If Michigan wins, would one-loss Ohio State get into the CFP over one-loss Clemson?

Even before Michigan football's win against Illinois or Ohio State's win against Maryland Saturday, ESPN analyst Desmond Howard was calling "The Game" an "elimination game" for the College Football Playoff.

"If Michigan loses, Michigan's out. There's no hope for Michigan," Howard said, also saying he sees no "backdoor way" for the Buckeyes to sneak into the top four of the College Football Playoff if they lose at home to the Wolverines.

But if Ohio State football, currently ranked No. 2 in the country in the latest CFP rankings, were to lose its second-straight meeting with No. 3 Michigan at home Saturday afternoon, could the Buckeyes have a chance at a Playoff berth over possible ACC champion Clemson?

Both Joey Galloway and Greg McElroy think so.

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"Michigan ... because they didn't play anybody before they got into the Big Ten, it's a more difficult discussion to have to include Michigan," Galloway, a former Ohio State wide receiver and ESPN analyst, said. "Ohio State, because of that win against No. 15 now in the rankings Notre Dame, they at least have a discussion. It opens the door."

McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback, went straight to the head-to-head resume comparison between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 8 Clemson.

"Ohio State still has two better wins against Penn State at 11 and Notre Dame at 15 than anything right now on Clemson's resume," McElroy said. "Conference championship notwithstanding, right now, Ohio State would have a more impressive resume than being an ACC conference champion.

"I actually think if Michigan wins, the door for Ohio State is very much wide. But if Ohio State wins, because of Michigan's non-conference, I think it's tougher for Michigan to make the case as a one-loss team having just lost to Ohio State."

How would Ohio State's resume compare to Clemson's?

Heading into the final week of the regular season, the undefeated Buckeyes have the third-ranked strength of record according to ESPN's College Football Power Index and the No. 54 strength of schedule in the country with the seventh-hardest strength of schedule remaining.

Ohio State also has wins against two teams currently ranked in the top-15 in the latest edition of the College Football Playoff in No. 11 Penn State on the road and No. 15 Notre Dame.

Clemson's only loss of 2022 came against the Fighting Irish, falling to Notre Dame on the road 35-14 on Nov. 5.

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And while the Tigers have wins against then-No. 21 Wake Forest, then-No. 10 NC State and then-No. 14 Syracuse, none of those teams remain in the College Football Playoff top 25.

According to ESPN's College Football Power Index, Clemson has the sixth-best strength of record in the country ahead of both No. 5 LSU and No. 6 USC. However, the Tigers have the 56th-best strength of schedule with the 28th-hardest strength of schedule remaining hosting South Carolina and facing No. 17 North Carolina in the ACC title game.

College football rankings 2022

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

1. Georgia (11-0)

2. Ohio State (11-0)

3. Michigan (11-0)

4. TCU (11-0)

5. LSU (9-2)

6. USC (10-1)

7. Alabama (9-2)

8. Clemson (10-1)

9. Oregon (9-2)

10. Tennessee (9-2)

11. Penn State (9-2)

12. Kansas State (8-3)

13. Washington (9-2)

14. Utah (8-3)

15. Notre Dame 8-3)

16. Florida State (8-3)

17. North Carolina (9-2)

18. UCLA (8-3)

19. Tulane (9-2)

20. Ole Miss (8-3)

21. Oregon Satte (8-3)

22. UCF (8-3)

23. Texas (7-4)

24. Cincinnati (9-2)

25. Louisville (7-4)

Ohio State football 2022 schedule

• Sept. 3: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10

• Sept. 10: Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12

• Sept. 17: Ohio State 77, Toledo 21

• Sept. 24: Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21

• Oct. 1: Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10

• Oct. 8: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20

• Oct. 22: Ohio State 54, Iowa 10

• Oct. 29: Ohio State 44, Penn State 31

• Nov. 5: Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7

• Nov. 12: Ohio State 56, Indiana 14

• Nov. 19: Ohio State 43, Maryland 30

• Nov. 26: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Columbus, Ohio, noon, FOX

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Would a one-loss Ohio State football get in CFP over one-loss Clemson?