On Ohio State’s margin of error in the eyes of the committee going forward:
Question from the media: Can you speak at all to maybe the margin of error a team like Ohio State would have going into the last week or two of the regular season, kind of the gap they have between some of the other teams below them, if they were to lose at some point like to Michigan?
ROB MULLENS: No, we don’t project ahead. Our job is to rank the teams each week, again, with a clean sheet based on the performance of that week. We do not look ahead.
On comparing Ohio State against LSU:
Question from the media:LSU has beaten your No. 5, 11, and 15 teams, No. 5 on the road. Ohio State beat 10, 12 and 19 in your ranking at home. LSU has got a strength of schedule 10 points higher than Ohio State’s. In the end does the committee see those differences as negligible in terms of ranking the teams?
ROB MULLENS: Yeah, those are — we would obviously value LSU’s three wins over top-15 teams and Ohio State’s wins over three top-19 teams.
Follow Up Question: So they’re pretty much fairly even?
ROB MULLENS: Yeah, those are all really impressive wins to the committee, and they each have three.
More on comparing Ohio State against LSU:
Question from the media: LSU played a team that’s now 6-5 and had a
home game against Northwestern State, while Ohio State’s non-conference opponents are all in the FBS. Does that almost count as a non-game for LSU, having played Northwestern State?
ROB MULLENS: No, I mean, we recognize that it’s an FCS game. It’s highlighted as an FCS game, and we understand what that is.
Question from the media: When it comes to LSU and Ohio State, I’m wondering how much of a decider is Ohio State’s defense in raising Ohio State to No. 1?
ROB MULLENS: That’s a key piece. I mean, they’re a balanced team, strong on offense and defense. Obviously LSU has a very strong offense. But to date their defense isn’t quite as strong as Ohio State’s