ESPN college football analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit can be a polarizing figure for some Buckeye fans. I never understood it because his job isn’t to be a homer, and if fact if he were, he’d be a punchline the likes of Desmond Howard when it comes to Michigan.
Nonetheless, many OSU fans would prefer that the voice of college football take more kindly to his alma mater when it comes to the national narrative. You don’t have to live in Columbus long to know that the town is painted scarlet and gray and lives and dies by how well Ohio State does on Saturdays. In fact, in large part, it all led to Herbstreit moving away from Central Ohio.
Still, his opinions matter and are well thought out … and unbiased.
Every week, Herbstreit ranks his top six college football teams and did so again after Week 8. He hasn’t had OSU as one of his top College Football Playoff candidates early on, but as the season has gone on, it does appear as though he — along with other national analysts — are beginning to appreciate what this Ohio State team is made of.
So what does Herbstreit think of the Buckeyes after the big win over Penn State and the body of work Ryan Day and company have put together after eight weeks of the season?
Here’s how Herbie ranks his top six teams heading into Week 9, one in which Ohio State travels to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers at night.
No. 6 - Oklahoma Sooners (7-0)
What we say
Oklahoma has the massive win over Texas that kind of set the narrative for this team. It’s a big win and it’ll carry the Sooners all the way to the College Football Playoff it it can continue to win. However, what if the two matchup again for the Big 12 championship? My money is on the Longhorns if there’s a rematch, and then what happens? Insert chaos folks.
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 10/28 | at Kansas |
| 11/4 | at Oklahoma State |
| 11/11 | vs. West Virginia |
| 11/18 | at BYU |
| 11/24 | vs. TCU |
No. 5 - Washington Huskies (7-0)
What we say
Through the first half of the year, Washington may have looked like the most complete and impressive team out there. The win over Oregon was huge, but recent games show that the Huskies aren’t invincible even with Michael Penix Jr. putting together a Heisman caliber season in Seattle.
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 10/28 | at Stanford |
| 11/4 | at USC |
| 11/11 | vs. Utah |
| 11/18 | at Oregon State |
| 11/25 | vs. Washington State |
No. 4 - Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)
What we say
It’s true that Ohio State’s offense isn’t as explosive as the most recent years, but the defense looks to be one of the best in the country. Can Kyle McCord and the offense continue to improve when it matter most, and will the defense and complimentary style be enough to beat Michigan at the end of the year?
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 10/28 | at Wisconsin |
| 11/4 | at Rutgers |
| 11/11 | vs. Michigan State |
| 11/18 | vs. Minnesota |
| 11/25 | at Michigan |
No. 3 - Florida State Seminoles (7-0)
What we say
Florida State got the big win over Clemson in the beginning of the year and has sort of ran away and hid through a some pretty poor competition in the ACC. Still, the Seminoles just keep winning and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they win out all the way to the ACC Championship game.
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 10/28 | at Wake Forest |
| 11/4 | at Pitt |
| 11/11 | vs. Michigan State |
| 11/18 | vs. Miami (FL) |
| 11/25 | at Florida |
No. 2 - Georgia Bulldogs (7-0)
What we say
The SEC is down this year, and Georgia had a pretty light schedule for league standards anyhow. The Bulldogs have looked inconsistent and may be in trouble at some point with superstar Brock Bowers going down, but the two-time defending champs have looked spectacular when they have needed to. Will that carry through to Atlanta and beyond?
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 10/28 | vs. Florida |
| 11/4 | vs. Missouri |
| 11/11 | vs. Ole Miss |
| 11/18 | at Tennessee |
| 11/25 | at Georgia Tech |
No. 1 - Michigan Wolverines (7-0)
What we say
Yes, Michigan has looked fantastic on both sides of the ball this year and looks like a legitimate national title contender. What will happen when the Wolverines play a team like Penn State and Ohio State though? We’re waiting to see if the same level of play continues (insert sign stealing joke here).
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 11/4 | vs. Purdue |
| 11/11 | at Penn State |
| 11/18 | at Maryland |
| 11/25 | vs. Ohio State |
NEXT … Herbstreit’s opinion rankings X (formerly Twitter) thread
Kirk Herbstreit's Week 8 rankings X (formerly Twitter) thread
My top 4 after WEEK 8
1-@UMichFootball
2-@GeorgiaFootball
3-@FSUFootball
4-@OhioStateFB
Next 2 @UW_Football @OU_Football— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 22, 2023
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