It’s taken seven weeks of play, but the Ohio State Buckeyes have finally moved into the top spot in Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings on ESPN.
The Buckeyes started the year at No. 7 in the rankings. I’ve explained, multiple times, why the Buckeyes started so low in these ratings, and why they’ve risen as the season has gone on.
This week, in particular, the Buckeyes finally jumped Alabama in SP+ because Ohio State’s schedule strength rose. As Big Ten teams keep putting in better performances, the average rating of each Big Ten team rose. That, in turn, made Ohio State’s in-conference performances more valuable, which raised the overall profile.
What is more noteworthy than Ohio State’s rise from No. 7 to No. 1, though, is the rise in actual rating. The Buckeyes started the year with a rating of 23.6, which then fell to 22.0 after the solid-but-not-elite Week 1 performance against FAU. That means that, against an average team on a neutral field, the Buckeyes would have been expected to win by 22 points. Now, six weeks later, Ohio State’s rating is 30.9. The offensive and defensive ratings have each moved from the 20s to the Top 6.
Two teams rising along with the Buckeyes are Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Keep an eye on those two as the season goes on.
Alabama, meanwhile, has not lived up to its otherworldly expectations. The Crimson Tide started the year with a 35.3 rating, which has fallen to 29.8. Clemson’s rating has also plummeted, from 30.0 in the preseason to 23.1 now.
