Redshirt senior tight end Nick Vannett (81) runs with the ball during a game against Illinois on Nov. 14 in Champaign, Illinois. OSU won 28-3. Credit: Samantha Hollingshead | Photo Editor
For the third time in as many editions of the poll, the College Football Playoff committee has Ohio State (10-0) slotted as the third-best team in the country.
The Buckeyes soundly defeated Illinois 28-3 on Saturday, but it was not enough to eclipse No. 1 Clemson or No. 2 Alabama for the one of the top two spots after those teams topped Syracuse and Mississippi State, respectively.
Holding strong as well in the top four is No. 4 Notre Dame, who kept the final playoff spot after beating Wake Forest 28-7.
Iowa remained one of the five undefeated teams in the country after edging Minnesota 40-35, but the win was not seen as impressive enough to join OSU as a second Big Ten team in the playoff picture in the eyes of the committee.
Following the Hawkeyes is a series of changes after former No. 6 Baylor and No. 7 Stanford were each upended at home. Sliding into the No. 6 spot is undefeated Oklahoma State, while Oklahoma, which handed Baylor its first loss, jumped from No. 12 to No. 7.
Like last week, six Big Ten teams made the top 25. In addition to No. 3 OSU and No. 5 Iowa, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 12 Michigan, No. 20 Northwestern and No. 25 Wisconsin remained in the poll.
Under the current standings, No. 1 Clemson would face No. 4 Notre Dame while No. 2 Alabama would square off with No. 3 OSU in a rematch of last season’s Sugar Bowl. Both games are scheduled to be played on Dec. 31.
A new set of rankings is to be released each Tuesday for the remaining two weeks of the regular season, followed by the final rankings on Dec. 6, the day after conference championship games conclude.
The entire third draft of the top 25 can be found below:
- Clemson
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Notre Dame
- Iowa
- Oklahoma State
- Oklahoma
- Florida
- Michigan State
- Baylor
- Stanford
- Michigan
- Utah
- Florida State
- LSU
- Navy
- North Carolina
- TCU
- Houston
- Northwestern
- Memphis
- Mississippi
- Oregon
- USC
- Wisconsin
