Where does the Penn State job rank among college football openings? Two analysts weigh in

Penn State is currently one of 11 college football programs searching for a new coach. That number will go up in the days and weeks ahead as the rest of the regular season plays out. There is little disagreement among media analysts that, as we sit here on Oct. 21, the top two openings are in State College and Gainesville. Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft fired James Franklin two Sundays ago. And, this past Sunday, Florida AD Scott Strickland fried Billy Napier. Which job is better?

In a breakdown for CBS Sports, national college football writer Shehan Jeyarajah puts the UF opening at No. 1 and PSU at No. 2.

“On paper, Florida is close to an ideal job,” he writes. “The Gators boast elite recruiting territory with easy access to the state of Florida, and rising talent bases in Georgia and the Carolinas. Napier helped develop their organization from a recruiting and fundraising perspective, building some of the most talented rosters in the SEC. However, nearly all of Florida’s historic success came under Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, two of the greatest coaches in history. Since then, the Gators have been a revolving door of mediocrity. This job is less turnkey than many may assume, but the championship ceiling is still (probably) there. 

More: The Penn State Football Coaching Hot Board, v. 3.0

Bill Bender of The Sporting News put Penn State on top. The Gators were then at No. 2, of course.

“Franklin’s replacement will be held up to a high standard,” Bender writes. “The Nittany Lions reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, and Franklin had a .697 winning percentage since taking over in 2014. Penn State has produced seven first-round picks in the last five drafts, including Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter.

“Franklin’s successor will have to push those recruiting classes into the top 10 more often – and the ever-present challenge of catching Ohio State in the Big Ten exists. Will Penn State take that extra step toward its first national championship since 1986?”

The rest of today’s newsstand is below.

Headlines of the day

What time, TV channel will Penn State-Ohio State be on in Week 8? Game info set for Nov. 1 clash: Pickel, BWI

Where do Penn State’s top 2027 recruits now rank in the updated Rivals300?: Snyder, BWI

How have Penn State’s players performed through seven game? Midseason PFF Snap Counts & Grades: Snyder, BWI

Penn State’s trust problem runs deeper than its record: Bauer, BWI