The James Franklin-led Penn State football team is under renewed scrutiny after falling short against its top rival.

The Nittany Lions entered Saturday’s game against Ohio State as the third-ranked team in the country.

But the fourth-seeded Buckeyes left Beaver Stadium with a 20-13 victory. Franklin is in his 11th season as Penn State’s head coach, and his team has lost eight in a row to Ohio State.

Since beating the Buckeyes in 2016, Franklin’s teams have eliminated just two top 10 opponents.

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FOX Sports commentator Brady Quinn during a game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Bloomington, Ind. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Penn State’s struggles in the red zone compounded Saturday’s frustrations. In the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions had a first and goal from the 3-yard line. After failing to gain much ground on three consecutive rush attempts, a fourth down pass went incomplete. The turnover on downs helped Ohio State secure its twelfth victory in the last thirteen meetings.

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On four trips to the red zone, Penn State was able to come away with two field goals for six points. Shortly after the game, FOX Sports college football analyst Brady Quinn took aim at the Penn State coaching staff’s decision-making.

Brady Quinn on SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIII Radio Row, Jan. 31, 2019, in Atlanta. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

Quinn said Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren should have been given more opportunities to get involved during the game.

“That play-calling was horrible to me,” Quinn said on the FOX postgame show. “Tyler Warren had 88 scrimmage yards in the second half and isn’t targeted once in four plays? He got you there with a rush of 33 yards, and you don’t have a single touch for him? I’m beside myself for Penn State fans for that reason.”

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium, Nov. 2, 2024, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Warren finished the game with 47 receiving yards. He also rushed three times for 47 yards.

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Penn State will look to get back on the winning track when Washington hosts on November 9.

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