Kirk Herbstreit had to shake up his top four after Week 5. Now, the ESPN college football analyst has the Buckeyes on the heels of Alabama.

The change comes after Ohio State defeated Penn State 27-26 in Happy Valley on Saturday night, taking a lead in the B1G East. The Buckeyes are now 5-0 on the season with wins over two top 25 teams (TCU and Penn State).

Sports Betting in Big Ten Country

With the launch coming on January 1, 2023, Ohio sports betting apps are almost here. Pre-registration is now available at FanDuel Ohio for an extra $100 bonus. Learn more. Check out some of the best promotions available for bettors in Ohio.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Ohio State ranked fourth nationally entering the week, but they’ve moved up to the No. 2 spot, according to Herbstreit. The only team ahead is the Crimson Tide.

Here were Herbie’s top four teams after Week 5:

  1. Alabama (5-0)
  2. Ohio State (5-0)
  3. Georgia (5-0)
  4. Oklahoma (5-0)

Out of those four teams, Ohio State was the only one to post a win over a ranked opponent tis weekend. Alabama defeated Lafayette (56-14), Georgia took down Tennessee (38-12) and Oklahoma throttled Baylor (66-33).

The road win over a top 10 team really proved something to Herbstreit. And he clearly believes the Buckeyes are comfortably in the College Football Playoff picture.