Scarlet Sunrise: CFP Chairman discusses why Buckeyes rank ahead of Tennessee

COLUMBUS — One of the big debates of the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings release was which team would be ranked higher: Ohio State or Tennessee.

The 10-2 Buckeyes are fresh off that embarrassing loss to Michigan at home in the rivalry game, but they have two wins over teams inside the CFP field — one more than the Volunteers. So Ohio State was ranked ahead of Tennessee — the Buckeyes are No. 6 and the Volunteers are No. 7 — in the second-to-last rankings. Neither team will play again before the bracket is revealed, meaning the Buckeyes are more likely to host a CFP first-round game than Tennessee is.

CFP Chairman Warde Manuel was asked about the two programs and how the committee decided on their respective rankings. Here’s what he had to say:

“Yeah, very similar resumes,” Manuel said. “Ohio State is 2-1 against top-10 teams. They have the win over Indiana and the win over Penn State. One of their two losses is to the No. 1 team in the country and then obviously the loss to Michigan last week. Tennessee also has had an impressive resume. They have two losses against Arkansas and against No. 5 Georgia. So they’re very close. It was a constant conversation as to how we saw both teams, a lot of deliberation on them, and so it was just — it was a lot of conversation in the outcome of the vote that had Ohio State ahead of Tennessee.”

Sorry, Volunteers fans who took to social media and were convinced their team would be ranked ahead of Ohio State. That’s not the case. Ohio State can begin preparing for a home College Football Playoff game — because it is very likely to get one.

Buckeyes veteran wide receiver Jayden Ballard will transfer

COLUMBUS — Ohio State veteran wide receiver Jayden Ballard will enter the transfer portal when it opens next Monday, he tells On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Ballard will have one year of eligibility remaining wherever he chooses to go.

The veteran wide receiver was ranked as the No. 84 overall player in the class of 2021. He was the No. 14 wide receiver and No. 4 player in the state of Ohio for his class.

Ballard had 11 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown in his four seasons at Ohio State. He earned the starting kick-returning job for the Buckeyes to open the season before losing that job to various other skill players for Ohio State.

Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith headline Buckeyes in Big Ten awards

Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs is a finalist for the Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back in college football. He was voted Tuesday as the top defensive back in the Big Ten, as well.

Yes, Downs was selected as the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year on Tuesday, a distinctive honor for the former SEC Freshman of the Year when he was at Alabama in 2023.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, meanwhile, is already adding hardware to his Buckeyes legacy, and he hasn’t even finished his freshman season yet.

On Tuesday, Smith was named a first-team All-Big Ten selection. But he won two major conference awards, too. Smith is officially the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year, two massive honors for a true freshman.

Jeremiah Smith is the second straight Ohio State receiver to win the receiver of the year honors. Marvin Harrison Jr. won it each of the previous two years before Smith won it Tuesday.

First-team All-Big Ten players from Ohio State are:

WR Jeremiah Smith
LT/LG Donovan Jackson
C Seth McLaughlin
DE J.T. Tuimoloau
LB Cody Simon
SAF Lathan Ransom
SAF Caleb Downs

Counting down

Ohio State at Michigan: 360 days

Are you a Lettermen Row member yet?

Are you ready to get all your latest Buckeyes news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on X, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.