James Franklin says Penn State is ‘that close’ to winning it all. A new baseline for success has been set.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In the middle of the Penn State locker room inside Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, overcome with emotions and tears streaming down his face, was comforted by former Nittany Lion Chop Robinson. A few feet away from Dennis-Sutton sat linebacker Tony Rojas, with a blank stare, still sitting in his football pads and pants at his locker stall.

To call the players in this locker room, a mere 30 minutes after seeing their national title hopes end in a 27-24 defeat in the College Football Playoff against Notre Dame, dejected would be an understatement.

“That feels [expletive] heartbreaking,” senior linebacker Kobe King said.

The finality was sinking in. For players like tight end Tyler Warren, defensive end Amin Vanover, safety Jaylen Reed, and defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas, there are no more games to look forward to. They were that close to playing for the national championship.

“This college [expletive] goes by within a blink of an eye,” Vanover said. “Penn State means everything. The camaraderie, friendships, the brotherhood, everything that comes with this place. It’s probably one of the last real college football programs in America, honestly, like brotherly love and everything.”

On the podium down the hall, quarterback Drew Allar’s eyes began to well up as he faced questions sitting with coach James Franklin on his right and running back Nick Singleton to his left. The Medina, Ohio native is known to be outwardly emotional. He tried to remain composed, but in reflecting about what the second-year starter learned about himself, the tears began to flow.

“I think I grew a lot, on the field, off the field,” Allar said, the weight of his late-game interception in Thursday’s Orange Bowl adding to the rawness in his voice. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity [to grow more] but just got to learn from it and move on and take it on the chin right now.”

Said Warren of his quarterback: “He puts a lot of pressure on himself, and he’s a competitor, so any situation like that for anybody as a competitor is going to be tough, but we have his back and we know he’s our quarterback.”

When asked about Warren, Franklin praised him, but emphasized the importance of his “throwback program” and the pride he takes in developing his players, on and off the field.

“I understand the transfer portal is a part of college football now and NIL is a part of college football and we’ll embrace those things, too, but I want this experience to be so much more than a transactional experience. I want it to be transformational,” he said, each word coming out with increasing emotion. He briefly paused to compose himself and finished with, “Again, that’s what it’s all about for me,” while wiping away tears.

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The loss will reverberate for a program that had been waiting for such opportunities: to play for a national championship for the first time since 1986; for Franklin to shed the now 1-15 record against AP top-five opponents; and seeking a signature win to stand among college football’s elite in the first season of the 12-team expanded College Football Playoff.

But after coming up short again, from settling for field goals instead of touchdowns, inconsistencies in execution in high-pressure moments, to critical mistakes late in games, another long offseason of “what ifs” awaits.

“I think in games like this at this point of the season, everybody wants to pick out a specific play,” Franklin said. “There’s probably eight to 12 plays in that game that if we could have found a way to make a few more plays in that game, we’re that close. It’s a game of inches.”

Penn State’s 2024 roster was Franklin’s best. Several Nittany Lions players could chase a pro career instead of returning to Happy Valley next season.

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Among them was star edge rusher Abdul Carter, who entered the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday morning.

Carter entered the Orange Bowl as a game-time decision with a shoulder injury suffered against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. The junior, a Glenside native, had a breakout junior year in his first season at defensive end, finishing with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

Carter paused to take in the scene of the locker room as he was peppered with questions about his rehab in the lead-up to Thursday’s game. He’s a projected top-10 pick in the draft. But instead of explaining his effectiveness in collecting two tackles for loss and a sack in the loss to the Irish, Carter reflected on what this Penn State program has meant to him.

“We all love each other. We trust each other. You can look around just see the passion that we all have, how bad we wanted to be here, how bad we wanted to win this game,” Carter said. “There is really not a place like Penn State. We’re really in a blessed position. [You] just try to take advantage of it. Take every moment in because you never know when it will end.”

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The Nittany Lions’ junior running back duo, Singleton and Kaytron Allen, are also draft eligible. Singleton was the star of the Orange Bowl loss, scoring three rushing touchdowns, and said postgame, “I don’t even know what I’m doing yet next year.”

Dennis-Sutton, who collected 4.5 of his total 8.5 sacks during Penn State’s college playoff run, including a strip sack and interception against Notre Dame, has an NFL decision to make. So does defensive tackle Zane Durant, who flashed in big moments this season.

Allar has already committed to returning next season, though the NFL has taken a keen eye to the 6-foot-5 signal caller’s talent. He will have the same offensive coordinator heading into Year 3 with Andy Kotelnicki returning.

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“There’s a lot of young guys in that locker room who played. There’s a bunch of young guys that just were able to experience [our playoff run],” Franklin said. “There’s going to be a ton of guys coming back for next year that are going to be hungry and are going to be motivated for more. They’ve gotten a taste of what this feels like and what it looks like and what it smells like.”

Added King: “For the young guys coming up, and for the older guys, it’s just something for guys to look back at and reflect on. So we won’t be in this situation again, and we’ll actually be advancing [to the national championship].”

Retooling the roster will be key for Penn State to get back to this moment next season.

The wide receiver room, which was a proven weakness yet again in a big game, will add transfers Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (Southern Cal).

Center Nick Dawkins will need to be replaced on a much-improved, but injury-stricken offensive line. Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr., who was injured in Week 1 against West Virginia, won’t return to the safety room.

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Next season’s title game will be in the same stadium Penn State’s season came to an end. Assuming a number of key starters return, Penn State’s talent should be among the nation’s best again.

But the pressure will be on to repeat this year’s playoff run, especially for Allar, who played unevenly for the last four games. Getting to the playoff will now be the standard. Making it to the semifinals will be the baseline of success. The Nittany Lions will spend all offseason wrestling with what could have been.

Until proven otherwise, Penn State will be asked the same question: Can you win the big one?