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College Football Rankings 2016: Projected AP Top 25 after Week 9

By Zach Bigalke

Oct 29, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Dante Pettis (8) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Washington won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Dante Pettis (8) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Washington won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 29, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Miles Sanders (24) drags the defenders in the 2nd half at Ross Ade Stadium. Penn Sate won the game 62-24. Mandatory Credit: Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Miles Sanders (24) drags the defenders in the 2nd half at Ross Ade Stadium. Penn Sate won the game 62-24. Mandatory Credit: Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports /

After beating Ohio State in Week 8, the Nittany Lions returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since Joe Paterno was head coach. Penn State flipped the switch in the second half at Purdue to ensure they remained in the poll another week. Saquon Barkley was the star of the show for PSU, rushing for 207 yards and two touchdowns and catching three passes for another 70 yards. The Boilermakers were held under 50 rushing yards by Penn State, and forced four turnovers to pace the comfortable victory.

At this point the Nittany Lions could still ostensibly win the Big Ten East thanks to their head-to-head tiebreaker over Ohio State. But James Franklin has likely curbed such talk at this point, with a tough November schedule remaining. They open the month with a home game against Iowa. then face Indiana and Rutgers on the road over the following fortnight. Theoretically a New Year’s Six bowl is still in play for Penn State even if they fail to win the conference, with the Orange Bowl a possible postseason destination.

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