Penn State’s odds of competing for anything significant in 2025 have plummeted following quarterback Drew Allar’s season-ending injury and the firing of coach James Franklin.
The Nittany Lions, once public bettors’ favorite pick to win the National Championship, are now +30,000 to win the College Football Playoff.
Key Takeaways
- Franklin left Penn State tied for the second-most wins in program history.
- The second-most tickets and third-most money wagered in National Championship futures was on Penn State.
- An uncredited source has former PSU DC and Duke HC Manny Diaz favored to fill the vacancy.
According to BetMGM, 8.9% of tickets and 11.7% of the money wagered in National Championship odds was on Penn State. Those represented the second and third-highest totals in their respective categories.
Penn State also had 21.2% of tickets and 26.4% of the handle, both market-leading marks, to win the Big Ten. They opened at +325 and are now off the board.
The last three weeks have been filled with misery for Penn State fans and personnel. Following a 3-0 start to the year, during which they outscored their opponents 132-17, they lost three straight games to No. 6 Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern.
The most recent crushing defeat put the nail in the coffin of Franklin, who had been the team’s head coach since 2014. The university will pay the $48.6 million remaining on his contact as they prepare to launch the search for his replacement.
Penn State next coach odds
Odds to be the next Penn State head coach
— CFB Home (@CFBHome) October 13, 2025
Manny Diaz +150
Alex Golesh +250
Jon Gruden +300
Fran Brown +325
Curt Cignetti +400
Matt Campbell +450
Matt Rhule +550
Joe Brady +600
Lance Leipold +700
Dan Mullen +750
Eli Drinkwitz +850
Josh Heupel +950
Kenny Dillingham +1250
According to @CFBHome on X, odds from an uncredited source have Duke head coach Manny Diaz (+150) favored in Penn State next coach odds. Diaz was PSU’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2022 and 2023.
USF coach Alex Golesh is next in the list of odds at +250, followed by the well-traveled Jon Gruden (+300).
Syracuse’s Fran Brown is +325, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is +400, and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell (+450).
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, who played linebacker at PSU from 1994 to 1997 and began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at the school in 1998, has been widely viewed as the favorite to land the gig. However, he only has +550 odds of doing so, per @CFBHome.
The Penn State next head coach odds vary had differing sportsbooks.
| Name | Current Job | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Manny Diaz | Head coach - Duke | +150 |
| Alex Golesh | Head coach - South Florida | +250 |
| Jon Gruden | Media personality - Barstool Sports | +300 |
| Fran Brown | Head coach - Syracuse | +325 |
| Curt Cignetti | Head coach - Indiana | +400 |
| Matt Campbell | Head coach - Iowa State | +450 |
| Matt Rhule | Head coach - Nebraska | +550 |
| Joe Brady | Offensive coordinator - Buffalo Bills | +600 |
| Lance Leipold | Head coach - Kansas | +700 |
| Dan Mullen | Head coach - UNLV | +750 |
| Eli Drinkwitz | Head coach - Missouri | +850 |
| Josh Heupel | Head coach - Tennessee | +950 |
| Kenny Dillingham | Head coach - Arizona State | +1250 |
A period of transition
Franklin departed from University Park with a record of 104-45, tying him for the second-winningest coach in school history.
The news of Franklin’s firing has already had a strong impact on the school’s future. Five-star and consensus top running back in the class of 2027, Kemon Spell, announced his decommitment from the school on Sunday.
Penn State is a 3.5-point underdog on the road against Iowa on Saturday.
