Ohio State and Cincinnati are ranked in the top half of the first College Football Playoff rankings, but both are currently on the outside looking in.
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The CFP committed ranked Ohio State fifth and Cincinnati sixth in the initial rankings released Tuesday night. Rounding out the top six are Georgia, first, Alabama, second, Michigan State, third, and Oregon fourth.
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Oregon holds a head-to-head victory over the Buckeyes after defeating OSU in Columbus Sept. 11 35-28. Since that lost, Ohio State has won six straight including Saturday’s 33-24 win over Penn State.
Michigan State’s ranking comes after the Spartans have started 8-0 and just defeated Michigan Saturday 37-33. Ohio State and Michigan State meet in the home finale for the Buckeyes in Columbus Nov. 20.
Cincinnati’s ranking will bring some debate, after the Bearcats have started the season 8-0, are ranked second in the AP poll, and have an impressive victory at Notre Dame on their CFP resume. The Bearcats have four games remaining, but only one is against a ranked team, Southern Methodist on November 20.
While the Bearcats’ ranking is the highest ever for a “Group of 5″ team, a team from this conference group has never made the CFP since it launched in 2014.
Rounding out the top 10 in the first ranking are Michigan, seventh, Oklahoma, eighth, Wake Forest, ninth, and Notre Dame, tenth.
The committee will release the new rankings on Tuesdays through the rest of the season.