Ohio State Football: Ranking Potential CFP Opponents

Ohio State is one step closer to the playoff, but who’s the best fit for thm when they get there?

Ohio State has remained firmly in the second spot in Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings. With the conference title games coming up this weekend, who Ohio State might possibly face in a semi-final round of the playoffs is still unclear.

With so many hypothetical match ups, who presents the most favorable or the most daunting tasks? If we examine any team that could possibly make the playoffs by the most favorable to the least, it can help who Buckeye Nation roots for on Saturday.

1. Oklahoma

They might be the hottest team in the country with the hottest quarterback – receiver duo in the country. However, let’s roll the film from Week 3. Ohio State dominated every facet of their early season match up with the Sooners.

It’s hard to believe that the Buckeyes would roll over Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook playing the way they are. That said, the Buckeyes would be heavily favored in this game.

2. Colorado

This is a great story for college football. Colorado had been abysmal in recent years and has had trouble with off the field issues. Instead, the Buffs feature one of the strongest defenses in the country and a chance to knock Washington out of the playoff picture entirely.

While they are 13th in the nation in yards allowed per game, they are also 29th in yards gained per game. There is more balance there than perhaps fans realize. If quarterback Sefo Liufau is healthy, he could be a possible game changer. It’s just that Colorado shouldn’t scare this Buckeyes team the way many others do.

3. Penn State

More from Factory of Sadness

Blame it on the bad weather or the issues on the road after a brutal overtime game against Wisconsin. Go ahead. The fact of the matter is that Ohio State was beaten by Penn State this year. But on a neutral field, in better conditions?

There’s a stronger chance we see the real Buckeyes that can beat anyone in the country, rather than the Buckeyes who can’t seem to stay out of their own way in less than ideal conditions.

Remember, it’s Kirby Hocutt who voiced the opinion of the committee that Penn State and Ohio State “aren’t even close”. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer would love nothing more than to prove it.

4. Wisconsin

That overtime loss was not a fluke. Wisconsin’s defense is the real deal. The Big Ten Championship game will go a long way to either solidifying their resume or exposing it.

That said, make no mistake, the team that took the Buckeyes into overtime would be no small task in the playoffs. The offense continues to be up and down and relies very heavily on the ground game. Would the Buckeyes win? Probably. But could they lose? Absolutely.

5. Clemson

Are they overrated? Is the ACC just not that great? No way and the offense has put up video game numbers. The Deshaun Watson – Mike Williams connection the last two months of the year has produced incredible results. Clemson’s defense, who has as much range and toughness as the Buckeyes, ranks eighth in the country in points allowed.

The Tigers are also the last team to beat the Buckeyes in a bowl game, so the history is not on Ohio State’s side. Watson might be the leading Heisman contender now that Louisville’s Lamar Jackson has struggled of late.

He would easily be the best quarterback the Buckeyes would face in 2017. Currently sitting at third in the rankings, the Tigers are also the most likely opponent as it stands today.

6. Washington

The Huskies are ahead of the Tigers here only because of a lack of exposure from being on the west coast. Jake Browning is only slightly behind Watson among the best quarterbacks in the country.

If the Huskies can get past Colorado, they have a strong chance to hold back any late rallies from Penn State, Wisconsin, or Michigan out of the Big Ten. A third ranked offense and 10th ranked defense makes Washington one of the most balanced teams in the nation.

With the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year throwing 40 touchdowns, you better believe the secondary will need to be as good as they have been all year.

7. Michigan

How can you bounce back from arguably the greatest “The Game” in the history of the rivalry? Can you imagine the hype for the first ever meeting of these teams outside of the annual battle which for the first time went into overtime this season?

Let that thought sink in for a second and try not to get excited. This would be the least desirable opponent for the Buckeyes in the playoffs. Why?

That’s because it would be impossible to match the level of effort shown by Ohio State to do this all over again. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Wolverine fans would love nothing more than to get sweet revenge in such a high stakes game.

8. Alabama

Who else? The Crimson Tide are in a different level than the rest of the college football world. They boast the best defense they’ve had in years, which is quite a statement.

The running game is a juggernaut and their freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts is doing everything he can to win games. Head coach Nick Saban is the best coach in football (yes, I said it).

Next: Ohio State's Resume Speaks For Itself

Even with dreams of ‘Zeke’s big run in the inaugural playoffs, the Buckeyes don’t want to be the reason SEC dolts can slam the Big Ten for losing to the best team in the country.

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