College Football Playoff Rankings 2018: Top 25 projections for Week 11

Losing to a top-five team is not enough to knock Penn State completely out of the College Football Playoff Top 25, but the selection committee is going to knock them down quite a few spots after suffering a blowout defeat at the hands of the Wolverines. A New Year’s Six berth looks increasingly precarious for the Nittany Lions.

James Franklin’s team couldn’t manage even 200 yards of offense against Michigan on the road. The Nittany Lions turned the ball over three times, as Trace McSorley and Tommy Stevens each threw an interception and McSorley also fumbled the ball. Penn State’s defense limited Shea Patterson’s productivity through the air, but turned around and gave up 259 rushing yards to the Wolverines.

Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Maryland are the three Big Ten tests remaining for Penn State as they hope to close out the regular season on a winning streak. Depending on what happens around the rest of the country, a nine-win Nittany Lions team could still ostensibly earn a New Year’s Six spot. But those odds are looking increasingly long after such a comprehensive defeat.