Who’s more desperate for the W: James Franklin or Ryan Day?

The eyes of the college football world will be upon State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday afternoon as No. 4 Ohio State visits No. 3 Penn State in a Big Ten clash with gigantic College Football Playoff implications.

However, one sideline narrative will be watched more closely than that of the players duking it out between the hashes. Both head coaches in this battle have a lot riding on a win or a loss.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is 2-5 against Top 5 opponents since taking over in Columbus. Penn State head coach James Franklin has lost seven straight to the Buckeyes and is 1-8 against Top 5 foes.

Something's got to give on Saturday in Happy Valley, and for one coach, it could be the beginning of the end of their tenures..

Who needs a win more: Ryan Day or James Franklin?

The vast majority of Day's Top 5 losses have been to Michigan, which is a cardinal sin in its own right, but if he's unable to continue Ohio State's dominant streak against the Nittany Lions, he may not be able to atone for his stumbles anymore.

On the other hand, it's nothing short of an anomaly that Franklin has lasted as long as he has in State College having lost so many to Ohio State — which is usually the lone loss on their seasons and the main reason they've missed the College Football Playoff for so long.

A loss Saturday would put Penn State at risk of missing the Big Ten championship game for an eighth straight year, but the playoff is still all but a lock thanks to the expanded format.

Given the relative forgiveness of Penn State's fan base and administration, Franklin would likely survive a loss to the Buckeyes provided he still makes a playoff appearance and wins in the first round.

Day, however, would not survive a second loss in a season that was supposed to be a coronating moment for the Buckeye's $20 million roster. Even with thin chances, it's national title or "see you, bye" for Day in Columbus.