Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

James Franklin: Buckeyes ‘created’ narrative of a weak schedule by outplaying opponents

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Don’t try to tell Penn State head coach James Franklin that the Buckeyes have had a weak schedule.

As it currently stands, Ohio State is locked into the No. 2 spot of the College Football Playoff Rankings behind No. 1 LSU. While the margin between the first and second seed likely does not matter too much, claiming Ohio State has faced a weak schedule doesn’t match up with the facts.

Though the Buckeyes may not have as many marquee wins as LSU, they have won every single game this season by at least 24 points. That includes dominant wins over currently ranked opponents in Cincinnati and Wisconsin.

RELATED: Point spread for top-10 matchup of Penn State-Ohio State carries historical significance

Additionally, Ohio State has a solid win over a strong Indiana squad and a dominant performance against Michigan State. Every opponent on Ohio State’s schedule is an FBS team, and all three non-conference opponents of the Buckeyes are already bowl eligible.

So why is there a narrative that it has been a weak schedule for Ryan Day’s squad? Simple: the Buckeyes have simply been outplaying everyone by a wide margin:

RELATED: Michigan, Ohio State have posted miserable ATS performances in week prior to ‘The Game’

He definitely has a point. If any perception of a “weak schedule” remains, that will likely change as Ohio State ends the season with ranked opponents in Penn State and Michigan. Even with that perception, the path to the Playoff remains crystal clear. Win out, and the Buckeyes will be in the final four.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.