College Football Playoff rankings 2022: Projected final Top 25 after Georgia and Michigan dominate, USC and TCU give Ohio State help

Projected College Football Playoff rankings after Week 14: No. 8-7

8. Kansas State Wildcats

When Kansas State faced TCU during the regular season, they were honestly victims of injuries more than anything. Adrian Martinez went down early but Will Howard came in and had the Wildcats out in front by a wide margin before he too went down. That was largely what sparked the Horned Frogs’ comeback. So you had to believe they were ready to get revenge in the Big 12 Championship Game.

On the back of a monster game from Deuce Vaughn and despite injuries – especially on defense – piling up again, Kansas State weathered another TCU comeback to go into overtime, stifle the Frogs at the goal line and then kick the game-winning field goal. They are no Big 12 champs and would be in the Playoff if we’d already moved to the 12-team format. That’s not the case, but it’s a phenomenal season for the Wildcats in the end.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

In a vacuum – or, more specifically, in a world in which the committee bases Playoff candidacy solely on resumé – you could make the argument that Tennessee is more deserving of Alabama of being in the College Football Playoff mix. That’s especially true when you consider that the Vols beat the Crimson Tide when they met in the regular season. That’s not the world we live in, however.

With Hendon Hooker getting injured and going out for the season in the loss to South Carolina that ended Tennessee’s true CFP run this season, they stopped being under real consideration as they don’t look to be as dangerous with former Michigan quarterback Joe Milton helming the offense. However, Milton could give fans a look at the future when he quarterbacks the Vols for their New Year’s Six game.