Ohio State’s latest win gave the Buckeyes something they’d been missing: a real resume piece.
The 31-14 victory over Iowa was one-sided for most of the afternoon, and it let Ohio State move beyond leaning on a “good loss” to explain why it still belonged in the Top Five. Now the Buckeyes can keep stacking results with Indiana, USC and Oregon waiting over the next four weeks.
That win also shaped Stephen Means’ 2026 AP Top 25 ballot, where Ohio State landed at No. 5 after Week 5.
At the top, Texas stayed in the No. 1 spot at 4-0, followed by Alabama at No. 2 and Notre Dame at No. 3.
Ohio State checked in just behind that group at 3-1, with Georgia and Miami both placed at No. 6.
Indiana came in at No. 7, then BYU at No. 8, Texas Tech at No. 9 and Utah at No.
The middle of the ballot included Pittsburgh at No. 11, Missouri at No.
12, Oklahoma State at No. 13 and Oregon at No. 14.
UCLA was No. 15, Duke No.
16, Florida No. 17, Ole Miss No. 18 and LSU No.
Rounding out the list were Nebraska at No. 20, Iowa at No.
21, Wisconsin at No. 22, Wake Forest at No.
23, Northwestern at No. 24 and James Madison at No. 25.
Means also pointed to the looming matchup between Alabama and Georgia as a major factor at the top of the poll. Texas remains in first for now, but that stretch is about to get tested, while Georgia still has not faced the kind of opponent that forces a true validation of its standing.
He said the biggest challenge in shaping the ballot came with Missouri, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU, and made clear that head-to-head results had to drive the ordering of that group. In his view, what happens on the field has to matter, and nothing should override that.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Delivered The Kind Of Road Win Fans Needed
Ohio State went into Kinnick Stadium and delivered the sort of response win its fans had been waiting for, beating Iowa 31-14 and handing the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season. The Buckeyes controlled the game on both sides of the ball, piling up 484 total yards while keeping Iowa to 238 and a paltry 39 rushing yards, which made this feel less like a tense road test and more like a statement about the gap between the two teams.
Jeremiah Smith was at the center of it, turning the trip into one of those performances that travels well beyond the box score. He finished with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, giving Ohio State a dynamic edge whenever it needed one and helping offset a couple of turnovers forced by the defense. For a team that needed a clean, convincing road result, this was exactly the kind of night it was looking for. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smith Just Put Ohio State Fans On Notice Again
Jeremiah Smith kept the Buckeyes moving in Iowa City, turning a road test against the Hawkeyes into another showcase for Ohio States passing game. The freshman wideout tied the Ohio State touchdown record while finishing with 11 catches for 206 yards and two scores, a performance that helped push the Buckeyes to a 4-1 start and add another layer to what has already become a must-watch season in Columbus.
Smiths latest breakout only raises the stakes for what comes next, because Ohio State now heads back home to face Maryland with its young star drawing even more attention. For a team that has spent the early part of the season trying to establish its identity, his ability to create production anywhere on the field has become one of the biggest reasons the Buckeyes keep looking like a contender. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Earned The Big Ten Spot Fans Wanted Most
Week 5 brought a clearer picture of the Big Ten race, and Ohio State came out of it looking like the conference team fans expected to see at the top. The Buckeyes handled Iowa in a game that carried more weight than a typical early-season road test, adding a quality win to a rsum that is starting to separate from the pack as the league standings and the national picture begin to take shape.
The rankings around them still have plenty of movement left, with Indiana continuing to push forward, Oregon and UCLA drawing attention for different reasons, and Michigan still trying to sort out its own path. But Ohio States recent momentum is the kind that can hold up as October approaches, especially if the Buckeyes keep matching style points with results in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]