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College Football Bowls 2016: 10 best big game head coaches

By John Buhler

Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban yells from the sideline after a penalty during the second quarter of a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban yells from the sideline after a penalty during the second quarter of a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin in the first half during the Big Ten Championship college football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin in the first half during the Big Ten Championship college football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Like Helton, James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions seems to be one of the next elite coaches in the college game. Franklin used to lead the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC before taking over the reins in Happy Valley in 2014.

As a head coach, Franklin has gone 45-29 as a head man at the collegiate level. While he is only 25-24 in conference play between his two stops at Vanderbilt and Penn State, keep in mind that Vanderbilt is the worst football program historically in the SEC and he was taking over a Penn State team still reeling from the Jerry Sandusky scandal of 2011.

Franklin has absolutely made the most of his six years as a head coach. He has made bowl games every season and is 3-2 in his holiday season games. While he has only one division title as a head coach, he made the most of that opportunity by winning the 2016 Big Ten Championship over the Wisconsin Badgers.

Penn State has a huge task in taking on Helton’s Trojans in the Rose Bowl but Franklin seems to be the type of coach that no stage is too big for. The Nittany Lions may have just missed out on the 2016 College Football Playoff, but they have a big time head coach in Franklin.

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