The Penn State Nittany Lions are the biggest beneficiary of Iowa State’s victory at Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon, with PSU taking OU’s old place at #3 in the latest Associated Press college football poll.
The Nittany Lions were last ranked third nationally in November 2008, when the late Joe Paterno will still head coach in State College. The Lions won against Northwestern in Big Ten action on Saturday, 31-7.
Alabama remains the #1 ranked team in the country, with 43 first-place votes. Defending national champion Clemson is ranked #2 behind the Crimson Tide, with 18 first-place tallies.
Missouri’s opponent this Saturday night, the Georgia Bulldogs, have rode an unbeaten start to a #4 ranking, up one spot from a week ago, while the Washington Huskies, coming off a dominant win over Cal, check in at 5.
Spots 6 through 10 in the weekly poll are owned by TCU, Wisconsin, Washington State, Ohio State, and Auburn. In-state rivals Washington and Washington State are in the Top 10 together for the first time since October 26, 1997, the season that saw Ryan Leaf lead WSU to the Rose Bowl.
The Miami Hurricanes, winners at rival Florida State on Saturday, are up to #11. Notre Dame is ranked #16, up five spots with a four-game winning streak. Michigan’s loss to in-state rival Michigan State drops the Wolverines to #17, down ten positions, while the Spartans enter the poll at #21.
Dropping out of the rankings are Louisville (17), Utah (20), Florida (21), and West Virginia (23). Stanford is the new #23 after a win at Utah. Texas Tech joins the rankings at #24, with Navy, at 25, in for the first time this season.