Projected 2020 College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings for Week 15
By Zach Bigalke
5-0. won 52-12 at Michigan State. Scouting Report. Ohio State Buckeyes. 4. player. 812. Pick Analysis
Ohio State cruised in Week 14 against a Michigan State team that upset Northwestern a week earlier. The Buckeyes trounced the Spartans 52-12 in East Lansing, locking down top-four position in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s Top 25 for another week. A shot at the Big Ten championship still hangs in the balance, though, even as the Buckeyes improved to 5-0.
Justin Fields put on a clinic against the Spartans defense with his arm and his legs. Fields went 17-of-24 for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 104 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. Ohio State’s defense left no questions about which team was better as they held Michigan State to only 261 total yards of offense and forced four turnovers. In all phases of the game, the Buckeyes crushed their overmatched opponent and kept their name in the national discussion.
Whether they stay there is another question. COVID-19 cases at Michigan forced the Wolverines to cancel their game against Maryland, and it is unclear whether they will be able to make the trip to Columbus for their annual rivalry game against Ohio State. If the game gets canceled, the Buckeyes would fall below the minimum number of games required to qualify for the Big Ten championship game — which could have deleterious impacts on their Playoff hopes.