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    Ohio State football rankings: Where will Buckeyes fall to in top 25 after loss at Oregon?

    By Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY NETWORK,

    1 days ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1pZPKE_0w4uooj200

    This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

    Time ran out on No. 2 Ohio State Saturday night in Eugene, Oregon.

    Quarterback Will Howard slid to the turf as the fourth-quarter clock hit zero. The Buckeyes would not get a shot at a game-winning field goal. The fans began to stream from the Autzen Stadium stands. No. 3 Oregon had beaten Ohio State, 32-31, in a back-and-forth Big Ten clash that lived up to all the anticipation and hype that preceded it ahead of Week 7 on the college football schedule.

    Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Ducks passed a huge test in their new league by racking up nearly 500 yards of offense against the Buckeyes.

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    For Ohio State, one road loss doesn't shut off its path to the College Football Playoff , particularly given how compelling and close Saturday's game turned out to be. Howard played well until the very end, completing 28 of 35 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns. But the Buckeyes' margin for error, both in the Big Ten championship and CFP races, will shrink considerably for the rest of the season after falling just short this week.

    Ohio State is off next week before facing a Big Ten home game against Nebraska on Oct. 26.

    So the question between now and then is how far will the Buckeyes' loss at Oregon drop them in the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings ahead of Week 8? Let's break it down:

    Ohio State football rankings: Where will Buckeyes fall in the top 25?

    The Buckeyes ascended to No. 2 in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings this week ahead of No. 3 Oregon, so they will definitely drop in the national polls moving forward. The Ducks will at least leap past Ohio State for the No. 2 spot based on their win Saturday night.

    After that will depend on perception and what voters think of Ohio State's five wins preceding this setback. Only one other team in the top 10 of the Coaches Poll lost on Saturday after LSU beat Ole Miss . Nonetheless, it'd be surprising to see Ohio State fall outside the top 10 because of one road loss.

    Perhaps No. 4 Georgia moves ahead of Ohio State since its win over Clemson to start the year is better than any win the Buckeyes have thus far (although Iowa's win over Washington Saturday made Ohio State's blowout of the Hawkeyes look better). No. 5 Penn State is still undefeated and coming off a big road win at USC this week. Anything in the 6-10 range would make sense for the Buckeyes when the latest rankings are released on Sunday.

    Here's a breakdown of how the rest of the top 10 fared in Week 7:

    Rankings reflect Week 7 US LBM Coaches Poll

    • No. 1 Texas: 34-3 win over No. 16 Oklahoma
    • No. 2 Ohio State: 32-31 loss to No. 3 Oregon
    • No. 3 Oregon: 32-31 win vs. No. 2 Ohio State
    • No. 4 Georgia: 41-31 win over Mississippi State
    • No. 5 Penn State: 33-30 win vs. USC (OT)
    • No. 6 Miami : Off
    • No. 7 Alabama: 27-25 win vs. South Carolina
    • No. 8 Ole Miss: 29-26 loss to No. 10 LSU (OT)
    • No. 9 Tennessee: 23-17 win vs. Florida (OT)
    • No. 10 LSU: 29-26 win vs. No. 8 Ole Miss

    Final ranking prediction: Ohio State falls to No. 7

    Follow USA TODAY Network sports reporter Mark Giannotto on social media @mgiannotto and email him at mgiannotto@gannett.com .

    This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football rankings: Where will Buckeyes fall to in top 25 after loss at Oregon?

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