Brian Bennett, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Big Ten playoff tracker: Nov. 26

We'll know for sure who's in the inaugural College Football Playoff on Dec. 7. For now, let's see where the Big Ten's remaining contender stands after the latest selection committee top 25:

Ohio State

Record: 10-1 (7-0 Big Ten)

Rank: No. 6

Reason for optimism: The Buckeyes didn't drop a spot this week despite a shaky performance last Saturday against Indiana. Ohio State still needs help to move up two more spots to the top four, but it has a chance to add a conference championship and a potential win over a top-15 team (No. 18 Minnesota would likely be in the top 15 if it beats No. 14 Wisconsin) before the final vote. No. 4 Mississippi State likely won't make its own conference title game, and neither No. 5 TCU nor No. 7 Baylor have a conference championship game to play.

Reason for concern: Barring at least an upset or two, Ohio State will be on the outside looking in, unless the committee really values the Big Ten championship. So the Buckeyes don't control their own destiny, and that Virginia Tech blemish looked even worse when the Hokies managed to score just three points (in double overtime, no less) in a loss to Wake Forest last week.

Whom they'll be rooting for this week: The Buckeyes still need some losses by teams ahead of them, and maybe this is the weekend they'll get one or two with all the rivalry games on tap. Obviously, Ohio State will be rooting for Auburn to beat Alabama, Oregon State to upset Oregon, Florida to topple Florida State, Mississippi to take down Mississippi State and Texas to defeat TCU. The Buckeyes might also prefer Wisconsin to beat Minnesota to set up a Big Ten championship game against the Badgers, who would be close to the top 10 next week in that scenario. But if a couple of those upsets occur, their opponent in Indianapolis won't matter all that much.

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