Sam McKewon’s picks: Can the Big Ten’s middle manager James Franklin reach the C-suite?

LINCOLN — Are you in middle management? Did you design the client-winning pitch only to see another get the account? Penn State’s James Franklin is for you.

He’s won 70% of his games in Happy Valley and led PSU to four Top 10 rankings at the end of the season. He’s won the Rose, Cotton and Fiesta Bowls and repeatedly recruited — and produced — current NFL stars.

Yet Franklin is the third wheel of the Big Ten. Middle management. Ryan Day is the hotshot young guy at Ohio State. And Franklin slots behind the Michigan Man, Jim Harbaugh, who seems to be embroiled in a new drama each week.

This week, it’s another alleged NCAA investigation for Harbaugh. Last week, it involved James Franklin. Who, with a subtle dig, revealed that middle management chip on his shoulder when asked whether a 12-team College Football Playoff would allow Penn State to craft a tougher schedule.

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“I would say there’s a team in this conference specifically that’s buying out of a ton of game contracts that are already signed to go in the complete opposite direction,” Franklin said. Might that be Michigan, which played East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green?

“He said Michigan ain’t playing anybody,” Fox play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson said during UM’s win over Indiana.

“That’s pretty rich from a guy whose team is playing UMass,” Fox analyst Joel Klatt said.

Klatt apologized Wednesday for that comment, and Franklin said national media took his comments out of context, because, he said, he was defending the practice of weak non-conference scheduling.

If passive aggression is praise, well, OK. Franklin has the edge of middle management. He knows he’s a C-suite guy, and he has a C-suite team that outscores foes by 36 points per game. But his program is Channel Third in the Big Ten. PSU is No. 7. Michigan is No. 2. And the Nittany Lions’ opponent this week, Ohio State, is No. 3.

The Buckeyes are a 4½-point favorite. Outside of their evident advantage at receiver, it’s hard to see where Ohio State has a better roster.

Penn State has a better offensive line — that allows for the Nittany Lions to rank second nationally, just behind Air Force, in time of possession — and healthier running backs. Its defense has 17 more sacks and six more takeaways than the Buckeyes, who can struggle to protect quarterback Kyle McCord.

“They’re very twitchy, very quick, they get after the quarterback at a high level,” OSU coach Ryan Day said PSU’s front seven. “Both ends are NFL players for sure. They’ve been very productive, disruptive.”

And Penn State has the better quarterback. Drew Allar grew up 115 miles from Ohio Stadium, but he was a late bloomer in high school. PSU recruited Allar on the front end of his trajectory to a five star. Ohio State already had Quinn Ewers.

Allar has completed 65.2% of his passes so far in 2023. He’s thrown 12 touchdowns and no picks.

“He’s done a good job of keeping the main thing the main thing,” Franklin said, “which is protecting the football, trying to create explosive plays when they’re there — but not forcing them — (and) managing the game.”

Franklin got miffed last week when a reporter asked whether Allar was throwing enough long balls.

“My skin is curling when you say, just drop back and chuck it deep no matter what,” Franklin said.

The head coach has grown more conservative in his approach to offense — which is to say, perhaps, more mature. He’s playing to his defense and managing the game better by possessions. A few times in the PSU/OSU series, the Nittany Lions have allowed self-destruction assist Ohio State. The goal, this Saturday, is to trust the quality of planning and talent.

“You have to understand and figure out what the identity of your team and embrace that identity no matter what the outside world is saying,” Franklin said. “You have to become comfortable in your own skin and own who you are and how you have to play.”

If Penn State does that for four quarters, it pulls off the upset in the Horseshoe and sends Ryan Day’s critics to social media. If OSU was at full strength — all of its backs, receivers and linemen — the story might be different. But I’m picking the upset — and for middle management to get a promotion.

My pick: Penn State 24, Ohio State 21

Nebraska vs. Northwestern

When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Sam’s take: No guarantees in a game like this one. Northwestern is playing with house money, has some athleticism on defense and likely will throw the kitchen sink at Nebraska’s defense. Heinrich Haarberg has played steady and tough through four games — nothing wrong with that.

Sam’s pick: Nebraska 23, Northwestern 14

Michigan at Michigan State

When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Sam’s take: Former MSU coach Mark Dantonio’s around the program more, and I’m sure he’ll want to make things quite personal, but that’ll go as well for the Spartans as the 2022 game did. The Wolverines are too deep, too good.

Sam’s pick: Michigan 34, Michigan State 10

Minnesota at Iowa

When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Sam’s take: The Hawkeyes have won eight straight in this series — and done so every which way, to boot, too — but P.J. Fleck finally snags Floyd of Rosedale and brings it back to Minneapolis. Straight up stunner, as much as a game with a 31½ over/under could be.

Sam’s pick: Minnesota 14, Iowa 13

Illinois vs. Wisconsin

When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Sam’s take: The Badgers blew a game in Madison against the Hawkeyes, and head to Champaign with a backup quarterback. With a surprising blowout victory over UW last season, Illini coach Bret Bielema set Wisconsin on a course of firing Paul Chryst. He just might be back for revenge in 2023. He has the better quarterback and the better defensive linemen.

Sam’s pick: Illinois 20, Wisconsin 17

Rutgers at Indiana

Sam’s take: Strange line. The Scarlet Knights were lucky to win last week and are apparently, if you think lines mean much, slated for tough sledding in Bloomington this weekend. We inch closer to Tom Allen’s last stand with this one.

Sam’s pick: Rutgers 18 Indiana 14

Sam’s record

Last week straight up: 5-2 l Last week against the spread: 4-2

For the season straight up: 57-9 l For the season ATS: 27-32

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