College Football Playoff: Why the Buckeyes Won't Get In

The College Football Playoff Committee is set to announce the Top 4 today. To be clear: we want The Ohio State Buckeyes to get in, we think The Ohio State Buckeyes should get in and we think there is a chance The Ohio State Buckeyes will get in.

However there is also just as good of a chance that the Buckeyes will not be playing with a chance to win the National Championship. As impressive, and boy was it impressive, as last night’s destruction of the Wisconsin Badgers was, it may not be enough to get Ohio State over the hump.

There are a few reasons for the Buckeyes to not get in:

No one lost
- All of the teams ahead of OSU won and, with the exception of Florida State, did so very convincingly.
The Big 10 Conference
- While destroying Wisconsin was a great statement about how good the Buckeyes are, it also has a negative impact on the view of the Big 10. If that Wisconsin team is the second best team in the conference, the thought would go, then that conference is not very good and doesn’t deserve someone in the College Football Playoff.
  - Most know that Michigan State is the second best team but the Buckeyes beat them pretty handily as well, 49 – 37, in East Lansing.
Worst Loss
- The Buckeyes lost to Virginia Tech, at home in the second week of the season with a new quarterback. VT ended the season 6 – 6, in fifth place in the Coastal Division of the down ACC.
- TCU lost to Baylor, who is in the argument for the last playoff spot.
- Baylor lost to West Virginia, on the road. WVU isn’t a great team, 7 – 5, but were playing at home.
- Alabama had the toughest schedule and their one loss was to the then 11th ranked Ole Miss, a game that was close late.
- Oregon’s one loss was to Arizona and they just avenged that loss in the Pac-12 Title Game.
- Florida State hasn’t lost.
Best Win
- Ohio State’s best win is likely the MSU game, although the style of beat down last night was right up there.
- Baylor’s best win is better as they defeated TCU head to head.
- TCU has wins against teams that were ranked high at the time but do not look as great now.
History
- Fair or not, the Big 10 in general, and Ohio State specifically, has historically struggled on the national scene. We all know the recent National Title Game history that has not looked favorable to OSU.
- This year’s out of conference schedule for the Big 10’s top five teams paints a similar picture:
  - In their only game against a Big 5 out of conference opponent Minnesota got destroyed by TCU.
  - Nebraska beat Miami 41 – 31 at home. The Hurricanes were 6 – 6
  - In their only game against a Big 5 out of conference opponent Michigan State got beat 46 – 27 by Oregon
  - In their only game against a Big 5 out of conference opponent Wisconsin lost to LSU.
  - In their only game against a Big 5 out of conference opponent OSU lost to Virginia Tech, at home, by 14.

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While we very much want to see The Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff, and believe there are just as many reasons that they should be there, we will understand if they are not. The information above is a compelling case against our beloved team. Some of it is subjective, best win/worst loss, and some is just a fact. The Buckeyes did everything they could to make it very difficult for the College Football Playoff Committee. Whether it is enough to overcome some of what is listed above is another question.

We also hope this post helps calm you down if they don’t get in. It helped me this morning as I went to bed prepared to get angry if the team I just watched was somehow kept out of the playoff.

We want to hear from you. We have all seen the pro-Buckeyes information out there. With all of that in hand, as well as what we presented above:

What compelling reason should the Ohio State Buckeyes be placed in the College Football Playoffs?

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College Football Playoff: Why the Buckeyes Won’t Get In

By Jared Mueller | Dec 7, 2014