COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Saturday’s 45-23 defeat by the Buckeyes at the hands of Michigan leaves Ohio State without a conference title and a top four spot in the polls.
Ohio State (11-1, 8-1) has been ranked No. 5 in the latest AP and USA Today coaches polls, a three place drop that leaves the Scarlet & Grey’s playoff hopes slim entering championship weekend. With the fall in the rankings, it’s the first time this season Ohio State is outside the top-three.
The victory in Columbus for Michigan, the first since 2000, got the Wolverines above the Buckeyes in the polls for the first time in 2022. They sit at No. 2 right behind Georgia.
Without a chance to win the Big Ten on Saturday, the Buckeyes will need some help from other teams throughout the weekend to clear a possible path to the College Football Playoff. The power five conference championship games include:
Pac-12: No. 12 Utah vs. No. 4 USC (Friday – 8 p.m. – Las Vegas)
Big 12: No. 13 Kansas State vs. No. 3 TCU (Saturday – 12 p.m. – Arlington)
SEC: No. 11 LSU vs. No. 1 Georgia (Saturday – 4 p.m. – Atlanta)
Big Ten: Purdue vs. No. 2 Michigan (Saturday – 8 p.m. – Indianapolis)
ACC: No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 24 North Carolina (Saturday – 8 p.m. – Charlotte)
Ohio State will discover its fate next Sunday afternoon when the CFP semifinal pairings are announced along with the matchups for every FBS bowl game for 2022-23. If Ohio State doesn’t make the semifinals, they will likely head to Pasadena for its second consecutive Rose Bowl.
AP Poll (NOV. 27, 2022)
| 1 |  Georgia (58) |
| 2 |  Michigan (5) |
| 3 |  TCU |
| 4 |  USC |
| 5 |  Ohio State |
| 6 |  Alabama |
| 7 |  Tennessee |
| 8 |  Penn State |
| 9 |  Washington |
| 10 |  Clemson |
| 11 |  LSU |
| 12 |  Utah |
| 13 |  Kansas State |
| 14 |  Florida State |
| 15 |  Oregon |
| 16 |  Oregon State |
| 17 |  UCLA |
| 18 |  Tulane |
| 19 |  Notre Dame |
| 20 |  South Carolina |
| 21 |  Texas |
| 22 |  UCF |
| 23 |  UTSA |
| 24 |  North Carolina |
| 25 |  Mississippi State |
Coaches Poll (NOV. 27, 2022)
| 1 | Georgia (60) |
| 2 | Michigan (3) |
| 3 | TCU |
| 4 | USC |
| 5 | Ohio State |
| 6 | Alabama |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Tennessee |
| 9 | Washington |
| 10 | Kansas State |
| 11 | Clemson |
| 12 | Utah |
| 13 | LSU |
| 14 | Florida State |
| 15 | Oregon |
| 16 | Oregon State |
| 17 | UCLA |
| 18 | Tulane |
| 19 | Notre Dame |
| 20 | South Carolina |
| 21 | Texas |
| 22 | North Carolina |
| 23 | UCF |
| 24 | UTSA |
| 25 | Mississippi State |
