Coach Urban Meyer stands in front of the team before the Buckeyes take the field against Rutgers on Oct. 1. The Buckeyes won 58-0. Credit: Mason Swires | Assistant Photo Editor

Coach Urban Meyer stands in front of the team before the Buckeyes take the field against Rutgers on Oct. 1. The Buckeyes won 58-0. Credit: Mason Swires | Assistant Photo Editor

Ohio State was left out of the top tier of four teams reserved for playoff-bound teams, according to an initial College Football Playoff poll released Tuesday at 7 p.m. The move was predictable by the playoff committee that made the selections after a string of rough games for No. 6 ranked OSU.

The top spots belong to Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Washington, in that order. The Buckeyes will be facing Michigan later this season in a matchup that could potentially decide the fate of each team’s chance of reaching the playoffs.

OSU redshirt junior quarterback J.T. Barrett said on Monday before the release of the rankings the spot the Buckeyes are in holds no merit to him.

I don’t care about it too much being that there is still a lot of football left to play,” he said.

The committee for 2016 is comprised of an array of members, including long-time Wisconsin head coach and current director of athletics Barry Alvarez and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  

While the selections show who the committee feels are the best teams in the nation, the poll will be updated throughout the next few weeks until the end of the regular season. The next playoff rankings will be released next Tuesday at 7 p.m.

OSU coach Urban Meyer said he agrees with Barrett on Monday, and would be doing his best to stay away from the polls, even though they set a precedent for the rest of the season. He might be able to stay away, barring any interference from those close to him.

“Oh, it’s important. Not for us. It’s important,” Meyer said. “I won’t look at it. I’m sure people will tell me about it, including my person of 27 years of marriage will tell me about it when I get home.”