Ohio State Buckeyes 42, Michigan Wolverines 28

Urban Meyer wouldn't be happy if Ohio State wins the Big Ten title and J.T. Barrett's injury is held against the Buckeyes by the College Football Playoff committee.

(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Even if Ohio State wins a game, the Buckeyes still have suffered a loss that could affect their College Football Playoff chances.

The final playoff rankings and the pairings of the top four teams for the College Football Playoff will be announced on Sunday after the conference championship games over the weekend, including the Big Ten Championship between Ohio State and Wisconsin on Saturday night. The Buckeyes must beat the Badgers to stay in the hunt for a spot in the four-team playoff. But the loss to J.T. Barrett may hinder the Buckeyes' hopes even in victory.

Injuries are a consideration for the committee. But we don't know how much. We may get some small idea Tuesday night when the last regular-season poll is released. Ohio State was No. 6 last week and saw No. 4 Mississippi State lose. Every other top seven team won. So the Buckeyes, all things being equal, could be No. 5 Tuesday, behind Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and, presumably, new No. 4 TCU, and ahead of previous No. 7 Baylor.

The committee may not consider the Barrett injury yet and see how the Buckeyes play with former No. 3 quarterback Cardale Jones running the show on Saturday. If the injury is an issue in the final poll, Urban Meyer will have an issue with that.

"I think that's wrong," Meyer said, "if that happens. If it's Ohio State or some other team, I don't know how - it's strictly how you play.

Obviously, if the Buckeyes don't play well with Barrett and lose, that's one thing Meyer said. Otherwise, winning without top two quarterbacks Braxton Miller and Barrett should be a plus for the Buckeyes, in Meyer's mind.

"You're the champion of the Big Ten Conference, you lose one Heisman Trophy candidate before the season and another one in (game 12) that is also a Heisman candidate," Meyer said. "I think that's almost a positive, that your team can still go function, and it tells you about the players and talent on your team."

The injury didn't affect the Buckeyes in our final First Four poll. Things were tight this week, as Alabama and Florida State were tied for the top spot and required a tie-breaker in our voting that favored the Seminoles.

Ohio State was No. 7 in our poll last week, and with Mississippi State's loss, moved up to No. 6.

Here's my top ballott for the AP poll, with the top used as my First Four ballot.

1. Oregon

2. Florida State

3. Alabama

4. Ohio State

5. Baylor

6. TCU

7. Michigan State

8. Arizona

9. Mississippi State

10. Kansas State

11. Wisconsin

12. Georgia Tech

13. Missouri

14. Ole Miss

15. UCLA

16. Arizona State

17. Georgia

18. Clemson

19. Oklahoma

20. Louisville

21. Auburn

22. Duke

23. Utah

24. USC

25. Boise State

About the First Four Poll: Each week during the college football season, our committee of 13 national experts will rank the teams competing for a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff. These rankings will provide a look at how the contenders for the four playoff berths stack up and offer an alternative perspective to the official College Football Playoff rankings.

About the voters: We've assembled a baker's dozen of top college sports writers from coast to coast. They are: Nick Baumgardner, MLive.com; Ken Goe, The Oregonian; David Jones, PennLive.com; Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune; Gary Laney, Advance Digital National Desk; Tom Layberger, Advance Digital National Desk; Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group; Nick O'Malley, MassLive.com; Kevin Scarbinsky, Alabama Media Group; Keith Sargeant, NJ.com; Patrick Stevens, Syracuse.com; Jim Waggoner, Staten Island Advance; Brad Wilson, lehighvalleylive.com/The Express-Times.

======

The First Four

Florida State running back Mario Pender (7) looks for a way past Florida defensive back Jabari Gorman (2) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Tallahassee, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Florida State won 24-19. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

1. Florida State (119 points), 12-0

Previous rank: No. 1

Last week: def. Florida, 24-19. This week: vs. Georgia Tech in ACC championship game.

Projected playoff position: vs. TCU in the Sugar Bowl.

Sometimes one has to wonder if something supernatural is looking out for Jimbo Fisher and Jameis Winston. After three first-quarter interceptions thrown by Winston, FSU appeared to be on its way to getting blown out by Florida when Terrance Smith's 94-yard interception return for a touchdown brought the Seminoles back. Can the Seminoles continue to find ways to survive?

Voters' take:

"At this stage it is likely that not even Chief Osceola can believe the Seminoles' good fortune. Florida kicker Austin Hardin missed a pair of second-half field goals. Granted one was from 52 yards, but two misses meant six points that did not register on the scoreboard. Florida State won by how much? Oh, five points. And so the beat goes on for a team that continues to find a way to win, which is why I keep them at the top." -- Tom Layberger, Advance Digital National Desk

"Florida State continues its balancing act on the college football precipice, like a crazed trapeze artist without a playoff safety net. And for the Seminoles' trick this week, Jameis Winston sticks his head in a Gator's mouth, and comes out unscathed!" -- Nick O'Malley, MassLive.com



Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (11) celebrates after an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/AL.com, Vasha Hunt)

2. Alabama (119), 11-1

Previous rank: No. 2

Last week: def. Auburn, 55-44. This week: vs. Missouri in SEC championship game.

Projected playoff position: vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

The College Football Playoff committee's top team gained ground on the field by picking up the best win of any of the contenders last week, rallying to blow away Auburn late. No team has been more versatile. Against LSU and Arkansas, Alabama won defensive slugfests. Against Auburn, the Tide offense turned it on for 539 yards and their third 50-plus point game of the season. There isn't another team capable of winning so many ways.

