Ohio State bowl projections after Week 14: Exploring the Buckeyes’ postseason chances

After a shocking loss to Michigan, the Ohio State Buckeyes now face a challenging path to the national title. The Buckeyes dropped to number 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

As Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 in the Big Ten) are not playing for conference championship, they're ineligible for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. However, with few games remaining this week, the Buckeyes are strong contenders to secure a playoff berth.

Here are the potential bowl game scenarios for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Ohio State bowl projections after Week 14: Exploring the Buckeyes’ postseason chances

Ohio State opened the season ranked second on the AP Poll, and held strong with five straight wins, including comfortable conference victories over Michigan State and Iowa.

On October 12, the Buckeyes faced the Oregon Ducks and ended up losing 32-21, a loss that dropped them a couple of spots, to number 4 in the rankings.

After a close win over Nebraska, the Buckeyes traveled to Beaver Stadium where they were up against Penn State, ranked third at that point. The Bucks won the game 20-13, reclaiming the second spot in the AP poll.

Ryan Day’s team followed that by winning three more conference games in a row, including a 38-15 victory over Indiana, for their second top 5 win of the year, as the Hoosiers were 5th on the CFP rankings.

However, the Buckeyes' momentum was halted by a shocking loss to Michigan in "The Game." This defeat significantly impacted their playoff aspirations, dropping them to No. 6 in the CFP rankings.

To compound their woes, Penn State's victory over Maryland eliminated Ohio State from the Big Ten Championship Game, denying them a chance to earn a first-round bye. The Buckeyes ultimately finished fourth in the conference.

For Week 15, the Buckeyes would be seeded eighth in the College Football Playoff, and they would host the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the CFP.

A Buckeyes win over the Vols would likely send them to the Rose Bowl to face the Oregon Ducks for the second time this season (CFP quarterfinal venues are assigned based on historic bowl relationships and seedings).

While they aren’t playing this week, outcomes in the conference championship games could impact the Buckeyes, as seedings could change depending on the results. The final bowl schedule will be released Sunday December 8.