This week’s AP Poll is in and Penn State has moved up but still sits behind Big Ten foes Ohio State and Oregon.
Penn State, which had been ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll before beating No. 19 Illinois 21-7 Saturday night at Beaver Stadium, is now No. 7 moving up with the help of losses by No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 4 Georgia.
Penn State is behind new No. 1 Alabama as well as Texas, Ohio State— which Penn State hosts Nov. 2– Tennessee, Georgia and Oregon.
Although Oregon is going through its first Big Ten season, Penn State won’t be playing the Ducks until 2025, when they come to Beaver Stadium.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Michigan is now in the top ten. It moved up from No. 12, despite an unconvincing 24-17 win over 2-3 Minnesota at home. USC— which Penn State plays Oct. 12 in the Coliseum— moved slightly from No. 13 to 11.
Indiana, which pounded Maryland 42-28, has made its top 25 debut at No. 23, the first ranking in the Curt Cignetti era. Illinois’ loss to Penn State moved it from No. 19 to 24. 4-0 Rutgers is received 7 votes, Iowa got 17 and Nebraska got 30.
Penn State’s next opponent, UCLA, is 1-3 with blowout losses to Indiana and Oregon, plus a 17-point loss at LSU.
This game could get ugly for first-year coach DeShaun Foster and company, and Vegas knows it. That’s why the odds have Penn State -28.5 according to FanDual Sportsbook. Penn State is 4-0 overall but just 2-2 against spread, failing to cover against Bowling Green (won by seven, favored by 34.5), and Illinois (favored by 17.5, won by 14).
As expected, Penn State football’s game against UCLA scheduled for Noon on Fox Oct. 5 will be the destination for Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show.
