The Ohio State football team — ranked No. 13 in both the Associated Press top 25 and the USA Today coaches poll — came in at No.16 in the first-ever College Football Playoff standings, announced via ESPN on Tuesday evening.
The Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0) are one of three Big Ten teams listed in the standings, which consist of 25 teams total. Nebraska is No. 15 while Michigan State ranks No. 8.
Mississippi State came it at No. 1 while Florida State, Auburn and Mississippi round out the top four. At the end of the season, the top four teams in the College Football Playoff standings are set to compete in the first-ever College Football Playoff.
The standings were decided by a panel of 12 members, including Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In total, the panel is set to consist of 13 members, but former Mississippi and NFL quarterback Archie Manning is taking a leave of absence because of health concerns.
With its new knowledge of where it stands in the playoff picture, OSU is set to return to the field against Illinois on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.
Complete Standings:
- Mississippi State
- Florida State
- Auburn
- Ole Miss
- Oregon
- Alabama
- TCU
- Michigan State
- Kansas State
- Notre Dame
- Georgia
- Arizona
- Baylor
- Arizona State
- Nebraska
- Ohio State
- Utah
- Oklahoma
- Louisiana State University
- West Virginia
- Clemson
- UCLA
- East Carolina
- Duke
- Louisville
