#99 Penn State
0-4 in Big Ten play, T-16th in the Big Ten
Trophy case
1 award in 2026 · 4 in all seasons · Every award winner- Free Fallin' ×1
| Award | Week | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free Fallin' | Week 5 | Biggest two-week fall, down both weeks |
2026 season recap (through week 8)
Penn State (Big Ten) is ranked 99th in The Davis Rankings after week 8 of 2026, with a record of 3-4 and a score of 39.4 out of 100. That is up 3 from week 7. That puts it in the Do We Need to Talk? tier (ranks 76-100). Its strongest factor is opponent record at game time (53.7 out of 100). Its weakest is recent results (0.0 out of 100).
The highest-ranked opponent beaten so far came in week 1, 45-0 over T-48 Marshall at home. The defeat that hurts the score most is the week 7 loss, 21-18 to T-81 Michigan on the road.
Penn State has lost its last 4 games in a row. On the road it is 1-2. The average margin is +9.9 points per game, with a biggest win of 45 points. 2 of 7 games were decided by a touchdown or less.
Penn State is not ranked in the AP, Coaches, or CFP polls this week, while the Davis Rankings has it 99th.
Next up is #105 Purdue in week 9, at home. The toughest game left on the schedule by current rank is week 11 against #27 Minnesota. 0 of the 5 games left are against teams currently in the top 25.
Schedule
| Week | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marshall (home) | W 45-0 |
| 2 | Temple (away) | W 27-9 |
| 3 | Buffalo (home) | W 55-13 |
| 4 | Wisconsin (home, conference game) | L 20-24 |
| 5 | Northwestern (away, conference game) | L 13-34 |
| 6 | USC (home, conference game) | L 23-31 |
| 7 | Michigan (away, conference game) | L 18-21 |
Upcoming games
| Week | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Purdue (home, conference game) | (BTN) |
| 10 | Washington (away, conference game) | Sat Nov 7, time TBD |
| 11 | Minnesota (home, conference game) | Sat Nov 14, time TBD |
| 12 | Rutgers (home, conference game) | Sat Nov 21, time TBD |
| 13 | Maryland (away, conference game) | Sat Nov 28, time TBD |
Ranking history 2026
Now #99, Do We Need to Talk? (week 8). Best #1 (week 2). Lowest #102 (week 7). Higher on the chart is a better rank. The shaded bands are rank tiers, with each tier's sticker at its left. A poll is a top 25, so its line breaks in the weeks the team is not in it. The poll lines are drawn a little apart so equal ranks do not hide each other: point at a week for the exact ranks.
Week 8 TDR #99 (39.4, 3-4) Do We Need to Talk? AP NR Coaches NR
Week 1 TDR #12 (91.5, 1-0) AP #16 Coaches #16
Week 2 TDR #1 (95.1, 2-0) AP #14 Coaches #15
Week 3 TDR #4 (94.2, 3-0) Winning AP #13 Coaches #14
Week 4 TDR #55 (61.6, 3-1) Character Building AP NR Coaches #22
Week 5 TDR #76 (51.4, 3-2) Do We Need to Talk? AP NR Coaches NR
Week 6 TDR #84 (44.3, 3-3) Do We Need to Talk? AP NR Coaches NR
Week 7 TDR #102 (39.4, 3-4) Sick of It AP NR Coaches NR
Week 8 TDR #99 (39.4, 3-4) Do We Need to Talk? AP NR Coaches NR
Week by week
| Week | TDR | Score | Record | Tier | AP | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #12 | 91.5 | 1-0 | - | #16 | #16 |
| 2 | #1 | 95.1 | 2-0 | - | #14 | #15 |
| 3 | #4 | 94.2 | 3-0 | Winning | #13 | #14 |
| 4 | #55 | 61.6 | 3-1 | Character Building | NR | #22 |
| 5 | #76 | 51.4 | 3-2 | Do We Need to Talk? | NR | NR |
| 6 | #84 | 44.3 | 3-3 | Do We Need to Talk? | NR | NR |
| 7 | #102 | 39.4 | 3-4 | Sick of It | NR | NR |
| 8 | #99 | 39.4 | 3-4 | Do We Need to Talk? | NR | NR |
Score breakdown
Each factor is scored 0–100, then weighted into the composite score. Full methodology & weights
| Factor | Score (0-100) |
|---|---|
| win/loss record | 42.9 |
| recent results | 0.0 |
| road-win bonus | 52.4 |
| opponent record at game time | 53.7 |
| opponent record today | 52.7 |
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