COLUMBUS – The saying in college football is “November is for contenders.”
That is when the elite teams separate themselves from the field of “pretenders” and begin their runs for conference championships, premiere bowl games and spots in the top four of the College Football Playoff.
For the Buckeyes, it will have to be “two out of three ain’t bad.” And that’s being optimistic.
Ohio State tumbled from No. 3 to No. 11 in both major college football polls after their 55-24 beat-down at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday. Their No. 6 ranking in the CFP rankings will also certainly vanish, leaving the Buckeyes playing for – in order – the Big Ten East title, the conference championship and a spot in a prestigious bowl game.
CFP No. 6 Ohio St. (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) vs. CFP No. 24 Michigan St. (7-2, 5-1); Ohio Stadium, Nov. 11 (Noon/FOX)
Notre Dame and Clemson each climbed two spots in the AP Top 25 and the coaches’ poll while the Buckeyes and Penn State tumbled out of the top 10. Notre Dame is now ranked No. 3 by the AP media voters while Wisconsin has that spot in the coaches’ survey. Clemson is No. 4 in both polls.
Even with a resume lacking big victories, poll voters kept the Alabama Crimson Tide on top of the rankings with Georgia ranked second.
The Big Ten suddenly has a whole lot more riding on Wisconsin.
Ohio State slid eight spots and Penn State fell out of the top 10 after losing to Michigan State.
Skeptics claim the unbeaten Badgers padded their record with a weak schedule, which is why the College Football Playoff selection committee initially listed them at No. 9.
With Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State with two losses, conference officials need Wisconsin to debunk the myths and keep winning. The league’s traditional playoff spot may depend on it.
In the playoff rankings, Georgia is No. 1 and Alabama is No. 2, followed by Notre Dame and Clemson and those spots are unlikely to change when the new standings are released Tuesday night.