COLUMBUS – In the final AP poll before the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season, Ohio State slipped to No. 6 in the media poll.
Michigan State moved up to No. 5 by beating Michigan. The last time Michigan State broke into the top five was 2015.
The Buckeyes remained No. 5 in the USA Today coaches poll.
Never in the seven-year history of the College Football Playoff has the selection committee’s first top four exactly matched that of the AP Top 25 that directly preceded it. The latest Associated Press college football poll presented by Regions Bank makes it highly unlikely this year will be the first.
Georgia remained No. 1 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday and looks like a lock to be first in the committee’s rankings Tuesday night. Cincinnati stayed at No. 2 with Oklahoma at No. 3 and Alabama at No. 4.
The selection committee has never ranked a team from the Group of Five higher than No. 7 in any of its rankings and observers are skeptical that the Bearcats will be the first.
Oregon, which handed the Buckeyes their only defeat of the season, was seventh, followed by No. 8 Notre Dame, Michigan and Wake Forest in the top 10.
Ruggles is Big Ten’s top kick
Ohio State kicker Noah Ruggles was named the Big Ten’s co-Specialist of the Week after the graduate transfer from North Carolina went 4-for-4 on field goal attempts in Saturday night’s 33-24 win over Penn State.
Ruggles made two field goals in the fourth quarter, including one with 2:41 remaining that gave the Buckeyes a two-score lead and salted away the victory.
The four field goals marked the most in a game by an Ohio State kicker since Drew Basil also made four against Michigan in 2012.
For the season, Ruggles in a perfect 11-for-11 on field goal attempts, with a long of 44 yards, and 47-for-47 on extra points.
Buckeyes/Cornhuskers kick off at noon
With the victory over the Wolverines, Michigan State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) stayed atop the Big Ten East standings along with the Buckeyes (7-1, 5-0) who travel to Nebraska (3-6, 1-5) on Saturday (Noon/FOX)
The East Division’s representative to the Big Ten Championship will likely be decided Nov. 20 when Michigan State visits Columbus.
The Buckeyes will host Purdue on Nov. 13 and travel to Michigan Nov. 27.
The Spartans also have a road game at Purdue and home matchups with Maryland and Penn State ahead.