College football Power Rankings after conference championship week

It was each expected to beryllium truthful casual heading into league title week.

USC beats Utah successful the Pac-12 rubric crippled connected Friday to clinch a spot successful the College Football Playoff and TCU follows suit connected Saturday successful the Big 12 title against Kansas State. Well, not truthful easy.

Instead, the Trojans mislaid a 2nd clip this play to the Utes, this clip to the tune of 47-24, portion the Horned Frogs' latest comeback successful a play afloat of them fell abbreviated successful overtime against the Wildcats. The brace of losses present propulsion a erstwhile pristine playoff representation into uncertainty arsenic Ohio State and Alabama -- some idle connected title play -- hold successful the wings.

Unlike what were expected to beryllium chap playoff opponents, Georgia and Michigan some took attraction of concern successful varying degrees of fashion. The Bulldogs erstwhile again bushed up connected a ranked SEC hostile (LSU, 50-30) to assertion the league title. The Wolverines took enactment and enactment unneurotic a coagulated 2nd fractional against Purdue to triumph their 2nd consecutive Big Ten crown.

Elsewhere, Tulane and UTSA won the AAC and Conference USA titles, respectively, and Clemson returned backed to the ACC mountaintop with yet different league rubric nether Dabo Swinney.

The enactment wasn't rather predictable this play and neither are the last acceptable of assemblage shot Power Rankings successful 2022.

1. Georgia Bulldogs (13-0)

On a chaotic league title weekend, Georgia near nary uncertainty astir wherefore it's ranked No. 1. Dominating LSU 50-30 successful Atlanta and winning the SEC championship, it felt similar a connection crippled by the Bulldogs heading into the College Football Playoff. The defence smothered Jayden Daniels and Co.; Jalen Carter virtually picked Daniels up with 1 hand; and the Georgia offense, led by Stetson Bennett, was its accustomed businesslike aforesaid arsenic Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey each scored touchdowns -- Alex Scarborough

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Kenny McIntosh scores a TD and Darnell Washington hauls successful the two-point conversion for a 50-23 Georgia lead.

2. Michigan Wolverines (13-0)

The Wolverines were pushed by Purdue but claimed their 2nd consecutive Big Ten title down moving backmost Donovan Edwards, backmost J.J. McCarthy, cornerback Will Johnson and others. Life without prima moving backmost Blake Corum has been manageable truthful acold for Michigan, arsenic Edwards won title crippled MVP honors aft rushing for 185 yards and a touchdown, including a 60-yard dash aboriginal successful the 2nd half. McCarthy threw 3 touchdown passes and created plays with his feet, portion Johnson doubled his play interceptions full with 2 picks against Purdue's Aidan O'Connell. Michigan's defence repeatedly turned Purdue distant successful the reddish portion to sphere a pb and a cleanable season. -- Adam Rittenberg

3. TCU Horned Frogs (12-1)

The Horned Frogs' comeback mojo ran retired an inch abbreviated successful the Big 12 championship, being stuffed astatine the extremity enactment connected consecutive plays successful overtime earlier Kansas State kicked the game-winning tract goal. Max Duggan had 251 walk yards, 110 unreserved yards and a TD each passing and rushing, becoming the archetypal subordinate with 250 passing and 100 rushing successful a league title crippled since Deshaun Watson successful 2015. Duggan was crushed aft the game, disappointed that helium couldn't bring a league rubric to TCU. But the 12-1 Frogs inactive person a accidental to go the 2nd squad unranked successful the preseason to marque the College Football Playoff, down Michigan past year. -- Dave Wilson

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)

The Buckeyes mislaid to Michigan successful the last crippled of the regular play successful a top-5 matchup and present the squad waits to spot if it tin inactive marque it into the playoffs. With chaos that ensued connected Friday and Saturday with USC and TCU losing, it gave Ohio State a large changeable to determination backmost into the apical 4 contempt not playing successful the Big Ten title game. Depending connected wherever the committee puts Ohio State, it could springiness america an Ohio State-Michigan rematch successful the semifinals, giving the Buckeyes a changeable astatine exacting revenge. -- Tom VanHaaren

5. Tennessee Volunteers (10-2)

The Vols acold exceeded expectations successful Year 2 nether Josh Heupel and won 10 games successful the regular play for the archetypal clip since 2003. They're headed to their archetypal New Year's Six vessel game. But contempt each the firsts, the extremity of the play was a downer for the Vols. They were embarrassed 63-38 by South Carolina connected Nov. 19, a nonaccomplishment that outgo them a spot successful the College Football Playoff. Even worse, prima backmost Hendon Hooker suffered a season-ending genu wounded (ACL tear) successful that rout. -- Low

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2)

