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CFP chair explains why Ohio State is No. 4

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•12/04/22•

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Ohio State snagged the final spot in the College Football Playoff and will play top-ranked Georgia in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve. (Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State made this year’s College Football Playoff without playing in the Big Ten Championship, something the Buckeyes also did in 2016. Not only that, but Ohio State’s 22-point loss to No. 2 Michigan is now the third-worst defeat by an eventual CFP team.

But, with USC’s loss to Utah Friday night in the Pac-12 Championship, the Buckeyes were the next one-loss team in the fold.

CFP chair Boo Corrigan joined ESPN’s CFP Selection Show to answer questions about Ohio State’s No. 4 placement, TCU holding at No. 3 and why No. 5 Alabama didn’t crack the field.

ESPN’s Rece Davis fired off a series of questions to Corrigan. He started by asking why Ohio State, not Alabama, made the cut.

“I think you look at the big wins as part of this,” Corrigan said. “And the win that Ohio State has over Notre Dame, the win they have over Penn State. Compare that to Alabama with the wins over Texas, Mississippi State, some other close games.

“Keep in mind that the Michigan game did get away from them, but it was a one-score game early in the fourth quarter. And, as we looked at the total body of work that we had, the committee was comfortable with Ohio State at No. 4 and Alabama at No. 5.”

The next topic broached was about TCU remaining at No. 3, despite its 31-28 overtime loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship.

Corrigan pointed to TCU’s body of work throughout the season. The Horned Frogs went through the Big 12 undefeated and are tied with No. 1 Georgia for the most wins (eight) versus Football Power Index top-50 teams.

Corrigan also explained that the committee was looking for more balance from TCU, and head coach Sonny Dykes’ team showed that throughout the season, as the Horned Frogs allowed just 21.4 points per game over their final five contests.

“The way that game flowed yesterday and their ability to come back and their ability to play the way they do,” Corrigan said, when explaining TCU staying at No. 3. “Max Duggan, what a warrior. To go through the game the way he did — to put them in position to take the game not only into overtime but a chance to win that game.”

Corrigan continued: “As a committee, we looked at it in full body of work. Lot of respect for Kansas State in that room as well. That win kind of won the day for TCU to be the No. 3 team.”

Davis asked Corrigan if the committee was trying to avoid a CFP semifinal rematch between Ohio State and Michigan. Corrigan said it “really wasn’t discussed.”

Davis followed up with this exchange.

Davis: “I just want to be clear. So no one in the course of this discussion ever said, ‘Let’s stay away from the Michigan-Ohio State rematch, at least in the semifinals’ — that was never uttered in the room?”

Corrigan: “It was not talked about in the room.”

The opportunity remains for Ohio State to face its Big Ten East rival in the CFP — but in the national title game, not the semifinals. No. 2 Michigan is set to face No. 3 TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Sunday’s CFP berth for the Buckeyes marks the program’s fifth appearance in the playoff, including their third in Ryan Day’s head coaching tenure.

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