College Football Rankings: What does the Penn State loss to Illinois mean for Ohio State, Michigan and others

No. 7 Penn State suffered a terrible defeat 20-18 vs. Illinois on Saturday. And it took nine extra times to get there.

After the defeat, the Nittany Lions ’second consecutive, they are no longer in any kind of championship. The defense escalated to the ground when Illinois completely abandoned the passing game (8 of the 21 yards passed, 38 and one abduction). However, Chase Brown (33 carriages, 223 yards, one touch) and Joshua McCray (24 positions, 142 yards) were largely unstoppable. Penn State became the favorite with 23.5 points.

However, the defense did a good job of allowing only 10-point regulation, including only one goal. But Penn State’s attack could do nothing, and he made a minor 227-yard attack throughout the game. Even the return of quarterback Sean Clifford (19/34 moves, 165 yards, one touch) couldn’t help Nittany Lions win.

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How will Penn State’s loss affect the top 25? The top four teams – Georgia, Cincinnati, Oklahoma and Alabama – will remain the same. Neither is Ohio State or Michigan, though they get a different kind of benefit after the Nittany Lions defeat.

With this, Sporting News breaks up who stands up and down after the loss of Penn State.

The rankings reflect the AP Top 25 / Coaches Poll

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Ohio State (5-1)

Previous ranking: 5/5

The Buckeyes will definitely benefit from the Penn State loss, although it doesn’t show up in the latest polls, given that they ranked ahead of Penn State in both rankings. Instead, it gives them a two-game lead on the Big Ten East table. The one-loss Buckeyes will have to survive the conference championship unbeaten with just one loss vs. Oregon if they want to get into the playoffs again.

Even if Ohio State loses, it can still challenge the Big Ten Championship. It’s easier with a Penn State loss: Buckeyes will have to lose three Big Ten games – or two if one of them was with the Nittany Lions in week 9 – to lag behind the conference rankings. It doesn’t happen.

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Michigan (7-0)

Previous ranking: 6/6

The Wolverines showed no slowness that came off the sidelines in a 33-7 squeeze on Northwest Saturday. They guaranteed they wouldn’t fall on the field given the winning margin from the Wildcats. The Penn State defeat has no effect, and like the rival state of Ohio, can only help Michigan in the Big Ten.

Oklahoma State (6-1)

Previous ranking: 8/9

The Cowboys also dropped out of the undefeated, losing 24-21 pre-season top 10 teams to the state of Iowa. Mike Gundy’s team would have been the first team to benefit directly from the Penn State loss, but is now likely to drop three or four places. Oklahoma State should still remain among the top 15.

What does the loss mean for the Cowboys Play off wishes? Not much. They still control their destiny and head towards Bedlam, which could be the first in a two-game series in 2021. Like many other teams this year, Oklahoma State has used its mulligania — but can still get in by winning out and winning the conference championship.

State of Michigan (7-0)

Previous ranking: 9/7

The Spartans are in dire goodbye a week after surviving Indiana 20-15. The Spartans get exactly a week’s shot over their division opponents, but it should only be one place. Nonetheless, it creates an unbeatable competitive game against Michigan in East Lansing.

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Oregon (6-1)

Previous ranking: 10/10

Oregon won UCLA on Saturday in a 34-31 thriller and should rise one place up for its 6-1 record. The Ducks are in win-out-or-bust mode right now: The second loss not only drops them down in the rankings, but also completely out of the playoffs. This would also eliminate the entire Pac-12 team on the basis of the national championships, given that Oregon is the last single-loss team in the conference.

Iowa (6-1)

Previous ranking: 11/11

Iowa is off in week 8, which is an uncertain situation when the teams in front of you crash. That said, the Hawkeyes ’victory over the Nittany Lions guarantees that the Nittany Lions will fall below the Hawkeyes in the most recent standings, ensuring Iowa will play in week 9 as the top 10 team.

Despite a frustrating loss to Purdue in week 7, Iowa still retains complete control not only in the Big Ten West but also in the Playoff. The Hawkeyes only need a win for the rest of the season.

Penn State (5-2)

Previous ranking: 7/8

The Nittany Lions season is over for the championship goals. They simply need too much help in Big Ten to represent the Eastern Division in Indianapolis, and they need even more help with several unbeaten and one-loss teams left.

In terms of recent rankings, Penn State should fall well outside the top ten and possibly the top 15. That’s for sure if Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Texas A&M and NC State – all teams one loss or less – win on Saturday. This sets Nittany Lions down to 18, possibly just above Auburn, where Penn State wins.