Much like in the AP and Coaches polls, Ohio State came in at No. 4 in the first College Football Playoff Rankings of the 2020 season.
The Buckeyes trailed Alabama and Notre Dame, who ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Clemson who lost to the Fighting Irish and did not play last week against Florida State due to COVID-19, ranked third.
Ohio State is one of five Big Ten teams in the rankings, with Northwestern (No. 8), Indiana (No. 12), Wisconsin (No. 16) and Iowa (No. 24) being the others.
This top-four ranking is actually a decrease from last year’s opening CFP rankings, in which the Buckeyes ranked first, ahead of LSU, Alabama and Penn State, who rounded out the top four.
In the seasons before, Ohio State started the playoff rankings placed at 10th in 2018, sixth in 2017 and 2016, third in 2015 and 16th in 2014, the season it won the national title.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
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