The AP Top 25 Poll dropped midday on Sunday and Penn State's placement expectedly dropped following its performance against Oregon on Saturday night. The Nittany Lions (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) went from the No. 2 team in the country to the No. 7 while the Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) soared to th top and replaced where Penn State was previously.
"A gritty 30-24 win over Penn State in double overtime convinced voters that Oregon deserved a spot in the top three," Maura Carey wrote. "The Ducks jumped to No. 2 in the poll, knocking Penn State out of the top three for the first time this season."
The AP Poll also added key stats that the Ducks beat the Nittany Lions in. Oregon had 20 first downs to Penn State's 15 and greatly surpassed the blue and white in total yards. In the pass game, the Ducks recorded 248 yards to the Nittany Lions' 137. On the ground, the visitors had 176 yards while James Franklin's team had 139. Oregon also had more time of possession with 33:52. Penn State was in control for 26:08.
The end of the game was determined by an interception thrown by quarterback Drew Allar. It was the only pick of the game and it came at a costly time for the third-year starter.
What's keeping Penn State still afloat in the top 10 at least in the AP Poll is that Oregon is a top team in the country. The Nittany Lions didn't fall to an unranked opponent or an opponent ranked 20th or below. There are glaring issues with Penn State after last night's performance, most (if not all) being on the offensive side of the ball. However, it pushed the Ducks into overtime from a 14-point deficit. There are some good things to take away from Saturday night still, even if it's easy to focus on the ugly.
The updated AP Top 25 Poll following Week 5: