Ohio State didn’t have to do anything to gain ground in the rankings, and the Buckeyes still moved up to No. 2 behind Miami after UCF upset BYU 39-31 in double overtime.
The Cougars’ brief run at the top of the national conversation took a hard turn after Bear Bachmeier and BYU came up empty on a goal-line opportunity in the extra frame. UCF eventually closed it out after a running into the kicker penalty extended the Knights’ game-winning possession when they were prepared to settle for a field goal. That result sends BYU tumbling out of the top five after last week’s AP Top 25 had the Cougars at No. 2, one spot ahead of Ohio State.
Miami stayed put at No. 1, and for good reason. The Hurricanes rolled past Pitt 52-23 at Hard Rock Stadium and looked every bit the part of the nation’s top team.
Receiver Malachi Toney turned in a huge day with 194 receiving yards, more than half of Darian Mensah’s 387 passing yards, and added three touchdowns. Miami showed some defensive soft spots, but the overall performance left no doubt the top spot wasn’t changing.
For Ohio State, though, the bigger issue is what comes next. The Buckeyes may now be operating without Julian Sayin, and if that injury keeps him out, the path forward looks a lot different.
Without him, Ohio State may need to lean on its defense and run game to keep moving. That would be easier if Ja'Kobi Jackson were available, but the Buckeyes’ top back is also expected to miss an extended stretch.
That puts more pressure on Bo Jackson and Isaiah West to carry the load while Arthur Smith tries to get the ground game moving. The challenge gets even steeper with an offensive line that’s still juggling pieces because of injuries, especially on the right side.
There’s still a chance for Ohio State to prove it can grind through the kind of adversity that separates contenders from pretenders. Ryan Day’s team also got a reminder of what a struggling USC team looked like, as the Trojans fell to Wisconsin, which at least gives the Buckeyes some hope heading into next weekend. But right now, the margin for error feels thin, and the climb could be steep without Sayin.
In Other News...
BYU Faces A Complicated Ranking Drop After Costly Upset
Miami held onto the No. 1 spot in the AP college football rankings after a convincing win over Pittsburgh, with quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney leading the way. The bigger shift, at least for the teams chasing the top, came from BYUs upset loss to unranked UCF in double overtime, a result that is expected to send the Cougars sliding after they had been sitting at No. 2.
For Ohio State, the ripple effect could be significant. The Buckeyes are projected to move up to No. 2 as pollsters reshuffle the upper tier after a chaotic weekend, with several top teams now under closer scrutiny depending on how they handled their latest tests. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Faces A Season-Defining Test After Julian Sayin Injury
Julian Sayins injury has forced Ohio State into a different kind of stretch run, one that now hinges on how the Buckeyes handle a sudden change at quarterback. Luke Fahey is stepping in, and with the bye week arriving at a key moment, the staff has a little time to stabilize the offense and keep the season on track while the rest of the roster tries to carry the load.
There is still a path here for Ohio State to finish strong, make the College Football Playoff and stay in the national title conversation, but the margin for error is tighter now. The bigger picture also leaves room for long-term optimism, from Jeremiah Smiths Heisman-level ceiling to the idea that Sayin could eventually reclaim the job down the road, even if this season has already taken a sharp turn. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Ranking Slip Could Help Fuel Miamis Rise
Central Floridas 39-31 double-overtime win over BYU and Miamis 52-23 rout of Pittsburgh are the kind of late-October results that tend to ripple through the top of the college football polls. For a national race that already had a few pressure points, both outcomes matter well beyond the box scores, especially with Ohio State and Texas Tech also in the mix among teams drawing first-place support in the Week 8 rankings.
BYUs loss is expected to open the door for Miami to pick up some of the votes the Cougars had been holding at No. 1, while Texas Techs recent setback should also shuffle the top five. Ohio State has a stake in every one of those changes, because when the teams ahead of you start slipping, the margin for movement gets a lot smaller and every ballot suddenly matters a little more. [Read more 🡒]