Ohio State football: The Big Ten CFP contenders

The Ohio State football team did not make the College Football Playoff last season after falling in the final week to TTUN. It was a disappointing end to the season, which got worse in the Cotton Bowl. They have done a great job turning things around in the offseason.

They are expected to be one of the favorites to not just win the Big Ten, but the national championship. With all of the talent the Buckeyes have, and an expanded 12-team field, they should be virtual locks to make the College Football Playoff. What other Big Ten teams have a shot to make it?

The other Big Ten team that is a national title contender is Oregon. They return a lot of firepower on offense but they will be breaking in a new quarterback, like the Ohio State football team is. The difference is they get Dillion Gabriel, who completed 69% of his passes.

As much as I hate to say it, TTUN is still a contender to make the Playoff. Even though they lost a ton of players, lost a ton of coaches, and have a brutal schedule, they are the defending national champs. It's hard to count them out until the Buckeyes prove they can beat them again.

Penn State is a fringe contender. They fail to win the biggest games they play in every year, so it's hard to trust them. But if they can find a way to beat Ohio State, who they get at home, they have a real shot to get into the 12-team field. Even if they don't they can still get in with a light schedule.

Washington, who played TTUN in the national championship, is not a contender to get back. Losing Kalen DeBoer and most of their offense is not a recipe to get back to the CFP. That means that there are just four Big Ten contenders to make the CFP.

Could Wisconsin surprise people in year two of Fickell? Can USC rebound after a bad year? I doubt it on both fronts.