Penn State Falls in the Polls After Bye Week

The Nittany Lions slip two spots in the AP Top 25 after their early week off in the 2024 schedule.

Penn State coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Bowling Green Falcons at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State lost ground in the college football rankings during its bye week, falling in each of the major polls after Week 3. The Nittany Lions return to action Saturday against Kent State, which might not offer much ability to restore ground.

Penn State fell two spots to No. 10 in the AP Top 25 and one spot to No. 8 in the College Football Coaches Poll. In both both polls, Penn State got leapfrogged by teams that won by huge scores this past weekend. In the AP Top 25, Miami improved two spots to No. 8 after defeating Ball State 62-0. And in the Coaches Poll, Tennessee moved up two spots to No. 7 after a 71-0 victory over Kent State. Coincidentally, Penn State (2-0) hosts the Golden Flashes this Saturday.

Penn State made the biggest drop of any team in the top 15 of the AP Top 25, The Nittany Lions began the season at No. 8 in the AP Top 25. Penn State also fell two spots to No. 9 in the ESPN College Football Power Index.

The Nittany Lions spent the bye week seeking to get healthy and to correct some of the issues that emerged in their 34-27 victory over Bowling Green. However, Penn State coach James Franklin said that the victory over the Falcons gave his team a chance to test its mettle.

"You’re going to have to win a ton of different ways throughout the year," Franklin said during the bye week. "We’re going to have to find multiple ways to win games. That was one of them [against Bowling Green]. I’d love for it to be different but I do think there’s some value to having the grit to battle through."

Penn State concludes the non-conference schedule against a Kent State that ranks 134th, and last, in the ESPN FPI. The Golden Flashes (0-3) fell behind Tennessee 65-0 at halftime and were declined a running clock in the second half.

"We didn't play good enough, obviously," Kent State coach Kenni Burns said after the game. "We have to get better and learn from this. I know that people are going to think it's an excuse, but it's not. We have a really young football team. They saw today how far away they are from where they need to be to compete at the highest level. We have to watch it and get better from it.

"That's a hurt and disappointed football team right now. There is nothing we can do about it. We have to learn, get better and keep moving on. The encouraging thing was the leadership took charge in the second half and made sure that we finished the game. In the locker room afterward, guys like [linebacker] Khalib Johns and [linebacker] Matt Harmon were calling people up and talking about how we needed to respond from this performance. Congratulations to them, and we have to move on and play the next game."

Penn State hosts Kent State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.