College Football Playoff rankings 2022: Projected Week 12 Top 25 after Washington upsets Oregon, Alabama survives Ole Miss, UCLA falls

Projected College Football Playoff rankings after Week 11: No. 6-5

6. LSU Tigers

Everyone had Saturday circled as a massive trap game for LSU, the type of game that the Tigers and new head coach Brian Kelly have lost on many occasions. So putting a trip to raucous Fayetteville on the schedule the week after the Tigers beat Alabama and after Arkansas just lost to Liberty seemed extremely dangerous. And indeed it was with a true letdown game. But it’s a credit to Kelly and his crew that they coached this team up to get the win.

Jayden Daniels was the king of the letdowns with a multi-turnover and unproductive performance from the quarterback who was masterful against Alabama. It was Harold Perkins Jr. and the defense, though, that came up big time and again. Now it’s about getting past this hangover, continuing to adjust on offense, and heading to the SEC Championship Game with a chance to crash the Playoff.

5. Tennessee Volunteers

For at least the first quarter, it seemed like Tennessee was in a tough spot after the loss to Georgia last week as they were tied with Missouri and had some issues with finding its offensive rhythm again. That quickly changed, though, particularly after halftime. After going into the locker room up 28-17, the Vols reeled off 38 points in the second half while holding Missouri to only seven in a blowout win.

Anyone who watched this game knows that head coach Josh Heupel was going for some style points as he continue to press the gas – albeit with backups in – in the fourth quarter of a decisive game. But the Vols undoubtedly showed that the lethal offense is still there and didn’t do anything to knock themselves out of the Playoff race, even if they’re still outside the Top 4.