COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — With no conference title to play for this weekend, the Ohio State University Buckeyes are still right in the mix to make the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State (11-1, 8-1) is ranked No. 5 in this week’s penultimate College Football Playoff rankings, sitting behind Georgia (No. 1), Michigan (No. 2), TCU (No. 3), and USC (No. 4) just outside of the top four spots. Just below the Buckeyes is No. 6 Alabama.

Despite its 45-23 loss to the Wolverines, the Buckeyes enter the final weekend before Sunday’s semifinal announcement with a chance to make the playoff. The easiest and likeliest scenario to put OSU in the top four seems to be a USC loss in the Pac-12 championship Friday against Utah.

Ohio State has made four of the eight college football playoffs, winning the inaugural edition in 2014 as the No. 4 seed. The Buckeyes have made the CFP once as a non-conference champion, qualifying in 2016 over Big Ten champions Penn State.

If Ohio State doesn’t make the semifinals, it will likely head to Pasadena for its second consecutive Rose Bowl. OSU’s opponent in that game would likely be Utah or Washington on Jan. 2. All FBS bowl games will be confirmed Sunday.

College Football Playoff Rankings (NOV. 29, 2022)