College Football Playoff résumés are about to get scrutinized big time, and the midseason picture is already wild. With the selection committee’s first rankings just weeks away, teams stacking up those crucial ranked wins are separating themselves from the pack, while others are seeing their early season shine dimming fast. That’s why folks are looking hard at squads like BYU, who are making a serious statement, and Ohio State, who might be watching their early resume start to crumble. Remember, a “ranked win” means beating a team *currently* in the AP Top 25. Anything else, like LSU’s Week 4 win over Texas A&M, doesn’t count if the Aggies aren’t ranked right now. And with Saturday’s record-setting upsets, trust me, nobody’s safe from another loss.
BYU’s Unstoppable Streak Is Setting Up a Big 12 Showdown
BYU, sitting pretty at 6-0, is making some serious noise across the sport. They’ve already snagged two massive ranked wins against Arizona and Notre Dame. That victory over the Fighting Irish? Yeah, that was a top-10 non-conference win that made everyone take notice. What does it mean for the Big 12? It almost guarantees they’ll be a two-bid league in the playoff, especially if Utah and Texas Tech keep winning their games. After finishing 11-2 last year and missing the 12-team bracket, the Cougars look like they’ve punched their ticket this time around. This is especially true if Notre Dame keeps rolling and proves to be a top-tier title threat. BYU still has a huge matchup against Utah coming up, which will only add to their impressive resume if they pull it off.
Ohio State’s Early Season Glory Is Starting to Fade
Over in the Big Ten, Ohio State (6-1) holds the best resume at midseason, boasting two ranked victories over Iowa and Indiana. But here’s the kicker, and it’s a big one: their sole loss to Texas is starting to look really, really bad. The Longhorns, who climbed all the way to No. 1 earlier in the season and dramatically erased a 20-point deficit against the Buckeyes, are now reeling. They’ve suffered back-to-back losses to unranked foes, making Ohio State’s one blemish appear less like a “quality loss” and more like a significant problem. Add in the fact that Ohio State is dealing with quarterback Julian Sayin being out for an extended period, and you’ve got a situation the CFP selection committee absolutely has to consider. They still have tough games against USC and Northwestern on their ranked schedule, so they’ll need to lock in.
Overall records matter, and with the committee’s first rankings hitting soon, two losses right now are a massive hurdle for any team. This whole season is shaping up to be a brutal fight for those playoff spots before the expected 24-team expansion next fall changes everything. Keep your eyes peeled for those first committee rankings. It’s gonna be spicy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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