Desmond Howard delivers a direct statement regarding Ohio State's position in the Playoff standings

Jeff Hauser

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Desmond Howard sends clear message about where Ohio State stands in Playoff picture image

TL;DR

  • * Desmond Howard believes Ohio State is overrated and Indiana should be No.
  • 1.
  • * Howard cited Indiana's win over Oregon as a key factor for their ranking.
  • * He questioned Ohio State's win over a struggling Texas team.

Desmond Howard is not convinced the Ohio State Buckeyes deserve to called college football's top team. But is his take part of being a "Michigan homer"? 

The former Wolverines star and Heisman Trophy winner said that the Buckeyes are “slightly overrated" on Saturday's ESPN GameDay. “I think Indiana should be No. 1 because of their wins,” Howard said. “It’s safe to say that they're overrated at No. 1. They probably should be No. 2.”

Howard explained how Indiana’s 30-20 signature win over Oregon was key in putting them over the Buckeyes. The Ducks’ first Big Ten loss since joining the league was proof that the Hoosiers deserve all the hype, until they prove otherwise. 

“We were in Eugene. This team went down there, handled their business,” Howard added. “They left no doubt.”

Ohio State has been ranked No. 1 since Week 2, largely due to a season-opening win over preseason No. 1 Texas. However, Howard argued that the Longhorns’ rocky season makes that victory less impressive in hindsight. It's also a common argument that will play out in the coming weeks with the initial College Football Playoff rankings due out next Tuesday night. 

The Buckeyes (7-0) face Penn State this week, while Indiana (8-0) travels to Maryland. Both programs appear on a course for the Big Ten Championship Game in December, which will determine a lot in the Playoff.

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.