Penn State and Ohio State swap spots in this week’s USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-134 heading into Saturday’s colossal Big Ten matchup in Happy Valley.
The Buckeyes slip one spot to No. 4 after struggling to beat Nebraska 21-17. Playing as almost four-touchdown underdogs, the Cornhuskers were able to control the clock and slow down the Buckeyes’ running game while allowing just one third-down conversion.
The Nittany Lions climb to No. 3 after owning the second half of a 28-13 win at Wisconsin. Penn State gets bonus points for pulling away despite losing quarterback Drew Allar late in the first half. Backup Beau Pribula stepped in and had 126 yards of offense and a touchdown in relief.
That’s the most notable change in a 1-134 that is largely unchanged near the top after an uneventful Saturday. Two other teams on the move are No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Texas A&M after significant wins against ranked competition.
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The Fighting Irish are up three after riding six Navy turnovers to a 51-14 win. A&M jumps up four spots after beating LSU 38-23 behind an inspired performance from backup quarterback Marcel Reed, who completed both of his pass attempts for 70 yards and added 62 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Among this week’s biggest drops are No. 50 Liberty, down 18 after a humiliating loss to Kennesaw State, and No. 83 Oklahoma State, down 21 after losing to Baylor. The Cowboys have dropped five in a row after a perfect non-conference season and are in last place in the Big 12.