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Where does Penn State rank in the updated Coaches Poll?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•09/29/24•

GregPickel

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas (13) reacts after tackling Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) on third down during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas (13) reacts after tackling Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) on third down during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)

Penn State football has moved up in the USA Today Coaches Poll after beating Illinois 21-7 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions were at No. 8 last week and now move up to No. 7. There was plenty of movement in this week’s top 25 as voted on by numerous college coaches, including James Franklin, after Alabama beat Georgia and Kentucky upset Ole Miss, who was ahead of the Nittany Lions but now no longer is. Illinois fell to No. 25.

Penn State dominated the Fighting Illini at scrimmage. It controlled the game from just before halftime throughout the final 30 minutes of play. The Lions’ ground game took care of business and the defense was aggressive for much of the game following a slow start.

Sunday rewind: Injuries, penalties, and a dominating defense in the second half

“Our defense is playing really well. Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, you talk about their second set of teammates with 2000 career rushing yards since Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell,” Franklin said. “Pretty good group to be associated with. Pretty cool stat there. So overall, I’m really, really happy with our guys. That is a good football team. You’ve got to give Illinois and coach Bielema a ton of respect.

“That game really played out for a long time the way Illinois wants the game to go. They want one-possession games. They want to keep it tight. Where I think it went different is, I challenged our O-line against their D-line. And I challenged our D-line, against their front, their O-line, and I think that was the difference, really, in the game.”

Penn State fans can check out the updated Coaches Poll below. The Nittany Lions return to the field Saturday against 1-3 UCLA. Head coach James Franklin’s team is nearly a 30-point favorite ahead of the game. It starts around Noon ET. FOX will televise it. If the season ended today, the Nittany Lions would host Michigan in Round 1 of the CFP.

USA Today/US LBM Coaches Poll – September 29

1) Texas
2) Alabama
3) Ohio State
4) Tennessee
5) Georgia
6) Oregon
7) Penn State
8) Miami
9) Missouri
10).Michigan
11) Ole Miss
12) LSU
13) Notre Dame

14)Clemson
15) USC
16) Iowa State
17) Oklahoma
18) Utah
19) BYU
20) Kansas State
21) Texas A&M 
22) Louisville
23) UNLV
24) Indiana
25) Illinois

Schools Dropped Out: Oklahoma State

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