Ohio State is ranked for the first time this season.
The Buckeyes landed at No. 25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll on Monday amid their six-game winning streak.
Wins over Central Michigan and Minnesota were enough to propel Ohio State from eighth in the "others receiving votes" category of the rankings into the final ranked spot.
Ohio State's upward momentum began with its taking of the Emerald Coast Classic title two weekends ago. A nine-point win over then-No. 17 Alabama – the No. 1 overall seed in last year's NCAA Tournament and the nation's No. 1 offense this season in both points per game and points per 100 possessions – set the stage for the Buckeyes to reach the final round of that event. Another victory over Santa Clara, who entered the contest with a 6-0 record that includes wins against a pair of Power Five schools in Stanford and Oregon, secured the Emerald Coast Classic championship for Ohio State. The Buckeyes also flexed some dominance in winning by 30 points.
Ohio State was not ranked in the AP Poll, also released on Monday, but was second in the "others receiving votes" category behind Virginia. The Buckeyes collected 122 votes in that poll, 46 off San Diego State for 25th.
Other Big Ten teams that cracked the top 25 include No. 4 Purdue and No. 18 Illinois.
Ohio State continues its season at home Wednesday against Miami (Ohio). The game tips off at 7 p.m. on B1G+, the Big Ten Network's streaming service.