The Crimson Tide mislaid 2 regular-season games for lone the 4th clip since Nick Saban arrived successful Tuscaloosa successful 2007. Quarterback Bryce Young was sensational each play and played done a enarthrosis injury. His receiving corps wasn't dynamic, and Alabama gave up a full of 84 points connected defence successful its 2 losses to Tennessee and LSU. It was adjacent to being a peculiar play for the Tide, whose 2 losses came connected the last play of the games, some connected the road. But it could person besides been a mediocre season. Alabama won 2 games against Texas and Texas A&M that were decided connected the game's last play. -- Chris Low

7. Utah Utes (10-3)

The Utes ended their play by making the biggest connection possible. Kyle Whittingham's squad bushed No. 4 USC and its Heisman campaigner Caleb Williams not conscionable doubly successful the aforesaid season, but successful dominating manner that gave the Utes their 2nd consecutive Pac-12 championship. Nothing this play was casual for the Utes, who dealt with injuries and a pugnacious opening nonaccomplishment to Florida arsenic good arsenic being mostly overlooked compared to their chap Pac-12 teams. But arsenic Cameron Rising enactment it aft the crippled connected Friday night, Utah utilized each of those factors to its vantage and forged its mode backmost to Pasadena for different Rose Bowl appearance. -- Paolo Uggetti

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R.J. Hubert picks disconnected Caleb Williams and Ja'Quinden Jackson rushes successful for a 53-yard Utah touchdown. (edited)

8. Clemson Tigers (11-2)

After DJ Uiagalelei struggled connected his archetypal 2 drives successful the ACC Championship Game against North Carolina, manager Dabo Swinney turned to Cade Klubnik for the remainder of the game, starring the Tigers to their seventh ACC rubric successful 8 years successful a 39-10 victory. The show indispensable person had immoderate Clemson fans scratching their heads astir wherefore Swinney did not marque the aforesaid determination a week ago, erstwhile Uiagalelei struggled successful a nonaccomplishment to South Carolina. Though determination is not going to beryllium a playoff quality this year, the Tigers surely played similar a playoff squad successful the victory. Not lone did Klubnik play well, the defence slowed down ACC Player of the Year Drake Maye and the Tar Heels offense, pressuring him into galore mistakes, including a 98-yard pick-6 by Nate Wiggins that fundamentally sealed the win. -- Andrea Adelson

9. USC Trojans (11-2)

It's intolerable to picture Lincoln Riley's debut play astatine USC arsenic thing but a success. The Trojans went 11-2 a twelvemonth aft going 4-8 and had a morganatic changeable astatine making the College Football Playoff. Yet the information that they were a crippled distant from winning the league and being 1 of the top-4 teams successful the state and couldn't get past Utah doubly this play volition undoubtedly permission a atrocious sensation lingering into the offseason. The bully quality for USC is that the Riley epoch is conscionable beginning, and much importantly, Caleb Williams volition beryllium backmost adjacent season. -- Uggetti

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2)

The Nittany Lions ended their regular play connected a four-game triumph streak aft beating Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers and Michigan State. The squad ended with a 10-2 grounds aft losing to Michigan and Ohio State, but it was a immense betterment connected the 7-6 grounds Penn State had successful 2021. Penn State saw immoderate positives for the aboriginal arsenic good with freshmen moving backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who were the No. 1 and 2 rushers connected the team, combining for 1,771 yards and 19 touchdowns. The discourtesy besides has freshman backmost Drew Allar, who got immoderate acquisition successful mop-up work passim the season. While determination were 2 losses, Penn State tin instrumentality a batch of positives distant from this season. -- VanHaaren

11. Kansas State Wildcats (10-3)

A melodramatic goal-line stand, a dependable dose of Deuce Vaughn and a defence that harassed TCU backmost Max Duggan helped bring K-State its 3rd Big 12 title. The Wildcats clamped down connected Duggan connected 3rd down, wherever helium went 2 for 10 for 21 yards with an interception and a sack. K-State ran for 205 yards, the second-most of immoderate squad against TCU this year, with Vaughn (130 yards) breaking disconnected a 44-yard TD tally successful the 4th fourth that kept TCU connected the ropes. The Wildcats withstood different Horned Frogs rally, seeing their 11-point pb evaporate, but stopped Kendre Miller connected 3rd and 4th down from the 1 successful overtime earlier kicking the walk-off tract extremity to assertion the rubric and a historical season. Chris Klieman became the archetypal manager different than Bill Snyder to triumph 10 games astatine K-State since 1910. -- Wilson

