The Ohio State Buckeyes playoff hopes were alive and well until they suffered a 30-24 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord threw a last-second interception in what was an instant classic for the longstanding rivalry.
Deja Vu For Ohio State Football
‘The Game’ cost the Buckeyes a trip to the Big Ten championship last season, but Ohio State still snuck into the College Football Playoff at number four. The Buckeyes went on to give the eventual champion Georgia Bulldogs a run for their money, losing off a missed last-second field goal that would’ve won the game for Ohio State.
Looking to 2023, the Buckeyes are once again a team looking to get in with one loss and without a conference championship. Ohio State does have a solid resume, with key wins over Notre Dame and Penn State. A six-point loss to the number three team in the country also isn’t the worst way to lose. The road to the College Football Playoff isn’t likely but isn’t impossible for the Buckeyes.
What Needs to Happen for a Buckeyes Playoff Birth?
The College Football Playoff Committee generally shows favor to undefeated teams with conference championships. One-loss teams with a conference championship could also hold more favor than one-loss teams without a conference championship like the Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s best shot at a playoff birth is at the fourth seed. This assumes that Georgia, Michigan and Washington are all solidified, undefeated teams with conference championships on their resume. Alabama and Oregon would likely not find themselves in over the Buckeyes, as they would both be two-loss teams without a conference championship.
That leaves a three-team race between Texas, Ohio State and Florida State. The Buckeyes would need both Texas and Florida State to lose their respective conference championship matchups to have a shot at getting into the top four.
The selection committee could still view Florida State as a more worthy candidate, with their only loss coming in the conference championship as opposed to the regular season. Ohio State definitely has an impressive resume but will need a lot of help to get their shot at avenging their loss to their bitter rival Michigan Wolverines.