For the first time in eight years, the SEC was left out of the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State shocked the college football world by winning the College Football Playoff, and the Buckeyes are building a big-time program under Urban Meyer and return several elite players. However, TCU was left on the outside looking in for the four-team playoff, but the Horned Frogs return quarterback Trevone Boykin and nine other offensive starters. Both teams are figured to make a run at the College Football Playoff in 2015.

Who is the SEC’s bigger threat in 2015: Ohio State or TCU?

Our staff debates:

Jon Cooper (@JonSDS): Ohio State

The SEC’s biggest villain is none other than Urban Meyer, the one coach who started the SEC’s dynasty run in 2006 with a blowout win over…Ohio State. Meyer is the 800-pound gorilla that will always be there unless Michigan can rise up and challenge the Buckeyes. TCU returns a very experienced and talented roster, and the Horned Frogs will be the huge favorite in the Big 12. The Big 12, however, has more parity. Both teams will be projected to make the four-team playoff, but Ohio State could own the Big Ten in the near future and will be a staple in the postseason.

Brad Crawford (@BCrawfordSDS): Ohio State

It’s safe to say TCU will be a preseason Top 5 and rightfully so since the Horned Frogs welcome back several key starters including Trevone Boykin, but Gary Patterson’s team doesn’t have anywhere near the firepower of the Buckeyes. Urban Meyer’s won 39 games in three seasons and currently has three quarterbacks on roster who could likely start for any team in the country. Ohio State should be No. 1 when the season begins and has a chance to sustain that lofty praise throughout.

Ethan Levine (@Ethan Levine): TCU

The Buckeyes are returning plenty of talent from this year’s national title team, but none of the nation’s elite teams are poised to return as much talent as TCU. The Horned Frogs are a playoff team that the new playoff format simply didn’t have room for, but they remain on the short list of contenders to reach the playoff next season. TCU will return 10 of 11 starters from this year’s explosive offense, including quarterback Trevone Boykin, and their underrated defense could surprise teams in the Big 12 next year. There’s no wrong answer to this question, but despite the way OSU closed the 2014 season TCU still poses the greatest threat to the rest of the country in 2015.

Brett Weisband (@WeisbandSDS: Ohio State

The Buckeyes were supposed to be a year away, but Urban Meyer turned in one of the best coaching performances in recent history to take a young team to the top. Ohio State is returning at least two players that would start at quarterback for most teams around the country, a Heisman frontrunner in Ezekiel Elliott and a host of talent on offense, while an athletically underrated (although perhaps not anymore) defense will return as many as eight starters. Meyer helped bring the Big Ten back, and while he’ll have some competition for recruits from his friends at Michigan going forward, he showed that he can put together a championship-caliber team anywhere.

Christopher Smith (@CSmithSDS): TCU

The Horned Frogs return 10 of 11 starters on an offense that averaged 46.5 points per game and pelted Ole Miss for 42 in the Peach Bowl. ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 only projects three Big 12 teams in the rankings, with Oklahoma State (No. 24) not a serious threat. Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State could potentially crack the Top 25 as well, but TCU doesn’t have to contend with a conference championship game. It worked against them this season, but it may be a benefit in 2015. Baylor may be their one big obstacle, and college teams do well in revenge games. Meanwhile, as we’ve seen at Alabama, it’s exceedingly difficult to win national title after national title. Ohio State has to contend with a revenge-minded Michigan State (featuring senior QB Connor Cook), Jim Harbaugh will be out for blood at Michigan and Wisconsin has a great shot to win the other Big Ten division. Both teams lose key pieces on defense, but Ohio State must replace offensive coordinator Tom Herman and figure out a convoluted QB situation, so I give a slight edge to TCU.