When USA TODAY revealed the final Coaches Poll on Tuesday, Ohio State checked in at No. 10, its lowest finish in a decade.
The Buckeyes' rank resulted from 63 FBS head coaches from across America, including Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who participated in the poll for the first time since 2019, his debut season as leader of the program.
Day's poll mirrored most of the consensus top 10, as he agreed that Michigan, Washington, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Florida State, Oregon and Missouri should be ranked No. 1 through No. 8. However, he ranked Ohio State at No. 9 instead of Ole Miss, whom he selected to round out the top 10. Here is Day's full ballot:
- Michigan
- Washington
- Texas
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Florida State
- Oregon
- Missouri
- Ohio State
- Ole Miss
- Penn State
- Arizona
- LSU
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Louisville
- Iowa
- Oklahoma State
- NC State
- Oregon State
- Tennesee
- Clemson
- Liberty
- SMU
- Kansas State
How Each Coach Ranked Ohio State
With a 15-0 record and a CFP national title, all 63 head coaches ranked Michigan as the No. 1 team in the nation, with national runner-up Washington behind them at No. 2. However, outside the Wolverines and Huskies, there was no consensus about how to round out the top 10, yet most coaches ranked Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon, Missouri, Ole Miss and Ohio State in some order.
While Day ranked Ohio State No. 9, six coaches placed the Buckeyes higher in their polls. Brent Key (Georgia Tech) ranked Ohio State No. 7, and Blake Anderson (Utah State), Dino Babers (Syracuse), Alex Golesh (USF), Mike Locksley (Maryland) and Jim Mora (UConn) ranked the Buckeyes No. 8.
Twelve coaches – including James Franklin (Penn State), Kirby Smart (Georgia) and Kyle Whittingham (Utah) – ranked Ohio State No. 9, while 30 coaches – including Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Nick Saban (Alabama) – ranked the Buckeyes No. 10.
Thirteen coaches ranked Ohio State outside the top 10, headlined by Terry Bowden (Lousiana-Monroe), who placed the Buckeyes at No. 13 in his poll.
Where Ohio State Landed in Each Coach's Poll
No. 7: Brent Key (Georgia Tech)
No. 8: Blake Anderson (Utah State), Dino Babers (Syracuse), Alex Golesh (USF), Mike Locksley (Maryland), Jim Mora (UConn)
No. 9: Ryan Day (Ohio State), Dana Dimel (Texas-El Paso), Jedd Fisch (Arizona), James Franklin (Penn State), Hugh Freeze (Auburn), Willie Fritz (Tulane), Dana Holgorsen (Houston), Brent Pry (Virginia Tech), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Mark Stoops (Kentucky), Jeff Tedford (Fresno State), Kyle Whittingham (Utah), Kevin Wilson (Tulsa)
No. 10: Tim Albin (Ohio), Tim Beck (Coastal Carolina), Jeff Brohm (Louisville), Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Jason Candle (Toledo), Curt Cignetti (James Madison), Dave Clawson (Wake Forest), Sonny Cumbie (Louisiana Tech), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Jake Dickert (Washington State), Stan Drayton (Temple), Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Sonny Dykes (TCU), Mike Elko (Duke), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Tyson Helton (Western Kentucky), Tom Herman (FAU), Butch Jones (Arkansas State), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Lance Leipold (Kansas), Mike MacIntyre (FIU), Gus Malzahn (UCF), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech), Pat Narduzzi (Pitt), Barry Odom (UNLV), Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Nick Saban (Alabama), Scott Satterfield (Cincinnati), Jon Sumrall (Troy), Lance Taylor (Western Michigan), Ken Wilson (Nevada)
No. 11: Neal Brown (WVU), Shawn Elliott (Georgia State), Danny Gonzales (New Mexico), Brady Hoke (San Diego State), Chuck Martin (Miami Ohio), Jeff Monken (Army), Billy Napier (Florida)
No. 12: Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Will Hall (Southern Miss), Brian Newberry (Navy), Rick Stocksdill (Middle Tennessee), Jeff Traylor (UTSA)
No. 13: Terry Bowden (Louisiana-Monroe)
