College Football Playoff rankings 2022: Projected Week 13 Top 25 after Tennessee upset, USC proves itself, Ohio State gets scared

Projected College Football Playoff rankings after Week 12: No. 4-3

4. TCU Horned Frogs

Never count out the Hypnotoad. It is inevitable.

The first half between TCU and Baylor in Waco was extremely tight as the two rivals traded blows and went into halftime tied 14-14. But after a 26-yard Max Duggan touchdown pass put the Horned Frogs ahead, the missed extra point seemed to be a harbinger of bad things to come. The Bears scored two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to go up 28-20. And then things seemed worse when TCU scored but failed on the two-point conversion.

Dave Aranda played not to lose when Baylor got the ball back with roughly two minutes left, though, giving TCU one more shot. And Duggan put together a masterful drive. It was a run play with under 30 seconds left that raised the drama, but Griffin Kell was nails as he drilled the rushed 40-yard game-winner as time expired to keep TCU perfect on the season.

3. Michigan Wolverines

Continuing the theme – though definitely not finishing it – of top teams in college football getting thoroughly tested, Michigan was a 17.5-point favorite over a recently lackluster Illinois team but you wouldn’t have known that based on the game that was played. A first-half Blake Corum injury derailed the Wolverines offense thereafter. But that didn’t keep Michigan completely out of it.

While Illinois seized the opportunity to jump ahead 17-10 in the second half, JJ McCarthy continued to piece together field goal drives. None of them were more important than the final one, though, as he converted a controversial fourth down to get into field goal range down 17-16 and Jake Moody played the hero with the game-winner.

Michigan will have to be better if they want to beat Ohio State, but the good news is that Corum looks to be okay and potentially ready to play next week.