The College Football Playoff committee will reveal its first rankings of the season Tuesday, but the cast of ESPN’s College GameDay is getting a head start by predicting who they think the top six should be. Each analyst on the show ranked his six best teams in the country and explained any his picks.
Maybe unsurprisingly, former Michigan star Desmond Howard had Ohio State ranked sixth in his rankings. Howard has Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida State in his top four, with Washington also ranked above the Buckeyes.
The rest of the panel had Ohio State in the top four, with Pat McAfee putting the Buckeyes at No. 2.
Howard explained that he needs to see more from Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord before he ranks the Buckeyes in his top four. The analyst also explained that although Ohio State did beat Notre Dame, it was a close game that didn’t separate the Buckeyes from the pack.
“I want to see a team who’s dominant,” Howard said. “I still need to see more out of Kyle McCord. I still need to see their running backs play on a consistent basis.”
Howard’s relationship with Ohio State dates back decades to when he starred for Michigan in college. As an ESPN analyst, he often seems to play up the fact that Buckeyes fans dislike him, and this might be another troll job.