Penn State will try to replace James Franklin with Curt Cignetti, the hottest name in CFB

Penn State is looking for a new head coach after firing James Franklin per ESPN's Pete Thamel. 

James Franklin was fired after Penn State's third straight loss and the Nittany Lions also announced that senior starting quarterback Drew Allar is also out for the season with a dislocated ankle.

Penn State entered the season as the No. 2 team in the AP poll, and were widely viewed as national championship contenders, Allar was also considered a favorite to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy and be a top five pick in the upcoming NFL Draft but those dreams are now long gone and officially dead.

Franklin went 104-45 in his 11-plus years leading the program to great heights, but he eventually fell short of expectations this season and over his full tenure, he wa simply never able to win the "big one".

Penn State's official statement: “Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to Coach Franklin who rebuilt our football program into a national power,” Penn State AD Pat Kraft said in the official press release. “He won a Big Ten Championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.” Penn State cornerbacks coach/associate head coach Terry Smith will be the interim head coach.

Penn State cornerbacks coach/associate head coach Terry Smith will be the interim head coach but who will fill the role of one of the biggest head coaching jobs in the country for the 2026 season and beyond?

64 year-old Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is a name to look out for. Yes, sorry Indiana fans our beloved head coach "Cig" could be heading back home to Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh is his hometown) in the near future.

Former ESPN insider and draft analyst Todd McShay even had this to say bout Cignetti replacing Franklin in Happy Valley: "If I'm Penn State, and I'm people at the very top, I am firing James Franklin in the next 24-48 hours, and I am making my only priority...I am bringing in Curt Cignetti."

McShay is not the only one, there is a ton of traction and rumors spewing today about Cignetti heading to Penn State after this season.

The more than $49 million set to be owed by Penn State to James Franklin is the second-biggest buyout in the history of college football. Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher buyout remains the most at more than $76 million.

Indiana second-year head coach Curt Cignetti has two Top 10 wins in the last three weeks. That's the same amount as James Franklin has the last nine seasons at Penn State.

Curt Cignetti is among the hottest names in the coaching industry through 19 games at Indiana. He's 17-2 at Indiana with his only losses coming to National Champion runner-up Notre Dame in the College Football Playoffs and 2025 champion Ohio State on the road.

Cignetti has a 136-37 overall record has a head coach at IUP, James Madison, Elon and Indiana.

"A Pittsburgh native and former Pitt assistant, Curt Cignetti has no direct ties to Penn State but has proven he can win at every level,"Pete Nakos of On3 wrote on Sunday. "With Saturday’s win over Oregon, his Hoosiers team has a case to be the No. 1 team in the nation. He took Indiana to the College Football Playoff in his first season and reloaded.

Cignetti has proven at every stop that he’s one of the best coaches in college football. But what he’s done with Indiana is particularly impressive seeing how in one season the Hoosiers had their best football season ever in just one year. Keep in mind they have the most losses in FBS history and have only made a NY6 Bowl once in over 100 years until 2024, when he took them to the CFP in his inaugural season.

Curt Cignetti would be one of the best possible hires for Penn State, honestly the best. He brings an energy, passion and swagger hat Franklin hasn’t had his whole tenure and a clear willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

We will see how this plays out but for now Curt Cignetti will take care of business this week as he prepares to take on Michigan State on Saturday. Indiana is currently 6-0 (3-0 Big Ten) and ranked No. 3 in the AP and Coaches Poll, the highest they have ever been ranked in either poll.