With a little more than a week until Penn State football’s final game of the regular season, James Franklin has no idea where his team is headed or when it will play.

During his post-practice media availability Wednesday night, Franklin addressed the Big Ten’s lack of transparency around its “Champions Week” and the rule changes it made to accommodate Ohio State.

“That’s been a challenge and I don’t think it’s right, to be honest,” Franklin said about the schedule. “What I was told a week ago is that the West teams were all gonna come to the East because this is the year to do it, and next year we’re going to have to travel…then I heard today that may be changing, which I don’t think is right.”

Franklin is referring to the Big Ten’s way of scheduling home and away games, as East and West teams alternate having four and five home games. Since Penn State only hosted four Big Ten teams last year, 2020 would be its year to have five home games. Saturday’s game against Michigan State will only mark its fourth.

Each team is supposed to play the team that has the same standing in the other conference division. If the season ended today, Penn State would play Nebraska since both teams are ranked No. 6 in their respective East/West divisions.

Franklin is now concerned about the Big Ten’s indecisiveness about where the games will be located, largely so he can inform parents if they can attend or not.

“The game’s next week and we still don’t really know,” Franklin said. “We were told one thing last week and now it’s different, is a little bit of a concern…I would like to be able to tell my [players’] parents what’s going on so they can make plans.”

The head coach said he talked to other coaches in the league and Penn State Athletics leadership, and there’s frustration about the situation. Franklin thinks Penn State shouldn’t need to play five away games two years in a row.

If the Big Ten stuck with its original plan for East teams to host West teams, Franklin could inform his players and their parents that the game will take place at Beaver Stadium, eliminating the uncertainty. He also noted that a Friday game is now a possibility, which he disagrees with.

“I’m not typically a fan of Friday games because of high school football in the state of Pennsylvania,” Franklin said. “We don’t know where the games are, we don’t know who you’re playing, and on top of that, they’re saying there’s a possibility the games could be Friday and Saturday.”

On the same topic of week nine scheduling, Franklin also addressed the conference’s decision to allow Ohio State to play in the championship game. The Buckeyes would not be eligible under the Big Ten’s original rules, which require teams to play six games to compete in the championship.

Ohio State had multiple games canceled to the coronavirus, which meant it was ineligible under the original guidelines. The conference adjusted the rules on Wednesday to give the undefeated Buckeyes a seat at the championship table.

Franklin appeared to be biting his tongue while addressing the Ohio State situation, but he seemed to agree with the conference’s ruling.

“I have opinions that go all the way back when we won the Big Ten championship,” Franklin said. “I do believe that it is the right thing to do to make sure the best team in the Big Ten is in the Big Ten Championship games, on the East side and the West side, especially when there’s things that are outside your control.”

Things are still up in the air about week nine, but Franklin and the Nittany Lions know for sure what’s happening in week eight. Penn State will try to defend the coveted Land-Grant Trophy from Michigan State at Beaver Stadium. The game kicks off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.