Today’s Topic: Are the Buckeyes Still In?

In a word, yes.

Of everything that Buckeye fans wanted to happen in yesterday’s games, only one of them didn’t come to fruition.

The top two seeds in the American Athletic Conference — Houston and Cincinnati — both came away with three-point wins over bid stealers Memphis and Wichita State.

Buffalo vanquished the upstart Bowling Green Falcons, just as Buckeye fans needed them to in the MAC.

Utah State fought a tight one the entire way with Cinderella wannabes San Diego State before finally dispatching them in the Mountain West Championship Game.

The only thing that went against Ohio State’s wishes yesterday was Oregon defeating Washington in the Pac 12 Tournament Championship Game, thereby likely stealing a bid from a from somebody.

But since it is unlikely that Ohio State was the last team in on the Committee’s scrap paper doodlings, the Buckeyes should be safe from here on out because the dust — and most importantly the cinders — have settled.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi put out his latest Bracketology this morning and he still has Ohio State as an 11-seed, but has moved them from playing 6-seed Iowa State in Jacksonville, to playing 6-seed Buffalo in Hartford.

[Update 10:09: Jerry Palm updated his bracketology column Sunday at 9:48 am and has Ohio State as an 11-seed playing 11-seed TCU in the play-in game in Dayton in the First Four.]

None of the games remaining today will have an impact on the Buckeyes’ chances. A bid has been stolen in the Atlantic 10, but that was known on Friday when Rhode Island upset top-seeded VCU.

The SEC Tournament Championship Game features Auburn and Tennessee, who are both ranked in the Top 25. The AAC Tournament Championship Game features ranked opponents Cincinnati and Houston. And the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game pits Top 10 teams Michigan and Michigan State against each other.

In other words, it is now past midnight for most of the country and Cinderella is home and in bed.

Buckeye fans should feel at ease today while watching games. Or feel at ease today while not watching games. It’s up to you. You can rest easy now knowing that nothing that happens today can negatively impact Ohio State.

Does that mean you should rest easy around 6:00 pm today when the brackets begin to get unveiled on CBS?

Maybe.

Buckeye head coach Chris Holtmann believes his team is in, but even he will probably still be holding is breath a bit until it becomes a reality and he sees his team’s name on the television next to an opponent he can begin preparing for.

And then a new uneasiness can begin.