AP Top 25 poll: Where is Ohio State football on Nathan Baird’s college rankings ballot?

Michigan State QB Payton Thorne (10) is sacked for a loss by OSU DE Tyreke Smith (11) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU WR Chris Olave (2) celebrates his first TD of the game during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) hauls in a TD pass and breaks away from two MSU defenders during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III (9) looks for running room during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) hauls in a TD pass during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU RB Milan Williams (28) is congratulated after his TD run during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) is dragged down after a catch during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

MSU QB Payton Thorne (10) unloads a pass during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker leads the Spartans onto the field Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, before the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU WR Chris Olave (2) hauls in his 35th career TD pass during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

MSU QB Payton Thorne (10) gets chased out of bounds by OSU DE Tyreke Smith (11) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus.

OSU QB C.J. Stroud (7) looks for an open receiver during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB TreVeyon Henderson (32) makes the turn upfield during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

MSU QB Payton Thorne (10) looks for a receiver during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU QB C.J. Stroud (7) looks for an open receiver during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Chris Olave (2) scores his first TD of the day as MSU’s Angelo Grose (15) is too late to stop him during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU TE Mitch Rossi (34) is hit by MSU CB Ronald Williams (9) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) looks to get away from MSU’s Xavier Henderson (3) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Milan Williams (28) celebrates a TD during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Jayden Reed (1) is tackled by OSU CB Denzel Burke (29) and is unable to hold onto the pass during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB TreVeyon Henderson (32) looks for running room agains MSU’s Darius Snow (23) and Noah Harvey (45) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB TreVeyon Henderson (32) looks for running room during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) celebrates a TD catch during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

MSU WR Jayden Reed (1) is stopped by OSU CB Marcus Williamson (5) during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Milan Williams (28) looks for running room during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Chris Olave (2) is congratulated by TE Jeremy Ruckert (88) after Olave scored a TD, his career 35th, during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR’s Chris Olave (2) and Garrett Wilson (5) celebrate Wilson’s TD during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Julian Fleming (4) catches a TD pass as MSU CB Chester Kimbrough (12) is too late during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) pulls down a TD pass in the back of the end zone during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

MSU QB Payton Thorne (10) looks for a receiver during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU head coach Ryan Day walks across the field during a time out in the first half Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Chris Olave (2) catches a pass at the 1-yard-line during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB TreVeyon Henderson (32) looks for running room during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Garrett Wilson (5) celebrates a TD during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Jayden Reed (1) hauls in a pass as OSU CB Denzel Burke (29) gets ready for the hit during first half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Master Teague III (33) finds a hole in the line during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

MSU RB Elijah Collins (24) congratulates WR Keon Coleman (0) on Michigan State’s only score during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU QB Kyle McCord (6) looks for a receiver during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Master Teague III (33) comes up just short of the goal line during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Master Teague III (33) drags a handful of MSU players as he makes a short gain during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU RB Master Teague III (33) runs into an umpire in the end zone after scoring a TD during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

OSU WR Sam Wiglusz (82) looks for running room after a catch during second half action Saturday afternoon, November 20, 2021, during the game between Ohio State and Michigan State in Columbus. The Buckeyes led 49-0 at halftime, and went on to win 56-7.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two separate incidents — unconnected and, in retrospect, somewhat inevitable — collided Saturday.

Many predicted that Ohio State football’s closing schedule provided an opportunity to rise in the rankings. Sure enough, pounding a top-10 Michigan State team 56-7 provides an important new data point for AP top 25 voters like me and the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Winning at all against teams ranked this high would have helped the Buckeyes’ cause. Winning in that fashion should be undeniable.

Saturday night, after weeks of dancing on the edge of a razor, Oregon finally slipped. Utah’s 38-7 rout knocked the Ducks out of any playoff contention.

Georgia remains my No. 1. That undefeated defense has been the standard by which all other national championship contenders are measured — though Ohio State may be changing that talking point.

In re-examining the next tier, while Cincinnati’s victory at Notre Dame remains the “best win” of the other contenders, I leaned towards the overall schedule superiority of Ohio State and Alabama. Both Bama (at Texas A&M) and the Buckeyes (home to Oregon) have a similar loss. Their best victories also fall within a similar range.

The tiebreaker for me is that Ohio State now has both the most recent and most emphatic victory of the two. I think my ballot below might reflect what the playoff committee turns out Tuesday night.

NATHAN BAIRD’S WEEK 13 AP POLL BALLOT

1. Georgia (11-0)

2. Ohio State (10-1)

3. Alabama (10-1)

4. Cincinnati (11-0)

5. Michigan (10-1)

6. Oklahoma State (10-1)

7. Notre Dame (10-1)

8. Ole Miss (9-2)

9. Baylor (9-2)

10. Oklahoma (10-1)

11. Michigan State (9-2)

12. Utah (8-3)

13. Oregon (9-2)

14. Texas A&M (8-3)

15. Wisconsin (8-3)

16. Pitt (9-2)

17. Iowa (9-2)

18. BYU (9-2)

19. N.C. State (8-3)

20. Arkansas (7-4)

21. Clemson (8-3)

22. Wake Forest (9-2)

23. Houston (10-1)

24. San Diego State (10-1)

25. Penn State (7-4)

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