Penn State Football Plummets in New AP Top 25 Poll

Penn State football dropped 13 spots in the new AP Top 25 poll following the Nittany Lions’ ugly, 20-18 loss to Illinois in nine overtimes on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions came in at No. 20 in the poll released on Sunday, falling from the No. 7 spot they held for the past two weeks. Penn State struggled to get much going on offense while its defense was gashed for 357 rushing yards by the Illini, who came into the game 2-5 on the season and a three-touchdown underdog.

Now 5-2 on the year, the Nittany Lions are coming off losses to Illinois and Iowa, which moved up two spots to No. 9. Next up for Penn State is a trip to Columbus on Saturday to face the Big Ten’s highest ranked team, No. 5 Ohio State (6-1).

Two other conference teams ranked in the top 10 also still loom on the Nittany Lions’ schedule. Penn State hosts No. 6 Michigan (7-0) on Nov. 13 and travels to No. 8 Michigan State (7-0), which moved up one spot in this week’s poll, on Nov. 27.

Auburn, which Penn State defeated in a week 3 non-conference game, moved up one spot to No. 18 in this week’s poll.

Penn State is now the lowest among ranked Big Ten teams.

The Coaches Poll was slightly kinder to the Nittany Lions, dropping them nine spots to No. 17.

AP Top 25

1. Georgia (63)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan
7. Oregon
8. Michigan State
9. Iowa
10. Ole Miss
11. Notre Dame
12. Kentucky
13. Wake Forest
14. Texas A&M
15. Oklahoma State
16. Baylor
17. Pitt
18. Auburn
19. SMU
20. Penn State
21. San Diego State
22. Iowa State
23. UTSA
24. Coastal Carolina
25. BYU

Coaches Poll

1. Georgia (64)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Oregon
9. Ole Miss
10. Iowa
11. Notre Dame
12. Kentucky
13. Wake Forest
14. Texas A&M
15. Oklahoma State
16. SMU
17. Penn State
18. Baylor
19. Pitt
20. San Diego State
21. Auburn
22. UTSA
23. Iowa State
24. Coastal Carolina
25. NC State