Here’s what the latest College Football Playoff rankings mean for Penn State
The latest College Football Playoff rankings are out and Penn State has moved up.
The Nittany Lions are now the No. 10 team in the country, up one spot from last week’s No. 11.
Here’s how the latest rankings can impact Penn State.
Nittany Lions need help
As has been the case since Penn State lost to Ohio State in late October, the program will likely need help to achieve any of its goals the rest of the season. There is one scenario where that isn’t the case, but we’ll get there later.
But assuming the likeliest outcomes happen and the teams at the top of the rankings take down teams that are significantly worse than them. That includes programs like Alabama and Texas who should win out with relative ease, while Ole Miss should only lose to Georgia the rest of the way. If that’s the case, Penn State is unlikely to take over any of those teams and earn themselves a legitimate chance to make a New Year’s Six game. Of course, that’s assuming the Nittany Lions lose to Michigan this weekend. But if that isn’t the outcome Saturday ...
A Michigan win changes everything
... then Penn State is going to have everything in front of it. Yes, that includes a chance to make the College Football Playoff, while all but guaranteeing a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. It helps that Michigan isn’t one of the unbeaten teams that it seems like the committee is simply waiting to move down. That feels especially true for Washington who is at No. 5, one spot ahead of Oregon at No. 6 presumably because the Huskies won the head to head matchup.
Knocking off Michigan should move the Nittany Lions into the top seven-ish range and put them in prime position to be ahead of every one loss team but Oregon. If that’s the case, it would only take a few upsets at the top for Penn State to find its way into the top four, assuming it wins out.
Iowa needs to keep winning
One of the flaws in Penn State’s resume was its lack of high level wins, but this week it received its first win over a top-25 opponent thanks to the Iowa Hawkeyes jumping into the rankings at No. 22. A Michigan win would obviously help, but the program looks much better if the Hawkeyes continue moving up and continue winning games. Especially because Penn State dominated Iowa in Beaver Stadium to the tune of a 31-0 shutout win.
Iowa’s schedule is relatively easy the rest of the way, too. If Penn State proves to be one of two teams to take the Hawkeyes down, it could end up being a difference maker if the committee must choose between the Nittany Lions and a team with the same number of losses. That would be the case whether it’s for a New Year’s Six bowl or a College Football Playoff bid.
Here are this week’s CFP rankings in full.
1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Michigan
4. Florida State
5. Washington
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Alabama
9. Ole Miss
10. Penn State
11. Louisville
12. Oregon State
13. Tennessee
14. Missouri
15. Oklahoma State
16. Kansas
17. Oklahoma
18. Utah
19. LSU
20. Notre Dame
21. Arizona
22. Iowa
23. Tulane
24. North Carolina
25. Kansas State
