college football playoff top 25 – Syndication Server

College Football Playoff Rankings Final Top 25

College Football Playoff rankings. The final 2022 top 25 along with the four teams off to the playoff.

How do the top teams rank in the top 25 in the final 2022 College Football Playoff top 25 rankings?

College Football Playoff Final Top 25 Rankings

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1. Georgia Bulldogs 13-0 (1)

2. Michigan Wolverines 13-0 (2)

3. TCU Horned Frogs 12-1 (3)

4. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (5)

5. Alabama Crimson Tide 10-2 (6)

6. Tennessee Volunteers 10-2 (7)

7. Clemson Tigers 11-2 (9)

8. Utah Utes 10-3 (11)

9. Kansas State Wildcats 10-3 (10)

10. USC Trojans 11-2 (4)

– AP Poll: Final Regular Season

11. Penn State Nittany Lions 10-2 (8)

12. Washington Huskies 10-2 (12)

13. Florida State Seminoles 9-3 (13)

14. Oregon State Beavers 9-3 (15)

15. Oregon Ducks 9-3 (16)

– CFN Final Regular Season 1-131

16. Tulane Green Wave 11-2 (18)

17. LSU Tigers 9-4 (14)

18. UCLA Bruins 9-3 (17)

19. South Carolina Gamecocks 8-4 (19)

20. Texas Longhorns 8-4 (20)

21. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-3 (21)

22. Mississippi State Bulldogs 8-4 (24)

23. NC State Wolfpack 8-4 (25)

24. Troy Trojans 11-2 (NR)

25. UTSA Roadrunners 11-2 (NR)

– Coaches Poll: Final Regular Season

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College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Final Prediction

College Football Playoff rankings prediction. What will the final top 25 potentially be on Sunday?

What will the final College Football Playoff rankings be? Here’s our prediction and projection of the last top 25 that means everything.

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Prediction

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Note that below are NOT the actual 2022 College Football Playoff rankings – those come out Sunday. This is our prediction and projection of what the final top 25 might be.

This is based on two key beliefs. 1) The College Football Playoff committee almost certainly will go by past precedent and give the most credit to teams that win Power Five conference championships. 2) The committee has never put a team with multiple losses in the top four, but it has put in teams that finished 11-1.

25. Fresno State Bulldogs 9-4 (NR)

24. UTSA Roadrunners 11-2 (NR)

23. NC State Wolfpack 8-4 (25)

22. Mississippi State Bulldogs 8-4 (24)

21. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-3 (21)

20. Texas Longhorns 8-4 (20)

19. South Carolina Gamecocks 8-4 (19)

18. UCLA Bruins 9-3 (17)

17. Oregon Ducks 9-3 (16)

16. Oregon State Beavers 9-3 (15)

– Bowl Eligibility: All bowl eligible teams

15. LSU Tigers 9-4 (14)

14. Tulane Green Wave 11-2 (18)

13. Florida State Seminoles 9-3 (13)

12. Washington Huskies 10-2 (12)

11. Penn State Nittany Lions 10-2 (8)

10. Kansas State Wildcats 10-3 (10)

9. Tennessee Volunteers 10-2 (7)

8. USC Trojans 11-2 (4)

7. Utah Utes 10-3 (11)

6. Alabama Crimson Tide 10-2 (6)

5. Clemson Tigers 11-2 (9)

– Bowl Projections: Final Call

4. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (5)

3. TCU Horned Frogs 12-1 (3)

2. Michigan Wolverines 13-0 (2)

1. Georgia Bulldogs 13-0 (1)

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College Football Playoff Chase: Ranking Path Of The 6 (really 5) Teams Still Alive

Who’s in the College Football Playoff chase? Six teams are still realistically alive, and we rate them based on how clear their paths are and the likelihood of getting in.

Who’s still alive in the chase to get into the 2023-2023 College Football Playoff? Before Championship Week, here are the six teams still alive and what they need to do to get in.

Is there really any drama left?

LSU tapped out with its loss to Texas A&M, Clemson is done after losing to South Carolina, Oregon ended any hopes after collapsing against Oregon State, Tennessee is effectively done, and Alabama … more on that in a second.

Remembering that the College Football Playoff committee has always taken a 12-1 or unbeaten Power Five conference champion this can be very, very simple.