Voters' take:

"There's probably not another team in the nation that could've allowed Auburn 630 yards and won by double digits. Alabama's 55-44 win, which was a 19-point margin until Auburn scored a mop-up TD, showed why the Crimson Tide should be No. 1." -- Kevin Scarbinsky, Alabama Media Group

"The dust settles and Alabama sits comfortably at No. 1, just as I projected a couple months ago. I could taste the panic sweeping the state early in the second half against Auburn, but in a race with no dominant favorite, I reach back to memory and expect the Tide to roll." -- Jim Waggoner, Staten Island Advance

Oregon wide receiver Bryon Marshall (9) scores a touchdown, something the Ducks have done a lot of this season. (AP Photo/Troy Wayrynen)

3. Oregon (111), 11-1

Previous rank: No. 3

Last week: def. Oregon State, 47-19. This week: vs. Arizona in Pac-12 championship game.

Projected playoff position: vs. Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks have not played a team with a winning record since Nov. 8, but they have a chance to make the biggest final impression. Arizona is the highest-ranked championship game opponent of any of our top four teams. Plus, Oregon can ride a redemption theme, as a 31-24 loss to the Wildcats on Oct. 2 is all that separates the Ducks from being undefeated.

Voters' take:

"I see no obvious holes in Oregon. The UO offense can attack a defense in every way possible, and if the designed play breaks down, Marcus Mariota still can make something electric happen. The defense struggled early in the season, but is fast and multi-dimensional." -- Ken Goe, The Oregonian

"Oregon gets my nod at No. 2 because the Ducks play defense. Auburn putting up 44 on Alabama, with 456 passing yards, makes me think the Crimson Tide are vulnerable to the Big 12 aerial circuses in a way Oregon is not. Also Marcus Mariota looks very much the best QB in the game and the best QBs have a way of winning titles." -- Brad Wilson, The Express-Times/lehighvalleylive.com

TCU's Aaron Green (22) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Texas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

4. TCU (83), 10-1

Previous Rank: No. 5

Last week: def. Texas, 48-10. This week: vs. Iowa State.

Projected playoff position: vs. Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

So, the Horned Frogs have climbed into the First Four, but can they hang on? While the other teams in the top six battle ranked, two-loss opponents this weekend, TCU is the lone contender taking on a team with a losing record and a Baylor win would give the Bears a tie-breaker edge over the Frogs for the Big 12 title. TCU is in, for now, but it'll likely need help to stay in.

Voters' take

"I think I want to rank TCU ahead of Ohio State. But I just can't rank TCU ahead of Baylor because Baylor beat TCU on the field. And I think I want to keep Ohio State ahead of Baylor after the Bears saw a four-win Texas Tech team try a two-point conversion to tie in the final two minutes Saturday. I think this makes no sense, and complete sense. But J.T. Barrett going down for Ohio State doesn't help the Buckeyes' case." -- Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group

"I have the Horned Frogs ranked over two, maybe three teams that, if they win, will jump the Horned Frogs next week: Oregon, Ohio State and Baylor. TCU's current resume is better, but all three play two-loss, ranked opponents next week while TCU plays 2-9 Iowa State. At that point, TCU's resume will no longer stack up." -- Gary Laney, Advance Digital National Desk

======

The Next Four

5. Baylor (78), 10-1

Previous Rank: No. 6

Last week: def. Texas Tech, 48-46. This week: vs. Kansas State.

The schedule has done the Bears a favor. While other contenders play conference championship games, Baylor plays a game that can be seen as an equivalent. At 9-2, Kansas State is ranked higher than championship game participants Missouri (SEC), Wisconsin (Big Ten) and Georgia Tech (ACC). The assumption is that a win in this one would allow Baylor to jump TCU. Is it a good enough win to also hold off Ohio State?

6. Ohio State (72), 11-1

Previous Rank: No. 7

Last week: def. Indiana, 42-27. This week: vs. Michigan.

What does the committee do with J.T. Barrett's injury? Should it even matter? If Ohio State is able to beat a good Wisconsin team without him, maybe it deserves to be a playoff team and maybe if the injury is that costly, the Buckeyes won't beat the Badgers, anyway. It'll be interesting to see how the injury is perceived if the Buckeyes win.

7. Arizona (44), 10-2

Previous Rank: NR

Last week: def. Arizona State, 42-35. This week: vs. Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game.

The two-loss team in the front of that line now is the Pac-12 South champion, which has wins over Oregon, Utah and Arizona State, all ranked teams, and will now go for a sweep of the Ducks. Beating Oregon twice should put Rich Rodriguez's team very close to the playoff field, but would it be enough to get them in?

8. Michigan State (30), 10-2

Previous rank: NR

Last week: def. Penn State, 34-10. This week: none.

The eighth spot was a tie between Michigan State and Mississippi State, but it hardly matters. With neither playing a game this week while five other two-loss teams (Arizona, Wisconsin, Kansas State, Missouri and Georgia Tech) play against teams in the top eight, both MSUs have no chance to move into the top four. Even if the current top teams lose, the teams they lose to will likely shoot past both the Spartans and Bulldogs.

======

The Rest

Dropped out: No. 4 Mississippi State, No. 8 UCLA.

Others receiving votes: Mississippi State (30), Kansas State (19), Georgia Tech (5), Boise State (2), Wisconsin (2), Missouri (1).