The Ohio State Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee's first rankings release on Tuesday, predictably followed by a fellow Big Ten program, the Indiana Hoosiers at No. 2, and the SEC's TAMU Aggies at No. 3.
As the CFP selection committee chair, Mack Rhoades, explained, Ohio State's offensive line and defense put the Buckeyes ahead of the Hoosiers, but both schools were put about TAMU because of Mike Elko's porous defensive group.
"We had robust discussions about Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M,” Rhoades said on the CFP rankings release show. “We felt like Ohio State and Indiana were close, when you look at the statistical data. We felt Ohio State was a little bit better on the offensive line and defensively. When we included A&M as part of the discussion, we felt like the separator there was the defense."
Rhoades' explanation was a bit more refined, though still laughably vague, but nearly identical to Joel Klatt's justification for an identical ranking post-Week 10.
"Ohio State, which defeated Penn State 38-14, and Indiana are on a collision course for the Big Ten championship game. Those are your two best teams in the country. All due respect to Texas A&M, which is right there as well, but man, the complete nature of Indiana and Ohio State is pretty significant, and they stand out to me." Klatt wrote.
"That offensive line is going to win the Joe Moore Award. That's going to be your best offensive line in the country. I mean, there are no holes with Indiana, and they've been battling some injuries now. Linebacker Aiden Fisher didn't play, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt was battling a hamstring at some point on Saturday at Maryland — he's a very good player, All-American-caliber player. If they're healthy, that's going to be a tough team to beat.
"Texas A&M is a complete football team, that's clearly a top-three football team. I love what QB Marcel Reed has done. They've won in several different ways; can't wait to watch them down the stretch."
CFP rankings don't change what we know about Ohio State, Indiana, TAMU
Nothing new was learned on Tuesday night. At least not about the top three. OSU and IU are still on a collision course to the Big Ten Championship Game, TAMU is still the SEC team getting respect for the time being.
We learned the selection committee likes the Big 12 more than previously thought, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are fully forgiven for their 0-2 start, and that the ACC doesn't have anyone viewed as a legitimate contender.
But the best were ordained on the field. And Ohio State is still No. 1.