Part 2/12:
What followed was equally unprecedented: Penn State lost consecutive games as a heavy favorite by more than 20 points—first to UCLA, which had yet to win a game, and then to Northwestern at home. This series of defeats marked a historical anomaly, making Penn State the first team since the FBS and FCS split in 1978 to lose back-to-back games as a 20-point favorite or more. The rapid fall from grace prompted immediate action, with the university swiftly ending Franklin's tenure.