How would the 12-team College Football Playoff expansion affect Ohio State in 2022?

Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State football has a rich history in the College Football Playoff, making the playoff semifinals four times since its inception in 2014.

Now, the four-team Playoff is growing to 12.

The CFP Board of Trustees announced Thursday that the 12-team College Football Playoff would begin during the 2024 football season with higher-seeded teams hosting the first-round games before the New Year's Six bowl games rotate between hosting quarterfinal and semifinal games.

While Ohio State remains on the outside looking in in the current Playoff system — sitting at No. 5 heading into championship weekend after a 45-23 loss to Michigan — the Buckeyes' chances for a national championship would still be alive with Playoff expansion.

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The 12-team College Football Playoff, will include the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee, including at least one team from the Group of Five, along with the six highest-ranked non-conference champions.

Each of the top four teams would secure byes in the first round of the Playoff.

Here's how Ohio State would be affected if Playoff expansion started in 2022.

Ohio State would host a first-round College Football Playoff game

Ohio State would be set to host a first-round College Football Playoff game in 2022.

The No. 5 Buckeyes would be set to host Tulane in the first round, which has a record of 10-2 and is set to host UCF in the AAC championship game Saturday.

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The other matchups in the first round would include Alabama hosting Utah, Tennessee hosting Kansas State and Penn State hosting Clemson.

The winner of Ohio State and Tulane would go on to face USC in the quarterfinal, while TCU takes on Alabama or Utah, Michigan takes on either Tennessee or Kansas State, and Georgia faces either Penn State or Clemson.

To get to the national championship game in 2022 using the new 12-team model, Ohio State would have to beat Tulane and USC in the first two rounds before meetings with Georgia, Penn State or Clemson in the semifinal.

College football rankings 2022

Here's a look at the College Football Playoff's fifth ranking of the 2022 season.

  1. Georgia (12-0)

  2. Michigan (12-0)

  3. TCU (12-0)

  4. USC (11-1)

  5. Ohio State (11-1)

  6. Alabama (10-2)

  7. Tennessee (10-2)

  8. Penn State (10-2)

  9. Clemson (10-2)

  10. Kansas State (9-3)

  11. Utah (9-3)

  12. Washington (10-2)

  13. Florida State (9-3)

  14. LSC (9-3)

  15. Oregon State (9-3)

  16. Oregon (9-3)

  17. UCLA (9-3)

  18. Tulane (10-2)

  19. South Carolina (8-4)

  20. Texas (8-4)

  21. Notre Dame (8-4)

  22. UCF (9-3)

  23. North Carolina (9-3)

  24. Mississippi State (8-4)

  25. NC State (8-4)

Ohio State football's 2022 schedule

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football would be in the College Football Playoffs in 2023