August 18, 2012 at 1:42 PM

The initial Associated Press college football rankings poll for the 2012 season, released Saturday, was not kind to Penn State.

The Nittany Lions were not ranked among the top 25 teams in the country nor did they receive a vote in the poll of the nation's college football scribes. Penn State finished 2011 outside the poll as well, picking up just two votes following a 30-14 defeat against Houston in the TicektCity Bowl on Jan. 2 in Dallas.

Michigan is the top ranked Big Ten team in the poll, coming in at No. 8. The Wolverines also received one first-place vote. Two-time defending conference champion Wisconsin follows at No. 12 and Michigan State is ranked right behind at No. 13. Nebraska comes in at No. 17 and Ohio State, which is ineligible for the postseason this year, rounds out the Big Ten contingent in the poll at No. 18.  

USC, new home of former Penn State running back Silas Redd, is the poll's preseason No. 1. The Trojans received 25 first place votes, which put them ahead of No. 2 Alabama, which earned 17 first-place votes, and No. 3 LSU, which grabbed 16 first place votes. Oklahoma, former Penn State wide receiver Justin Brown's new squad, is ranked No. 4 and Oregon rounds out the national top five.