Nittany Lions hang on for No. 4 spot in AP Poll and Amway Coaches Poll

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Penn State's thriller in Kinnick Stadium helped the Nittany Lions hold onto the No. 4 spot in both this week's Amway Coaches Poll and the AP Poll.

Of course these rankings are mostly just a tuneup for what's to come on Halloween night when the first set of College Football Playoff rankings are revealed. It's also a pretty solid picture of where Penn State stands through four games, especially in the talent-rich Big Ten.

Here's the top-10 from this week's AP Poll:



1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. Penn State
5. USC
6. Washington
7. Georgia
8. Michigan
9. TCU
10. Wisconsin

Here's how this week's Coaches Poll compares to the AP Poll:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. Penn State
5. USC
6. Washington
7. Michigan
8. Georgia
9. Ohio State
10. Wisconsin

While the Lions held onto their spot, it's also a reminder of just how much has changed in the past year. Last year at this time the Lions were in desperate need of a re-group after getting handled at The Big House and now they're one of the top teams in the country and in the mix for a shot at the College Football Playoff.

Penn State's win against Iowa had an overnight rating of 3.1, the highest rating of any college football game this past weekend. It's safe to say the representative from the Orange Bowl who attended the game got more than his share of information and entertainment from both teams.