Welcome back, Penn State re-enters top 10

After a few key upsets, Penn State returned to the top 10 in both the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll. The BCS Standings will be released later today. On the national side of things, there are still SIX undefeated teams remaining. Boise State and TCU are finished with their regular season. Cincinnati plays Pitt. Texas plays Nebraska. Alabama will duke it out with Florida for the No. 1 spot. We could see FIVE undefeated teams this time next weekend. I can't wait to see how the MSM spins this one.

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Penn State drops in Coaches' Poll

Penn State fell to No. 13 in the Coaches' Poll, despite the thorough 52-3 demolition of Eastern Illinois. The Nittany Lions held their spot at No. 14 in the AP Poll.

No. 12/11 Iowa finally got itself above Penn State in both polls. No. 7/7 Ohio State moved up slightly after beating Wisconsin in ugly fashion. No. 10/10 LSU failed to drop out of the top 10, after looking very pathetic at home against No. 1 Florida. No. 3/2 Alabama is probably the most impressive team right now, but we all know that a No. 1 team will never drop unless it loses, especially Florida.

I'll have my Top 25 posted later tonight.

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Penn State falls to No. 13/15

Penn State fell to No. 13 in the Coaches' Poll. However, the Lions still remain four spots ahead of the No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes. Penn State also fell to No. 15 in the AP Poll, with Iowa taking the No. 13 slot.

Also in the Coaches Poll (since, unfortunately, that's the poll used in the BCS) one-time-No. 6 Cal plummeted to No. 19 after being crushed by Oregon, now ranked No. 25. No. 9 Miami(FL) fell to No. 21, following its demolition at now-No. 6 Virginia Tech. Ole Miss went from No. 5 to No. 18, losing to South Carolina on Thursday night. In all, four top-10 teams fell this week. But Penn State was the least penalized in both polls.

*Delayed: I'll have my Top 25 posted tomorrow.

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Penn State up to No. 4 in Coaches Poll

Penn State moved up one spot to No. 4 in the Coaches' Poll. However, after being tied with Ole Miss at No. 5 last week, the Rebels solidified its No. 4 position in the AP Poll ahead of the Lions, who remain the No. 5 team.

After the big upset loss at Washington, USC fell to No. 10/12. No. 20/19 Brigham Young is still ranked ahead of No. 25/18 Florida State in the Coaches Poll, even after getting pasted by the Seminoles, 54-28 in Provo.

I'll have my Top 25 posted later today, after the Temple game review.

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Penn State up to No. 5 in AP

Following a workman-like 28-7 win over Syracuse, Penn State solidified itself, for now, as a top-five team. In the Coaches' Poll, Penn State stayed put at No. 5. In the AP Poll, Penn State jumped up 1.5 spots into a tie with No. 5 Mississippi.

Michigan entered the AP Poll this week at No. 25, but was not able to crack the Coaches' Poll. Notre Dame fell out. I'll have my Top 25 up later today. Unlike the actual pollsters, I like to take a look at all the big games and know exactly what I'm doing.

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Penn State jumps in both polls

After crushing Akron 31-7, Penn State was bumped up two points in the AP Poll to No. 7. In the Coaches Poll, the Nittany Lions jumped three spots to No. 5.

Penn State hasn't ranked this high, this early in the season, since 1999.

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Friday Linkage is in on Saturday

Two weeks from right now, Penn State will take the field again Akron. To say I'm excited would be a gross understatement. It's time to get pumped, and hope all those hurricanes will be kind enough to hit us only on Mondays this year.

Wrapping up this week, Penn State was in the news quite a bit. But this is only the beginning. As we get closer to the opener, it'll feel like 24/7 college football... just the way we like it.

• We'll lead this off with The Penn State Football Story, which debuts in a few hours.

• And just in case all that suspense wasn't enough to make you head explode, you could always start thinking about Football Eve on Sept. 4.

• Penn State debuted at No. 9 in the AP Poll. You know, that's the poll that used to matter a whole lot (especially to USC fans), but didn't like the BCS so it took it's toys and went home.

• The Centre Daily Times runs down the wide receiver position.

One thing is certain: Quarterback Daryll Clark should be able to find them. Bracket is 6-foot-6, while Moye is 6-5, Zug is 6-2 and Chaz Powell, the one getting a lot of the buzz, is 6-2.

Far cry from the "Smurfs."

• USA Today profiles the return of Sean Lee.

"I haven't played since December 2007, so I'm kind of done working out. I want to play football," Lee said.

I feel bad for the first Akron ball carrier to meet up with him in two weeks.

• Also at USA Today, Jeff Sagarin's rankings are out. PSU starts at a familiar No. 8.

