The loss to the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor likely eliminated the Ohio State Buckeyes from the College Football Playoff. However, Ohio State still has a slight chance to squeak into one of the semifinal matchups. Ohio State’s work is done, as they do not have a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game this Saturday. They must rely on help and chaos to return to the top four.
The Buckeyes are currently listed as +4000 (BetMGM) to win the National Championship, and to win it all, they have to make the playoff.
What is the path for Ohio State to make the College Football Playoff?
This step is somewhat irrelevant as the winner of the PAC-12 Championship will get in ahead of Ohio State. Washington winning might be slightly more advantageous as a loss for Oregon would give the Ducks two losses and place them behind the Buckeyes in the CFP rankings.
One of the teams likely on the outside looking in and competing with Ohio State for a spot is the Texas Longhorns. The Buckeyes need Texas to be upset in the Big 12 Championship Game. The Longhorns are favored by 14.5 over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. A win for Texas would likely move them ahead of Ohio State in the rankings, while a loss would give them two defeats and eliminate them from playoff contention.
The Georgia Bulldogs are likely to get into the College Football Playoff regardless of the result of the SEC Championship Game. If Alabama were to win on Saturday afternoon, they would vault ahead of Ohio State in the rankings. A win for Georgia would lock the Bulldogs into the No. 1 seed and eliminate the Crimson Tide from consideration. Georgia is currently a 5.5-point favorite.
The Florida State Seminoles are an interesting case. They are currently 12-0, but they are only 1-0 with Tate Rodemaker at quarterback, and the offense looked far from impressive against the Florida Gators. Still, the Seminoles would remain ahead of Ohio State if they beat the Louisville Cardinals and win the ACC Championship Game. A loss for Florida State would drop them below Ohio State and most other one-loss teams. The Cardinals are currently 2.5-point underdogs.
Finally, the Buckeyes need the Wolverines to win the Big Ten Championship over Iowa. It will be hard for Ohio State fans to root for Michigan, but a loss does nothing to help them. Michigan’s win over the Buckeyes locks them ahead in the rankings. The Wolverines are favored by 22.5 points over the Hawkeyes.
If each result occurs, Ohio State would have a chance to make the College Football Playoff despite not winning the Big Ten. If the above plays out, the playoff will likely be between Georgia, Michigan, Washington, and Ohio State. While highly unlikely to occur, Ohio State’s playoff chances still have a pulse.
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