At a program like Ohio State, it’s a goal every year to reach the pinnacle of the sport of college football. The CFP has only been around since 2014, but the Buckeyes have it as their main goal to reach the College Football Playoff annually.
But it’s hard to do, and even harder to win the whole thing.
ESPN has a model that it likes to use to predict the teams that will make the CFP. It has been used over the last few years and was used first for 2022 just before the season kicked off.
We like to keep track of where things are with these projections (even though it’s a secret what drives the percentages), especially since we’re hoping Ohio State is continually up among the favorites to reach the playoff and do some damage.
It must be noted that ESPN only publishes a percentage chance of making the CFP if it is 2% or greater, and there are only fifteen teams that meet that criteria after Week 2 of all the chaos that has been the college football season thus far.
Here is a ranking of teams and their chances of making the College Football Playoff according to ESPN’s Playoff Predictor after Week 2.
No. 15 - BYU Cougars (2-0)
Oct 1, 2021; Logan, Utah, USA; A general view of a helmet worn by Brigham Young Cougars during a game against the Utah State Aggies at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
3%
No. 12 (tie) - Oklahoma Sooners (2-0)
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. Oklahoma won 16-13. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
5%
No. 12 (tie) - Utah Utes (1-1)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
5%
No. 12 (tie) - Miami Hurricanes (2-0)
Oct 30, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes helmets sit on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
5%
No. 9 (tie) - Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-0)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
6%
No. 9 (tie) - Penn State Nittany Lions
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
6%
No. 9 (tie) - Michigan State Spartans (2-0)
Michigan State’s Jalen Nailor wears the “S” logo on his helmet along with the rest of the Spartans for the game against Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
6%
No. 8 - Tennessee Volunteers (2-0)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
11%
No. 7 - Texas Longhorns (1-1)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
19%
No. 6 - USC Trojans (2-0)
Dec 4, 2021; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears tight end Elijah Mojarro (81) celebrates with USC Trojans wide receiver John Jackson III (80) after scoring a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
20%
No. 5 - Michigan Wolverines (2-0)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
25%
No. 4 - Clemson Tigers (2-0)
Sep 10, 2022; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Kobe Pace (7) runs against Furman Paladins safety Jack Rhodes (15) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
45%
No. 3 - Georgia Bulldogs (2-0)
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
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
70%
No. 2 - Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)
Sep 10, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the second half against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s chances of making the CFP
80%
No. 1 - Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0)
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
