COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s barely September and Ohio State and the Big Ten might be out of the inaugural College Football Playoff race.
NOTE: The Buckeyes host Kent State Saturday (Noon/ABC)
A conference that has had more than its share of epic failures in high-profile showdowns in recent years had a massive breakdown on Saturday night. Three of its biggest bullies — the Buckeyes, Michigan State, and once mighty Michigan— all were soundly defeated at about the same time on national TV.
While the Buckeyes were losing their home opener to Virginia Tech, 35-21, Michigan State was falling to Oregon and The Wolverines were being manhandled by Notre Dame.
Factor in Wisconsin’s loss to LSU a week earlier and it’s easy to see why the conference could be a spectator for the next four months when the talk turns to the best teams at the college level.
It wasn’t the worst day in Big Ten football history. But it was close.
The loss to Virginia Tech caused Ohio State to plummet in the national polls, from No. 5 all the way to No. 22 in the AP media poll and from No. 6 to No. 18 in the “USA Today” coaches’ poll.
Florida State is unbeaten after two games and remains the top team in both polls. Oregon moved ahead of Alabama in the AP poll but is fourth, behind the second-ranked Crimson Tide and third-ranked Oklahoma, in the coaches’ poll.
Oklahoma is fourth in the AP poll, followed by Auburn, which is ranked fifth in both polls.
The highest-ranked Big Ten team is Michigan State at No. 13.