Top 10 Penn State memes cracking up the internet after Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame crush James Franklin's natty hopes

What began as playful banter turned into social media fodder after Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame defeated James Franklin’s Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal on Friday. Franklin's pregame quip about Freeman's hairline, "I mean, look at the hairline on this guy," set the stage for what would become a challenging night for the Nittany Lions' leader.

After Penn State's loss, Franklin delivered an emotional postgame press conference, prompting social media to respond with a wave of viral memes.

Here are 10 notable examples that captured the internet's attention:

#1 A commentary on Penn State's quarterback consistency, suggesting the team "has had the same QB for 15 years."

#2 An edited video meme of Franklin saying "some crazy stuff after getting beat by Notre Dame."

#3 A video meme showing Franklin's reaction to Drew Allar throwing the final two passes out of bounds.

#4 An image capturing Penn State fans' collective disappointment.

#5 A tiger-themed meme highlighting Franklin's performance in crucial matchups.

#6 A political meme referencing Franklin's record in significant games.

#7 A snapshot emphasizing Franklin's big-game challenges.

#8 A Denzel Washington meme about Penn State missing another championship opportunity.

#9 A humorous comparison of Franklin's big-game performance.

#10 A dramatization of the postgame handshake between Freeman and Franklin.

James Franklin fights back tears in post-Orange Bowl presser

James Franklin fought back tears while discussing Penn State's Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame and the departing seniors who played their final game.

“We knew it was going to be a fourth-quarter game and come down to a possession and that’s exactly what happened,” Franklin said [H/t On3]. “We played our tails off tonight. Obviously, we made too many mistakes that were costly.”

The most poignant moment came when Franklin reflected on tight end Tyler Warren's journey. He arrived as a lanky basketball player from Virginia who was committed elsewhere as a quarterback.

“He shows up here and will go down as one of the greatest tight ends in college football history,” Franklin said. “It’s pretty cool to watch his total development. He [graduated] from Penn State and just gets better. He should be the first tight end taken in the draft.”

Franklin's emotional response highlighted how deeply he values his relationships with players.