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Earlier than his Nittany Lions tackle the Combating Irish for a spot within the nationwide title recreation, Penn State head coach James Franklin was blunt about Notre Dame not taking part in in a convention.
Notre Dame is one among three groups that play an impartial schedule within the FBS, however the School Soccer Playoff enlargement has led Franklin to consider each crew needs to be in a convention.
It did not matter that Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was proper subsequent to him throughout a joint press convention Wednesday. Franklin let his ideas recognized.
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Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin in opposition to the Boise State Broncos within the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Photos)
“It needs to be constant throughout faculty soccer,” Franklin defined, through ESPN. “That is no knock at [Freeman] or Notre Dame, however I believe all people needs to be in a convention. I believe all people ought to play a convention championship recreation, or no person ought to play a convention championship recreation. I believe all people ought to play the identical variety of convention video games.”
To Franklin’s level, the Nittany Lions made the Huge Ten championship recreation, the place they misplaced to the Oregon Geese, who had been named the No. 1 seed within the School Soccer Playoff. The Geese fell to Ohio State, who will tackle Texas for the opposite spot within the nationwide title recreation.
Penn State performed another recreation than Notre Dame, which made the CFP as an at-large crew with the No. 7 seed.
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So, with extra groups coming into the playoff, Franklin is looking for each crew to play the identical variety of video games and belong to a convention.
Nevertheless, Notre Dame has been adamant about its impartial standing, which has been part of its id for many years. Different Combating Irish groups play within the ACC, the convention with which the soccer program has a scheduling settlement.
There are additionally variations amongst conferences. For instance, SEC groups play solely eight convention video games, whereas the Huge Ten performs 9 earlier than convention championship video games are performed.
Franklin likes the eight-game convention schedule within the SEC.
Penn State head coach James Franklin talks with an official throughout the second half in opposition to SMU within the first spherical of the School Soccer Playoff Dec. 21, 2024, in State School, Pa. (AP Picture/Barry Reeger)
“I used to be not a math main at East Stroudsburg, however simply the numbers are going to make issues tougher for those who’re taking part in another convention recreation,” Franklin, who beforehand coached at Vanderbilt within the SEC, stated.
“We want any person that’s taking a look at it from a big-picture perspective.”
The CFP choice course of was already ridiculed on this first yr of an expanded playoff, with groups like Alabama being ignored. Franklin desires to see consistency due to scheduling variations, which makes it troublesome for the choice committee in his eyes.
“How do you set these folks which might be in that room to make a very necessary choice that impacts the panorama of faculty soccer, and so they cannot examine apples to apples or oranges to oranges?” Franklin puzzled. “I believe that makes it very, very troublesome.”
Freeman stated he acknowledges how his program’s independence comes with an incredible sense of delight, however he additionally is aware of his squad can use convention championship weekend to relaxation and get better, a luxurious solely Notre Dame might afford earlier than heading to the playoffs.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin in opposition to the Boise State Broncos within the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Photos)
“I’m a man that simply [thinks[, ‘Tell us what we’re doing, and let’s go.’ And you move forward,” Freeman said when asked about whether he had an opinion on the matter. “I love where we’re at right now. [Notre Dame athletic director] Pete Bevacqua and our Notre Dame administration will proceed to make selections which might be greatest for our program.”
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The Capital One Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame kicks off Thursday in Miami Gardens, Florida, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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