AP Ranking: Penn State on the Rise

Originally posted on Nittany Sports Now | By Joe Smeltzer | Last updated Nov 10, 2024 4:24 PM ET

With Penn State destroying Washington Saturday night and two teams ahead of it in the AP Poll losing, people knew its ranking would improve and the question was by how much.

We found out Sunday afternoon.

Penn State is now No. 4 in the AP and No. 5 in the USLBM Coaches Poll.

The important thing was for Penn State to beat Washington— preferably by a lot— which it did.

But Penn State got some gravy with No. 2 Georgia losing at No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 4 Miami losing at un-ranked Georgia Tech. As it was before the Washington game, Penn State is in total control of its College Football Playoff destiny.

WHO IS AHEAD OF PENN STATE?

James Franklin and Penn State take on Ohio State in a top ten matchup.

Penn State still has four teams with a better AP Ranking. No. 1 Oregon has stayed the same, with Ohio State moving to No. 2 following Georgia’s loss. Texas has taken Miami’s place at No. 3. Penn State is unlikely to play Oregon— unless PSU makes it to the Big Ten championship game. With Texas playing in the SEC, Penn State won’t play UT unless the teams meet in the Playoff. Penn State did play Ohio State this season and, as PSU fans have come to expect, it lost, falling to 1-10 in the James Franklin era.

Penn State and Ohio State could meet again.

ON TO PURDUE

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 25: Purdue WR Deion Burks (4) during a college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and Purdue Boilermakers on November 25, 2023 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire)

Penn State has three games left, the first being at 1-8 Purdue Saturday. Purdue hasn’t beaten an FBS team yet this season and just lost 45-0 at Ohio State.

In the meantime, Penn State will see where it lands in the College Football Playoff rankings, which come out Tuesday night at 7 on ESPN.

This article first appeared on Nittany Sports Now and was syndicated with permission.

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