Penn State has failed to move up in the college football polls through the first two weeks of the season, but the Nittany Lions have made a slight move up in ESPN’s updated college football power rankings. Penn State is now the second highest-ranked Big Ten team in ESPN’s power rankings following the results of Week 2.
ESPN ranks Penn State at no. 6 in its latest college football power rankings. Penn State is ranked one spot higher than Ohio State but is three spots behind Michigan. Georgia sits on top of the ESPN power rankings, followed by Florida State.
Texas made the biggest move of the week, just s they did in the US LBM Coaches Poll and other polls with a win at Alabama. Texas skipped ahead of Penn State and up to no. 4 following their big win over the weekend. USC also remains ahead of Penn State with the no. 5 ranking in ESPN’s power rankings.
Penn State has arguably been the most complete Big Ten team in the first two games of the season, and these rankings from ESPN’s staff seem to suggest that feeling is at least true compared to the Buckeyes. Penn State opened the season with a home win over West Virginia and followed it up with a blowout over FCS Delaware. Ohio State took care of their FCS opponent this past weekend, Youngstown State, with a bit of a get-right game for the offense. But Penn State’s overall start to the season has been a bit more impressive than Ohio State’s start to the season.
Of course, Penn State will still have to prove it is better than Ohio State later this season. And before that, the Nittany Lions have to avoid slipping up before their bigger matchups with Ohio State and Michigan later this season.
Penn State will play its first road game of the season in Week 3. Penn State visits Illinois in a Big Ten opener for both teams on Saturday, Sept. 16.
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