freeman, is now on the verge of a National Championship appearance. Freeman’s success only serves to highlight Kelly’s failure to achieve the same results during his tenure at Notre Dame.
If Notre Dame goes on to win the title, Freeman’s triumph will be a slap in the face to Kelly, whose credibility is already damaged. In contrast, Franklin’s repeated failures, though disappointing, have become less of a focus as Kelly’s reputation continues to take a hit. For Alabama fans, this is a satisfying turn of events, as Kelly’s decision to leave Notre Dame for LSU now looks more and more like a colossal mistake.
