The penultimate College Football Playoff rankings have been released following a frenetic final weekend of the regular season. With just the conference championship games to come, which four college football teams are in the driving seat in the latest CFP rankings?
College Football Playoff Rankings
For every team in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, you’ll find a series of stats. Those include their rankings by multiple outlets — including Pro Football Network’s College Football Top 25 — following Week 13 of the college season.
SOS stands for strength of schedule and is from sports-reference.com. It attempts to quantify how easy a team’s schedule has been (the higher the number, the harder the schedule).
1) Georgia Bulldogs
AP Poll: 1st | Coaches Poll: 1st | PFN Ranking: 1st | Record: 12-0 | Offensive Rank: 12/131 | Defensive Rank: 1/131 | Points scored: 459 (38.2 PPG) | Points allowed: 136 (11.3 PAPG) | SOS: 4.03 (28/131)
Only defeat in the SEC Championship Game stands between the Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff following the latest CFP rankings release.
Despite falling behind to Georgia Tech, the Bulldogs bullied their way to victory in their final game of the regular season behind the imposing defense and an offense that has powered their success through the whole campaign.
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With the top-ranked scoring defense in the nation and the 12th-ranked offense, Georgia has the balance that the CFP Selection Committee has held high value in this season.
Meanwhile, an undefeated season that contains comfortable victories over Tennessee, Oregon, South Carolina, and Mississippi State teams that all featured in the AP Poll Top 25 helps overcome any question marks raised by tight wins over Missouri and Kentucky.
2) Michigan Wolverines
AP Poll: 2nd | Coaches Poll: 2nd | PFN Ranking: 2nd | Record: 12-0 | Offensive Rank: 7/131 | Defensive Rank: 3/131 | Points scored: 478 (39.8 PPG) | Points allowed: 152 (12.7 PAPG) | SOS: 1.37 (59/131)
It’s been apparent now for a long while that the winner of “The Game” was likely to finish the regular season as the second-ranked team in the College Football Playoff rankings. What wasn’t obvious was which team it would be, with Ohio State and Michigan looking both strong and vulnerable at different points of the year.
The Wolverines left no doubt on Saturday. The third-ranked defense in the nation thwarted the dynamic Ohio State offense, effectively ending C.J. Stroud’s Heisman Trophy campaign in front of his home crown.
With J.J. McCarthy, Cornelius Johnson, and Donovan Edwards stepping up with running back standout Blake Corum limited, the offense showed more balance than at any other point in the season.
Michigan finishes the regular season with a top-10 scoring unit on both sides of the ball, setting them apart from any other team in the current top four. That, and a win over the previously second-ranked Buckeyes, leaves them replacing their bitter rival behind the Bulldogs in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.
3) TCU Horned Frogs
AP Poll: 3rd | Coaches Poll: 3rd | PFN Ranking: 3rd | Record: 12-0 | Offensive Rank: 4/131 | Defensive Rank: 53/131 | Points scored: 496 (41.3 PPG) | Points allowed: 294 (24.5 PAPG) | SOS: 5.77 (14/131)
“Leave no doubt.”
Whether you attribute the quote to “Remember the Titans” or West Virginia coach Bill Stewart, Iowa State will forever remember the day they played the 2022 TCU Horned Frogs. It clearly left an impression on the CFP Committee, too, as Sonny Dykes’ team cements their status in the top four, moving up to third in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.
The Horned Frogs have been criticized for having to come from behind in a large portion of their games this season. Yet, in their season finale against the Cyclones, they were up 24-0 by the end of the first quarter. TCU’s defense has been questioned. Yet, they produced a performance as dominant as you’ll find in the archives of the 2022 college football season.
Win against Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship and they’ll be into the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Max Duggan might even find himself in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
4) USC Trojans
AP Poll: 4th | Coaches Poll: 4th | PFN Ranking: 4th | Record: 11-1 | Offensive Rank: 3/131 | Defensive Rank: 61/131 | Points scored: 510 (42.5 PPG) | Points allowed: 316 (26.3 PAPG) | SOS: 2.34 (50/131)
It’s finally happening! The Pac-12 is in with a shout of College Football Playoff representation after the USC Trojans’ win over Notre Dame saw them fight their way into the top four of the penultimate CFP rankings.
