Junior running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) carries the ball during OSU's 38-10 win over Penn State on Oct. 17 at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Samantha Hollingshead / Photo Editor

Junior running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) carries the ball during OSU’s 38-10 win over Penn State on Oct. 17 at Ohio Stadium.
Credit: Samantha Hollingshead / Photo Editor

After eight wins in as many tries to begin the 2015 college football season, Ohio State is the third-best team in the country.

That at least comes in the mind of the College Football Playoff selection committee, which released its first rankings of the 2015 season on Tuesday night.

The Buckeyes opened the season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll and have held that spot throughout the season, though their number of votes has dwindled from the start.

OSU is joined by four Big Ten counterparts in the top 25: No. 7 Michigan State, No. 9 Iowa, No. 17 Michigan and No. 21 Northwestern.

Alongside the Scarlet and Gray, the other three teams rounding out the current four-team playoff are No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 LSU and No. 4 Alabama.

Last season, OSU appeared at No. 16 in the first CFP Poll after a 6-1 start to the season, including a second-week loss at home against Virginia Tech.

The Buckeyes ended up winning their next six games to earn the fourth seed and went on to win the national championship after playoff wins against Alabama and Oregon.

The College Football Playoff selection committee is made up of 12 members and is currently in its second season. New rankings are released each Tuesday until the end of regular season, followed by the final rankings on Dec. 6, the day after the end of the conference championship games.

The complete top 25 of the first iteration of the rankings can be found below:

  • 1. Clemson
  • 2. LSU
  • 3. Ohio State
  • 4. Alabama
  • 5. Notre Dame
  • 6. Baylor
  • 7. Michigan State
  • 8. TCU
  • 9. Iowa
  • 10. Florida
  • 11. Stanford
  • 12. Utah
  • 13. Memphis
  • 14. Oklahoma State
  • 15. Oklahoma
  • 16. Florida State
  • 17. Michigan
  • 18. Mississippi
  • 19. Texas A&M
  • 20. Mississippi State
  • 21. Northwestern
  • 22. Temple
  • 23. UCLA
  • 24. Toledo
  • 25. Houston