College Football Playoff rankings 2022: Projected Week 10 CFP rankings after Ohio State survives, Georgia & Tennessee dominate

Projected College Football Playoff rankings after Week 9: No. 12-11

12. Utah Utes

Coming out of the bye week and with their last game being the dramatic last-minute victory over USC, the opportunity for a letdown game was certainly there for Utah on Thursday night as they traveled to Pullman. And that was even more so the case when quarterback Cam Rising was scratched from the game, which limited the offense.

It was anything but pretty, but Utah jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the third quarter and then rode a strong overall defensive effort to hold on and capture the 21-17 win on the road. The Utes surely need Rising back as they get into the end of their Pac-12 schedule, but this was a win they sorely needed to claw out and it speaks to the experience and moxie of the team that they were able to do so.

11. Illinois Fighting Illini

This might look like a huge jump for Illinois and it might be wishful thinking, but I’m truly hopeful that the College Football Playoff committee finally gives Bret Bielema and the Illini the respect that they deserve for how dominant this team has been, even if they haven’t been up against the toughest schedule in the world – case in point being manhandling Nebraska on Saturday.

After allowing a long early touchdown to fall behind 9-7, the Illinois defense put the clamps on the Huskers offense as they have virtually everyone they’ve faced this season. Meanwhile, Chase Brown continued his dark-horse Heisman campaign with a monster day and two touchdowns to his credit.