The AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll are seriously at odds this week when it comes to the two-loss Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes, and frankly, it’s a head-scratcher. Despite the Longhorns already having a head-to-head win over the Buckeyes in Austin earlier this year, the polls can’t agree on who deserves to be ranked higher, especially after Ohio State just got rocked.
The Poll Split That Makes Zero Sense
AP voters looked at the situation and made a move that just feels right: they pushed Texas up from No. 11 to No. 10, officially putting them ahead of Ohio State. Why the shift? Because Ryan Day’s Ohio State program got absolutely upset by USC, losing 30-18 in Los Angeles. It makes you wonder what the coaches were watching, because *they* decided to keep the Horns at No. 11 and only dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10. That means in the Coaches Poll, Ohio State is *still* ranked higher than Texas, even with the head-to-head loss and a fresh upset. What are we even doing here?
Why Are the Coaches So Stubborn?
This kind of split just screams about how little head-to-head matchups seem to matter to some voters, which is wild to think about as we inch closer to the College Football Playoff committee’s first rankings. The coaches probably got hung up on Texas dropping two games to unranked opponents, one of them even at home. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s two losses were both on the road. The Buckeyes also snagged a win against Indiana, who’s currently sitting at No. 3 in the Coaches Poll, which probably helps their case. But let’s not forget, Texas also has solid wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss. It just feels like there are different rulebooks out there.
Ultimately, for Texas, this is all about the College Football Playoff. The Horns are right there, projected as either one of the last teams to make it in or one of the first ones out. The good news? They’ve got control over their own destiny. They’re heading into a brutal two-week stretch on the road, facing No. 19 Missouri and then No. 15 LSU. These next two games are everything if they want to silence the doubters and climb those rankings for good.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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