• The Sporting News predicts a bunch of stuff about the Big Ten, including the all-conference teams. Finally, Terrelle Pryor isn't the first-team QB.

• PennLive.com builds on the notion that Illinois will be THE trap game in the Big Ten this season. I beg to differ, but more on that later.

• David Jones also gets all Buckeye-y on us.

• Aaron Maybin finally signed with the Bills.

The countdown begins: 14 days

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Penn State in the Polls: 2008-09 Final

Here you go, the latest (most legit) college football rankings.

*updated 1/12

BCS Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 8 (-2)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 8 (-2)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 7 (-1)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 9 (-2)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 7 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 8 (-2)/No. 13 (-3)*

College Football News - PSU No. 10 (-2)

*Sagarin uses two sets. The first is his regular rankings, while the second is his 'ELO Chess' which is submitted for use in the BCS formula.
**Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Rundown

Here's what's up for today:

• Looking into the polls

• Quick BCS title game review

*There will probably be some more stuff than that, but I'm not sure yet. Check back!

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Poll Results: The voters can suck it

We will have to wait another day to find out if Penn State will actually drop from the top-10, but I wanted to throw out the question: Would the voters be justified in doing so? The reaction was clear and definitely opposed to the idea. More than 81 percent of the votes went to either "PSU is still a top 10 team" or "The voters are just punishing PSU for being in the Big Ten." The latter gained one percent more.

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Penn State in the Polls; Regular season final

Here you go, the latest (most legit) college football rankings.

BCS Poll - Last week: PSU No. 8 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 6 (NC)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 6 (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 6 (NC)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 7 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 7 (+1)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 6 (+1)/No. 10 (NC)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News - Monday

*Ed.-Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Penn State in the Polls: Moving to nowhere

Here you go, the latest (most legit) college football rankings.

**UPDATED 12/1/08**

BCS Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 6 (NC)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 6 (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 6 (NC)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 7 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 7 (NC)/No. 10 (-2)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

7. Penn State (11-1) Last Week: 9
Didn't Play Last Week
next game: BOWL GAME
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … if it had just come up with one late defensive stop against Iowa, and had Daryll Clark not thrown the ill-fate interception, then Penn State would be making plans for Miami and the national title instead of Pasadena.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... it can't be. This defense is the real deal, and with six weeks to rest up an rejuvenate, it'll be interesting to see how it comes out against USC. That might be the best bowl game of the season.

*Ed.-Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Penn State in the Polls; The waiting game begins

Most rankings are out. Penn State's regular season is finished, following the destruction of Michigan State. Now, all the Nittany Lions can do, is sit back and watch every other team hopefully lose. Check back throughout the day for the latest poll releases!

BCS Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 6 (+2)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 6 (+1)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 6 (+1)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 7 (NC)

College Football Poll - Coming (LW: 9)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 7 (NC)/No. 8 (+2)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

9. Penn State (11-1) Last Week: 8
W, Michigan State 49-18
next game: BOWL GAME

The Ranking Should Be Higher Because...Penn State showed off the defense, the offensive athleticism, and the toughness that should make it a nasty bowl team. Penn State blew away Oregon State and beat Ohio State in Columbus, while USC lost to Oregon State and beat Ohio State at home. Why do the Trojans deserve to be higher?

The Ranking Should Be Lower Because... while the loss to Iowa might not be all that bad, the struggles early against Indiana and Michigan are concerning. The question still hasn't been answered, can Daryll Clark throw a key pass and come through late in a tight game? Could this offense really work against USC? We might not find out, and instead, we'll get a rematch against Oregon State.

*Ed.-Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Penn State in the Polls; Holding pattern

Everyone's rankings are out. Penn State is hovering at the 8/8/7 (BCS/C/AP) slot. Penn State just has to worry about the Spartans right now.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 8 (NC)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 7 (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 7 (NC)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 7 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 9 (-1)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 7 (NC)/No. 10 (+1)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

9. Penn State (10-1) Last Week: 8
W, Indiana 34-7
next game: Michigan State

The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … fine, so maybe the Nittany Lions shouldn't have dropped after a dreary performance (at least in the first half) against Indiana, and maybe the defense really could slow down Missouri. It would be nice to see a dominant win over Michigan State to show that this team really does have a chance against USC (assuming things go to form in the bowl picture).

The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... that was hardly the big answer to the Iowa loss that everyone was looking for. The defense was stifling against Indiana, but the offense hardly pounded away like it should've.

