2024 AP College Football Poll: Complete Week 11 Rankings Released | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Bleacher Report

A 20-13 win over Penn State in Happy Valley lifted Ohio State to No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll heading into Week 11.

The Nittany Lions, suffering their first loss, slipped from third to sixth place.

Saturday's games included several upsets that, taken together, significantly changed the course of the new poll.

For Penn State fans, the nature of their team's loss might have been worse than a loss because it was a winnable game.

The Nittany Lions couldn't extend the 10-0 lead they built midway through the first quarter after OSU quarterback Will Howard threw a pick-six. Then two drives inside the Buckeyes' 5-yard line yielded zero points.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was tackled on a 1st-and-goal from the 3-yard line with 11 seconds left. The offense also couldn't find the end zone in the fourth quarter after scoring another 1st-and-goal in the 3rd quarter. Allar's pass on fourth down fell incomplete, giving the ball back to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State prevailed in the final 5:13 minutes of the game.

Penn State is likely poised for its third straight 10-win season under head coach James Franklin, and a spot in the College Football Playoff is still within reach. However, Franklin's inability to consistently win big games overshadows everything he accomplished with the program.

Andrew Fillipponi @ThePoniExpress

James Franklin 1-14 against the top 5.
James Franklin is 3-18 against top 10 teams.
James Franklins is 13-27 against top 25 teams.
Unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/WkhJ6ZVVqm

When it comes to Texas A&M, a 44-20 upset of South Carolina is a step backwards, but it doesn't change the fact that the Aggies are so far ahead of schedule under first-year coach Mike Elko.

Admittedly, it would have been difficult to look at the bigger picture, as A&M allowed the Gamecocks to rack up 530 yards of offense. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns while running for another 106 yards and a score.

Sellers' 57-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Simon with 3:24 to play sent the Williams-Brice Stadium crowd into a frenzy and ended any hopes of a comeback for the Aggies.

Neither Iowa State nor Clemson were able to capitalize on Texas A&M's misfortune and climb into the top 10. The Cyclones were upset when Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks scored a five-yard touchdown in the final minute. The Tigers trailed Louisville by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter and suffered a double-digit loss.

This opened the door for Indiana to earn a top-10 finish in the AP Poll for the first time since 2020.

The Hooisers improved to 9-0 with a 47-10 win over Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan. Kurtis Rourke threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns in his first game back after recovering from a thumb injury.

A win against Michigan in Week 11 would give Indiana a program record 10 wins.

There are few Titans meetings on the schedule, and conference play is steadily approaching its conclusion.

With Alabama and LSU each suffering two losses, the stakes are slightly lower this season than in the past. This actually serves as a CFP eliminator and missing the playoffs will be a tough outcome for both SEC giants.

Georgia could be a tall order against Ole Miss, who had 63 points and 694 yards on Arkansas in Week 10. However, the Rebels' previous losses to Kentucky and LSU raised questions about whether they are truly a contender.

And as another SEC program with two losses already, they'll be just one more away from a brutally disappointing season if they miss the playoffs.

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