Ohio State has found support from an unexpected person amid the backlash surrounding the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season. Clay Travis, who has often faced criticism from Buckeyes fans for his stance on the program, has now questioned the committee's decision to place Ryan Day's team at No. 12, eight spots behind Indiana.
The 6-2 Buckeyes were ranked well outside the projected playoff rankings despite holding a head-to-head victory over the 8-1 Hoosiers. Travis believes the committee has failed to account for Ohio State's challenging schedule properly.
Speaking on his show, Travis did not hold back when assessing the committee's selections.
"The College Football Playoff rankings are absolutely insane. Okay? The College Football Playoff Committee has made zero sense in the choices that they have brought to bear here," Travis said via his X account.
Travis questioned how Indiana could receive the No. 4 spot while Ohio State was placed at No. 12. Although he acknowledged that the Hoosiers have had an impressive season, he argued that their head-to-head result should carry more weight.
The Buckeyes defeated Indiana but have lost to two teams, Texas and USC. However, Travis believes Ohio State should not be punished for accepting a difficult nonconference matchup against the Longhorns.
"You can't have Indiana at four and Ohio State at 12, even when Ohio State beat Indiana head-to-head. I know that Ohio State has one more loss, but head-to-head, given that Ohio State has played the more difficult schedule, I think it should matter," he explained.
Travis also suggested Ohio State could have avoided its current situation by scheduling an easier opponent than Texas in Week 2.
"Ohio State shouldn't be penalized because they went on the road to play Texas and lost by one point in Austin, a very difficult game, because they happened to lose that game when they could have just bought and played an easy win," he added.
Interestingly, Travis acknowledged that defending Ohio State was not something he usually does, making his criticism of the committee even more notable.
"You guys know I don't usually defend the Buckeyes. In fact, Ohio State fans get mad at me because I'm never pro-Buckeye enough. Listen closely: I'm pro-Buckeye here," he said.
Travis is not the only prominent voice questioning Ohio State's position. Former Michigan coach Biff Poggi also criticized the committee for seemingly penalizing the Buckeyes for their scheduling.
"Everybody's been saying, 'Oh, the committee always says, well, strength of schedule. Ohio State lays everything on the line, everything on the line. Week two, they go to Texas. They lose the game, but they play great at Texas. They're getting absolutely hammered for playing that game," he said on the Big Ten Network.
With the No. 23 Oregon Ducks visiting Columbus next, Ohio State has an opportunity to strengthen its playoff case. However, the Buckeyes will need to deliver a convincing performance if they want to silence the growing criticism surrounding their ranking.
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