Penn State Football: 5 overreactions from win over Iowa

1. James Franklin may be college football’s bad boy

For the longest time, Penn State was looked at as one of college football’s most prestigious programs.

Much by their own design, the team took pride in recruiting student-athletes, not just players looking to move on to the NFL, and almost excessively relied on their prime and proper demeanor.

But when James Franklin arrived in Happy Valley, he brought a fun, SEC-like atmosphere to the program that the Lions had never experienced before. He added flair to the team’s pregame entertainment, and introduced a more light-hearted game day atmosphere to Happy Valley, and it works.

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The team wasn’t yet a contender on the national level, as they were still recovering from the sanctions that destroyed much of the team’s depth and infrastructure, but this new-found excitement reengaged some fans who had become disenchanted with their favorite program.

And then the team started winning.

As Penn State went on their run in the second half of the 2016 season, the excitement began to grow to deafening levels, and many Lion fans knew that the 2017 season would be something special.

And thus far it has been.

Penn State has become a relevant national title contender for the first time in Franklin’s tenure in Happy Valley, and he’s enjoying the spoils of victory.

But maybe a little too much.

Over the last two weeks the Nittany Lions have done things that many college football fans would consider to be in poor taste, from the team’s icing of Georgia State’s kicker in an already 56-0 blowout victory, to the decision to allow McSorley to kick the ball at the end Penn State’s last second victory over Iowa.

Penn State has been having a lot of fun, and people are beginning to notice.

Next: Penn State Football: 3 takeaways from win over Iowa

If the team continues to win, expect the animosity towards the Nittany Lions new bad boy image to continue to grow.