Ohio State Football: 3 reasons Buckeyes should be in top 4 of CFB Playoff rankings

1. Defense keeps maturing

Ohio State has one of the best defensive lines in the country, if not the best. Both Clemson and Ohio State have the ability to stop almost anyone no matter the talent level on offense. The front seven for the Buckeyes shut down Penn State running back Saquon Barkley on the ground.

Having talents like Sam Hubbard, Dre’Mont Jones, Tyquan Lewis, Jerome Baker, etc. is hard for any offensive line to stop. The problem lied with more of the defensive backs in terms of shutting down opposing offenses.

Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield had his way with the Ohio State secondary in the Sooners win over the Buckeyes. Yet, we’re seeing this Ohio State secondary maturing very quick behind players like sophomore cornerback Damon Arnette and senior safety Damon Webb.

Next: Who got snubbed in the first CFP Rankings?

The defense stepped up when needed against Penn State and did not allow quarterback Trace McSorley to lead a final drive to win the game. Ohio State lost so many starters in the secondary it was going to be tough to recover. The process is going smoother in the second half of the year.