BREAKINGNEWS: Penn State head coach James Franklin stuns the college football world by publicly thanking Ohio State for an act of compassion — and proposes a groundbreaking event that could unite the NCAA
A moment of sportsmanship that transcends rivalry
James Franklin’s powerful message of gratitude
Two days later, in his weekly press conference, Coach James Franklin did something college football coaches rarely do — he publicly praised his greatest rival.
“Football is about passion, competition, and pride,” Franklin said. “But what I saw from Ohio State was something deeper. It was compassion — and that’s what this game should stand for. Those players, that coaching staff — they showed class in its purest form.”
Ohio State’s unexpected response
Fans and players rally behind the message
Across both fan bases — who are usually bitter rivals — there was an unusual tone of agreement. Hashtags like #RespectOverRivalry and #UnitedForTheGame began trending on X (formerly Twitter).
Former Buckeyes and Nittany Lions also joined in. NFL linebacker Micah Parsons, a Penn State alumnus, posted:
The vision for an NCAA Unity Camp
A cultural shift in college sports
Eli Watkins’ emotional words
From his hospital bed, freshman linebacker Eli Watkins watched the story unfold with tears in his eyes. Later that week, he shared a message through Penn State’s media team:
The moment that redefines a rivalry
