COLUMBUS – There were changes atop the major college football polls, but none of them involved the Buckeyes, who held onto their No. 1 rankings despite a narrow escape in their Big Ten opener at Indiana Saturday.
Ohio State (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) received 38 first-place votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and 50 in the coaches’ poll following the 34-27 win at Indiana, but Michigan State dropped from second to third in the coaches’ poll and fourth in the AP after blowing most of a 21-point lead in a 24-21 win over Purdue.
TCU is the new No. 2 in both polls, followed by Baylor in the AP. Utah is fifth in the AP poll. LSU is No. 5 in the coaches’ survey.
The Buckeye offense turned in another underwhelming performance, committing three turnovers.
“We’re turning the ball over at an alarming rate and that’s obviously a difference in the game and, at some point, that’s going to bit you. So, we have to fix that,” head coach Urban Meyer said.
The Buckeyes are minus-4 in turnover margin so far this season.
The game might have been fumbled away, but for running back Ezekiel Elliot, who rushed for 274 yards and touchdowns of 55, 65 and 75 yards, scored in a span of a little over 12 minutes in the third and fourth quarters.
Ohio State hosts Maryland on Saturday (3:30 p.m./BTN).