College Football Playoff Rankings 2022: How a 12-team bracket would play out this season
By John Buhler
College Football Playoff Rankings 2022: Potential National Semifinals
With Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State all advancing, these are the new national semifinals!
- Peach Bowl (Atlanta, GA): No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 5 TCU Horned Frogs
- Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, AZ): No. 2 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes
Because of the wonky 12-team seeding, Georgia would be facing TCU in the Peach Bowl instead of Ohio State. Although the Selection Committee did not want to have an immediate rematch of The Game for the Buckeyes, they will be playing Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl instead of taking on the Dawgs in Atlanta. This is totally the reverse version of what the Selection Committee picked.
Alright, so let’s find out who will be playing for the national championship in Los Angeles now!
Peach Bowl (Atlanta, GA): No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 5 TCU Horned Frogs
There are really only two ways this game can go. Either Georgia asserts its dominance early before playing with its food or just starts playing with it food from opening kickoff before getting itself out of self-created adversity. The Dawgs are going to win this game in front of a pro-UGA home crowd, but the question is if Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston and Kendre Miller can close the gap.
As with the LSU game, the Georgia secondary will give up a few big plays down the field. Duggan will make a few more with his feet as well, but the SEC speed will be too much for TCU to overcome throughout the duration. Although the game will not be decided until midway through the fourth quarter, the Dawgs cannot quite put the Horned Frogs away before eventually doing so.
This time, a Christopher Smith interception late in the fourth quarter will lift UGA to the title bout.
Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, AZ): No. 2 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes
Will it be third time’s a charm for Ryan Day and the boys? Surely, the Buckeyes will put forth a more genuine effort than when they fell apart at the seams in The Horseshoe over Thanksgiving Weekend during the final minutes. However, this corps of Wolverines players seems to have Ohio State’s number. This may be a neutral-site affair, but the Buckeyes lost at home to Michigan, dude.
With C.J. Stroud having played his best game in a Buckeyes uniform that matters to get past Clemson, there will be some slight regression to his game. As for J.J. McCarthy, he will play with even more confidence after somehow leading Michigan past the Bryce Young and Alabama in the Rose Bowl. More importantly, Donovan Edwards is going to eat, and Ohio State will not stop him.
It comes as quite the shock, but we will be getting No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the national championship.