If Georgia, Michigan, TCU, and USC all win their respective conference championship games, they’re in. That’s it. No debate. That’s the College Football Playoff.

But what happens if one of them loses? What happens if one of them gets rocked in a massive blowout? Then this gets interesting for a few other teams.

Remember, though – we have yet to get a huge upset in one of the Power Five conference championships in the eight years of the College Football Playoff era.

What’s the path for the five teams – with another added – to get into the College Football Playoff?

This isn’t a ranking of who the top teams are – that’s for our ranking of all 131 teams – this is about a combination of talent, clearest path, and overall pecking order.

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College Football Playoff Chase Ranking Path Of The 6 Teams Still Alive

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2)

What’s Next: Bowl Game

What Alabama has to do to make the College Football Playoff: I’m only indulging here because of all the Alabama fans who still believe this is one of the four best teams despite the two losses.

Pray for chaos.

It’s going to take something insane – like Kansas State beating TCU by 40 in the Big 12 Championship, Purdue shocking Michigan in the Big Ten title game, and USC has to lose to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship.

And even then, the committee might like the idea of an 11-2 ACC champion Clemson, or a 10-2 Tennessee that beat the Tide.

Will Alabama make the College Football Playoff? Of course not.

The College Football Playoff has yet to take a two-loss team, and it’s not going to select one that didn’t win its Power Five conference championship. With that said …

Alabama’s two losses came on the road on the final plays against Tennessee and LSU. There might be enough respect to think it might be worth of the four slot if TCU gets destroyed and USC loses.

However, the close calls against Texas and Texas A&M are a factor, and yeah, there would’ve been a more compelling case to be made if Bama beat Auburn 49-0 instead of 49-27.

And then there’s the mythical “because it’s Alabama” clause always hanging over the CFP committee. It can do whatever it wants.

But no. Alabama won’t get in. The one team outside of the top four that really does have a shot, though is …

– College Football Playoff Top 25 Prediction

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)

What’s Next: Bowl Game

What Ohio State has to do to make the College Football Playoff: USC has to lose to Utah.

There’s the slimmest of chances that Clemson could slide in with a total wipeout of an ACC Championship win over North Carolina. Even then, the committee would take Ohio State because of its win over a Notre Dame team that beat Clemson.

Ohio State beat the first 11 teams on the slate by double-digits, the committee might rationalize that time off could help the injury factor, and then there’s the theoretical side that doesn’t get used enough. If Michigan is one of the top two teams, and that’s Ohio State’s only loss, it could – in theory – actually be the third-best team.

Will Ohio State make the College Football Playoff? 50/50.

Utah was terrific in last year’s Pac-12 Championship, it took down USC once already, and ALL of the pressure is now on the Trojan side of the field. It might depend on how close the loss is – if it happens. If it’s on a last second play, it could still be questionable.

And no, Ohio State almost certainly doesn’t jump TCU even if Kansas State wins in a wipeout. It would have to be something truly ugly.

NEXT: College Football Playoff Chase Rankings Top 4

Pages: 12

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Reaction. Will Ohio State Get In? What If TCU Loses?

College Football Playoff rankings reaction, predictions, and whether or not Ohio State belongs in the College Football Playoff.

Reaction after the third round of College Football Playoff rankings. What to take away from the latest – and next-to-last top 25.

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Reaction, Penultimate

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– College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25: Penultimate

I dig this time of year. The holidays are here, everyone is in a cheerful mood, the word penultimate comes out of its hole to tell us there’s six more weeks of college football.

“Penultimate” is to the College Football Playoff what “stave” is to the NHL playoffs

“You’re trying to get me to project.” – Boo Corrigan, College Football Playoff committee chair to Rece Davis

YES, Son. By all means … PROJECT.

Are you just yanking Ohio State around, or does it really have a chance to get in if USC loses? Is there any possible scenario to get Alabama in, or should the fan base start the grieving process now?

This is the ridiculous part about all of this. We’re going off the whims of a panel of judges who aren’t able to/don’t watch the entirety of the college football season to make a judgment based on eye test.

– How do the 6 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

Transparency, transparency, TRANSPARENCY. Televise the selection process. Let all the teams know what you’re thinking. Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep winning and get in, but it’s not that simple.

Does Michigan have to play a slew of injured players? How much does TCU have to sweat? Can USC lose by 2 or 20 or not at all?

