The Big Ten will have a new look beginning in the 2024-25 season with Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington joining the conference. The expansion, which was made official last August, brings about a big change in college football.

Despite this expansion affecting Penn State football in a variety of ways, James Franklin is making sure the team remains consistent through the changes.

Franklin noted the different play styles the four new teams will bring to the conference but isn’t looking at that as something to worry about. He said the West Coast teams utilize a more spread-out offensive scheme, while the teams already in the Big Ten line up tighter for power runs.

“Obviously we’re gonna have to, in detail, study those people. But I don’t really see that as a major challenge or issue,” Franklin said. “I think that diversity is what makes the Big Ten special and fun. You get a combination of all those things.”

Although the realignment brings about change on the field, Franklin has put more thought into what will change off of it. He’s had many discussions with others at Penn State and the Big Ten regarding how to go about traveling over 2,000 miles for away games and the differences in scheduling that will have to be made.

Franklin has seen many teams struggle when making these nationwide trips, including his own team that traveled to California during his time at Maryland. Because of that, he’s looking for the best ways to ensure his team doesn’t run into the same problem.

“[We have to] be very honest and thorough about what we’re going to have to do to put us in the best position to make those trips successful,” he said. “Those are things as a football program that we need to look at, and things as an athletic department that we need to look at, and make sure that we’re making the right decisions to put our players and program in the best chance to be successful.”

With three new coordinators joining the program, Franklin is using spring practices to get the team used to its new look before diving deeper into the makeup of the realigned Big Ten and the opponents Penn State will see in the upcoming season.

The 2024 Nittany Lions will make their first appearance for the annual Blue-White Game on Saturday, April 13, before kicking off the regular season in August.