If you told a Penn State fan at the start of the season that despite the program entering the 2025-26 campaign ranked No. 2 with national championship expectations and a potential Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback, they'd be watching their team sit at .500 and fire head coach James Franklin after Week 7 - they might not have believed you.
I'm not sure anyone would've believed you but that's exactly where we stand after the Nittany Lions lost three consecutive games, two of them where they were 20+ point favorites, and are floundering at 3-3.
With Franklin released (and $48.6 million richer), the school promoted associate head coach Terry Smith to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. He'll be in charge of salvaging what's left of the year while athletic director Pat Kraft begins the search for his successor.
One name that could enter the fray is current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule but would the grass really be greener in Happy Valley than in Lincoln?
Should Matt Rhule ditch Nebraska for Penn State?
Getting a call from Penn State would likely be an intriguing proposition for Rhule without a doubt. It's a prestigious program, certainly with just as much if not more history as Nebraska. But would his prospects actually be better at the fellow Big Ten school?
For the sake of argument, let's say Rhule has already been offered the job and he just has to make the decision, yes or no. There are a few crucial details he'd have to consider before packing his bags and heading East.
For one, would quarterback Dylan Raiola follow him in the transfer portal for an opportunity to get more eyeballs on his Patrick Mahomes impressions? The answer would likely be yes but he'd be facing a potential camp battle with incoming four-star freshman Troy Huhn. Now, Raiola probably wins that battle but his decision would impact the rest of Franklin's recruiting class.
Penn State entered October with the 17th-best 2026 class, per ESPN. Nebraska wasn't even in the Top 50 so Rhule would be inheriting some hefty talent if most of the recruits decide not to jump ship.
Matt Rhule taking the Penn State job would be a gamble
The Cornhuskers are currently 5-1 and finally entered the national rankings at No. 25. Things are looking up in Lincoln but national championship expectations should be heavily tempered, at least for now.
Rhule would be gambling that he and Raiola could threaten for a championship in their first year at Penn State. That's entirely possible but with a snake bit program like the one in State College, it's not likely. Even if Raiola has a decent year as a Nittany Lion, he'd probably be selected high in the 2027 NFL Draft. That would leave Rhule hoping Huhn has developed enough to take the reins the next season.
Penn State is a Pandora's box in college football. Every coach wants to be the one to harness its potential but the expectations and imminent criticism always prove to be too much. Rhule would have a better chance at winning a championship there but his career is probably better served continuing to revive Nebraska in the margins of the sport.