That’s why we must have an expanded College Football Playoff with teams knowing that if it wins, it’s in. No opinions needed.

Think of it this way. If USC beats Utah on Friday night, there’s no real need to watch anything on Saturday other than the American Athletic Conference champion to see how gets the Group of Five spot in the New Year’s Six – if that matters to you.

In an expanded College Football Playoff with all Power Five conference champs all but assured of getting in, Saturday would be one of the five best days on the sports calendar.

Shhhhhhhhhhh, we’re not supposed to project. If Utah beats USC you probably don’t have to watch anything on Saturday, either.

The College Football Playoff committee just told you what the deal is. Alabama is out. I know there’s some thought that if Michigan gets destroyed by Purdue and/or LSU beats Georgia and TCU loses that the Tide might be in the thought process, but nah.

It’s ridiculous, but Alabama had to become 2014 Ohio State, when it ripped through Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship. At that point the Buckeyes had to be in. Alabama needed to 62-3 Auburn just to look the part. Again, silly, but 49-27 – meh.

It doesn’t deserve to be in, but I’m not sold that Alabama doesn’t win that little two game tournament if it gets in.

– CFN Rankings 1-131

Okay, really, does Ohio State have a shot? I’m guessing here, but I don’t think TCU matters. If it gets roasted by 40 against Kansas State, then maybe. Just losing the Big 12 Championship won’t be enough.

Michigan is totally irrelevant. It could lose by 50 to Purdue in the Big Ten Championship and it’s not getting knocked out for Ohio State. The same goes for Georgia.

I’ve heard all the arguments and rhetoric that it’s not fair for USC to play an extra game while Ohio State gets to spend its Saturday Christmas shopping. That’s totally true, but to think like the College Football Playoff committee …

USC’s best win is over, what? Notre Dame? Ohio State beat the Irish, and took down CFP 8 Penn State. USC’s best win was over … CFP 15 Oregon State?

Here’s the problem with all of that. Six Pac-12 teams are in the top 17. Three Big Ten teams are in the top eight. Conference-wise, the Pac-12 has been stronger this year – there aren’t any other ranked Big Ten teams.

By the way, theoretically, Penn State could be 6. It’s 8, its only two losses were to Michigan and Ohio State, and it ripped through just about everyone else. The only Nittany Lion win by anyone by less than double-digits was the 35-31 opener over Purdue.

I’m finding it hard to believe that the Rose Bowl might not want Ohio State vs Utah. 1) God forbid we have a repeat of anything close to THAT – one of the most fun bowl games ever – again. More importantly, 2) it’s the Rose Bowl. Like it’s going to pass on the highest-ranked team outside of the College Football Playoff.

Fine, to answer the question, does Ohio State really have a shot to get into the College Football Playoff? Absolutely. The Pac-12 Championship has been the weirdest of the Power Five bunch in the CFP era. Oregon screwed up USC in 2020 and Utah in 2019. And yes, that qualifies as weird.

Would it be even remotely surprising if the Pac-12 went Pac-12 and Utah messed it all up with a win over USC?

[lawrence-related id=555458]

My best guess is this. Even if USC loses in a close battle it’s out and Ohio State is in. Until the College Football Playoff takes a two-loss team for the first time – especially one that didn’t win its Power Five conference championship – I’m not buying it.

And what about TCU? What if it gets rolled?

We’re all guessing here. There aren’t any hard rules the College Football Playoff committee has to follow, so we’re all trying to get into the minds of the people in that room. I think TCU is in no matter what – 12 wins and a spot in the Big 12 Championship beats 11 wins and not playing in the Big Ten Championship. However …

If TCU loses by 20+ and looks and plays like it was dominated by Kansas State, there’s at least more of a discussion about Ohio State in a “four best team” sort of way. Buckeye fans won’t like this idea, but it would be a huge help if Michigan obliterated Purdue – that would make the loss in Columbus last weekend seem a wee bit more palatable.

If you’re TCU, you’re rooting or Utah to beat USC and make the Big 12 Championship irrelevant. It doesn’t matter if Kansas State annihilates the Horned Frogs, Alabama still isn’t getting in – I think. USC with two losses allows Ohio State a spot.

So with ALL of that said, Ohio State fans, root for Utah and Kansas State. Hard.

– Bowl Eligibility: Where does every team stand?

