CFP ranking projections: Will Penn State football rise again in Week 13?

Posted by author November 19, 2024 Football

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Penn State football expects to hold its favorable spot in the third edition of the College Football Playoff rankings tonight.

That will solidify its expected inclusion in the 12-team playoff and the probability of hosting a first-round game in Beaver Stadium the weekend before Christmas.

The Nittany Lions (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) jumped to No. 4 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll after their overwhelming victory at Purdue.

The Lions figure to land just behind fellow Big Ten members Oregon and Ohio State − the projected No. 1 and No. 2 teams again − and just above still-undefeated Indiana.

They are now preparing for a possible risky road trip to Minnesota (6-4, 4-3), which did not play last weekend. The Golden Gophers had won four straight before an unexpected defeat at Rutgers.

Penn State football CFP rankings projection

Penn State appears set in its enviable No. 4 ranking following the 49-10 beatdown of Purdue. No one lost above it, though Oregon came precariously close on the road. And the teams right behind PSU − No. 6 BYU and No. 7 Tennessee − each lost critical games and a shot at applying top-five pressure.

The Lions also may remain with the No. 6 bracket seed, as well. That puts them in line to host a first-round CFP game in Beaver Stadium the weekend before Christmas against the likes of Ole Miss, Georgia or Alabama.

The Lions figure to hold this favorable positioning if they win their final two regular-season games, as expected, over underdogs Minnesota and Maryland.

College Football Playoff rankings release date

The third weekly CFP rankings will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 19

What time are CFP rankings announced?

The rankings will be released at 7 p.m.

How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show

The rankings can be viewed on ESPN.

How many teams are in College Football Playoff 2024?

There are 12 teams in the expanded CFP — the five highest-seeded conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams.

How does College Football Playoff format work?

The four highest-ranked conference champions will earn the playoff’s top seeds and a first-round bye. The other eight teams will play in the first round, with the better seeds hosting the game on campus or at another site “designated by the higher-seeded institution.”

Any team that does not earn a first-round bye will have to win four straight games to win the national championship.

The playoffs begin on Dec. 20-21 with matchups between the No. 12 and No. 5 teams; No. 11 vs. No. 6; No. 10 vs. No. 7; and No. 9 vs. No. 8.

The rest of the games will be played at traditional bowl sites with the quarterfinals on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and semifinals the following week.

The CFP National Championship will be in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 20.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.