Ohio State Buckeyes couldn’t be sitting in a better spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings for 2025
The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings are out.
While it may be Election Day across the United States, tonight also marks the release of the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have held the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll ever since they defeated the Texas Longhorns to open the season. That win over Texas remains Ohio State’s best victory so far, and the Buckeyes remain unscathed at 8-0 on the year.
Ohio State debuts at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings
The Buckeyes open at No. 1 in the country, just ahead of the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers. If the season ended today, Ohio State would have a first-round bye and face the winner of the Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Oregon Ducks matchup in the playoff bracket.
Ohio State owns a key road win over Washington, which stands as their only ranked win to this point. However, the Buckeyes still have a major test ahead against Michigan, as always. We also appear to be on a collision course for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. The first-round bye is something Ohio State didn’t earn last season after dropping two regular-season games. The Buckeyes had to host a playoff game against Tennessee before beating Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame to win it all. To secure the bye this time, Ohio State will likely need to win out and capture the Big Ten title.
Ohio State controls its own destiny for the playoff just as they planned entering the season. Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs were expected stars for the Buckeyes, but big steps forward from Arvell Reese, Carnell Tate, and quarterback Julian Sayin have elevated this team to another level. There’s no reason for Buckeye Nation to have any complaints about the first CFP rankings. Ohio State’s next three games are against Purdue, UCLA, and Rutgers before the season-ending showdown with Michigan.