Penn State has fired James Franklin, and UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen's name has once again popped up as a possible replacement.

Interim head coach Terry Smith pointedly said in his first press conference Monday that none of those three teams were better than his Nittany Lions. Smith made a call for Penn State to play with toughness and grit over the next six games and vowed that there will no longer be questions about the team’s effort.

UNLV head coach Dan Mullen was once considered a Penn State coaching candidate. Could he once again be in the mix for the job in Happy Valley?

Though Mullen doesn't have any direct ties to Penn State itself, he is a native of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. He also played tight end at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and spent some time coaching in the Northeast at Wagner, Columbia and Syracuse.

Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa program is a couple of touchdowns away from a 6-0 start. The Hawkeyes dropped close decisions to Iowa State (16-13) and unbeaten Indiana (20-15).

Kirk Ferentz previews the Iowa Hawkeyes football vs Penn State matchup, which will be the Nittany Lions' first game since firing James Franklin.

McKeesport (Penn.) five-star running back Kemon Spell is back on the market after reopening his recruitment this week following James Franklin being relieved of

Penn State will have a new head coach, a new quarterback and likely a new approach when it tangles with Iowa at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night. Also new? Terry Smith’s Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3) will be underdogs for the first time this season.

Find single game tickets to the Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions college football Week 8 matchup on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium.