Ohio State Football: Where should #11 Ohio State rank in the AP Top 25?
The Ohio State football team dropped nine spots in the AP Top 25 Poll from #2 to #11 after the loss to Purdue.
After a 49-20 loss to Purdue in West Lafayette, college football fans are questioning whether the #11 Ohio State Buckeyes are a legitimate playoff contender at this point in time. The AP Top 25 poll isn’t as crucial as the playoff rankings, but may hinder how the team is perceived going forward.
The answer right now is no.
It seems to make no sense how a one-loss team that resided in the top-five for the first seven weeks of the season is not a playoff contender, but the signs have been there since week one.
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Ohio State has outscored its opponents 344-183 through the first eight weeks, however, they have shown signs of weakness on the second and third level on defense.
The loss of Nick Bosa on their front-seven is obviously irreplaceable, but the Ohio State defense currently ranks 70 out of 129 teams in the FBS in Total Defense, according to NCAA.com.
Head Coach, Urban Meyer, is no stranger to adversity throughout his tenure in Columbus. His 77-9 record since taking over the Buckeyes indicates minimal struggle, but his teams have played best when faced with obstacles.
Currently, the Buckeyes are not a national contender, although they very well could be in the coming weeks.
The entire roster is loaded with talent which has been on display the entire season. However, since week one the defense has made headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
Greg Schiano’s defense has elite players who make minor mental errors that lead to chunk plays. The key to Ohio State crawling their way back into the top four is to mentally prepare for its crucial, potential top-25 matchups against Michigan State and Michigan.
Next. Looking ahead for the Buckeyes. dark
If the defense can stick to their assignments and the offense can further develop their dynamic play, there is no reason the Buckeyes should not win out and win the B1G Championship.