COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State was a unanimous No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press poll, while Notre Dame was No. 11.
Through four games, both teams were undefeated, the Buckeyes still on top and the Fighting Irish at No. 6.
By the time the first College Football Playoff rankings were released after nine weeks, undefeated Ohio State was No. 3 with one-loss Notre Dame at No. 5. The next week the Irish had moved to No. 4.
At that point, 10 weeks in, both Ohio State and Notre Dame looked like College Football Playoff teams.