If you’re a self-proclaimed “great” college football program and you rarely win the biggest games, you better win every single one of the smallest games. For several years, James Franklin did.

Then came UCLA.

Normally, an upset loss — even one where you’re a 24.5-point favorite — wouldn’t carry this much meaning. In Franklin’s case, it does, seeing as it might have been the worst loss in Penn State history and likely ruined any chance of the preseason No. 2 Nittany Lions making the College Football Playoff.

Let’s just say this plainly: It was a fireable offense. A top-10 team had not lost to an 0-4 team in 40 years. Franklin’s lucky he wasn’t canned at halftime (Penn State trailed 27-7) or at the airport afterward, a la Lane Kiffin at USC.

If Penn State doesn’t run the table and finis

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