COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Despite a narrow 21-17 win over Nebraska Saturday, Ohio State was able to avoid dropping in the new rankings as they have a top-four game on the horizon.
The Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1) are still No. 4 in both the Associated Press poll and USA Today coaches poll heading into their anticipated game at No. 3 Penn State Saturday at noon. Both teams had to fight late for wins in Week 9 as the Nittany Lions took down Wisconsin 28-13 while the Buckeyes won with a fourth quarter Quinshon Judkins touchdown catch.
This will be the first time since 1996 that the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions meet as top-five teams.
College football came back down to earth for Week 9 after a month of shocking upsets and topsy-turvy poll changes. The only ranked teams that lost on Saturday lost to other ranked opposition with former No. 8 LSU being the highest-ranked team to fall, losing to Texas A&M 38-23.
The Aggies moved up to No. 10 while LSU fell to No. 16. Notre Dame rejoined the top-ten at No. 8 and undefeated BYU moved up to No. 9, above Big 12 foes Iowa State. Two new teams joined the AP poll with No. 22 Washington State and No. 23 Colorado getting added heading into Week 10.
Associated Press poll (Week 10)
| 1 | Oregon (61) |
| 2 | Georgia (1) |
| 3 | Penn State |
| 4 | Ohio State |
| 5 | Miami (FL) |
| 6 | Texas |
| 7 | Tennessee |
| 8 | Notre Dame |
| 9 | BYU |
| 10 | Texas A&M |
| 11 | Clemson |
| 11 | Iowa State |
| 13 | Indiana |
| 14 | Alabama |
| 15 | Boise State |
| 16 | LSU |
| 17 | Kansas State |
| 18 | Pittsburgh |
| 19 | Mississippi |
| 20 | SMU |
| 21 | Army |
| 22 | Washington State |
| 23 | Colorado |
| 24 | Illinois |
| 25 | Missouri |
Ohio State’s game against Penn State will be instrumental for the team’s chances of pursuing a Big Ten championship and getting into the 12-team College Football Playoff. Oddsmakers currently list the Buckeyes as a 4.5-point favorite in Happy Valley.
A victory for the Buckeyes, which would be the eighth straight against the Nittany Lions, would increase OSU’s Big Ten title game chances considerably. A loss could virtually end Ohio State’s playoff chances with more than a dozen unbeaten and one-loss teams.
While the showdown in Happy Valley is the highlight of Week 10, other games to watch include No. 1 Oregon playing at Michigan, undefeated No. 13 Indiana traveling to Michigan State, and an all-ranked ACC clash in Dallas between No. 18 Pittsburgh and No. 20 Southern Methodist University. NBC’s coverage continues Saturday night when Wisconsin meets Iowa at 7:30 p.m.
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 12-team era will be revealed on November 5.