*Ed.-Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Penn State in the Polls :: Regrouping

Everyone's rankings are out. Penn State fell to No. 7/8/8, and deservedly so. There's still a lot to play for, though.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 8 (-5)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 8 (-6)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 7 (-4)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 7 (-5)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 7 (-4)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 8 (-7)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 7 (-6)/No. 11 (-7)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

8. Penn State (9-1) Last Week: 4
L, at Iowa 24-23
next game: Indiana
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … it can't be. At this point in the year, any team worth of the top five doesn't lose at Iowa with everything on the line. Even in the tough loss, the positives still hold true. The defense is still strong, the offensive line is among the best in America, and the receiving corps is experienced and talented. However ...
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... the one big question mark has been QB Daryll Clark in the fourth quarter. He didn't win the Ohio State game; Pat Devlin did. When the team needed a smooth and steady leader in the fourth quarter, Clark threw the interception that changed the season. The Nittany Lions need to look impressive again and they need to obliterate a bad Indiana team.

*Ed-Oh yeah, and vote in the new poll down below!

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Penn State in the Polls :: Searching for No. 1

Everyone's rankings are out. Texas Tech is siphoning way some of the votes from Penn State. A big win at Iowa, and a loss by Texas Tech, would go a long way in resolving that matter.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 3 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 2 [No. 1 votes: 14/61(+11)] (+1)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 3 [No. 1 votes: 6/65(+6)] (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 2 (+1)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 3 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 1 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 1 (+1)/No. 4 (-1)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

4. Penn State (9-0) (Last Week: 5)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Iowa
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the defense, in a one game shot, is good enough to beat anyone in the country. If the Texas offensive line could blast away late on Texas Tech, and the Alabama offensive line had problems with a few defensive fronts like Mississippi's and Kentucky's, then Penn State's lines could certainly show up and produce.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... could the offense keep up with any of the top Big 12 attacks, and could it do much against the Alabama and Florida defenses? The Ohio State game didn't exactly inspire confidence, even in the win.

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Penn State jumped by Texas Tech in AP Poll

Well, it happened. We all had a feeling it would. The newest No. 2 team in the AP poll, Texas Tech, jumped over idle Penn State today. With the fall of previously-No. 1 Texas, Penn State now received six first-place votes in the AP. No. 1 Alabama got 46, No. 2 Texas Tech got 12, and now-No. 4 Florida got one.

On the sane, rational, BCS-relevant side of the polls, the USA Today Coaches Poll saw through the sensationalist fog, and voted Penn State No. 2, bumping Texas Tech up to No. 3. Alabama got 40 first-place votes, followed by Penn State's 14, then Texas Tech's six, and Oklahoma took the No. 4 slot, and one first-place vote.

Why don't I agree with this? This is why.

I'll have the complete weekly "Penn State in the Polls" post up later today, with all the rankings and where Penn State landed.

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Penn State in the Polls; Shedding Monkeys

Everyone's rankings are out. While many still peg Penn State as the No. 3 team in college football, the gap is closing between Penn State and Alabama for the No. 2 spot in the BCS–a mere 0.024 points separates the Lions and the Tide.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 3 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 3 (No. 1 votes: 3/61) (NC)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 3 (No. 1 votes: 0/65) (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 3 (NC)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 3 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 2 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 2 (+1)/No. 3 (+5)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

5. Penn State (9-0) (Last Week: 3)
W, at Ohio State 13-6
next game: at Iowa (Nov. 8)
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the team came up with its best win of the year and falls down two spots?! No matter how it happened, beating Ohio State in Columbus is impressive. The defense was way too quick for the extremely athletic Buckeyes, however ...
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... the offense struggled way too much, and we still don't know if Daryll Clark can play late in tight games. In a one game shot, could the Nittany Lions beat anyone in America? Absolutely. However, the offense needs to prove it can blow up against a good defense.

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Penn State stays at No. 3

In both the Coaches and the AP polls, Penn State stays at No. 3 this week after beating Ohio State.

The Nittany Lions did get three first-place votes in the Coaches Poll.

*I'll replace this post later with "Penn State in the Polls," once all the rankings are out.

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Penn State in the Polls; Game of the Year

Everyone's rankings are out. Not much has changed going into the Ohio State game. Penn State debuted at No. 3 in the BCS Poll, which shouldn't surprise anyone at this point. The season comes down to one game for Penn State football.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 3

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 3 (NC)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 3 (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 3 (NC)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 3 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 2 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 3 (NC)/No. 8 (-2), ELO Chess, used in BCS formula

College Football News -

3. Penn State (8-0)
W, Michigan 46-17
next game: at Ohio State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … when it wanted to, it turned things up a few notches to blow away Michigan. The offense has speed, power, and experience, while the defense is playing out of this world, especially up front. However ...
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... that first half against the Wolverines was a bit too scary. If a miserable Michigan team can do that, then would could Alabama do? What about Florida? What's Ohio State going to do? This will be the big test.

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