Penn State ended the 2023 season with a dud in the Peach Bowl, but the Nittany Lions will still be able to look back on the 2023 season and appreciate a top-15 finish. In fact, Penn State finished no. 13 in the final AP top 25 poll of the 2023 season, matching the final ranking received in the US LBM Coaches Poll on the day after the College Football Playoff national championship game was played.
Just as was the case in the coaches poll, Penn State fell from a no. 10 ranking down to no. 13 in the final AP poll of the season. The Nittany Lions were bypassed by no. 9 Ole Miss, no. 11 Arizona, and no. 12 LSU. All three of those teams won their bowl games (Penn State lost to Ole Miss). No. 10 Ohio State also dropped three spots following a dreadful showing in their Cotton Bowl appearance against no. 8 Missouri.
The AP voters awarded all 61 first-place votes to Michigan, who completed a 15-0 season with a pull-away victory over Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night. Washington took the no. 2 ranking, one spot ahead of no. 3 Texas. The AP voters also placed Georgia at no. 4, one spot ahead of the only team to beat them this season, no. 5 Alabama. The coaches poll had Georgia at no. 3 ahead of Texas and Alabama, respectively.
Other than Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State, the only other current Big Ten school to finish in the AP top 25 was Iwoa at no. 24. Future Big Ten member Oregon (no. 6, tied with Florida State), joined Washington in the final top 25 on their way to the Big Ten.
You can view the final AP Top 25 here.
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