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<p>With two losses and no direct path to the Big Ten title game, the anticipation level for Penn State wasn&#8217;t terribly high for Tuesday&#8217;s inaugural College Football Playoff rankings.</p><p>Understandably, there weren&#8217;t any questions about the Playoff directed at coach James Franklin or seniors Nick Scott and DeAndre Thompkins during their press conference Tuesday afternoon.</p><p>So the fact that the Nittany Lions checked in at No. 14 on the selection committee&#8217;s first list of 2018 doesn&#8217;t mean a whole lot. At least not as things stand now.</p><p>If Penn State has any designs at changing that, it will have to start on Saturday in Ann Arbor.</p><p>The Lions&#8217; next opponent, Michigan, is the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the rankings at No. 5, one spot out of a potential spot in the Playoff. And with No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 LSU facing off Saturday night, the Wolverines will be in position to move into that all-important top four with a win over the Lions.</p><p>Two years ago, a two-loss Penn State team opened at No. 12 in the first committee ranking, but the Lions had the advantage of a win over Ohio State that gave them a tiebreaker that proved to be the difference in winning the Big Ten East at the end of the season.</p><p>Last season, the Lions were coming off a tough loss at Ohio State but still sat in good position at No. 7 &#8212; until falling again at Michigan State the next week.</p><p>This fall, it was once again back-to-back losses to the Buckeyes and Spartans that knocked Penn State off the radar. But as the losses came by a combined five points, the Lions still have respect from the committee, which has them tabbed as the second-best two-loss team in the country behind No. 11 Florida.</p><p>Penn State is one of four Big Ten teams in the top 25, behind Michigan and Ohio State (No. 10) and just ahead of No. 16 Iowa, the team the Lions beat over the weekend.</p><p>Even an upset win over Michigan on Saturday &#8212; the Lions are 10-point underdogs &#8212; would still have them on the outside of the picture, as no two-loss team has been picked for the Playoff in the first four seasons of its existence.</p><p>Both Penn State in 2016 and Ohio State in 2017 had strong cases as 11-2 Big Ten champions in their respective years. But both finished fifth behind one-loss squads. This season, the Lions would still need Michigan to lose a second time and likely need two more losses by the Buckeyes to steal the East crown. And time is running out for that to happen.</p><p>The more realistic goal is a third straight trip to a New Year&#8217;s Six bowl &#8212; which would still require a win over the Wolverines &#8212; then closing out a 10-2 regular season with victories over Wisconsin, Rutgers and Maryland.</p><p>Failing that, the Lions could be in line for a trip to Florida for the holiday in the Citrus or Outback Bowls.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">James Franklin and the Nittany Lions pulled out a win over a ranked Iowa team on Saturday, but their two losses are keeping them out of the College Football Playoff picture. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_AP18300854694501.jpg</photo0><caption0>James Franklin and the Nittany Lions pulled out a win over a ranked Iowa team on Saturday, but their two losses are keeping them out of the College Football Playoff picture. </caption0><photoCredit0>Chris Knight | AP photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Derek Levarse</p><p>dlevarse@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Penn State checks in at No. 14 in first College Football Playoff rankings