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ESPN’s Playoff Predictor has interesting projections for Ohio State, Oklahoma

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

Ohio State needed  a lot to happen to get into the College Football Playoff. Ranked No. 6 entering Championship Saturday, it was believed that the Buckeyes needed Oklahoma to lose in order to earn the final spot in the four-team field.

But ESPN’s College Football Playoff Predictor has a pretty interesting calculation following Saturday’s games. The Buckeyes actually have the fourth-best odds to earn one of the spots in a semifinal game. By a lot.

After the dust settled from the conference championship games, Ohio State was given a 71 percent chance to reach the College Football Playoff with a 12-1 record and a B1G title. Oklahoma — who was No. 5 entering the weekend — was given a 26 percent chance to make the field.

The Sooners are also 12-1 and won their fourth straight Big XII title.

Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame all seems to be locks for the College Football Playoff. Those were the only three teams to go undefeated and its hard to argue against those resumés. That leaves just that one open spot.

It likely comes down to Oklahoma and Ohio State. There have been some rumblings that Georgia could shock the world and sneak into that fourth spot. But with two losses and blowing a two-touchdown lead to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, it seems like a longshot that the Bulldogs earn a spot over the Sooners and Buckeyes.

Things should be very interesting on Sunday afternoon.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB