This season, Penn State fans haven’t had to pay attention to the College Football Playoff rankings release until very late. This week, in the penultimate rankings before conference championship week, the Nittany Lions moved up one spot from No. 4 to No. 3 following Ohio State’s upset loss to Michigan in the final week of the regular season. However, the action down at No. 14 in the rankings set a troubling precedent for James Franklin’s Nittany Lions that could up the pressure on Penn State to beat Oregon in Indianapolis on Saturday.
It’s obvious why Penn State would want to win the Big Ten Championship. Beyond just adding another trophy to the trophy case in Happy Valley, it would ensure a top-two seed in the 12-team CFP bracket and possibly the No. 1 overall spot. The top four seeds, which go to the four-highest-ranked conference champions also include first-round byes, which would get the Nittany Lions that much closer to a national championship. However, the rankings of No. 14 South Carolina, No. 13 Ole Miss, and No. 11 Alabama demonstrated why Penn State really doesn’t want to lose the Big Ten Championship Game.
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