{
  "id": 11665505,
  "title": "Despite concerns, vast majority of fans still expect Ohio State to be a playoff team",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/despite-concerns-vast-majority-of-fans-still-expect-ohio-state-to-be",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T11:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/despite-concerns-vast-majority-fans-110100300.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Despite concerns, the majority of Ohio State fans remain confident that the team will be a playoff contender. In a recent survey, fans were asked about their expectations for the Buckeyes after watching their first four games. The majority believe Ohio State will run the table against their remaining opponents, which would likely make them a national title favorite. Even if the team were to lose one or two of those games, fans still expect them to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, if the team were to lose three or more games, there would be no realistic chance of making a significant postseason impact. The Buckeyes are currently in their fifth game of the season, meaning that the regular season is one-third over. In response to the second question, a poll asked fans to predict the margin of victory in the upcoming Ohio State vs. Iowa game. According to the article, 36% of respondents picked Ohio State to win by 11 to 20 points, aligning with the 14.5-point favorite status the Buckeyes hold heading into the Big Ten road game against the No. 14 Hawkeyes.",
  "summary": "As we head into Ohio State’s fifth game of the season this afternoon, we’ve got the results through this week’s fan survey, and (unsurprisingly) Buckeye Nation still expects OSU to make the playoff.",
  "key_points": [
    "Majority of Ohio State fans confident in playoff contention",
    "Buckeyes expected to run table, secure playoff spot",
    "36% predict 11-20 point victory over Iowa"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}