Projecting the College Football Playoff committee top 8

Ohio State's playoff hopes are in jeopardy after losing The Game. They'll need help to reach the CFP this year.

Ohio State's victories against Penn State and Notre Dame were enough to secure them a spot in the College Football Playoff last year, despite not beating Michigan or winning the Big Ten East. However, this feat may be harder to replicate this season. With four undefeated teams still in the running and three one-loss teams heading to their respective conference championship games, Ohio State will need some help to reach the CFP after losing to Michigan. Coach Ryan Day expressed uncertainty about his team's playoff chances after the loss, acknowledging that they have a strong team but are unsure about the competition in other conferences. The committee will take all of this into account on Selection Day. If there are multiple upsets in Power 5 conference championship games, Ohio State may still have a chance, as they did last season after USC lost to Utah in the Pac-12 title game. The upcoming ranking will reveal how much help the Buckeyes will need this year.

Georgia is currently the top-ranking team and has a strong resume, with three wins against CFP top 25 teams in the past four games. Michigan, on the other hand, has two potentially top-10 wins and has won two of its past three games on the road. Washington, despite a close win against rival Washington State, is still in the running, with a head-to-head win against Oregon. Oregon could also be ranked highly if they beat Washington to win the Pac-12. Florida State, despite struggling offensively with a backup quarterback, is still undefeated and has wins against LSU and Clemson. Ohio State, despite the loss to Michigan, is still one of the most talented teams in the country and has wins against Penn State and Notre Dame. Texas, with a convincing win against Texas Tech and a head-to-head win at Alabama, is also in the mix.

The upcoming conference championship games will play a significant role in determining the final rankings and which teams will secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State will need to wait and see how things play out in order to gauge their chances of making it to the CFP this year.