Greg McElroy names No. 1 team in college football after initial CFP rankings

Greg McElroy reacts to the first College Football Playoff rankings and shares his thoughts on the committee’s choice.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy explained why this powerhouse is the No. 1 team in the country ahead of Week 11. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff committee’s first rankings of the season were released Tuesday, and the defending national champions are back on top. The Ohio State Buckeyes claimed the No. 1 spot in the debut rankings, edging out fellow unbeaten Indiana and Texas A&M.

As the 12-team playoff picture begins to take shape, the committee cited Ohio State’s overall balance, strength on both sides of the ball, and consistency as the deciding factors. The Buckeyes’ 8-0 record includes two top-25 victories, and their defense has allowed only 6.9 points per game.

For ESPN analyst Greg McElroy, the committee’s decision was the correct one. He said he’s seen the team progress dramatically since its opening-week win over Texas. In his view, the growth of quarterback Julian Sayin and the steadiness of the defense have been key reasons why Ohio State looks like the best team in the country right now.

Greg McElroy Praises Ohio State’s Improvement and Consistency

“Let’s start at No. 1, Ohio State. Some people had a problem with this. I didn’t,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “I’ve watched Ohio State play. I’ve seen the level of dominance. I’ve seen the actual performance improve. This is a team that I feel has improved drastically from what we saw week one.”

McElroy highlighted Ohio State’s progress, referencing its season-opening win over Texas as a marker of how far the Buckeyes have come. “Ohio State was a solid football team week one in beating Texas,” he said. “That version of Ohio State would lose to today’s version by 21 points. I’ve seen progress made at quarterback. I’ve seen progress made in identity. The defense has been steady all throughout.”

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play this season. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

He also pointed to the analytics that support their placement. “They’re No. 1 in game control, which is a fancy way of saying eye test. They’re No. 3 in strength of record,” McElroy said. “They have two wins against teams ranked in the top 25, and those teams combined to score only 13 points against the Buckeyes. I think they’re appropriately ranked at No. 1.”

The Buckeyes are set to continue their season Saturday when they travel to face Purdue at 1 p.m. ET on BTN.