Latest CFP projections for Buckeyes at halfway point of season

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is halfway through the season with a very good shot to still make the College Football Playoff, even after a last-second loss to Oregon on the resume.

Lettermen Row combed through the college football ecosystem and found some of the bowl projections, where experts are expecting Ohio State to finish the season and the potential matchups for the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff.

Andy Staples, On3

On3 national college football expert Andy Staples released his projection for the 12-team field, and he has Ohio State playing a first-round game in the Horseshoe. Staples has the sixth-seeded Buckeyes facing No. 11 seed Notre Dame in the first round, with the winner advancing to the Peach Bowl to face No. 3 seed Clemson.

Staples has Oregon has the Big Ten title winner and collecting the No. 2 seed. Other Big Ten teams in Staples’ field are No. 7 seed Penn State and No. 9 seed Indiana.

Here’s what Staples wrote about Ohio State in his latest:

The Buckeyes are done with open weeks and return to action against a Nebraska team that just got smacked around by Indiana. Ohio State should win this one, but the Buckeyes need to be careful they aren’t looking ahead to Penn State.

Andy Staples, On3

ESPN panel predicts CFP field

ESPN College Football Playoff reporter Heather Dinich has Ohio State at No. 4 in her latest rankings, behind Oregon, Georgia and Texas.

ESPN has a pair of its experts predict every bowl matchup each week. The Worldwide Leader in Sports has Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura both make CFP projections. Ohio State is in both of their respective fields.

Mark Schlabach has Ohio State as the No. 5 seed and hosting 12 seed Boise State in the Horseshoe for the first round, beating the Broncos to get to the quarterfinals. In that quarterfinal matchup, Schlabach has the Buckeyes facing No. 4 seed BYU in the Fiesta Bowl before taking on No. 1 seed Oregon in the Orange Bowl for an all-Big Ten semifinal matchup. Schlabach has Oregon winning that matchup to advance to a national title game against Georgia.

As for Bonagura, he has No. 6 seed Ohio State facing No. 11 seed Iowa State in the Horseshoe for a first-round matchup. He then has the Buckeyes advancing to a Peach Bowl quarterfinal against No. 3 seed Miami, winning that game to advance to the semifinal. In the Orange Bowl semifinal, Bonagura has Ohio State facing Georgia — with the Bulldogs winning for a national title game clash against Oregon.

Brett McMurphy releases bowl projections, Ohio State seed

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy does a weekly bowl projection column, and he even includes point spreads for the matchups.

He has Ohio State hosting a first-round College Football Playoff game against No. 12 seed Army — and the Buckeyes would be a 20.5-point favorite.

After he predicts Ohio State to beat the troops, McMurphy has the Buckeyes as a 9.5-point favorite against No. 4 seed Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal. He has the Buckeyes winning that matchup, advancing to the semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against projected Big Ten champ Oregon.

In that matchup, McMurphy says Oregon would be a 0.5-point favorite over Ohio State. He has the Ducks winning in that semifinal and reaching the title game against Georgia.

CBS expert still believes in Buckeyes as Big Ten title winner

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm actually projected the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten and land the No. 2 seed — and a first-round bye. He has the Buckeyes heading to the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten title winner. He has the winner of a Clemson at Penn State matchup squaring off against the Buckeyes in Pasadena.