Wait, why did CFP 11 Utah pass CFP 12 Washington? Washington beat Washington State this last weekend, and Utah beat Colorado. The Arizona State loss for Washington was baked in last week when it was 13 and Utah 14. Why did the argument in the room change over the last seven days?

Was it because USC’s win over Notre Dame made Utah look better? If so, then Florida’s loss to Florida State should’ve made Utah’s opening week loss look worse, and …

Whatever. I was preparing for this week to be far more interesting, and then Clemson, Tennessee, and LSU all gacked last Saturday. But they did, so …

I can’t change the future, I can only see it … What’s it going to be next Sunday when we do this for real?

1. Georgia, 2. Michigan, 3. TCU, 4. Ohio State

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Bowl Projections

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 November 29: One More To Go

College Football Playoff top 25 rankings. How do the teams rank in after the penultimate round?

How do the top teams rank in the top 25 after the penultimate round of the 2022 College Football Playoff rankings?

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 November 29

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25. NC State Wolfpack 8-4 (NR)

24. Mississippi State Bulldogs 8-4 (NR)

23. North Carolina Tar Heels 9-3 (17)

22. UCF Knights 9-3 (22)

21. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-3 (15)

20. Texas Longhorns 8-4 (23)

19. South Carolina Gamecocks 8-4 (NR)

18. Tulane Green Wave 10-2 (19)

17. UCLA Bruins 9-3 (18)

16. Oregon Ducks 9-2 (9)

– Bowl Eligibility: All bowl eligible teams

15. Oregon State Beavers 9-3 (21)

14. LSU Tigers 9-3 (5)

13. Florida State Seminoles 9-3 (16)

12. Washington Huskies 10-2 (13)

11. Utah Utes 9-3 (14)

– CFN Rankings 1-131

10. Kansas State Wildcats 9-3 (12)

9. Clemson Tigers 10-2 (8)

8. Penn State Nittany Lions 10-2 (11)

7. Tennessee Volunteers 10-2 (10)

6. Alabama Crimson Tide 10-2 (7)

5. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (2)

– How do the 6 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

4. USC Trojans 11-1 (6)

3. TCU Horned Frogs 12-0 (4)

2. Michigan Wolverines 12-0 (3)

1. Georgia Bulldogs 12-0 (1)

CFN 1-131 Rankings | Bowl Projections

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College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Prediction November 29

College Football Playoff rankings prediction. What will the penultimate top 25 be when it comes out on Tuesday night?

What will the College Football Playoff rankings potentially be? It’s the predicted best guess on the penultimate 2022 CFP Top 25.

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Prediction

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Note that below are NOT the actual 2022 College Football Playoff rankings – those come out Tuesday night, November 29th. This is our prediction and projection of what the penultimate top 25 might be.

25. Ole Miss Rebels 8-4 (20)

24. North Carolina Tar Heels 9-3 (17)

23. NC State Wolfpack 8-4 (NR)

22. South Carolina Gamecocks 8-4 (NR)

21. UCF Knights 9-3 (22)

– Bowl Eligibility: All bowl eligible teams

20. Texas Longhorns 8-4 (23)

19. Oregon State Beavers 9-3 (21)

18. Tulane Green Wave 10-2 (19)

17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-3 (15)

16. UCLA Bruins 9-3 (18)

15. Florida State Seminoles 9-3 (16)

14. Utah Utes 9-3 (14)

13. Oregon Ducks 9-2 (9)

12. Clemson Tigers 10-2 (8)

11. LSU Tigers 9-3 (5)

– CFN Rankings 1-131: Week 13

10. Washington Huskies 10-2 (13)

9. Kansas State Wildcats 9-3 (12)

8. Penn State Nittany Lions 10-2 (11)

7. Tennessee Volunteers 10-2 (10)

6. Alabama Crimson Tide 10-2 (7)

5. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (2)

– How do the 7 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

4. USC Trojans 11-1 (6)

3. TCU Horned Frogs 12-0 (4)

2. Michigan Wolverines 12-0 (3)

1. Georgia Bulldogs 12-0 (1)

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College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 November 22

College Football Playoff top 25 rankings. How do the teams rank in after the fourth round?

How do the top teams rank in the top 25 after the fourth round of the 2022 College Football Playoff rankings?

