Penn State Moves Up One Spot in New AP Poll

Penn State is ranked at the No. 14 spot in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.

The Nittany Lions moved up one spot after beating Maryland 38-3 on Senior Day. They capped off the regular season with a 9-3 record and three consecutive victories over Wisconsin, Rutgers, and the Terrapins. The team’s regular-season high in the AP Poll was No. 8 after the bye week, and its lowest point was No. 21 after losing to Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In addition to its new ranking in the AP Poll, Penn State moved up two spots to No. 12 in the newest Coaches’ Poll. The College Football Playoff committee, which will ultimately determine the Nittany Lions’ bowl destination, will unveil its weekly rankings on Tuesday evening. Penn State was No. 12 in last week’s CFP rankings.

Penn State will be battling with several other teams for a spot in a New Year’s 6 bowl game. Most notably, LSU (9-3) and Washington State (10-2) remain ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions in the AP poll, tied at No. 12, after losses on Saturday. In the Coaches Poll, Penn State is one spot ahead of Washington State and two ahead of LSU.

In addition to ranking ahead of Wazzu and LSU, the Nittany Lions also will need Ohio State (No. 6) to win the Big Ten Championship Game and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, with Michigan (No. 8) already likely to take one New Year’s 6 bowl bid out of the Big Ten.

Penn State (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) will find out where it will play a bowl game on Sunday, Dec. 2 when the CFP committee unveils its final rankings of the 2018 season.