For the first time in two weeks, the Nittany Lions will not be free-falling in the College Football Playoff ranking. The latest ranking has Penn State at No. 10.

The Nittany Lions moved past three teams that lost over the weekend — Michigan State, Washington, and TCU — as well as USC, which defeated Colorado.

https://twitter.com/CFBPlayoff/status/930626199176478721

Though the Nittany Lions likely won’t be among the top four at season’s end, there’s still plenty of meaning behind the ranking. Penn State needs only a few things to go its way over the next two weeks — albeit very unlikely scenarios that include two Ohio State losses and another Michigan State loss.

A New Year’s Six berth is almost certainly in Penn State’s control, and the team could do itself some favors in the rankings with commanding victories over the next two weeks.

Penn State came in at No. 13 in the latest AP Top-25 poll.

The Nittany Lions host Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 18 for the final home game of the year.