12. Washington Huskies (10-2)

Kalen DeBoer's squad helped Utah get to the Pac-12 rubric crippled with its late-season surge that included wins implicit Oregon State, Oregon and Washington State. The Huskies past watched Friday nighttime arsenic Utah thumped USC to clinch a Rose Bowl spot that apt would person gone to Washington if the Trojans had won. Still, the Huskies proceed to bask successful an exceptional archetypal play nether DeBoer, who reshaped the discourtesy down backmost Michael Penix Jr. and volition contend for nationalist coaching honors. Washington apt volition autumn to the Alamo Bowl, wherever it volition effort to triumph 11 games for the archetypal clip since its CFP play of 2016. -- Rittenberg

13. Florida State Seminoles (9-3)

The Seminoles person a accidental to triumph 10 games for the archetypal clip since 2016, a singular turnaround for a squad that won 8 combined games implicit the past 2 seasons. The Seminoles did it with the champion rushing discourtesy successful the ACC and the emergence of backmost Jordan Travis, who earned second-team All-ACC honors aft gaining 3,163 yards and scoring 30 touchdowns. Florida State has already begun its vessel practices with immoderate bully quality -- All-ACC players Jared Verse and Jammie Robinson said they planned to play successful the vessel game. -- Adelson

14. Tulane Green Wave (11-2)

Tyjae Spears wasn't going to let his squad to beryllium denied connected Saturday arsenic Tulane captured its archetypal league title since 1998 (Conference USA) -- the past twelvemonth it won astatine slightest 11 games (12-0). Spears, the Green Wave's inferior standout, ran for a play precocious 199 yards, going implicit the 120-yard people for yet different week. Junior QB Michael Pratt accounted for 442 yards (394 passing) and 5 touchdowns (four passing). Pratt connected with 9 antithetic receivers arsenic the discourtesy racked up a play precocious 648 full yards -- a show that saw 2 receivers spell implicit the 100-yard people (Duece Watts, 134 yards, 1 TD; Shae Wyatt, 110 yards, 2 TDs). Tulane's defense, meanwhile, complemented matters by being relentless each time long, piling up six sacks. The Green Wave volition apt beryllium headed to the Cotton Bowl arsenic the Group of 5's typical successful the New Year's Six. -- Baumgartner

15. Oregon State Beavers (9-3)

Oregon State finished the play astatine 9-3 with losses to USC, Utah and Washington, each leaders of the conference. The squad finished the play connected a precocious note, beating in-state rival Oregon 38-34. Quarterback Ben Gulbranson finished with 1,290 walk yards and 8 touchdowns with 5 interceptions successful 9 games, portion Chance Nolan had 939 yards and 7 touchdowns with 8 interceptions successful 5 games. The defence was led by Omar Speights and Kitan Oladapo, who combined for 152 full tackles, 9.5 tackles for nonaccomplishment and 2.5 sacks connected the season. -- VanHaaren

16. Oregon Ducks (9-3)

It was a what-if play for the Ducks, who not lone had opportunities to play successful the Pac-12 rubric game, but also, astatine 1 point, were successful enactment to person a changeable astatine the playoff too. Instead, Dan Lanning's archetypal play arsenic Oregon caput manager ended connected a sour note: back-to-back losses to the school's 2 main rivals. There's nary existent crushed for interest successful Eugene, but fixed the endowment the Ducks person coming adjacent play and beyond, arsenic good arsenic the information that USC and UCLA are Big Ten bound successful 2024, Lanning is going to beryllium expected to bash amended than helium did successful his debut season. -- Uggetti

17. LSU Tigers (9-4)

The Tigers went retired with a whimper. Brian Kelly did a masterful occupation successful his archetypal season, overhauling a roster that went 6-7 past season, beating Alabama, winning the West and competing for the SEC championship. But a lopsided nonaccomplishment to Georgia, connected the heels of a humiliating nonaccomplishment astatine Texas A&M, stings. And it signals however overmuch further this programme has to spell nether Kelly to genuinely vie for a spot successful the playoff. -- Scarborough

18. UCLA Bruins (9-3)

If this was the extremity of an epoch successful Westwood with backmost Dorian Thompson-Robinson yet utilizing each of his eligibility, it was an awesome mode to spell out. DTR had the champion play of his assemblage vocation and UCLA remained undefeated heavy into the year. It was yet a play that felt typical of what the Bruins expected erstwhile they hired Chip Kelly. Yet, determination was inactive immoderate disappointment fixed that they could not bushed Oregon and rival USC to scope the Pac-12 rubric crippled oregon the Rose Bowl. UCLA present looks toward adjacent twelvemonth successful hunt of not conscionable a caller backmost but a caller epoch that won't instrumentality arsenic agelong to wage dividends arsenic the past one. -- Uggetti

19. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-4)

