Andy Staples' putrid CFP predictions have baffling consequences for Ohio State

The coaches clearly have a high opinion of the Ohio State Buckeyes heading into the 2026 season. They have them ranked as the best team in the country in the preseason Coaches Poll. Of course, Ohio State started out last season 12-0 before losing the final two games of the year.

However, not everyone believes that the Buckeyes should be listed as the favorites to win it all. They play a brutal schedule, and they have some doubters. Count On3 analyst Andy Staples as one of them. He released his College Football Predictions, and they make zero sense.

Andy Staples has a baffling College Football Playoff bracket

In Staples' bracket, he has Ohio State as the seven seed. He has them matching up against TTUN in the first round and losing to them, despite the fact that the game would be at the Shoe. Michigan has to travel to Ohio State in the regular season for the final game of the year.

That's the first thing that doesn't make sense. The other reason his bracket makes sense is that the CFP Committee would never set it up so Ohio State would have to play potentially two rematches before getting to the national championship. Texas, TTUN, Oregon, and IU are all on their side of the bracket.

Why would the Committee subject the college football viewing public to multiple possible rematches? It has already happened in the past two CFPs, and that was not special. Having Georgia win the title as a six-seed while beating three Big Ten teams is absurd, also.

Having Ohio State as the seven seed implies that the Buckeyes will lose one or two games this season. That is certainly possible with road games at Texas, Indiana, USC, and Iowa. Home games against Oregon and TTUN aren't a cakewalk, either. Still, Ohio State would not lose to TTUN at home after already playing them at home.

Ohio State's playoff path will be easier with a strong start to the 2026 season

If the Buckeyes have another strong start to the regular season, they will be able to handle themselves better. Ryan Day made it clear during Big Ten Media Day that he has spent most of the offseason addressing the issues they had in the postseason a year ago.

Day understands that finishing strong is just as important as starting strong. He has spent a lot of time with his coaching staff developing ways to finish better, including combinations on the offensive line that will be able to protect Julian Sayin in a better way.

The rest of the Big Ten is going to be very good, including defending national champion IU. They got even better with the news that Stephen Daley will be returning for a fifth year. That makes them much more dangerous, as he was their best defensive lineman a year ago.

Of course, Ohio State's offense should be the best in the country this year if everything goes right. Ryan Day believes that, too.

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