Ohio State is a powerhouse when it comes to recruiting, but you don't have to take my word for it. You can check ESPN's rankings, or 247's. It seems like year in and year out, the Scarlet and Gray's biggest recruiting competition comes from the SEC rather than the Big Ten.
For that reason, it might not be unrealistic to think Ohio State will continue to compete for the Big Ten crown every year, but entering the College Football Playoff is another beast entirely. Not only do the Bucks need to make sure they are one of the best teams in the country all year, but any losses suffered during the season have to be at the beginning or it could spell disappointment for the Buckeyes. You'll need to look no further than 2015, when Ohio State was ousted from the CFP after a loss to Michigan State.
So, with that said, can Ohio State really make the CFP four years in a row?
The quick answer is yes, they can, because it is physically possible, but it might be less than likely that it actually comes to fruition.
Beginning with last season, you can find plenty of people who would argue that Ohio State wasn't exactly deserving of their spot after a loss to Penn State and without winning the Big Ten, so the first issue is the subjectivity of the committee to continue to pick Ohio State as one of the four best teams in the nation come season's end.
But, to the dismay of those Penn State and Michigan fans naysayers, Ohio State did make the CFP, and the run of four (or more!) straight could be in the books for Ohio State in the near future.
With coaching skill seeming to be at an all-time high under the direction of Urban Meyer, Greg Schiano, Kevin Wilson and company, the talent at the helm of the program exists for Ohio State to continue to make the playoffs at the end of every season into the near future.
Recruiting, of course, is a difficult path to go along, but the coaches for the Scarlet and Gray have shown their expertise over and over and over again. But coaches like James Franklin at Penn State and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan could challenge Urban Meyer for the top recruiting rankings in the conference if things go their way. It would take a lot to take that title from Meyer, but if we know one thing about Harbaugh it's that he's relentless and will stop at nothing to make his team better. The small disruptions like one or two recruits choosing the Nittany Lions or Wolverines over the Buckeyes could spell big trouble once Ohio State is tasked with winning the Big Ten and taking on whoever advances to the playoffs.
Another thing that could make it particularly difficult for Ohio State to appear four time straight in college football's most prestigious games is the program's current out-of-conference schedule. 2017 will feature a game against Oklahoma, another school that's hopeful for an appearance in the CFP, but no other non-conference marquee matchups for the committee to look at as a measuring stick at the end of the season. In contrast with the Florida State vs. Alabama opener and Colorado in week 3, there's an argument that the Crimson Tide will face two tougher opponents in the first three weeks of this season than Ohio State will face (again, out of conference) in the next three seasons. It would be a tough argument, but an argument nonetheless.
These relatively easy non-conference games could spell trouble when Ohio State has to take on the likes of Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Florida State, Oklahoma State, USC or plenty of other teams whose playoff hopes are high heading into 2017. Without any true tests during the season, the Bucks could face a rude awakening when dealing with a talented non-conference opponent.
Losing J.T. Barrett after the season will also be particularly difficult, as he is perhaps the best quarterback in school history and will leave huge shoes to fill for whichever player steps up to lead the offense.
So again I ask: can Ohio State appear in four consecutive college football playoffs?
If the current state of the program is any indication, yes. Recruiting is at an all-time high, coaching seems to be as good or better than it ever has been, and Urban Meyer's knowledge of the NCAA landscape will certainly help gameplan against top-tier non-conference opponents even if there aren't any on the schedule. It might be a hard bet to take, but Ohio State seems to have as good a chance as any school as the 2017 season draws closer.