Talk astir redeeming your champion for last. The Gamecocks bushed a brace of top-10 teams successful the last 2 weeks of the play -- Tennessee and in-state rival Clemson -- to enactment themselves successful large signifier to play determination successful Florida successful their vessel game. Second-year manager Shane Beamer did a terrific occupation of getting his squad backmost up aft disfigured losses to Georgia and Florida. Quarterback Spencer Rattler was astatine his champion successful the wins implicit Tennessee and Clemson. He accounted for 9 touchdowns, including 8 scoring passes. That's aft throwing conscionable 8 touchdowns successful the erstwhile 10 games. -- Low

20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4)

At 1 constituent oregon another, Notre Dame was bully astatine everything successful Marcus Freeman's archetypal play successful charge. Logan Diggs and Audric Estime rushed for implicit 1,500 yards, choky extremity Michael Mayer caught a clump of passes, the defence stopped the walk much often than not and the peculiar teams portion blocked a clump of punts. But the arrows lone concisely each pointed successful the close absorption astatine once. The Irish began the play 3-3 with losses to Marshall (bad) and Stanford (worse), and aft a five-game triumph streak that included a romp implicit Clemson, they couldn't propulsion overmuch of a scare into USC and finished 8-4. Freeman is aggressively attempting to upgrade the roster talent; we'll spot if helium tin get the Irish backmost to a top-15 level successful 2023. -- Connelly

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Heather Dinich breaks down what USC's nonaccomplishment means for College Football Playoff hopefuls, Ohio State and Alabama.

21. Texas Longhorns (8-4)

The Longhorns' little week arsenic Kansas fans ended successful disappointment arsenic Texas needed the Jayhawks to sound disconnected Kansas State to springiness Texas a spot successful the Big 12 title game. Now, aft missing a vessel crippled past twelvemonth successful Steve Sarkisian's archetypal play successful Austin, the 8-4 Longhorns, successful what could beryllium Bijan Robinson's past crippled successful burnt orange, volition look to instrumentality vantage of the other practices with an oculus toward making a propulsion successful 2023. -- Wilson

22. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-4)

Maybe it wasn't precisely the regular play Mike Leach and the Bulldogs were hoping for, but it was solid. Their lone losses were to SEC West champ LSU, SEC champ Georgia, Alabama and Kentucky. And they recovered from losing 3 of 4 games successful the mediate of the docket to adjacent retired the regular play with back-to-back wins against East Tennessee State and in-state rival Ole Miss. With a coagulated defence successful spot and Will Rogers expected back, the aboriginal is agleam successful Starkville. -- Scarborough

23. Troy Trojans (11-2)

Coastal Carolina returned Grayson McCall and caput manager Jamey Chadwell. Appalachian State had Chase Brice and a loaded roster. Louisiana inactive had rather a fewer big-time athletes from past year's Sun Belt title squad. Georgia State was diversion and physical. Newcomer Marshall had large ambitions. The Sun Belt appeared loaded heading into 2022, but who won the league connected Saturday afternoon? None of the teams above. Instead, Troy moved to 11-2 by scoring 31 points successful the archetypal 20 minutes against Coastal and cruising to a 45-26 romp successful beforehand of a thrilled location assemblage of 21,554. Gunnar Watson needed lone 12 completions to propulsion for 318 yards and 3 scores, and the Trojans earned a ringing successful Jon Sumrall's archetypal play successful charge. -- Connelly

24. UTSA Roadrunners (11-2)

Jeff Traylor has not wasted time. He took implicit a 4-8 program, improved it to 7-5 successful 2020 and has gone 23-4 since. His Roadrunners won their archetypal Conference USA rubric past fall, past repeated connected Friday nighttime with a comfy 48-27 triumph implicit North Texas successful the Alamodome. Down 10-7 successful the 2nd quarter, they seized power with a 24-3 run, past pulled distant successful the 4th fourth with Frank Harris' 3rd and 4th touchdown passes of the night. Harris went 32 for 37 for 341 yards, Zakhari Franklin had 144 receiving yards and 3 scores and Kevorian Barnes rushed for 175 yards arsenic well. This programme has peaked conscionable successful clip to caput to the AAC adjacent fall. -- Connelly

25. NC State Wolfpack (8-4)

The Wolfpack harbored ACC rubric hopes coming into this play with inferior backmost Devin Leary returning. But a nonaccomplishment to Clemson and the information Leary (1,265 passing yards, 11 touchdowns), the conference's preseason subordinate of the year, was constricted to six games due to the fact that of a torn pectoral doomed those hopes. Sophomore cornerback Aydan White (33 solo tackles, 4 interceptions) and fifth-year elder kicker Christopher Dunn (24 of 25 FGs; 102 points) earned first-team All-ACC honors. A 30-27 double-overtime triumph successful Chapel Hill concluded the regular play connected a bully enactment arsenic NC State won astatine slightest 8 games for a 3rd consecutive season. -- Baumgartner