Winners and losers of top college football playoff standings put Ohio state in tough spot

For 12 weeks there has been speculation on how the college football playoff committee will handle the assessment of teams in this uncertain season.

The teams at the top seemed clear, but that’s not always the case with 13 people seated and weighing several metrics to determine who would be No.1. The Big Ten and Pac-12 teams have played half of the games in most games. Power Five. contenders. Cincinnati made the point early on that he could be a Group of Five contender given his impressive start and challenges from other potential champions playing a full schedule.

© Katie Stratman, USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati cornerback Sammy Anderson (11) celebrates with running back Cameron Young (25) after the East Carolina team lost at Nippert Stadium.

With the first ranking, there is some sense going forward as to how things are going to play out. It always assumes that things go as planned. Rare is the season that does.

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But for now, here are the winners and losers of the first ranking

Winners

Cincinnati

The Bearcats make their debut in 7th place, the highest initial ranking for a group of five in the playoff era. This easily puts them within striking distance of what was seen as an unlikely opportunity to make the pitch. Some things will have to go their way. First, beat No.25-ranked Tulsa in the regular season finals, and then in the US track and field championship game.

There must also be help. But nothing too crazy. If Notre Dame defeats Clemson again or if the Irish lose to North Carolina this week, that would eliminate a second representative from the ACC. Alabama beating Florida would knock out the Gators. It’s possible Cincinnati could get ahead of Texas A&M on their own as well, but a loss by Aggies to Auburn would help matters. It really is. Of the teams behind, only Northwestern seems positioned to overtake the Bearcats and that would result in a loss in Ohio State.

North West

No thought was given to the Wildcats leading up to Wisconsin’s loss last week. They make their debut in 8th place, five places ahead of their position in the Amway Coaches poll, which has removed any doubt about their situation. All Pat Fitzgerald’s team needs to do is win four games and it’ll be in the playoffs.

The rest of the regular season looks manageable – the state of Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. That leaves the Big Ten championship game – likely against Ohio State – that keeps Northwestern from being an unlikely participant in the final four.

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The big 12

For a league that was effectively written off before September, the top ranking actually provided a glimmer of hope for the Big 12. The two-losing Oklahoma was an unexpected No.11, ahead of Indiana, Brigham Young and two contenders for the Big 12. Pac-12. The committee acknowledged that the Sooners had been dominant for the past four weeks with the return of the main suspended players. This was clearly indicated by their position ahead of the 13th state of Iowa, which beat Oklahoma earlier this year.

So, is there a path to the playoffs? Probably not. Oklahoma and Iowa State are on track for a rematch in the conference title game. Both could be in the top 10 at this point, but it would take complete chaos to get them into striking position. Still, the standings offered positive feelings in a season that did not go as hoped.

Losers

Ohio state

The Buckeyes placed 4th, which was a surprise considering their position behind Clemson to one loss. Part of this is due to the lack of games. Ohio State only played four. Besides No.12 Indiana, the other three teams on its schedule have a combined 2-12 record. And there have been issues with the defense that have cast doubt on the quality of this team.

Things don’t get any tougher the rest of the time with Illinois, Michigan State and Michigan – a 4-10 combined – finishing the regular season. That means the Hoosiers’ seven-point loss would be the only real result of importance in the Big Ten title game, leaving little scope to get past their current No.4 position without help.

Brigham Young

The Cougars have simply been dominant against a schedule that is admittedly not the most difficult. Only Texas-San Antonio has reached 17 points in its nine wins. But with only an impressive victory over Boise State, which committee chairman Gary Barta noted as shorthanded, there just isn’t enough meat on the bone to convince officials to push them higher. as No. 14. That puts an end to speculation that the BYU playoffs only have one game left against San Diego State. There is a possibility that the Cougars could schedule more games and there should be some urgency to find quality opponents. However, that will likely only give them one chance to make the New Years Six.

The Pac-12

With just three weeks of games, the top ranking was always going to be an uphill battle for the conference. That is why Commissioner Larry Scott has been pushing for a delay. The league’s position has not been helped by several COVID-19 cancellations that have kept many teams from the pitch for at least one game.

15th Oregon and 18th Southern California are the only teams in the Top 25, so neither team has the opportunity to play against a ranked team before the conference championship game. Climbing into the playoffs feels like a daunting task that likely ends with the league off the field for the fourth year in a row.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners and Losers of First College Football Playoff Rankings Put Ohio State in Trouble