Ohio rests at the center of Obama's claim to an advantage in the Electoral College, but analysts offer diverging assessments of the race in the country's most critical state. Some say Obama has a big lead, others say it's a true toss-up and that Romney has the momentum. But what do the polls actually say in the Buckeye State? Here are five things to know.

1) Obama's lead is small, but consistent

On average, Obama leads by 1.9 points in surveys conducted entirely after the first debate.

But although Obama’s lead is relatively modest, it’s also consistent. Romney only leads in two polls with a clear Republican-lean, and both were conducted in the immediate aftermath of the first presidential debate. Put differently: Romney hasn’t led a poll of the Buckeye State conducted that wasn’t conducted from October 4-8.