The Ohio State football program has been the top-ranked team in the country since taking down Texas in the opener. Since that first game, they have won every game by at least 18 points. In terms of their defense, the Buckeyes have the best scoring defense and the best in terms of yards allowed.
Ohio State is the defending national champion, and they're playing like it. There's a good chance that the Ohio State Buckeyes are better than last year's team because of their ability to smother opponents with their defense. Offensively, they are finally starting to hit their stride.
Tuesday marked the first time that the College Football Playoff Committee gave their rankings. Ohio State expected to be high up in the rankings, but some in the media were trying to put Indiana as the top-ranked team in the country instead. We now have our answer.
Ohio State football team gets the top spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings
Ohio State gets the respect it deserves by being ranked as the top team in the country. Right now, they would be matched up against the winner of Texas Tech and Oregon, who are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively. Oregon is the third-highest ranked Big Ten team, behind both Ohio State and IU.
As the top two teams in the country, there's a very good chance these two teams will be playing for the Big Ten Championship and the number-one overall seed in the CFP in the first weekend in December. Both are all but guaranteed to make the Playoff at the end of the season.
If the Big Ten is going to get four teams in, Michigan might be one of the best hopes. If they win a fifth-straight game against the Buckeyes, they will likely finish 10-2 and have enough to get in. Of course, Ryan Day is going to do everything he can to make sure that doesn't happen.
USC has a shot to get there, too. They are the highest-ranked Big Ten team outside the top 12, sitting at 19th. They still play games against both Oregon and Iowa. The Hawkeyes are ranked just a spot behind them, so that game could decide if either team is getting in.
Ohio State will have a chance to stamp its number-one ranking by taking care of the next three teams on its schedule. Those final two games against TTUN and the Big Ten Championship will determine that final ranking.