USC holds at No. 19 in AP Poll after win at Penn State

USC came home from Happy Valley with a road win over Penn State, but the voters didn't reward it. The Trojans stayed at No. 19 in Monday's Associated Press Top 25, Trojans Wire reported.

That leaves USC in the same spot it held before the trip east. A Saturday night win at Beaver Stadium is usually enough to move a team up a few places, but Trojans Wire noted that USC didn't move despite what the outlet called a big victory.

USC is one of six Big Ten teams in this week's poll, according to Trojans Wire. Ohio State is the highest-ranked at No. 4, with Indiana right behind at No. 5. UCLA is No. 12, Iowa is No. 17 and Northwestern is No. 25. The Trojans sit between Iowa and Northwestern in the conference pecking order. That matters as the league's crowded middle sorts itself out over the second half of the season.

The Trojans get a break. USC has played seven games in seven weeks, and Trojans Wire described the coming bye as much-needed. Their next game is October 24 at Wisconsin. The Badgers were the first team left out of this week's Top 25, so the trip to Madison could decide whether USC climbs or the Badgers break into the poll.

For Penn State, the loss carries a bigger cost. The Nittany Lions are now 3-3 and have little room left to stay in the Big Ten race. They don't get a week to regroup, either. Penn State visits Michigan (3-2) on Saturday, October 17, at 3:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.

The market expects another tough afternoon for Penn State. Michigan is favored at -203 on Novig, one of the venues pricing the game. The best sportsbook price on the Wolverines is -215 at theScore Bet. Michigan is favored by 5.5 points on the spread, and the total sits at 42.5. That total points to a low-scoring game between two teams that have both struggled to find consistency. The full market for the game is on our Penn State at Michigan odds page.

It's a rare spot for Penn State. The Nittany Lions are a clear underdog in a game against a rival that would usually carry national stakes. A loss in Ann Arbor would drop them below .500 at the midpoint of the season. A win would get them back above .500 and help them recover from the loss to USC.

USC can rest and watch the rest of the league play this weekend before preparing for Wisconsin. The Trojans' ranking held steady this week, but the trip to Madison gives them another chance to move up after the bye.