What Ohio State needs to happen to make the College Football Playoff

Will Ohio State football be negatively affected in the College Football Playoff rankings in light of the Michigan game getting canceled?

Ohio State is not eligible to play for the Big Ten Championship Game — for now — after their game with Michigan was canceled due to virus issues within the Wolverines program.

But what does this mean for the College Football Playoff hopes of the Buckeyes?

In a word: little.

In a typical year, Ohio State would need a quality win to enhance their playoff resume and the Wolverines typically qualify as such. This year is different as Michigan has struggled with just two wins and a win over the rivals wouldn’t carry much cache outside of bragging rights. The College Football Playoff committee already views Ohio State as a playoff team after having them in the No. 4 spot for the first two releases of their rankings.

Undefeated Ohio State should make the College Football Playoff

They’ll come in at No. 4 in tonight’s rankings and I fully expect them to stay in that fourth spot despite not playing Michigan this weekend.

If Ohio State is unable to play Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, that doesn’t eliminate them from making the playoff. Remember when Penn State won the Big Ten a few years ago and Ohio State made the playoff?

I fully expect an undefeated Ohio State football team to make the playoff. Whether they are 6-0 or 7-0, it doesn’t matter much.

College Football Playoff scenarios in play for Ohio State

What gets complicated is if there is an upset in the SEC Championship Game and Florida beats Alabama. In that outcome, Alabama and Florida would make it with the ACC champion, which will either be Clemson or Notre Dame.

If Clemson beats Notre Dame and Florida beats Alabama, then it’ll be the two SEC and the two ACC teams that get in and that would bump out Ohio State in all likelihood.

That’s the only real drama left.

So Ohio State fans should be rooting for Alabama to win the SEC Championship Game and for Notre Dame to win the ACC Championship Game over Clemson for the best-case scenario for them to get in. If just one of the two scenarios happens, they are still likely in, however.

How does Ohio State get left out of College Football Playoff?

Only if Ohio State loses would they be eliminated.

That’s why the notion generated on Twitter that Ohio State schedule Texas A&M this weekend makes absolutely zero sense for the Buckeyes. Ohio State has everything to lose so why would they risk a potential loss when it’s unnecessary to make the playoff? Texas A&M would like a chance to boost their resume since they are ranked fifth and needs Notre Dame and Alabama to win out and for Ohio State to lose a game to have a chance.

So how does the Michigan game cancelation affect Ohio State’s playoff hopes? Not much because they control their destiny and are already deemed playoff-worthy for the last two weeks in the eyes of the playoff committee. It just hurts they don’t get to beat their rivals.

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