Did O’Neill get team selection wrong in Old Firm defeat?
Did O'Neill get team selection wrong in Old Firm defeat?. After a meek Premier Sports Cup exit at the hands of rivals Rangers, did Celtic boss Martin O'Neill get his team selection wrong?
What happened
Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1)Why they could be here: The selection committee doesn't just load the top of its ranking with undefeated teams; it never has. Skip to content Celtic captain Callum McGregor hits out at 'team of individuals' after Old Firm League Cup defeat to Rangers Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox to progress to the League Cup semi-finals; the Hoops host Ferencvaros in the Europa League before hosting Rangers in the Premiership; watch the first Old Firm league game of the season this Sunday, live on Sky Sports Monday 14 September 2026 18:23, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Celtic captain Callum McGregor was scathing in his assessment of their performance in Sunday's 3-0 League Cup loss to Rangers "You saw a team and a team of individuals.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Celtic manager Martin O'Neill reacts to their 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the League Cup quarter-finals "If we want to be a good Celtic team then we'll have to win the big games. 1 opponent. (Teams were 0-188 when faced with a 20-point deficit entering Saturday, according to ESPN Research. ) While selection committee members will ultimately reward Texas for its second-half rally, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said his team has to "own everything" for its fourth-quarter collapse.
" Image: Rangers beat Celtic in the first Old Firm of the season With the memories of Austria still fresh in his mind, McGregor feared the defeat could have been even more damaging. Ohio State Buckeyes2dHeather Dinich'Probably should've won by 25': Inside Oklahoma State's upset of OregonOklahoma State Cowboys23mMax OlsonWeek 2 truths: Ohio State's big-game problem; Oregon and Oklahoma still haven't fixed thingsTexas Longhorns23hBill ConnellyWeek 2 AP poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 teamOhio State Buckeyes1dESPNWetzel: Sports should be a unifier, not a political dividerTexas Longhorns1hDan WetzelProjecting the CFP top 12 after Week 2: How far does Ohio State fall?
SMUOhio State Buckeyes3hESPNplayTexas goes wild after defeating No.
The wider picture
Texas became the first FBS team since at least 2004 with a 20-point comeback win against an AP No. Based on historical knowledge and an understanding of the criteria and protocol, here's a look at what the selection committee might do if the rankings were released today. Texas Longhorns (2-0)Why they could be here: The Longhorns easily have the best win in the country now — and that's a label that will last as long as Ohio State looks like a top-five team.
1 spot, it could be an advantage on Selection Day. 1 team at this time is hardly an indictment in the room. Both teams have multiple Heisman Trophy contenders. Why they could be lower: It's hard to imagine the committee dropping Ohio State any further, but Miami has been one of the most dominant and complete teams against unranked opponents. Texas missed the CFP last year because it lost to what was a bad Florida team, and the Longhorns played poorly against two subpar teams in Mississippi State and Kentucky, needing overtime to beat each.
What has been reported
Last year, the selection committee couldn't ignore Indiana because of how consistently it won convincingly — no matter who the Hoosiers played. How well Clemson and North Carolina fare this season will ultimately impact Miami's résumé, as away wins against those teams could become valuable. There's recent history with Miami, though, that raises the playoff stakes for both teams. Western Kentucky is now an 0-2 Conference USA team and Tennessee State is FCS level, factors the committee would consider knowing every team ranked above Georgia here has played a Power 4 opponent.
This Georgia team looks good, and Stockton has thrown eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in two games. The Hoosiers have scored at least 50 points in both of their first two games against underwhelming opponents, and the selection committee will recognize the talent but also would likely hold them back at this point because of the weaker competition. The group would know, however, that North Texas under first-year coach Neal Brown is one of the better Group of 6 teams, as illustrated by Saturday's win against UNLV.
Need to know: Alabama will host a Florida State team that hasn't played since its Sept.
What happens next
Alabama eventually pulled away — as did the Aggies — but part of it depends on which opponent the selection committee finds more formidable. Need to know: The Aggies will face Kentucky next, and the selection committee considers common opponents. If the Aggies can beat LSU in Death Valley, there's a good chance they'd be undefeated when they head to Alabama on Oct. The Trojans are in good company, however, as a handful of teams are in similar spots right now; but the teams above USC have been even more dominant.
Need to know: If the playoff were today, USC would get bumped out of the bracket to make room for Boise State as the highest-ranked team from a Group of 6 conference. 12 BYU would be locked in as the projected Big 12 champ, USC would be the next team to be bumped to make room for the Pac-12's top team. It's a tricky place to play at, especially for a team traveling from the West Coast.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across espn.com, skysports.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.