COLUMBUS – The Buckeyes returned to the top 10 in both major college football polls after their 52-13 win over Rutgers Saturday.
Ohio State (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) was ranked No. 7 in both the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank and the USA Today coaches’ poll after winning its 20th consecutive Big Ten game.
The Buckeyes return home on Saturday to take on Maryland inside Ohio Stadium (Noon/FOX).
Alabama and Georgia remain the top two teams in The Associated Press college football poll after a week in which nine ranked teams lost.
Iowa moved up to No. 3 and is gearing up for No. 4 Penn State in its biggest home game since the 1980s.
Cincinnati’s win over Notre Dame, meanwhile, vaulted the Bearcats to their highest poll ranking in 12 years. They were No. 5 in the AP poll.
Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan and Brigham Young round out the top 10.
Five Big Ten teams ranked among the top 11, with Michigan State at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, which makes the conference the most in the country over the final two months of the season.
The Penn State-Ohio State-Michigan-Michigan State round robin starts the day before Halloween when the Nittany Lions are at Ohio State and the Wolverines visit the Spartans.
Because of the way the schedule lays out, it’s possible all four of those Big Ten East teams could be ranked inside the top 10 heading into Oct. 30.
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Stroud is Big Ten Freshman of the Week for third time
Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is this week’s Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the fifth consecutive week that a Buckeye has claimed the conference’s award and the third time for Stroud.
The freshman from Empire, Calif., completed 17 of 23 passes and had four first-half touchdowns as he guided the offense to 541 total yards.
Stroud was previously the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week earlier this season following games versus Minnesota and Oregon.
In four starts, Stroud leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (323.3), quarterback rating (181.8) and touchdown passes (13).
He’s sixth nationally in QB rating and 10th in touchdown passes.