The whole “separation Saturday” thing can be overdone, but Week 11 of the college football season did provide some clarity as far as the playoff picture is concerned.
Notre Dame, Auburn and Kansas State? More than likely out, barring all sorts of chaos over the next several weeks. Ohio State? Come on down.
The Buckeyes had one of the statement wins Saturday by beating Michigan State 49-37 in East Lansing. It wasn’t the low-scoring defensive struggle the series has produced as of late, but it showed just how far Ohio State’s offense has come since the Virginia Tech loss in September.
Ohio State had 568 yards of total offense, closing in on nearly double what the Spartans allow per game. Quarterback J.T. Barrett, starting the season over the injured Braxton Miller, has grown up right in front of everyone’s eyes. Barrett accounted for 386 of those yards and five touchdowns.
The offensive line is playing well as a group, and the skill players, from running back Ezekiel Elliott to receiver Devin Smith, have established their roles. The way this offense has come together over the past two months has been one of the great turnaround stories. The softer part of the Buckeyes’ schedule allowed this team to quietly improve and build confidence before showing up against Michigan State.
Couple that offense with an already formidable defensive line, and Ohio State is becoming the team no one wants to play.
Now, the question is what happens from here. Where does…
Continue Reading: How Far Will College Football Playoff Committee Move Ohio State Up the Rankings?
