COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Big Ten closed out the four-team College Football Playoff era with the No. 1 and now it can open the 12-team era by getting it again, as long as there’s a rematch in Indianapolis.
Oregon’s controlled its destiny all season. Ohio State had to snatch its back over the weekend by beating Penn State, 20-13 in Beaver Stadium. Now comes four weeks of anticipation that an Oct. 12 game that ended with a 32-31 victory for the Ducks at home gets a Part 2 for a lot more than just Big Ten supremacy.
Every year those first rankings are about setting a tone. It’s the committee telling us what is most important to them. Some years it’s making that statement by choosing between multiple undefeated teams where the discussion is eye test vs. resume. In other years the top seed is clear so No. 2-4 are the conversation. But now the field is expanded meaning it’s not just about the top four anymore, unless your favorite team has its eyes set on getting that coveted bye.
The 12-team playoff mixed with massive changes among conferences has created college football’s version of a cold war. The Big Ten and SEC are now in a true fight for supremacy and every point matters. Including the No. 1 spot in a playoff bracket.
It’s why their champions need to be as shiny as possible starting with the first rankings being released.
For the SEC, the early contenders are Georgia (No. 3), Texas (No. 5), Tennessee (No. 7) and Alabama (No. 11).
The Bulldogs got the second seed because they beat the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, meaning Steve Sarkiasian’s team would need to avenge that loss while running the table to even have a chance at the top seed. The Volunteers have a bad loss on their resume that might not be something you can overlook. The Crimson Tide at least have the win over Georgia helping make up for their bad loss
For the Big Ten, it’s Oregon (No. 1), OSU (No. 2), Penn State (No. 6) and Indiana (No. 8).
The Ducks just have to keep winning as the nation’s top-ranked team with arguably the most impressive win this season. The Buckeyes need to avenge that loss in Indianapolis which erases a one-point road loss and gives them the best resume. The Hoosiers need to survive Columbus on Nov. 23 then knock off Oregon two weeks later. The Nittany Lions are the only team of the quartet who don’t have a real path to No. 1. They lost to OSU at home, putting themselves in the backseat for a Big Ten berth and their remaining schedule doesn’t help their resume.
That was a long-winded way of saying the Big Ten has three legitimate shots of sticking it to the SEC to kick off this new era and once again Ohio State’s right in the middle of it.
That’s where the Buckeyes were the last two years, too. Win out and the spot is yours. They just couldn’t finish the job by beating out their rival. Failing to do so in 2022 meant having to backdoor into the playoff and in 2023 they were left out while Michigan was the national title.
OSU doesn’t have to worry about being left out this year or any year. That would be a completely different more pressing set of issues. But the potential prize that alluded them for two years remains.
Ohio State and Oregon’s one-point game might be the best game of the regular season so far and it ultimately decided these rankings. All both have to do is get back to each other on a neutral field for a rematch.
Part 1′s winner got the top spot in the first rankings on Nov. 5. Part 2′s winner, will get that spot in the only other rankings that’ll matter on Dec. 8.
That’s what the committee told us on Tuesday night.
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