Watch: James Franklin, Sean Clifford get emotional after Penn State beats Auburn

Penn State head coach James Franklin and quarterback Sean Clifford had emotional reactions to beating Auburn in a classic White Out.

It was a big night for Penn State on Saturday making a statement against Auburn at Beaver Stadium.

If you want to know how much it meant to the Nittany Lions, just look at how head coach James Franklin reacted at the final whistle.

James Franklin and Sean Crawford were pumped over beating Auburn

There were tense moments late in the game after the Tigers fought back to within one point early in the fourth quarter. Penn State got back ahead by 28 on a Noah Cain touchdown run, but their eight-point lead wasn’t comfortable.

The relief and elation were clear at the final whistle.

Clifford hit 28-of-32 passes with 280 yards passing and two touchdowns. Jahan Dotson came to play with 10 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.

The win improved Penn State to 3-0 and bolstered their argument for a higher ranking. They’ve already beaten Wisconsin and Auburn, piling up the quality wins early.

The Nittany Lions still have a long road, but they’re looking more and more like Big Ten title contenders, especially with Ohio State struggling. Besting Auburn was further proof that they’re for real after their disappointing 2020 slip up.

Next up they’ll take on Villanova before conference play ramps back up with games against Indiana and Iowa.

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