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NCAA college football Top 25 AP poll update, rankings: Penn State Nittany Lions up to No. 3

By The Sports Xchange
Penn State head coach James Franklin yells at line judge in the fourth quarter against the USCTrojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2017. File photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI
Penn State head coach James Franklin yells at line judge in the fourth quarter against the USCTrojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2017. File photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo

Penn State equaled its highest ranking since 2008 when it moved up to No. 3 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Sunday.

The Nittany Lions were last ranked third nationally in November of 2008 when Joe Paterno was the head coach.

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Alabama and Clemson once again are in the top two spots. The top-ranked Crimson Tide received 43 first-place votes while Clemson got 18.

Penn State was No. 4 when it rolled to a 31-7 victory over Northwestern on Saturday. The ability to move up a spot was created by then-No. 3 Oklahoma losing to Iowa State. The Sooners dropped to 12th.

The Nittany Lions, led by star running back Saquon Barkley, have a bye this week. Penn State next plays on Oct. 21 when it hosts Michigan.

Georgia moved up one spot to No. 4 and Washington also advanced one to No. 5.

TCU is ranked sixth after moving up two spots. Wisconsin also jumped two places and sits at No. 7, while Washington State moved up three spots to No. 8.

Washington and Washington State are ranked in the Top 10 at the same time for the first time since Oct. 26, 1997 -- the season that Ryan Leaf led Washington State to the Rose Bowl.

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Ohio State and Auburn round out the Top 10. Miami jumped two spots to No. 11.

USC, a team that plummeted one week earlier due to its first loss, sits at No. 13. Oklahoma State is 14th and Virginia Tech is 15th.

Notre Dame jumped five spots to No. 16 after its fourth straight win. Michigan is 17th, dropping 10 spots due to a loss to Michigan State.

South Florida (18th), San Diego State and North Carolina State round out the Top 20.

Michigan State (21st) is one of four teams that moved into the rankings. It is the Spartans' first ranking since September of 2016.

Stanford, which was in the poll earlier this season, is No. 23 after defeating Utah. Texas Tech (No. 24) is ranked for the first time since November of 2013, and Navy (25th) is in for the initial time this season.

Central Florida moved up three spots to No. 22.

Dropping out of the rankings are Louisville (No. 17 last week), Utah (20), Florida (21) and West Virginia (23).

The Big Ten has five teams in the rankings, one more than the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12. The SEC has just three teams in the poll, the same as the American Athletic Conference.

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