From No. 2 to No. 3 to No. 7 to unranked. Can Penn State football climb out of this hole it dug itself into?
The AP Top 25 Poll released on Sunday, Oct. 5 and the Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) already knew it wasn't going to be good news. They started the preseason as the second-ranked team in the country. They dipped to No. 3 after their Week 4 bye and sunk in the Top 10 to No. 7 after losing to Oregon. Penn State was expected to ride the podium throughout the 2025 season, if not, remain in the top five at least. The loss to the Ducks was heartbreaking, but getting upset by UCLA was unacceptable and inexcusable. It's not a shock to see that the blue and white got snipped.
Penn State drops out of AP Top 25 Poll rankings after brutal loss to UCLA Bruins
After losing to an unranked team, the Nittany Lions shouldn't be in the Top 25. The best spot it could have pulled out was somewhere in the 20s, but even that is a stretch. After the Northwestern game in Week 7, a win might not even be good enough for a No. 25 spot if they're currently unranked.
Penn State's only hope to touch the rankings again is pulling out statement wins against Iowa, Ohio State, and Indiana. It can't afford to lose anymore games if it plans on being in the College Football Playoff, but three wins against those teams isn't very likely given how the blue and white hit the field in 2025 so far.
The Buckeyes are still No. 1 and aren't likely to dip anytime soon. Though the Hawkeyes aren't ranked, beating them on the road is going to be a tough challenge for the Nittany Lions who proved in Week 6 they don't travel well facing even a winless squad. The Hoosiers bumped up a spot from Week 5 and are currently No. 7 where Penn State used to be after losing to Oregon.
Time's ticking for the Nittany Lions and there aren't many opportunities to prove themselves. The Ducks game was supposed to be that chance, but that escaped them. Even so, they still had the trio of upcoming games that were opportunities to make a statement and prove critics wrong. After losing to the Bruins, Penn State has to be all gas for the remainder of the season. No losses are acceptable. If it loses again, no matter what team it's facing, it can kiss the CFP goodbye.