The Bobcats don’t exactly earn a ranking, but several Top 25 voters recognized their 11-3 season.
The 2024 season is officially in the books, and nothing effectively concludes the year more than the final AP Top 25.
The rankings were released Tuesday morning after Monday’s National Championship Game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, with the Buckeyes claiming the No. 1 spot after their 34-23 victory.
There were no Mid-American Conference representatives in the final AP Poll, marking the fourth-straight season the conference came up empty-handed in the Top 25. However, the Ohio Bobcats still received recognition in the form of eight points — effectively placing them tied for 31st in the final rankings. Eight points is the most any MAC team has received in the final AP Poll since 2020.
Three voters included Ohio on their final ballot. Stephen Means of Cleveland.com placed the Bobcats at No. 21 (five points), David Dablonski of the Dayton Daily News put them at No. 24 (two points), and Sean Reider of the Albuquerque Journal ranked them at No. 25 (one point).
Ohio finished the 2024 campaign with an 11-3 record to claim its winningest season in program history. The Bobcats earned their first MAC title since 1968 by throttling rival Miami (OH) 38-3 in Detroit — the largest margin of victory in MAC Championship Game history. Head coach Tim Albin departed the night of the MAC title, but interim (and 2025 full-time head coach) Brian Smith finished the job. Under Smith’s direction, Ohio sustained its winning ways through the Cure Bowl, knocking off Conference USA champion Jacksonville State 30-27 to claim its sixth bowl win in its last six appearances.
The Bobcats won 10+ games for the third consecutive season to cement their greatest three-year stretch in program history, accumulating a combined record of 31-10 over the timespan. They still seek their first AP Poll appearance since 2012 and first final AP Poll ranking since 1968.
No MAC team has finished a season ranked since Ball State checked in at No. 23 and Buffalo at No. 25 in the COVID-adjusted 2020 season. In a full season with ordinary non-conference schedules, 2016 Western Michigan was the most recent team to achieve this feat, landing at No. 15 after a Cotton Bowl appearance.
Here is the final 2024 AP Poll: