Where the Penn State Job Ranks Among College Football Openings

On his podcast, FOX Sports' analyst Joel Klatt intertwined the Florida and Penn State jobs, calling Franklin his "dark horse" to replace Billy Napier in Gainesville. Klatt predicted that either Franklin or Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin would take over the Gators' program.

Chris Vannini of The Athletic ranks Penn State's opening as the top job currently available, ahead of Florida in the SEC. He called Penn State a top-15 job in college football and believes that Franklin's firing indicates "how serious the Nittany Lions are about getting over the hump."

"This place has it all: tradition, money, facilities, support and recent success," Vannini wrote.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg likewise ranks Penn State as the best available job using criteria such as recent history, access to talent and the CFP and financial commitment. Regarding the last point. Rittenberg noted that Kraft's recent deal with adidas will raise the program's resource level, particularly regarding NIL.

Despite a longer-than-expected national championship drought, Penn State has been very close to a breakthrough and has the financial structure to make the next step," Rittenberg wrote.

FOX Sports' Urban Meyer, however, ranked Penn State below Florida, where he happened to win two national championships. "It's not even close," Meyer said on the latest edition of the Triple Option podcast.

Meyer, who recently suggested some names for Penn State's search, said the difference lies in recruiting. While at Florida, Meyer said he was a 45-minute flight from Miami and the nation's most fertile recruiting ground. He added that Florida is within three hours of the country's best talent.

"Within three hours of Penn State, I've made that drive," Meyer said. " It's from State College to New Jersey. That's three hours by itself, and there's not a human being around there."

CBS Sports' Shehan Jeyarajah also ranked Penn State second behind Florida but noted that this is the first time the football job is open "under normal circumstances" in the modern era of college football. That could increase the position's profile.

"For the right candidate, Penn State could be the best job on the market, if not one of the best in all of college football," Jeyarajah wrote.

The Sporting News' Bill Bender placed Penn State above Florida on his best-jobs list, writing that Florida hasn't capitalized on its in-state recruiting advantage since Meyer left. But recruiting remains a concern at Penn State as well.

"Franklin's successor will have to push those recruiting classes into the top 10 more often — and the ever-present challenge of catching Ohio State in the Big Ten exists," Bender wrote.