Flips were also caused by 4 straight losses to end the season, 1 of which was thrown away and should have been won easily(NW).
I understand the feeling that PSU could have defeated Northwestern last year, but I do not understand why some feel that Coach Franklin "blew" the win. NW defeated ranked teams in Stanford and Wisconsin, as well as Nebraska in Lincoln ... all tough games. Our game came down really to 1 young player not making a play (the drop by Haley on an easy interception).
Many times even PSU's best teams needed that single play like to beat inferior opponents.
In 1986, had Duffy Cobbs whiffed on batting down a Maryland pass on a 2-point conversion, the Terps end up tying us at 17. No shot at Miami with such a tie. Then against ND, I can't recall the defender, but he just barely tips a pass to the ND TE in the end zone that would have cost the Lions an undefeated season.
These are but 2 examples that show that sometimes, no matter how much better 1 team might be than the other, the game comes down to great players having to make great plays to win a game no matter how great the coach. Bob White's late sack of the ND QB, Tim Johnson's late sack of Vinnie T, Shane Conlan's (huge interception and return to set up ...), DJ Dozier's TD run to beat Miami -- all of these singular plays among the many during a game meant allowed PSU to earn the NC.
Joe Paterno didn't make the plays and he didn't "not" make them any more than James Franklin didn't "not" make the play to seal the win over NW. And to argue that PSU had more talent than NW and therefore shouldn't have needed a final interception to beat the Cats is absurd. The 1986 team was certainly superior in talent to Maryland, and clearly better than Cincinnati. Yet, it took Blair Thomas and Shane Conlan to make great plays vs the Bearcats in the clutch to prevent that upset.
I just get tired of the constant criticism of Coach Franklin for losing to NW, a 10-3 team that made plays when it had to against us. Coach Franklin isn't the greatest coach in the country, but he is very good and has proven that over his 5 years at Vandy and PSU. I like him and still believe he is the right man for the job at Penn State.