Penn State football checked in at the No. 14 spot in the College Football Playoff committee’s first top 25 poll of the 2018 season.

The Nittany Lions ended last season at the No. 9 spot when the final College Football Playoff rankings were unveiled, good enough to earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against then-No. 11 Washington. James Franklin’s program was ranked as the No. 14 team in the first CFP rankings of last season following consecutive away losses to Ohio State and Michigan State.

Penn State was ranked at No. 14 and No. 13 in the most recent AP Top 25 and Coaches’ Poll, respectively. The Nittany Lions’ highest ranking in each poll was No. 8 in week 7, but they quickly slipped down.

No. 14 Penn State (6-2, 2-2 Big Ten) will take on No. 5 Michigan at 3:45 p.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

About the Author

Mikey Mandarino

In the most upsetting turn of events, Mikey graduated from Penn State with a digital & print journalism degree in the spring of 2020. He covered Penn State football and served as an editor for Onward State from 2018 until his graduation. Mikey is from Bedminster, New Jersey, so naturally, he spends lots of time yelling about all the best things his home state has to offer. Mikey also loves to play golf, but he sucks at it because golf is really hard. If you, for some reason, feel compelled to see what Mikey has to say on the internet, follow him on Twitter @Mikey_Mandarino. You can also get in touch with Mikey via his big-boy email address: michael.p.mandarino@gmail.com

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