The Ohio State football team moved up two spots to No. 6 in the College Football Playoff standings, which were announced Tuesday evening, marking the second consecutive week OSU went up in the rankings.
The Buckeyes’ move in the rankings comes on the heels of their second consecutive win against a team ranked in the College Football Playoff top 25. OSU beat No. 25 Minnesota, 31-24, on Saturday after topping then-No. 8 Michigan State, 49-37, a week earlier.
OSU is the highest ranked Big Ten team in the poll for the second week running, while the Spartans checked in at No. 11, and Wisconsin moved up to No. 16 after topping then-No. 16 Nebraska, 59-24, over the weekend. The Cornhuskers’ second loss of the season dropped them to No. 23 in the latest poll.
After falling to the Buckeyes, Minnesota stayed in rankings for the second week in a row.The Golden Gophers’ and Michigan State are the only teams currently in the College Football Playoff rankings on OSU’s schedule. The Buckeyes need just one more win — or a Spartan loss — to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, where they would likely face Wisconsin.
The Badgers currently top the Big Ten West Division, while Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa are tied for second with 4-2 records in conference play. OSU is alone on top of the East Division, with a one-game lead on Michigan State.
Alabama climbed to No. 1 in the poll while Oregon stayed at No. 2 and Florida State and Mississippi State rounded out the top four.
The College Football Playoff rankings 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.
OSU is scheduled to return to the field Saturday against Indiana at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.
Complete standings:
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Florida State
- Mississippi State
- Texas Christian University
- Ohio State
- Baylor
- Mississippi
- UCLA
- Georgia
- Michigan State
- Kansas State
- Arizona State
- Auburn
- Arizona
- Wisconsin
- Utah
- Georgia Tech
- USC
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Clemson
- Nebraska
- Louisville
- Minnesota
