James Franklin says he'll 'win a national championship somewhere else' after Penn State exit

Former Penn State football coach James Franklin still doesn't quite know the next steps in his career. But his coaching career doesn't appear to be over.

Franklin, appearing on ESPN's "College GameDay" on Saturday, Oct. 18, in his first media appearance since being fired, said he thought he was going to win a national championship at Penn State. Now, his focus has shifted.

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"I thought we were going to win a national championship there, we were close," Franklin said. "That goal hasn’t changed. We’re just going to win a national championship somewhere else now."

Franklin and Penn State entered the season ranked No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but the wheels fell off fast after the Nittany Lions' nonconference slate. Penn State fell to Oregon in double-overtime at home, before dropping back-to-back games to then-winless UCLA and unranked Northwestern, which led to the school's decision.