The first College Football Playoff rankings don’t always look like the final ones. Any ranking before Thanksgiving weekend is simply a snapshot of a moment in time. Take the first-ever CFP rankings in 2014, for instance, which featured Mississippi State as the committee’s first No. 1 team. The Bulldogs did not go on to make the Playoff.
This past Tuesday, the first rankings came out for the 2022 season. Tennessee was No. 1, undefeated TCU ranked behind one-loss (at the time) Alabama, and Georgia sat at No. 3. And then all hell broke loose in college football.
Georgia stepped on Tennessee with a hobnail boot, No. 4 Clemson got smoked by Notre Dame, and Alabama—yes, Alabama—lost its second game of the regular season. There has never been a two-loss team in the CFP. It’s not a committee policy, and that may change by the time the field expands to 12, but for now it’s never happened and it’s not likely to this year, either. Not with the logjam at the top featuring still-undefeated and one-loss teams, and the fact that Bama is unlikely to win the SEC West. There’s no telling what the committee is going to do on Tuesday, but there is a blueprint that sets a clear stage for the rest of the season. It looks a little like ….
1. Georgia (9–0)
Last week: Beat Tennessee 27–13
Next week: Mississippi State
The Dawgs remain on top, and don’t you forget it. They never let Tennessee off the mat in this one and as the rain came down it was clear who is No. 1 in the SEC East, the SEC writ large and the whole darn country. Even without receiver Adonai Mitchell back, UGA regained its sorely needed vertical passing game. It struck early and often and then blitzed Tennessee into submission, and that was all she wrote.
2. Michigan (9–0)
Last week: Beat Rutgers 52–17
Next week: Nebraska
To give the Scarlet Knights some credit, they hung around in this game until halftime—and then they very much did not as the Wolverines put the hammer down and did what they usually do under Jim Harbaugh: tear Rutgers apart.
3. Ohio State (9–0)
Last week: Beat Northwestern 21–7
Next week: Indiana
Terrible weather and terrible turf combined for Ohio State to gut this game out. After the contest, coach Ryan Day said “I’m glad this game is over with,” as the Buckeyes struggled mightily in the elements during this one. As Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to be held out with an injury, Ohio State awaits his return to see if he can give it the extra gear the offense is missing and bring sunnier days to the unit.
4. TCU (9–0)
Last week: Beat Texas Tech 34–24
Next week: at Texas
The Horned Frogs had to battle a wily Red Raiders team that did its best to make things difficult, going for it on fourth down multiple times and hounding quarterback Max Duggan who was without his big play receiver Quentin Johnston. But the Frogs won yet again and clinched a Big 12 championship berth to boot as the conference eats itself alive around them.
5. Oregon (7–1)
Last week: Beat Colorado 49–10
Next week: Washington
Oregon is quite clearly not the team that lost by 46 points to Georgia. The Ducks continue to fly together up the standings in the race for the Pac-12 title (remember, no divisions this year) and they certainly have a Playoff candidacy they’re putting together as well. Treachery still lurks on the rest of their schedule with Washington and Oregon State remaining, but they aren’t the only team out West that can say it’s got a shot at meaningful New Year’s Eve on the football field...
6. USC (8–1)
Last week: Beat Cal 41–35
Next week: Colorado
See below...
7. UCLA (8–1)
Last week: Beat Arizona State, 50–36
Next week: Arizona
Let’s handle these two teams together, because it will all come to a head on Nov. 19 when they meet in the Rose Bowl. On Saturday, the Trojans had to hold on to win a game they largely controlled, while the Bruins took care of a lesser conference opponent in ASU. Their march toward each other continues apace.
8. Tennessee (8–1)
Last week: Lost to Georgia 27–13
Next week: vs. Missouri
It’s not all over for Tennessee, but its destiny is no longer in its hands. The Vols likely won’t play in the SEC title game, but if they win their remaining games as convincingly as they did the ones before Saturday’s loss to Georgia, maybe there’s a shot they can use potential carnage above them in the rankings to move back up to the top four.
9. LSU (7–2)
Last week: Beat Alabama 32–21
Next week: Arkansas
Who’s laughing at accents or TikTok videos now? The Tigers are also certainly not what they were in the embarrassing season-opening loss to Florida State or in the beatdown they took against Tennessee. They’re coming together around Brian Kelly and his coaching staff, and belief can only grow after a dramatic win like LSU had on a two-point conversion against the Crimson Tide.
10. Ole Miss (8–1)
Last week: Idle
Next week: Alabama
The Rebels didn’t play this weekend and instead spent the week lying in wait. There is nothing coach Lane Kiffin would like more than to jump up and bite an Alabama team leaking oil. Tune in next week to find out if he can pull it off.