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 November 22

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25. Louisville Cardinals 7-4 (NR)

24. Cincinnati Bearcats 9-2 (25)

23. Texas Longhorns 7-4 (NR)

22. UCF Knights 8-3 (20)

21. Oregon State Beavers 7-3 (23)

– Bowl Eligibility: Where does every team stand?

20. Ole Miss Rebels 8-3 (14)

19. Tulane Green Wave 9-2 (21)

18. UCLA Bruins 8-3 (16)

17. North Carolina Tar Heels 9-2 (13)

16. Florida State Seminoles 8-3 (19)

15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-3 (18)

14. Utah Utes 8-3 (10)

13. Washington Huskies 9-2 (NR)

12. Kansas State Wildcats 8-3 (15)

11. Penn State Nittany Lions 9-2 (11)

– CFN Rankings 1-131: Week 12

10. Tennessee Volunteers 9-2 (5)

9. Oregon Ducks 9-2 (12)

8. Clemson Tigers 10-1 (9)

7. Alabama Crimson Tide 9-2 (8)

6. USC Trojans 10-1 (7)

5. LSU Tigers 9-2 (6)

– How do the 7 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

4. TCU Horned Frogs 11-0 (4)

3. Michigan Wolverines 11-0 (3)

2. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-0 (2)

1. Georgia Bulldogs 11-0 (1)

CFN 1-131 Rankings | Bowl Projections

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College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Reaction. Crazy Hypothetical Time …

College Football Playoff rankings reaction, predictions, and the potentially big problem with what the committee just did.

Reaction after the fourth round of College Football Playoff rankings. What to take away from the latest top 25.

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Reaction, Week 4

You’d think the fourth round of College Football Playoff rankings would be no big deal with the top four holding firm, but there’s a potential theoretical problem, and there’s a new nightmare scenario.

Work with me here.

I’m all into hypotheticals, but I’m not diving too deep yet into all the possibilities that would require a historical anomaly. We have yet to see a crazy Power Five conference championship upset in the College Football Playoff era, much less two or three. With that said …

Try this, and it’s not all that far-fetched. Georgia BLASTS LSU. TCU loses to Iowa State and the Big 12 Championship. USC loses to Notre Dame and in the Pac-12 Championship. Clemson loses to South Carolina and/or to North Carolina.

IN: Georgia, the Big Ten Champion (for this to work, go with Ohio State since the Michigan resumé is blah) and we need two more teams …

BTW, Alabama is No. 7. Maybe the Ohio State-Michigan loser is in. Who’s the fourth in this scenario? Clemson would probably have to lose the ACC Championship, but …

Nah. Sorry. Let’s move on. This is the bigger deal this week …

– College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25: Week 4

LSU at 5 and USC at 6 matters … for now. What happens if LSU trucks Texas A&M by a gajillion this week and then goes on to beat Georgia for the SEC Championship? That means – at the moment – there’s no argument to put USC up into the top four over LSU if it comes down to LSU or USC for the fourth spot.

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LSU’s win over (1) Georgia would be better than anything USC will have. Combine that with a win over (7) Alabama, (10) Tennessee, and (20) Ole Miss, and throw the SEC Champion t-shirt into the ring, and we might have our first two-loss team in the College Football Playoff, UNLESS …

The College Football Playoff committee might put USC up into the 4 spot next week in the penultimate rankings. The argument then would be that the Trojans – if it happens – beat (15) Notre Dame, and LSU beat an unranked losing-season Texas A&M program. That’s the out. If that doesn’t happen, then the committee will have zero argument to leave out LSU if it wins the SEC Championship.

If LSU and USC both win, and if LSU is 4 and USC 5, then 1) the committee can’t use the “won the conference championship” argument to put in USC over LSU. 2) It can’t harp on the two loss thing – or the destruction at home again Tennessee – because that’s already baked into the current rankings. 3) LSU will have been No. 4 and would’ve beaten the No. 1 unbeaten Bulldogs – assuming a win over Georgia Tech this weekend.

The committee is really, really, really, really, really blowing off LSU’s 40-13 home loss to Tennessee.

With ALL of that said …

– How do the 7 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

This is all based on LSU beating Georgia. If that doesn’t happen, USC is in the College Football Playoff if it wins out, no matter what.

