Ohio State occupies a familiar spot in the Associated Press college football preseason poll.
The Buckeyes are second behind Georgia in the initial 2024 AP poll, which was released on Aug. 12. This is no surprise, as OSU has rewarded fans and backers at Ohio sportsbooks frequently.
But what does recent history tell us about teams that start the season at No. 2 in the AP rankings? Here is a quick look, followed by a breakdown of such teams since 2021:
Situation | Result |
Average Record | 12-1* |
Average Winning Percentage | .897* |
College Football Playoff Appearance | 2 of 3 |
Average AP Poll Final Ranking | 5 |
*Rounded to nearest whole number
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The teams in the past three seasons that have been second in the preseason AP poll have mostly delivered on their promise. Buckeyes fans likely need little reminding of what last year’s No. 2 team accomplished.
Michigan started the 2023 season behind only Georgia in the voting, which is done by AP media members. The Wolverines not only beat Ohio State but went on to run the table, finishing as College Football Playoff national champions with a 15-0 record. See our Michigan vs. Ohio State odds page for an early peek at this year’s clash in the annual rivalry, Nov. 30 in Columbus.
In 2022, Ohio State was second in the preseason poll behind Alabama. The Buckeyes lost to Michigan to finish the regular season 11-1, but still made the four-team Playoff. OSU lost to eventual national champion Georgia, 42-41, in the CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl.
The only No. 2 preseason team in the past three years that can be considered somewhat of a letdown is Oklahoma in 2021. The Sooners (11-2) missed the CFP and finished No. 10 in the final AP poll.
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What about the COVID-shortened season of 2020, before our chart begins? OSU was again the preseason No. 2 team and reached the CFP National Championship game before losing to Alabama.
As for this year, coach Ryan Day’s squad – which received 15 first-place votes compared to 46 for Georgia – starts as the top Big Ten team in the AP poll, just ahead of No. 3 Oregon. Remember, the Ducks are one of four former Pac-12 teams joining the Big Ten starting this season, alongside Washington, Southern California and UCLA.
At Caesars Ohio Sportsbook, OSU is the favorite to win the 18-team Big Ten this season at +135 odds, followed by Oregon at +200. Penn State (+550) and Michigan (+600) are the only other teams with better than 1-in-10 odds, according to the sportsbook operator. The AP voters follow that convention as far as picking the Big Ten finishing order – Penn State is eighth in the poll and Michigan is ninth. The Big Ten and the SEC (also newly expanded to 16 teams) dominate the poll, with the leagues combining for eight of the top 10 teams.
Once the season starts, turn to BetOhio.com for updates on Ohio State national championship odds and the team’s chances to make the CFP field, which has expanded to 12 teams this season.
USA Today Network photo by Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
Author
Ohio native Jim Tomlin has 30 years of experience in journalism, mostly in sports. He lends his expertise to BetOhio.com as a writer and editor after previous experience at the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition.
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