The Ohio State Buckeyes have the No. 1 ranking in every poll, including the most important, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee's. Still, though, there are questions about whether they are the best team in the country because there are two other Power 4 unbeatens, with one in the SEC and another in the Big Ten.
CBS Sports' Cody Nagel laid it out plainly why OSU is better than the Indiana Hoosiers or TAMU Aggies, though: they have more highly-rated talent and have developed them into being more NFL-ready.
Nagel's explanation of why the Hoosiers had NFL talent revolved around a few big names like quarterback Fernando Mendoza, receiver Omar Cooper Jr., and offensive lineman Carter Smith, while his explanation of the Aggies didn't have the raw stats to make the same point that the Buckeyes' dominance does.
"Ohio State's roster is built to dominate; a steady flow of five-star recruits and top-tier transfers has created one of the deepest, most talent-rich teams in the nation. Quarterback Julian Sayin, a transfer two cycles ago, has maximized the elite receiving corps around him, giving the Buckeyes a dynamic offensive attack. Ohio State ranks No. 2 in, a reflection of elite high school recruiting," Nagel wrote.
"The three unbeaten teams aren't just built to win at the college level -- they also feature talent that projects to the next level. Ohio State boasts the deepest slate of elite prospects with six players ranked in CBS Sports' Top 100."
Not only has Ryan Day recruited elite talent, but he's had elite coordinators like Brian Hartline, Matt Patricia, Chip Kelly, Jim Knowles, and Kevin Wilson develop 10 first-round picks since the 2021 season. They could increase that number by another five to six in 2026.
As one can deduce from Nagel's focus on a few players, IU may be a flash in the pan unless Curt Cignetti can make the school look good for giving him a $93 million contract extension.
TAMU will always have the money, but Mike Elko owes the Aggies' success when the games matter, in the SEC Championship and the CFP, this December and, maybe, January, for him to be taken seriously. As a matter of fact, regular-season Cignetti does, too.