Penn State received 1,203 points in the final AP Top 25 poll, just eight behind Texas for fourth. Ohio State was No. 1, followed by Notre Dame and Oregon. Penn State has finished in the AP top 10 five times in James Franklin's 11 seasons as head coach. Franklin's teams have seven top-20 finishes since 2016.

See where the Nittany Lions landed in the season's final rankings after setting a school-record for victories.

The Nittany Lions ended in the top five for the first time since 2005. It’s the first time the Big Ten has had three teams in the final top five. Ohio State was No. 1 and Oregon was No. 3.

After reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals, Penn State projects as a top-5 team in 2025.

USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg reranks every FBS team each week of the college football season. He released his final rankings Tuesday morning following the Buckeyes’ victory over the Fighting Irish. No one is surprised that Ohio State takes the top spot, followed by Notre Dame. But where do the semifinalists, the Penn State Nittany Lions, fall?

Penn State finished its historic 2024 season ranked among the best in college football. Penn State finished No. 5 in the final Associated Press top 25 poll of the season. The rankings were released on Tuesday morning, shortly after Monday night’s national championship.

Michigan and Ohio State are fierce rivals on the field, but together, they've put the Big Ten on top of the college football mountain.