Ohio State recorded its second-straight nine-point win, beating Nebraska, 26-17, on the road Saturday.
However with a loss by Michigan State, the Buckeyes are now in the top-four, coming in as the No. 4 team in the country in the second week of the College Football Playoff rankings, moving up from No. 5 in the country last week.
Ohio State is one of six teams from the Big Ten in the top-25.
College Football Playoff rankings: Week 1
1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
5. Cincinnati
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Oklahoma State
11. Texas A&M
12. Wake Forest
13. Baylor
14. BYU
15. Ole Miss
16. NC State
17. Auburn
18. Wisconsin
19. Purdue
20. Iowa
21. Pittsburgh
22. San Diego State
23. UTSA
24. Utah
25 Arkansas
Here's what committee chair Gary Barta had to say about the rankingsÂ
Iowa Athletic Director and College Football Playoff committee chair Gary Barta said that the committee is "very impressed" with Ohio State's offense.
He also said that the teams ranked No. 2 through No. 6 are in a "logjam" and that no separation was made between the teams at the top and no team did anything to leapfrog another team.
To Barta and the rest of the committee, this specifically has to do with Ohio State and Oregon at No. 4 and No. 3, respectively, saying that neither of the two teams eparated themselves, leading both to move up and claim Michigan State's spot after its loss to Purdue.
While Oregon's head-to-head win against Ohio State remains a key factor as to why the Ducks remain above Ohio State, Barta said that may not remain consistent as the rankings continue.
"That doesn't mean the criteria will remain the same the rest of the year," Barta said.
Here's what it means for Ohio State
All Ohio State had to do was win. It didn't matter how it looked.
With Michigan State losing on the road to unranked Purdue — which is now No. 19 — the Buckeyes just moved one slot up in the College Football Playoff rankings. At this point, the Buckeyes are slated for a first-round matchup with Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
With three games ahead against three top-25 opponents, Ohio State's path to the Playoff remains no different. If the Buckeyes win out, they will make the College Football Playoff, and likely not as a No. 4 seed.
It helps the Buckeyes to have both Michigan State and Michigan remain in the top-7, keeping that strength of schedule alive, even though it doesn't mean much in the overall picture.
Ohio State controls its own destiny no matter what. And it doesn't seem like the Buckeyes would have to have style points to achieve its goal.
