Michigan State makes move in NCAA Re-Rank 1-130 after Michigan victory

Michigan State's 37-33 win against rival Michigan lifts the Spartans into the top four of the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-130.

The Spartans replace No. 5 Oklahoma, which cruised past Texas Tech. Michigan State's unexpected push for the College Football Playoff has made coach Mel Tucker the favorite for national coach of the year and a target for the opening at LSU.

Unbeaten through eight games for the first time since 2015, Michigan State is set to embark on a crucial four-game stretch of November that includes a possible winner-take-all matchup with No. 7 Ohio State, which had its share of struggles in the red zone but was able to pull away late in the fourth quarter against Penn State.

Another two teams cracked into the top 10. One is No. 8 Wake Forest, which has scored at lest 35 points in every game. The Demon Deacons had no problem against Duke, rolling out to a 28-0 halftime lead and winning 45-7. The second is No. 10 Notre Dame, which is 7-1 after winning a shootout against North Carolina.

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The weekend was a mixed bag for the Big Ten. While Michigan State moved up, Michigan fell four spots to No. 9, Iowa dropped 11 to No. 19, Penn State dropped out of the top 25 to No. 28 and Nebraska fell 16 to No. 83.

On the other hand, Minnesota is up 12 to No. 36 and Wisconsin is up 13 to No. 37 after beating the Hawkeyes.