Following its 36-point thrashing of Maryland, Penn State has kept its ranking in the AP Poll.
PSU has stayed at No. 9.
As has been the case every week for what feels like forever, Penn State’s behind Big Ten foes Michigan (No. 2) and Ohio State (No. 3) in the AP Poll.
Penn State lost to Ohio State 20-12 in Columbus Oct. 21 and plays Michigan this coming Saturday with kickoff scheduled for noon on Fox. Michigan is an early 6.5-point favorite according to DraftKings.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Michigan’s undefeated. Penn State isn’t. Michigan’s the two-time defending Big Ten champions. Penn State hasn’t won the crown since 2016. Michigan’ beat Penn State like a drum in Ann Arbor last season and got a close win in Happy Valley the year before. So until Penn State proves otherwise, Michigan has the upper hand. What Michigan also has, it must be said, are a lot of distractions.
That’s a significant spread considering the fact that Penn State’s 8-1 and will most likely be ranked in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff Poll when it comes out Tuesday evening and playing at home.
The second batch of College Football Playoff rankings for 2023 come out Tuesday evening. In the first batch, Penn State’s No. 11. In what was somewhat of a surprise, Ohio State came in at No. 1 and Georgia— who’s No. 1 in the AP Poll— at No. 2.
In the USA Today Coaches Poll, Penn State’s No. 9, which is exactly where it was last week. Georgia is No. 1, Michigan two and Ohio State three. Florida State rounds out the top four, with Washington rounding out the top five.