The Ohio State-Michigan loser will be in big, big trouble. Forget it if you’re Michigan – the rest of the resumé isn’t good enough. Ohio State would have a case if it loses a close game and if Notre Dame beats USC this weekend, but it would be tough. However …

Clemson deserves a lot more love and respect than 8. It won at (16) Florida State. Florida State beat LSU. The loss to Notre Dame stinks, but if it wins out, beating South Carolina will mean something and taking down (17) North Carolina will be part of the debate.

Clemson needs help. It can do this, but USC has to lose, TCU has to lose at least the Big 12 Championship, and LSU can’t beat Georgia.

– CFN Rankings 1-131: Week 12

No, the Michigan-Ohio State loser wouldn’t get in over a 12-1 ACC Champion Clemson. I think.

The committee didn’t punish UCF enough for losing to Navy. I get that it beat Cincinnati, but the Navy loss at home combined with the 34-13 loss to East Carolina should push it back. It doesn’t really matter, though – the AAC Champion is a mortal lock to be the New Year’s Six throw-the-Group-of-Five-a-cookie bowl team.

If you’re going to put UCF at 22, then you sort of have to put (25) Louisville higher. The Cardinals won in Orlando 20-14 earlier in the season.

So let’s cut to the chase. At the moment, NOW what’s the pecking order? Let’s say everyone wins. Let’s say everyone fits the historical profile. How does this shake out? If all things are even …

1. 13-0 Georgia
2. 13-0 Big Ten champ
3. 13-0 TCU
4. 12-1 USC
5. 12-1 Clemson

Take that and go from there.

Iowa – assuming it’s Iowa – could really screw things up if it wins the Big Ten title. That’s almost certainly not going to happen, but Kansas State could take the Big 12 Championship and whatever the second option is could beat USC for the Pac-12 title.

The Big Ten is taking it on the chin. Beating up on each other doesn’t mean the teams need to be ranked all that high, but there’s (2) Ohio State, (3) Michigan, and (11) Penn State, and nothing else. Between those three, Ohio State’s win over (17) Notre Dame is the only non-conference win of note – considering Penn State beating Auburn isn’t all that big a deal.

Give me the big, giant, hairy (16) Florida State win other than whatever that was against LSU in Week 1. Let me save you the trouble. There isn’t one.

The committee cares about injuries, so the Hendon Hooker season-ending knee injury factors into Tennessee at 10. Okay, but that’s sort of a cop-out ranking. Either go with the idea that the team isn’t the same without Hooker and put it WAY lower – definitely behind Penn State – or stick with the earned credits and put it ahead of (7) Alabama.

– Bowl Eligibility: Where does every team stand?

I’m still not exactly sure what (24) Cincinnati did to earn a top 25 spot, but okay, whatever.

It continues to be the fatal flaw of the College Football Playoff methodology – besides being based on a panel of judges, it doesn’t give enough credit to tough losses against great teams, and it continues to overlove any win over a good team.

Unless you’re (7) Alabama, and those close losses to Tennessee and LSU weren’t close losses. Alabama simply ran out of time.

I can’t change the future, I can only see it … What’s it going to be at the end of all this fun?

1. Georgia, 2. Ohio State, 3. USC, 4. Clemson

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Bowl Projections

College Football Playoff Chase: Ranking Path Of The 7 Teams Still Alive

Who’s in the College Football Playoff chase? Seven teams are still realistically alive, and we rate them based on how clear their paths are and the likelihood of getting in.

Who’s still alive in the chase to get into the 2023-2023 College Football Playoff? Before Week 13, here are the seven teams still alive and what they need to do to get in.

Tennessee is now out of the College Football Playoff mix after getting rocked by South Carolina, and any dream that North Carolina might have had went bye-bye after a shocking loss to Georgia Tech.

So now we’re down to seven teams realistically in the chase for the College Football Playoff. What do they need to do to get in, and who has the easiest and hardest path?

This isn’t a ranking of who the top seven teams are – that’s for our ranking of all 131 teams – this is about a combination of talent, clearest path, and overall pecking order.

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College Football Playoff Chase Ranking Path Of The 7 Teams Still Alive

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7. LSU Tigers (9-2)

Remaining Schedule: at Texas A&M, SEC Championship vs Georgia

What LSU has to do to make the College Football Playoff: It has to look the part over the next two weeks.

The 41-10 win over UAB was what a team in the College Football Playoff is supposed to do, and the wins over Alabama and Arkansas were nice, but those were close, tight battles. Now it has to annihilate a mediocre Texas A&M team on the road and it needs to beat Georgia in the SEC Championship.

