With a crucial 31-24 win over Minnesota last Saturday, Ohio State is no longer on the outside hoping to be selected to play in the inaugural College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are now a legitimate contender, if not favorite, among the one-loss teams.
If the committee remains consistent in looking favorably at road wins against Top 25 opponents, the Buckeyes should rise to No. 5 when the Week 3 college football playoff rankings are released later today.
Over the next few weeks, the committee’s task of selecting the four best teams will be increasingly intense as it tries to sort through the myriad of one-loss teams. Oregon and Alabama are locks if they finish with one loss. It feels like Florida State should have about four losses, but like any great champion the Seminoles are refusing to go down. They are in unless they finally collapse.
Preferably the debate gets settled on the field, but rarely has college football been that simple and clean.
All things being relatively equal, the interesting question is whether or not the committee will place more value on how teams are playing now versus September. Mississippi State and TCU have fallen off a bit and Baylor and Ohio State appear to be peaking.
All four teams can make a case to be included in the playoff. How does Ohio State stack up against the other one-loss teams? Pretty favorably when you compare the results.
Team
Key Wins
Losses
Opponents’ Record
Non-Conference Opponents
Remaining…
Continue Reading: Ohio State’s Surge Should Put Them in the College Football Playoff
