CFP Rankings: Buckeyes at #1 📊

11/01/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

CFB Playoff Committee Unveils Ohio State as No. 1 Team in Shocking 1st Reveal

In a stunning twist that few saw coming, the College Football Playoff committee unveiled their initial (1st of 6) CFP Rankings for 2023 with Ohio State as the No. 1 team. The Buckeyes were ranked ahead of #2 Georgia — the two-time defending national champions, #3 Michigan and #4 Florida State. Two Pac-12 teams are on the outside looking in, per usual, with #5 Washington and #6 Oregon ready to pounce if one of the top 4 stumbles.

 

Why The Buckeyes at #1?

The top-5 teams are all 8-0 through eight games, but it appears the committee favored Ohio State due to strength of schedule or “quality wins.” It makes sense considering the Buckeyes beat #9 Penn State and #12 Notre Dame when they were both ranked in the top 10.

 

Georgia and Michigan have been dominant, but they’ve yet to play a currently-ranked opponent. That’ll change in November. Florida State hasn’t faced a test tougher than Clemson (31-24 win) and they have the most favorable schedule down the stretch. Washington and Oregon have been great in the Pac-12, but they could cannibalize each other in the CFB Playoff once again. Oregon looks like the better team as of late, but Washington has the head-to-head win and the Heisman frontrunner in QB Michael Penix Jr.

 

The CFB Playoff Rankings will be revealed every Tuesday for the next five weeks leading up to the announcement of the top four teams in the College Football Playoff.

 

Read More

FOX Sports: CFP Rankings: What the Committee Got Right, And Very Wrong

B/R: CFB Playoff Projections: Week 10 Rankings & Bowl Forecast to Come

 

Image via @CFBPlayoff Twitter