That, and it needs two of the three champions – assuming the Ohio State-Michigan winner doesn’t lose the Big Ten title – from the ACC, Big 12, and Pac-12 to have at least two losses.

Will LSU make the College Football Playoff? 1) It might have problems on the road against a Texas A&M team that will see this season finale as its World Cup final. 2) It’ll probably beat Texas A&M, but it probably won’t beat Georgia. 3) If it beats Georgia, it’s still probably not in over Georgia – unless it’s a blowout – and it’s unlikely that it’ll get help from three of the other four Power Five conference championships.

– Latest Bowl Projections

6. Clemson Tigers (10-1)

Remaining Schedule: South Carolina, ACC Championship vs North Carolina

What Clemson has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Win out and get help.

It actually caught a wonderful break that South Carolina is coming of the blowout win over Tennessee. Now, beating the Gamecocks would be a massive boost in the College Football Playoff chase with the rough performance against Notre Dame still fresh.

Sticking with the idea of a 12-1 Power Five conference champion getting in if there aren’t any other viable options, Clemson needs USC to lose once more – that’s the most realistic key possibility – and looking the part against South Carolina and North Carolina would be nice.

Will Clemson make the College Football Playoff? Sticking with the call throughout most of the year … yes. The call is that Clemson wins its final two games and TCU somehow has a problem either against Iowa State – unlikely – or in the Big 12 Championship.

The committee would almost certainly take a 12-1 ACC champion over a 12-1 Big 12 team without a championship. If that happens and if Georgia pushes LSU out of the way – and/or if USC loses once more – Clemson is in.

– College Football Playoff Top 25 Prediction

5. USC Trojans (10-1)

Remaining Schedule: Notre Dame, Pac-12 Championship

What USC has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Go 2-0.

The only reason USC isn’t in the top four is because it’s more likely to lose one of its final two games. However, if there were three options the committee had to take – SEC champion Georgia, the Big Ten champion, and 13-0 Big 12 champion TCU – 12-1 USC would 99% surely get the nod over 12-1 Clemson.

And why? Next up for USC is the Notre Dame team that whacked Clemson 35-14.

Will USC make the College Football Playoff? Yeah – let’s go with it. It’s going to be a fight, but after beating UCLA, if USC goes 2-0 with wins over Notre Dame and either Oregon, Utah or Washington in the Pac-12 Championship, it’s done. It’s not going to be easy, but the team rose to the challenge against the Bruins.

NEXT: College Football Playoff Chase Rankings Top 4

Pages: 12

College Football Playoff Rankings Top 25 Prediction November 22

College Football Playoff rankings prediction. What will the fourth top 25 be when it comes out on Tuesday night?

What will the College Football Playoff rankings potentially be? It’s the predicted best guess on the third 2022 CFP Top 25.

College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction November 22

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Note that below are NOT the actual 2022 College Football Playoff rankings – those come out Tuesday night, November 22nd. This is our prediction and projection of what the top 25 might be.

25. UTSA Roadrunners 9-2 (NR)

24. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 9-1 (NR)

23. Texas Longhorns 7-4 (NR)

22. Cincinnati Bearcats 9-2 (25)

21. Ole Miss Rebels 8-3 (14)

– Bowl Eligibility: Where does every team stand?

20. Oregon State Beavers 7-3 (23)

19. North Carolina Tar Heels 9-2 (13)

18. Tulane Green Wave 9-2 (21)

17. Washington Huskies 9-2 (NR)

16. UCLA Bruins 8-3 (16)

15. Florida State Seminoles 8-3 (19)

14. Utah Utes 8-3 (10)

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-3 (18)

12. Kansas State Wildcats 8-3 (15)

11. Penn State Nittany Lions 9-2 (11)

– CFN Rankings 1-131: Week 12

10. Oregon Ducks 9-2 (12)

9. Alabama Crimson Tide 9-2 (8)

8. Tennessee Volunteers 9-2 (5)

7. Clemson Tigers 10-1 (9)

6. LSU Tigers 9-2 (6)

5. USC Trojans 10-1 (7)

– How do the 7 teams still alive for the CFP rank?

4. TCU Horned Frogs 11-0 (4)

3. Michigan Wolverines 11-0 (3)

2. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-0 (2)

1. Georgia Bulldogs 11-0 (1)

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