Wed Jan 08 23:30:00 UTC 2025: **Penn State Coach Calls for College Football Uniformity, Seemingly Targeting Notre Dame**

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Penn State head coach James Franklin subtly criticized Notre Dame’s independent status during a press conference Wednesday, advocating for greater uniformity in college football scheduling to streamline the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process.

Franklin’s comments came ahead of Penn State’s Orange Bowl matchup against Notre Dame, where the Big Ten representative will face the independent Fighting Irish. He argued that the expanded 12-team CFP requires more consistent scheduling across all teams, including a standardized number of conference games and participation in a conference championship. His suggestion implicitly targets Notre Dame, one of only three remaining FBS independents.

“I think everybody should be in a conference,” Franklin stated. “I think everybody should play a conference championship game, or nobody should. I think everybody should play the same number of conference games. It should be consistent across college football.”

While acknowledging that his remarks weren’t intended as a personal attack on Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, Franklin highlighted the difficulties faced by the CFP selection committee when comparing teams with vastly different schedules and game counts. He emphasized the need for a “apples to apples” comparison.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, however, expressed indifference to the call for greater uniformity, stating that the Fighting Irish are content with their current arrangement. He pointed out that their independence allows for flexibility in scheduling, including an extra open week for rest and recovery.

Franklin also reiterated his support for a single, independent college football commissioner, suggesting several prominent names including Nick Saban and Chris Petersen as potential candidates. He stressed the importance of someone with an impartial, big-picture perspective to address the complexities of the sport’s evolving landscape. Franklin’s proposal included starting the season a week earlier to accommodate the demands of a longer season in the expanded playoff format.

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