All Lincoln Riley’s team needs to do is avenge a defeat to Utah from earlier in the season during Friday night’s title game, and they should be the first Pac-12 team since 2016 to make the playoff.
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Although the Trojans’ strength of schedule is easier than the Buckeyes below them, USC’s manner of victory against a common opponent — Notre Dame — was enough to see them leapfrog over the falling Big Ten team in the latest College Football Playoff rankings release.
5) Ohio State Buckeyes
AP Poll: 5th | Coaches Poll: 5th | PFN Ranking: 5th | Record: 11-1 | Offensive Rank: 2/131 | Defensive Rank: 13/131 | Points scored: 534 (44.5 PPG) | Points allowed: 231 (19.2 PAPG) | SOS: 3.17 (43/131)
Defeat to Michigan in “The Game” sees Ohio State slide out of the College Football Playoff top four in the latest rankings release.
With no Big Ten Championship Game to bolster their résumé, the Buckeyes now have now to hope that either TCU or USC lose in their conference title game and rely on the CFP Selection Committee valuing their balance and wins over Penn State and Notre Dame to stand any chance of progressing to the final four.
A Rose Bowl rematch against Utah is a more realistic consolation prize for the Buckeyes.
6) Alabama Crimson Tide
AP Poll: 6th | Coaches Poll: 6th | PFN Ranking: 6th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 5/131 | Defensive Rank: 10/131 | Points scored: 489 (40.8 PPG) | Points allowed: 216 (18.0 PAPG) | SOS: 3.87 (29/131)
With LSU losing in a shocker against Texas A&M, Alabama regains their spot as the next-best SEC team following the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings.
Can the Crimson Tide genuinely find themselves in the final four? While it seems unlikely, Bryce Young‘s composed performance in despatching Auburn in the Iron Bowl is sure to figure prominently in the thoughts of the committee if a situation arises where everyone in the current top four of the CFP rankings loses during Championship Weekend.
7) Tennessee Volunteers
AP Poll: 7th | Coaches Poll: 8th | PFN Ranking: 7th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 1/131 | Defensive Rank: 47/131 | Points scored: 568 (47.3 PPG) | Points allowed: 282 (23.5 PAPG) | SOS: 4.35 (25/131)
8) Penn State Nittany Lions
AP Poll: 8th | Coaches Poll: 7th | PFN Ranking: 9th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 20/131 | Defensive Rank: 11/131 | Points scored: 430 (35.8 PPG) | Points allowed: 216 (18.0 PAPG) | SOS: 3.18 (42/131)
9) Clemson Tigers
AP Poll: 10th | Coaches Poll: 11th | PFN Ranking: 10th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 27/131 | Defensive Rank: 28/131 | Points scored: 412 (34.3 PPG) | Points allowed: 251 (20.9 PAPG) | SOS: 2.20 (52/131)
10) Kansas State Wildcats
AP Poll: 13th | Coaches Poll: 10th | PFN Ranking: 15th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 34/131 | Defensive Rank: 14/131 | Points scored: 401 (33.4 PPG) | Points allowed: 233 (19.4 PAPG) | SOS: 7.70 (6/131)
11) Utah Utes
AP Poll: 12th | Coaches Poll: 12th | PFN Ranking: 13th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 10/131 | Defensive Rank: 19/131 | Points scored: 473 (39.4 PPG) | Points allowed: 241 (20.1 PAPG) | SOS: 2.08 (53/131)
12) Washington Huskies
