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Why Ohio State is better than most of Swinney’s top 10

By Zane Harris

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 28: Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes a shotgun snap against the Clemson Tigers during the Playstation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 28: Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes a shotgun snap against the Clemson Tigers during the Playstation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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Ohio State and Cincinnati have both gone undefeated this season, but the Buckeyes have still looked stronger.Aac Championship Tulsa Golden Hurricane At Cincinnati Bearcats Football Dec 19
Ohio State and Cincinnati have both gone undefeated this season, but the Buckeyes have still looked stronger.Aac Championship Tulsa Golden Hurricane At Cincinnati Bearcats Football Dec 19 /

#6: Cincinnati Bearcats

The next team that Dabo Swinney ranked in front of the Ohio State Buckeyes was the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats are one of the few teams that are still unbeaten in this season. Along with this, they played more games than Ohio State. Both are also conference champions. The Bearcats winning the American conference.

Despite all of this, it is clear that Ohio State is the superior team. There were a handful of games that Cincinnati won by the skin of their teeth against opponents that are much worse than them. One of those games being their conference championship.

They needed to win big in that game to have any shot of sneaking into the College Football Playoff. However, the game went down to the wire and won on a last-second field goal against 23rd ranked Tulsa.

Cincinnati would go on to be ranked 8th by the playoff committee. They are scheduled to play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl.

There are a handful of metrics that back up Ohio State being better as well. Ohio State finished ranked 3rd in the AP poll while Cincinnati finished ranked 6th.

Ohio State had a superior strength of schedule, strength of record, game control, FPI rating, and FPI ranking.

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