Who the Ohio State Buckeyes would have to play in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after win over Michigan

The latest College Football Playoff rankings are out and the Buckeyes remain No. 1 in the country after win over Michigan.

Brandon Little Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ohio State Buckeyes ended their regular season with what felt like a must-have win against the Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State went north and secured a 27-9 victory to snap its four-game losing streak against its rival.

The Buckeyes finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record. Beating Michigan was their best win, but the season-opening victory over the Texas Longhorns is right up there as well. Everything still remains in front of Ohio State, and the real tests begin on Saturday against the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.

Buckeyes remain on top after beating Michigan in College Football Playoff rankings

Ohio State is once again No. 1 in the second-to-last College Football Playoff rankings. The final bracket will be released next Sunday, and the Buckeyes need a win over Indiana to secure a first-round bye. As things currently stand, Ohio State would play either the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners or the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals.

The Buckeyes didn’t have a first-round bye last season, and as a result they had to play four games in the College Football Playoff. Avoiding that extra game this time would be beneficial in terms of rest. Even with a bye, Ohio State would still need to play 16 games to win the CFP, including an appearance in the Big Ten Championship.

Ohio State’s regular-season dominance couldn’t have put them in a better position. The Buckeyes were the top defense all season long, and the offense wasn’t far behind. Beating Indiana is the first task immediately ahead of them, and from there they’ll find out exactly what their CFP path will look like.