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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Phil Harrison

Ohio State on the rise in the SP+ rankings after win over Wisconsin

One of the most interesting metrics we like to follow that correlates to a college football team’s strength and talent is ESPN’s SP+ rankings (subscription required) by ESPN’s Bill Connelly. The model has heaped some love on Ohio State over the last few years and we like to see where things stand from year-to-year, month to month, and week to week.

Early on before the season, the SP+ was bullish on the Buckeyes. And it makes sense because the model takes into account things like historical performance of recent years, recruiting, and returning talent. That’s always going to bode well for a program like OSU. But since the season started, Ohio State has dropped a wee bit in the SP+. But what goes into the ratings, bleeps, and bloops of the model?

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According to ESPN:

“The SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing. It is not a resume ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is. It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”

OK. Kind of makes sense, right? Ohio State wasn’t entirely impressive against Notre Dame, looked a bit better against Arkansas State, and then blew the doors off of Toledo and Wisconsin.

Here is what the newly released top 25 of the SP+ looks like, with Ohio State movin’ on up.

25
USC Trojans (4-0)

Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; General overall view of the 2017 Cotton Bowl logo on the back of the helmet of Southern California Trojans long snapper Jake Olson at AT&T Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

14.1

Last Week

Not Ranked

 

24
Washington Huskies (4-0)

Nov 23, 2018; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington Huskies helmet sits during a football game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Martin Stadium. Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

14.2

Last Week

Not Ranked

 

23
Kansas State (3-1)

Nov 6, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of a Kansas State Wildcats helmet against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

14.3

Last Week

Not Ranked

 

22
Texas A&M Aggies (3-1)

Oct 23, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

14.5

Last Week

No. 11

21
Oregon Ducks (3-1)

An “End racism” sticker joins the American Flag on the helmets of Oregon players Saturday Oct. 30, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

15.2

Last Week

No. 20

20
NC State Wolfpack (4-0)

Nov 13, 2021; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet is seen on the sideline during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Truist Field. Credit: William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

15.3

Last Week

No. 19

19
UCLA Bruins (4-0)

Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Detailed view of UCLA Bruins helmets on the sidelines against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

15.4

Last Week

Not Ranked

18
Baylor Bears (3-1)

Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baylor Bears helmets on the sidelines in the first quarter of the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

15.8

Last Week

No. 25

17
Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-1)

Dec. 26, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A Mississippi State Bulldogs helmet on the field prior to the game between the Miami Redhawks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tropicana Field. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

15.9

Last Week

No. 23

16
Kentucky Wildcats (4-0)

Oct. 27, 2018; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Kentucky Wildcats helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

16.5

Last Week

No. 19

15
Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0)

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of an Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

16.8

Last Week

No. 13

14
Cincinnati Bearcats (3-1)

Oct 3, 2020; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats helmet during the game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the South Florida Bulls at Nippert Stadium. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

16.8

Last Week

No. 17

13
Clemson Tigers (4-0)

The Clemson football helmet near the Fiesta Bowl trophy at the coaches’ press conference in Scottsdale, Arizona Friday, December 27, 2019. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

17.2

Last Week

No. 7

12
LSU Tigers (3-1)

Oct 6, 2018; Gainesville, FL, USA; A detailed view of LSU Tigers football helmets against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

17.4

Last Week

No. 22

11
Texas Longhorns (2-2)

Nov 10, 2018; Lubbock, TX, USA; A Texas Longhorns helmet on the sidelines during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

18.4

Last Week

No. 14

10
Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0)

Nov 16, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; General view of a Penn State Nittany Lions helmet prior to the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Beaver Stadium. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

18.5

Last Week

No. 9

9
Utah Utes (ta

Sept. 14, 2019; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; A general view of the helmet worn by Utah Utes quarterback Tyler Huntley (1) against the Idaho State Bengals at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

19.0

Last Week

No. 12

8
Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)

Nov 23, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Tennessee Volunteers helmet during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

19.3

Last Week

No. 8

7
Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-0)

Nov 10, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of a Minnesota Golden Gophers helmets before a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at TCF Bank Stadium. Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

20.5

Last Week

No. 16

6
Ole Miss Rebels (4-0)

Oct. 12, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Mississippi Rebels helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

20.7

Last Week

No. 6

5
Oklahoma Sooners (3-1)

Oklahoma helmets are seen before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

23.8

Last Week

No. 4

4
Michigan Wolverines (4-0)

Nov 18, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; An Michigan Wolverines helmet during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

25.3

Last Week

No. 5

3
Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)

Dec 12, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A detailed view of a Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

28.8

Last Week

No. 1

2
Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)

Oct 17, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; A general view of the Ohio State Buckeyes all-black helmet before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

29.4

Last Week

No. 3

1
Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)

Jul 18, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; An Alabama Crimson Tide helmet is shown on the main stage during SEC football media day at the College Football Hall of Fame. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

SP+ Overall Score

30.3

Last Week

No. 2

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on Twitter.

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