The James Franklin era reached a new low on Saturday.

Coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss at home to Oregon, the Penn State Nittany Lions hit the road for a cross-country matchup at UCLA in Week 6. They were a step behind the entire game, coming out of the gate sluggish as they fell behind 24-7.

Penn State came back in the game but never fully recovered as they lost 42-37 to a previously 0-4 Bruins team that was led by an interim coach and interim offensive coordinator, the latter of which was calling his first game.

It's raised new questions about Franklin, whose teams have consistently underperformed against top competition. Despite that, he had mostly managed to avoid losses like Saturday's during his tenure. Now, some existential conversations are being had about Franklin's tenure.

One figure questioning his program's trajectory is SEC Network host Paul Finebaum, who said during an appearance on "Get Up" on Tuesday morning that it feels like Franklin's "time is up."

"I think it is really in peril, Greeny. I’m not suggesting that he will be fired with a $50 million buyout, but it just feels like his time is up," Finebaum said to Mike Greenberg, Heather Dinich and Jordan Rodgers. "He can do no better than he has done. And he's done remarkably well, but not good enough for Penn State's standards. So when he gives yet another lame apology, excuse, however you want to characterize it, it doesn't resonate with his fanbase, who has just witnessed one of the worst losses in Penn State history or any other college football team's history. It was that bad."

As Finebaum mentioned, Franklin's buyout if he were fired is one of the largest in the sport, and it seems unlikely Penn State will fire him. Still, it's hard to argue with his point that this marriage may have run its course.

Whether that looks like the Nittany Lions ponying up a hefty buyout or Franklin looking for a soft landing spot and change of scenery elsewhere, Finebaum thinks his time in State College could be coming to a close.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Paul Finebaum thinks Penn State and James Franklin could be heading for a separation

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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