Ever think losing a game could be the best thing to happen to a team? Well, that’s the bizarre reality for Ohio State Buckeyes right now. The Buckeyes, who’ve been one of college football’s most dominant forces in recent history, found themselves knockout out of the NO.1 spot after a heart-wrenching, one-point loss to Oregon on week 7. Yeah, the loss stung. Now their playoff path might have gotten a little easier. Crazy, right? Losing to the top dog by a hair and ending up in an arguably better spot than them? Ohio State may have just been handed a blessing in disguise.

Let’s be real. That was a very close game. All these fans and analysts expect the Ducks to put up a fight. Nobody expected Oregon to go toe-to-toe with Ohio Buckeyes and seal the deal with a last-second 19-yard field goal. That field goal handed them their first loss of the season. The game ended with 32-31 Oregon. It was a heartbreaking gut-punch of a game that left Ohio State fans shaking their heads. But here’s the kicker: while the loss cost them a shot at the top playoff seed and dropped them to No. 5, it may have opened up a much easier path to the College Football Playoff semifinals according to the projected playoff bracket by CBS Sports. And if you’re wondering how that works, welcome to the crazy world of college football rankings.

You see, thanks to the new 12-team playoff format, the top four teams (Oregon, Texas, BYU, and Miami) get a free pass through the first round. As the No. 5 team, Ohio State will have to face off against Boise State, a team they should have no problem handling. If they take care of business, the Buckeyes will get to face No. 4 Miami in a game that, while still tough, looks way more winnable than what the top-ranked Ducks have in store. No need to sweat out a battle with an 8-seed or 9-seed like Oregon has to in the first round. Ohio State’s road to the Final Four just got a lot smoother.

The Ducks get a bye in Round 1 but then have to face either No. 8 Tennessee or No. 9 Notre Dame—two teams that have a history of pulling an upset. Meanwhile, Ohio State is sitting pretty with a path that only leads through Boise State and Miami. If the Buckeyes can shake off the Oregon loss and keep their focus. It’s hard to see how they won’t make it to the semifinals.

Ohio State’s upcoming schedule: The Calm Before the Storm

Now, Ohio State’s fate isn’t entirely in their own hands. With three games left, they’ve got Northwestern Wildcats (4-5) in Week 12, a warm-up game if we are being real. Based on the current form and what they did to Purdue Boilermakers (45-0 Buckeyes) last week. They can easily run through the Wildcats.

Then comes the real challenge for the Buckeyes. Week 13 brings them the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers, which is led by Curt Cignetti. At 10-0 and sitting at the top of heavy-hitters Big 10 table, by all means, Indiana isn’t playing around. The Buckeyes can’t simply rag-doll Hoosiers like they did the Michigan State Spartans, Marshall Thundering herd, Purdue Boilermakers, and so on. This will be the Buckeyes’ biggest test of the season (after Oregon Ducks)—an undefeated team, a shot at the Big Ten title, and the pressure of staying in playoff contention. The Hoosiers will put everything they’ve got online for this matchup. The Buckeyes will need to bring their A-game to stay alive.

In the wild world of college football, sometimes a little agony can turn into a huge blessing. Ohio State’s loss to Oregon has reshaped their playoff journey in a way that might actually play to their advantage. With a favorable remaining schedule and a shot at Miami in the first round, the Buckeyes are to make a deep playoff run—and maybe even meet Oregon again for the National Championship. Who knows!!