David Pollack predicts Penn State's James Franklin wins 2025 Big Ten Coach of the Year

The 2025 Big Ten season is set up to be one for the ages, with reigning National Champions Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana and Illinois all poised to make runs at the regular season title and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

With all the great coaches in the conference, just one however can be named Coach of the Year. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti will enter the 2025 season as the reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

David Pollack (formerly of ESPN) made his prediction for the Big Ten Coach of the Year on his podcast “See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack”.

“It’s James Franklin to me,” Pollack said. “The atmosphere and the experience… I think they’re in for a special season. James Franklin getting the offensive side of the ball situated and the defensive side of the ball situated, I think they’re in line for a great season and I think the 2025 Coach of the Year in the Big Ten is James Franklin.”

James Franklin has yet to be named Big Ten Coach of the Year

Franklin is entering his 12th season at the helm in Happy Valley, where he’s led the Nittany Lions to a 101-42 (64-33) record and an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff. In last season’s Playoff, Penn State won two games (SMU and Boise State) before falling to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. He was named the Hayes-Schembechler and Sporting News Coach of the Year in 2016, but has not yet earned a Big Ten Coach of the Year honor.

State is set up nicely to contend for a National Championship once again in 2025, as it returns starting quarterback Drew Allar and leading rushers Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. On the defensive side of the ball, the Nittany Lions boast stars safety Zakee Wheatley, linebacker Tony Rojas and defensive back A.J. Harris.

“I love this coordinator, I love the personnel, I love some of the veteran leadership they have at all three levels defensively,” said ESPN’s Greg McElroy. “I think this could be one of the best groups Penn State has had on defense in quite some time.”

Penn State opens its highly anticipated 2025 campaign at home against Nevada on August 30. It has three marquee Big Ten matchups on its schedule this season, as it hosts Oregon on Sep. 27, travels to Ohio State on Nov. 1 and hosts Indiana on Nov. 8.