College Football Playoff bracket: Ohio State looks pretty far from being a lock

After edging out Nebraska by the skin of their teeth, it feels like Ohio State dodged a massive bullet. The Buckeyes barely scraped by against an inferior Cornhuskers squad in The Horseshoe. While they'll certainly take the win, it wasn't the best way to follow up a gut-wrenching loss at Oregon.

Ohio State isn't expected to cede its position as the nation's No. 4-ranked team following the 21-17 victory over Nebraska. Nonetheless, their underwhelming performance won't make the College Football Playoff selection committee feel better about the Buckeyes being publically perceived as a postseason lock.

Sitting at 6-1 and near the top of the Big Ten standings, the Buckeyes are in a good spot. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should earn a bid to the inaugural 12-team playoff format. But considering how Ohio State's playing right now, especially compared to their conference foes, fans shouldn't count their eggs before they're hatched.

With that in mind, here's an updated look at where Ohio State stands in the College Football Playoff bracket projections at this stage.

Projected College Football Playoff bracket after Ohio State barely hangs on against Nebraska

1. Oregon Ducks (Big Ten champion)
2. Georgia Bulldogs (SEC champion)
3. Miami Hurricanes (ACC champion)
4. Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12 champion)
5. Penn State Nittany Lions
6. Texas Longhorns
7. Indiana Hoosiers
8. Ohio State Buckeyes
9. Tennessee Volunteers
10. LSU Tigers
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
12. Boise State Broncos (Mountain West champion)

As you can see, Ohio State's place in the AP Top 25 doesn't align with their playoff seeding. That's because three Big Ten rivals (Oregon, Indiana and Penn State) are above them, thanks to their superior conference records. With upcoming matchups against the latter two schools, the Buckeyes may be in control of their destiny.

The Buckeyes have Week 10 and 13 dates with the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions, respectively, and can't afford to lose both. Given how the Hoosiers are as hot as any team in the Big Ten and Penn State continues finding ways to prevail, that'll be challenging. Meanwhile, Ohio State appears to be trending in the opposite direction, with head coach Ryan Day failing to maximize their elite roster talent.

Based on the current situation in Columbus, Ohio, the Buckeyes' spot in the College Football Playoff is far from guaranteed. Combine that with looming clashes with Indiana and Penn State, and the writing could be on the wall for the Day-led program.