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

Dec 3, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Kenny McIntosh (6), head coach Kirby Smart, and quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) celebrate after a victory in the SEC Championship against the LSU Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

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Ohio State Buckeyes (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

Projected College Football Playoff rankings after Week 14: No. 4-3

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

If everything had gone to plan on conference championship weekend, the Ohio State Buckeyes would be watching the College Football Playoff from home after taking a 22-point loss to Michigan at home in the regular-season finale. They were not in control of their own destiny and they needed at least some help as the No. 5 team last week to get in.

Kyle Whittingham and Utah delivered that for them with the win over USC and then TCU cemented it with their loss.

There’s an honest case to be made for Ohio State to be the No. 3 ranked team over the Horned Frogs, especially given how wary the committee has been of TCU this year. But the truth is that this is a ratings game when you get to the Top 4 and they aren’t looking for an OSU-Michigan rematch, which is why the Buckeyes end up at No. 4.

3. TCU Horned Frogs

The perfect season, the dream of the Hypnotoad, the hopes of a Big 12 Championship all went down on Saturday for TCU. Sonny Dykes’ team almost pulled off yet another remarkable comeback on Saturday afternoon after they trailed by double digits again against Kansas State and were then able to force overtime with a remarkable Max Duggan performance.

Unfortunately, the Horned Frogs came up short of the end zone in the first OT, giving K-State the chance to kick the field goal to win, which they did. The good news for TCU is that a 12-1 record and playing that game so close should secure their spot in the Playoff. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that not having them in the Top 4 would be an absolute travesty and an unforgivable error by the selection committee.

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