COLUMBUS, Ohio — The final two weeks of the regular season have arrived, and Ohio State football remains firmly in the mix for a return to the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes checked in at No. 2 in Tuesday’s reveal of the third CFP rankings this season.
That spot is consistent with where OSU ranked the previous two weeks — sitting only behind Oregon.
A chance to shake up the rankings lingers, though. Ohio State hosts No. 5 Indiana on Saturday. The matchup will likely determine who joins the Ducks in the Big Ten title game.
Here’s a look at the third College Football Playoff rankings and how the 12-team bracket would look if the postseason started today.
Third College Football Playoff rankings
No. 1 Oregon
No. 2 Ohio State
No. 3 Texas
No. 4 Penn State
No. 5 Indiana
No. 6 Notre Dame
No. 7 Alabama
No. 8 Miami
No. 9 Ole Miss
No. 10 Georgia
No. 11 Tennessee
No. 12 Boise State
No. 13 Southern Methodist
No. 14 BYU
No. 15 Texas A&M
No. 16 Colorado
No. 17 Clemson
No. 18 South Carolina
No. 19 Army
No. 20 Tulane
No. 21 Arizona State
No. 22 Iowa State
No. 23 Missouri
No. 24 UNLV
No. 25 Illinois
College Football Playoff seeding based on third rankings
No. 1 Oregon (Big Ten)
No. 2 Texas (SEC)
No. 3 Miami (ACC)
No. 4 Boise State (Mountain West)
No. 5 Ohio State
No. 6 Penn State
No. 7 Indiana
No. 8 Notre Dame
No. 9 Alabama
No. 10 Ole Miss
No. 11 Georgia
No. 12 BYU (Big 12)
How the new College Football Playoff works
The 12-team CFP features guaranteed bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions. The top four conference champions earn a bye and are guaranteed a spot in the CFP quarterfinals.
Teams that finish ranked between No. 5-12 will play in the first round (Dec. 20-21). The higher ranked teams will host those games on campus.
The Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sugar Bowl will host the quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1). The Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will host the semifinals (Jan. 9-10).
The national championship game will be Jan. 20 in Atlanta.