Saturday, November 29th was a great day to be an Ohio State football fan. The Buckeyes thrashed Michigan in the Big House 42-13, finishing the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record. But Ohio State’s resounding victory over That Team Up North wasn’t the only game that broke the Buckeye’s way. Several teams ahead of the Buckeyes in the rankings lost on Saturday, opening the door for Ohio State to improbably make the playoff.
With one week of college football left to go, there are two spots in the playoff already locked up. No. 3 Oklahoma clinched the Big 12 title on Saturday by crushing No. 11 Oklahoma State, likely cementing its place in the top four. Additionally, No. 4 Iowa and No. 5 Michigan State meet in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday, with the game serving as a de facto “play in game” to playoff.
That leaves two open spots, occupied by 1st ranked Clemson and 2nd ranked Alabama. If both of those teams win out, Ohio State is definitely locked out of the playoff. But if one of those teams loses, Ohio State suddenly has a chance. Clemson faces North Carolina in the ACC Championship, and Alabama takes on Florida in the SEC Championship. A North Carolina or Florida upset victory would open up one of those two remaining spots to Ohio State.
Another one of Ohio State’s main competitors for those two spots is Stanford, who plays in the Pac 12 Championship on Saturday against USC. Even though Stanford sits behind the Buckeyes in the rankings, it still poses a threat if it were to leapfrog Ohio State. As a result, a USC victory certainly wouldn’t hurt either.
Even though the Buckeyes don’t play on Saturday, there are plenty of teams for OSU fans to root for. All Ohio State fans should cheer on the Gators, Tar Heels, and even the Trojans this Saturday.
If there’s an upset, the Buckeyes could put the devastating Michigan State loss behind them, sneak into the playoff, and defend its National Championship title.