AP Poll: 9th | Coaches Poll: 9th | PFN Ranking: 8th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 6/131 | Defensive Rank: 63/131 | Points scored: 489 (40.8 PPG) | Points allowed: 316 (26.3 PAPG) | SOS: -0.08 (69/131)
13) Florida State Seminoles
AP Poll: 14th | Coaches Poll: 14th | PFN Ranking: 16th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 18/131 | Defensive Rank: 17/131 | Points scored: 434 (36.2 PPG) | Points allowed: 236 (19.7 PPG) | SOS: 3.27 (39/131)
14) LSU Tigers
AP Poll: 11th | Coaches Poll: 13th | PFN Ranking: 11th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 39/131 | Defensive Rank: 33/131 | Points scored: 390 (32.5 PPG) | Points allowed: 258 (21.5 PAPG) | SOS: 4.75 (22/131)
15) Oregon State Beavers
AP Poll: 16th | Coaches Poll: 16th | PFN Ranking: 14th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 40/131 | Defensive Rank: 32/131 | Points scored: 389 (32.4 PPG) | Points allowed: 257 (21.4 PAPG) | SOS: 2.51 (46/131)
16) Oregon Ducks
AP Poll: 15th | Coaches Poll: 15th | PFN Ranking: 12th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 8/131 | Defensive Rank: 77/131 | Points scored: 476 (39.7 PPG) | Points allowed: 329 (27.4 PAPG) | SOS: 3.84 (31/131)
17) UCLA Bruins
AP Poll: 17th | Coaches Poll: 17th | PFN Ranking: 17th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 9/131 | Defensive Rank: 85/131 | Points scored: 475 (39.6 PPG) | Points allowed: 340 (28.3 PAPG) | SOS: 0.95 (61/131)
18) Tulane Green Wave
AP Poll: 18th | Coaches Poll: 18th | PFN Ranking: 18th | Record: 10-2 | Offensive Rank: 26/131 | Defensive Rank: 18/131 | Points scored: 413 (34.4 PPG) | Points allowed: 238 (19.8 PAPG) | SOS: -0.38 (71/131)
19) South Carolina Gamecocks
AP Poll: 20th | Coaches Poll: 20th | PFN Ranking: 22nd | Record: 8-4 | Offensive Rank: 45/131 | Defensive Rank: 78/131 | Points scored: 380 (31.7 PPG) | Points allowed: 330 (27.5 PAPG) | SOS: 3.84 (30/131)
20) Texas Longhorns
AP Poll: 21st | Coaches Poll: 21st | PFN Ranking: N/A | Record: 8-4 | Offensive Rank: 21/131 | Defensive Rank: 29/131 | Points scored: 428 (35.7 PPG) | Points allowed: 254 (21.2 PAPG)| SOS: 9.24 (1/131)
21) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
AP Poll: 19th | Coaches Poll: 19th | PFN Ranking: 23rd | Record: 8-4 | Offensive Rank: 52/131 | Defensive Rank: 34/131 | Points scored: 368 (30.7 PPG) | Points allowed: 261 (21.8 PAPG) | SOS: 4.10 (27/131)
22) UCF Golden Knights
AP Poll: 22nd | Coaches Poll: 23rd | PFN Ranking: 24th | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 24/131 | Defensive Rank: 31/131 | Points scored: 419 (34.9 PPG) | Points allowed: 256 (21.3 PAPG) | SOS: -0.44 (72/131)
23) North Carolina Tar Heels
AP Poll: 24th | Coaches Poll: 22nd | PFN Ranking: N/A | Record: 9-3 | Offensive Rank: 15/131 | Defensive Rank: 104/131 | Points scored: 445 (37.1 PPG) | Points allowed: 364 (30.3 PAPG) | SOS: 0.26 (65/131)
24) Mississippi State
AP Poll: 25th | Coaches Poll: 25th | PFN Ranking: N/A | Record: 8-4 | Offensive Rank: 38/131 | Defensive Rank: 52/131 | Points scored: 392 (32.7 PPG) | Points allowed: 290 (24.2 PAPG) | SOS: 4.90 (20/131)
25) North Carolina State Wolfpack
AP Poll: N/A | Coaches Poll: N/A | PFN Ranking: N/A | Record: 8-4 | Offensive Rank: 83/131 | Defensive Rank: 15/131 | Points scored: 304 (25.3 PPG) | Points allowed: 233 (19.4 PAPG) | SOS: 3.34 (37/131)
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