Ohio State passes eye test as No. 1 in College Football Playoff committee's first ranking
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Ohio State was never a shoo-in for the top spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings for 2025.
The reality is that it didn’t have the best résumé, a claim that is more easily made by Indiana, which is also among the small handful of unbeatens left in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
No other team has two top-20 road wins, and the Hoosiers’ upset of Oregon last month to snap the Ducks’ 18-game home winning streak remains as impressive as any single triumph this year.
But as the selection committee favored the defending national champions, giving them the No. 1 ranking, it was a reminder of the subjective nature to the process.
Mack Rhoades, the Baylor athletic director who chairs the committee, said both of the Big Ten teams ranked in the top five in their offensive and defensive metrics, but acknowledged the Buckeyes have also looked the part.
“It was certainly close,” Rhoades said, “but when we looked at film, we just felt like Ohio State had a slight edge.”
The 13-member committee includes three former coaches in Chris Ault, Mark Dantonio and Mike Riley, a presence that Rhoades stressed has been helpful in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of teams as they watch games. Ohio State’s résumé was not bereft of quality wins, having beaten No. 11 Texas and No. 23 Washington, but its position seemed owed more to its overall dominance over two months rather than a specific data point.
Rhoades added that part of the advantage for the Buckeyes over the Hoosiers was owed to their offensive line and defense.
The Buckeyes lead the FBS in scoring defense, giving up just 6.9 points per game. Despite a coordinator change and loss of eight starters over the offseason, its defense has not allowed more than 16 points to any opponent and held two of them scoreless.
Its offense has a cast of playmakers that features Heisman Trophy candidates — quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith — that takes the top off defenses. Their quick-strike ability was evident in last week’s win over Penn State.
“Ohio State has some explosive players that probably stood out as well,” Rhoades said.
The debate between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers is unlikely to fade in the coming weeks. Neither appears in any immediate jeopardy of suffering a loss.
Indiana won’t face another team with a winning record during the regular season. Its final three opponents are all winless in the Big Ten.
The schedule is also light for Ohio State until it visits archrival Michigan on Nov. 29. The Wolverines, who have won four straight games in the series with the Buckeyes, are No. 21 in the committee’s rankings.
It might take next month’s Big Ten championship game to settle any jockeying atop the rankings between Ohio State and Indiana.
They appear to be on a collision course to meet in Indianapolis on Dec. 6.
Latest CFP rankings
- 1. Ohio State
- 2. Indiana
- 3. Texas A&M
- 4. Alabama
- 5. Georgia
- 6. Mississippi
- 7. BYU
- 8. Texas Tech
- 9. Oregon
- 10. Notre Dame
- 11. Texas
- 12. Oklahoma
- 13. Utah
- 14. Virginia
- 15. Louisville
- 16. Vanderbilt
- 17. Georgia Tec
- 18. Miami
- 19 USC.
- 20. Iowa
- 21. Michigan
- 22. Missouri
- 23. Washington
- 24. Pittsburgh
- 25. Tennessee
College Football Playoff bracket: Who’s in, who’s out
The four projected first-round games include No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 Memphis, No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Virginia, No. 7 BYU vs. No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Oregon.
Four teams would receive byes: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama
Ohio State’s projected CFP opponent
If these were the final rankings, the Buckeyes would face the winner between No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 9 Oregon in the quarterfinals.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why Ohio State edged Indiana for No. 1 spot in initial CFP rankings
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