Ohio State fans react to College Football Playoff ranking in Week 12
By Josh Yourish
You can only play who is on your schedule, and that’s especially true in conference play. Ohio State cruised against Michigan State, 38-3 in Week 11, but still dropped behind Georgia to No. 2 in the Week 12 College Football Playoff rankings.
The path is still clear to finish in the top 4. All Ryan Day’s Buckeyes need to do is win out and beat Michigan and it’s a done deal. Still, with Penn State taking a second loss and Notre Dame at 7-3, Ohio State’s resume isn’t quite as impressive.
The committee made it clear that Ohio State’s resume is no longer bulletproof and with five unbeaten teams at the top, a one-loss Ohio State might not make the Playoff like last season. That’s not good news to Buckeyes fans.
1. Ohio State did nothing to deserve the being ranked No. 2 after being No. 1.
— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) November 15, 2023
2. They're undefeated.
3. They're No. 1 by the same criteria the CFP used last week.
4. I can't take this CFP committee seriously in November.
Many Ohio State fans were unfazed by the change in the rankings, because all that matters is a matchup with Michigan in two weeks. The Wolverines stayed put at No. 3 despite beating No. 10 Penn State in Week 11. In fact, there was no other movement in the top 8 with all eight teams winning last week.
It would have made a lot more sense to have Washington jump Florida State than to have Georgia jump Ohio State but I’m not surprised. Buckeyes still control their own destiny and that’s all that matters. #CFP
— Wilk (@CDubKY3) November 15, 2023
Spirits are still high in Columbus. The final rankings are the only ones that really matter, so a demotion to No. 2 isn’t the end of the world.
Wow, what a twist! Ohio State dropping to No. 2 in the #CFBPlayoff rankings? Unbelievable! But hey, rankings change, and it's all part of the game. Buckeyes, don't worry, you'll bounce back stronger than ever! Keep the faith and keep fighting! #GoBuckeyes 🏈💪 https://t.co/2kykYgij7z
— Blase Shalon (@BShalon17293) November 15, 2023
Georgia did earn the jump with a big win over Ole Miss, who was ranked ninth. The Bulldogs beat the Rebels 52-17 one week after beating Missouri 30-21. The Tigers snuck into the top 10 at No. 9 after a dominant Week 11 win against Tennessee. Back-to-back wins over SEC contenders held more weight with the committee than Ohio State’s dominance over Rutgers and Michigan State.