College Football Playoff: Which Teams Are Staying or Going?

Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes are currently on the outside looking in to the College Football Playoff bracket. Should they be, though? Our math has Ohio State pegged as the second-best college football team in the country, sporting a nERD of 35.83.

Maybe they should already be in the Playoff. Either way, they have their work cut out for them if they want to leapfrog a team or two in the standings.

The Buckeyes have three Big Ten matchups left on their schedule. Those three teams account for a nERD total of 46.26. However, only Michigan, Ohio State's final adversary of the year, is a top-25 team according to our algorithms.

As the numbers indicate, Maryland and Michigan State are unlikely to present a tough test for the Buckeyes. Everything will probably come down to the Michigan game. If Ohio State wins their first two games and then goes on to upset the Wolverines, they're in the playoff without a doubt. If they lose to Michigan, who could be the single best team in the nation, the Buckeyes still might manage to slip into the four spot.