1. Georgia (13-0)

The Bulldogs didn’t look impressive down the stretch this season, but on Saturday, they dominated. They were more talented, athletic, and better coached than LSU, and they went out and proved it. A CFP match-up with Ohio State will be fun, but Georgia is the clear-cut number-one team in the nation.

2. Michigan (13-0)

I bumped Michigan back to two, not because they played poorly against Purdue, but because Georgia looked so good. It’s definitely concerning for the playoff that Blake Corum is out, but Donovan Edwards has stepped up. Their run game is the best in the nation, and J.J. McCarthy has been playing like a Heisman candidate.

3. TCU (12-1)

Going into the Big 12 Championship, there was one way that they could get in with a loss and it was if they lost close. They were taken into deep water by Kansas State, and the Wildcats outplayed them, but they hung tough. Max Duggan was a damn warrior and left everything on the field. For this reason, I’m fired up for them to play in the CFP because this team has GUTS.

4. Ohio State (11-1)

At the start of the 2022 season, I thought Ohio State was the clear-cut best team in America. They haven’t really had a moment as a team where they’ve looked like that, but I still think that they’re waiting to have a huge game. They won’t be able to wait much longer, but their offense facing off against Georgia’s defense will make for a fun matchup.

5. Alabama (10-2)

ROLL TEARS. I’m happy the playoff consists of Ohio State and TCU over Alabama because I like seeing Alabama fans talk about “what if” scenarios. They had a good season going 10-2, but couldn’t win big games when they needed to.

6. Tennessee (10-2)

Tennessee had a sad and quick demise. They lost to Georgia, which didn’t really hurt the resume, but then they go shellacked by South Carolina and completely killed their playoff hopes. I hated seeing Hendon Hooker get hurt, but no team fell off the map faster than the Vols.

7. Utah (10-3)

The Utes simply have USC’s number. When they first played early in the season, the game felt like it could have been a fluke because of how close it was. Friday night proved that it wasn’t a fluke, as they won by 23 points against the Trojans. Year after year, they’re a sound defensive team with a good offense.

8. Kansas State (10-3)

Deuce Vaughn has been a bolt of lightning this season and was one of the nation’s most dynamic players. He could break a game open in the blink of an eye, and helped Kansas State win the Big 12 without Adrian Martinez. This team has been fun to watch, especially when they’ve blown out Baylor and Oklahoma State.

9. USC (11-2)

The saying goes that it’s hard to be a good team twice. Well, Utah proved that trope wrong after dual victories over the Trojans. USC is a very good team with Caleb Williams, Travis Dye, and Jordan Addison, but they were out-coached and out-played by the Utes. Sometimes, a team will just have your number, and you can’t do anything about it.

10. Clemson (11-2)

Had Dabo Swinney not been blindly loyal to DJ Uiagalelei, then Clemson would be a top four team. Cade Klubnik should have been starting from week two and, if that was the case, they’d be undefeated getting ready to play for a National Championship. It’s a shame.

11. Penn State (10-2)

I had Penn State in the top ten last week, but a lot of teams around them won and I had to once again move them out of the top ten. What hurts them the most is that they’re Ohio State and Michigan’s little brother. A lot of teams this year like Oregon, Penn State, and North Carolina struggled to win in big games. That’s their demise.

12. Washington (10-2)

Washington became the grim reaper of the Pac-12, beating Oregon and Oregon State. They were definitely the team that you didn’t want to play because they were tough and more athletic than most teams. Michael Penix had a fantastic year under center.

13. Tulane (11-2)

I’m not much of a surfer, but I’m riding the Green Wave. Tulane lost to UCF earlier in the year, but got a chance at revenge and capitalized. In their first matchup, UCF ran for 336 yards, but were held to just 145 yards on the ground in the second matchup. Just an overall change of attitude for the AAC Champion Green Wave.

14. Florida State (9-3)

Chop, chop, chop. The Seminoles have been one of the most entertaining teams this entire season, finishing third in the ACC. Mike Norvell was on the hot seat at the start of the season, coached for his life, and won nine games.

15. LSU (9-4)

We’ve just witnessed back-to-back games where Brian Kelly was out-coached. I hate to give Kelly his flowers, but prior to the last two games, Kelly had his team at a high level. It’s something I’ve realized as a Notre Dame fan though: Brian Kelly can’t coach in big games with bigger implications.

16. Oregon State (9-3)

THE BEAVERS RUN THE STATE OF OREGON. They’ve been run through by Oregon the past few years, and finally stood up to their big brother and prevented them from playing for a Pac-12 title. With the momentum they’ve built from this 9-3 season, then they’ll be set up for a great 2023.

17. Notre Dame (8-4)

I’m so jacked up for Notre Dame to play South Carolina. What’s concerning is that Tyler Buchner is coming back in place of Drew Pyne, who is transferring. I hate messing with mojo, especially before a big game, but Pyne Time has expired.

18. Oregon (9-3)

Not playing in the Pac-12 Championship hurts, but losing to Oregon State in the Civil War is even worse. Dan Lanning had a good debut season with the Ducks, but they struggled very much in big games. They’re going to need to win a big game or two next year or they’ll forever be stuck in limbo.

19. UTSA (11-2)

The Roadrunners are back-to-back C-USA champs. Last season, they won over the hearts of college football fans en route to a conference title. This season, they flew under the radar a bit and quietly rattled off an 11-2 record. Jeff Traylor has built an elite program that looks poised to keep winning.

20. South Carolina (8-4)

South Carolina became the sweethearts of college football when they took down not one, but two top ten teams. They absolutely dogged Tennessee and gutted out a win over Clemson. Both of these wins killed those teams’ chances at making the College Football Playoff.

21. UCLA (9-3)

The way that Dorian Thompson-Robinson played worked very well at the start of the season but, when facing better teams, he looked sloppy. This was still a fun Bruins team to watch, but they went from a top ten team to barely being in the top twenty-five.

22. Troy (11-2)

The Sun Belt Championship game was so unlike any game that Troy has played this season. Troy gutted games out the whole regular season. They had multiple wins by less than a touchdown, but absolutely throttled the Chanticleers for the title. Granted Grayson McCall was just coming back from an injury, but congrats to the Trojans.

23. Texas (8-4)

Talk about an all-time bizarre year where a team just didn’t capitalize on opportunities. Texas had chances to elevate themselves to a top-fifteen team against Alabama, TCU, and Oklahoma State, but could never seize the day. Even though they’re 8-4, the season’s a bit of a flop when you have a strong quarterback quarterback and top-five running back.

24. Mississippi State (8-4)

The game that solidified Mississippi State as a top twenty-five team was against Ole Miss. Mike Leach out-coached Lane Kiffin and the Bulldogs outplayed a very good Rebels squad. They nearly made it so Lane Kiffin was coaching at Auburn in 2023.

25. North Carolina (9-4)

I just don’t know what to say about North Carolina. They looked so strong for so long, but flopped when they needed to perform most. The Tar Heels went from a potential playoff team to losing their final three games of the season. Just a monumental collapse.