Pushed to the back burner of the College Football Playoff debate after last month's loss to Oregon, Ohio State has rebounded with four consecutive wins and climbed to No. 6 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
After taking several weeks to find his footing, quarterback C.J. Stroud has thrown for 736 yards and 10 touchdowns in wins against Rutgers and Maryland to open October. Despite the uneven start and a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the Buckeyes' win against Akron, Stroud may challenge Dwayne Haskins' school record for passing yards in a season.