| Week | Date | Rank | Rec | Points | FPV | CP | BCS | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Aug 6 | 22 | 0-0 | 359 | 0 | -- | DNP | |
| 1 | Aug 27 | NR | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | -- | L 29-5 vs #15 USC (Kick-Off Classic) |
Note: Penn State's ranking in the final 1961 poll has been changed to unranked after the original AP wire story and poll was revisited and confirmed across several newspapers.