Ohio State’s spot in Stephen Means’ latest AP Top 25 ballot comes with a little asterisk: the Buckeyes are still behind Texas and Iowa, the two unbeaten teams with ranked wins on the road, but they’ve climbed into the top 10 at No. 6 after Week 4.
Means said that if a team is undefeated through four weeks and already has a road win over another ranked opponent, that should mean something in a Top 25 poll entering October. Texas and Iowa fit that bill, and both sit ahead of Ohio State on his ballot.
Iowa’s case is especially notable because the Hawkeyes’ best argument right now is a one-point road loss to the nation’s No. 1 team, but Means made clear that a “good loss” can only carry so much weight before a team needs another real résumé marker. Ohio State gets that chance next Saturday when it visits Iowa.
The Buckeyes stayed in front of Alabama, Georgia and Miami, all of whom are unbeaten but, in Means’ view, still haven’t been tested enough to separate themselves. Ohio State is one of several teams in the middle of his ballot that are starting to settle in after four weeks of results.
The biggest shift near the top was Florida’s jump to No. 2.
Means admitted he missed on the Gators by leaving them off his ballot the previous week, then corrected course after Florida didn’t just beat Ole Miss - it dominated the Rebels for four quarters. Ole Miss still landed at No. 3, and Means pointed to the Rebels’ overall body of work, including games against three ranked teams in four weeks and a 2-1 record in those matchups.
Beyond the top tier, Means’ ballot changed in a big way in the lower half, where several teams moved in after being unranked last week. He said four games is enough of a sample size to start rewarding teams that are winning, because winning is still the most important thing. Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and USC were the most notable teams to fall out of his ranking.
His full ballot had Texas at No. 1, followed by Florida, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Iowa and Ohio State. Alabama checked in at No. 7, with Georgia, Miami and Indiana rounding out the top 10. The rest of the list: LSU, BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, UCLA, Duke, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Cincinnati.
In Other News...
Ohio State Defense Faces A Road Test Iowa Can Expose
Ohio State heads into a ranked road matchup at Iowa with the kind of test that can sharpen a defense or expose a flaw. The Buckeyes will have to deal with a difficult environment and an Iowa offense that leans on quarterback Hank Brown, a productive backfield and a defense led by linebacker Cam Buffington and safety Zach Lutmer, while the bigger worry for Ohio State is whether it can hold up against the run and stay sound in coverage against tight ends.
The Hawkeyes have enough moving parts to make this more than a routine Big Ten trip, especially at home where the crowd can turn every series into a grind. Ohio States defensive front will be under pressure to set the tone early, because if Iowa can keep the Buckeyes guessing and force them to chase the game, this matchup could become a lot more uncomfortable than the rankings suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Defense Isnt In Trouble But One Concern Isnt Going Away
Ohio States defense has spent enough time under the microscope already this fall, and a former Buckeye who has been watching the unit closely sees a group with real room to grow rather than a unit in panic mode. He pointed to the kind of issues that can show up early in a season, including miscommunications and the absence of veteran star power, while still saying defensive coordinator Matt Patricia remains effective in his job. He also gave credit to Illinois quarterback Katin Houser for making the defense work for it.
The bigger takeaway, though, is that the concerns do not appear to be structural in his view. He expects the Buckeyes defense to keep improving and believes it will be good by the end of the season, even if the ceiling may not be quite elite. For a program used to treating every defensive hiccup as a minor crisis, that is a useful reminder that some early-season problems can be real without being fatal. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Sounds Different As Ohio State Heads Into Kinnick
Ryan Day spent part of the week laying out where Ohio State stands as it heads to Kinnick Stadium, and the conversation touched just about every corner of the roster. He gave updates on player availability, pointed to Julian Sayins continued growth, and said the running backs have made progress as the Buckeyes keep sorting out roles for Jeremiah Smith, Khary Wilder and Kyle Parker. It was the kind of check-in that comes with a road game like this, where the details matter and the margin for error tends to shrink.
Kinnick has a way of making even experienced teams feel uneasy, and Day acknowledged the challenge while framing Ohio States current state as a product of steady development since the season began. He also left open a few questions about how the lineup will look once the Buckeyes get through the week, including one involving Legend Bey and how much he can get done in practice before a decision has to be made. [Read more 🡒]