The final 2022 college football Power Rankings
8:00 AM ET ESPN staff From the early heroics of the Enjoyable Belt to Tennessee’s resurgence to a 200-1 long shot making the College Football Playoff Championship Game, this college football season had it all.USC reemerged as a risk from the West Coast behind Caleb Williams’Heisman-worthy season prior to falling to upstart Tulane in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Penn State proved there are more than two dominant groups in the Big 10 East with an electrical performance in the Rose Bowl provided by Prudential and Alabama raised an Allstate Sugar Bowl trophy in spite of a” down”season for Nick Saban & Co.Plenty of stories materialized this season however none were higher than Georgia’s quest to be the first string to repeat in the CFP period.
The Bulldogs, behind a historic run in the national championship game, made their 2nd straight title with a 65-7 over TCU. They will now be on the hunt for a third straight title, something that hasn’t been done given that the Minnesota groups of the mid-1930s. After a bowl season loaded with drama, here are the last Power Rankings of the 2022-23 college football season. This year’s Georgia group accomplished two things last season’s didn’t, winning an SEC title and finishing unbeaten. Both of them ended up winning CFP championship games, and there’s little doubt that the Bulldogs will be favorites to three-peat in 2023. The concerns this spring will be finding a replacement for beginning quarterback Stetson Bennett, a Heisman Trophy finalist, who is just the 4th quarterback to win back-to-back titles considering that 1990. Star defensive deal with Jalen Carter, cornerback Kelee Ringo, security Christopher Smith and others are leaving too, however the Bulldogs offered a peek of what’s coming next in the 4th quarter of Monday night’s 65-7 thrashing of TCU. Quarterback Carson Beck played the last 13 1/2 minutes, freshman tailback Branson Robinson scored 2 goals and freshmen Bear Alexander, Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker integrated for three sacks. Georgia isn’t going away; it seems that it’s simply beginning under Kirby Smart.– Mark Schlabach play 3:34 No. 1 Georgia overwhelms No. 4 TCU to go back-to-back The Bulldogs score on all six first-half possessions in a 65-7 thrashing of the Horned Frogs, making their second successive championship game. After among the most storybook seasons in college football history, where do the Horned Frogs go from here? There will be books blogged about Sonny Dykes’first season that culminated in a journey to the national championship game. Max Duggan, Heisman runner-up, is headed for the NFL draft, as Quentin Johnston assuredly is too. Chandler Morris, who was good enough to wrest the QB job from Duggan before getting hurt early in the season, says he’ll return, and Dykes has actually hinted the Frogs might also seek a transfer at the position. There will be many brand-new faces for the Horned Frogs next year, however Dykes & Co. have currently developed TCU atop the brand-new Huge 12 chain of command, landing the best recruiting class in the conference behind the leaving Oklahoma and Texas, and snapping up big-time transfers from Alabama, to name a few locations. However Baylor and Oklahoma State appeared like the brand-new contenders a year earlier. So what will the story be at TCU next year?– Dave Wilson The Wolverines ended the 2022 season with mixed feelings. They won a 2nd consecutive Big Ten champion and tape-recorded back-to-back wins over Ohio State for the very first time considering that 1999 and 2000. But they also stumbled again on the CFP phase, this time to a TCU
group that can be found in as more than a touchdown underdog. Michigan may be waiting a while for a much better possibility to reach the championship game after failing to overcome a flurry of turnovers and other irregular errors versus the Horned Frogs. The attention moves to coach Jim Harbaugh’s future, and an NCAA examination into Harbaugh and alleged infractions within the program. But if Harbaugh is undoubtedly back, he will lead a skilled squad including quarterback J.J. McCarthy and others, consisting of a number of key transfer additions.– Adam Rittenberg There have been difficult Buckeyes losses throughout the years, however possibly none as painful, offered the stakes, as the 42-41 problem in the CFP semifinal against Georgia. Ohio State beat the safeguarding nationwide champs, twice had 14-point leads, received a brave efficiency from C.J. Stroud and still lost. A win would have made the Buckeyes favorites to win their very first national title given that 2014. Rather, Ohio State’s nationwide title drought extends alongside its shorter Huge 10 title drought(two years). Coach Ryan Day should change Stroud and other key factors, and ultimately get a defense on track that hasn’t been right for most of his period. Day is 45-6 at Ohio State however will deal with palpable pressure going into the 2023 season.– Rittenberg It wasn’t the season anyone planned after beginning No. 1 in the surveys and boasting 2 of the top five players in college football in quarterback Bryce Young and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. The offense took an action back at receiver and
the defense gave up too many big plays. Ultimately, Alabama’s championship hopes were rushed on the roadway– on a walk-off field goal at Tennessee and a walk-off two-point conversion at LSU. However provide the Crimson Tide credit for not folding up shop after that. Nobody pulled out, and they ran the table by going 4-0, including a convincing 25-point win over Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.– Alex Scarborough It might be early to state that Tennessee is all the method back, but the Vols made their most significant dive in twenty years. They won 11 games for the very first time given that 2001, including a 31-14 win over Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl to top the season. Josh Heupel’s offense was once again electric(leading the nation with approximately 46.1 points per game ), and quarterback Hendon Hooker had a sensational senior season up until he tore an ACL in the 63-38 loss at South Carolina. The blowout loss to the Gamecocks was inexplicable and cost the Vols a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, no one would have anticipated 11 wins in Heupel’s second season, the big one a 52-49 thriller over Alabama that snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Tide.– Chris Low The Nittany Lions put on a show in the Rose Bowl provided by Prudential in a 35-21 win over Utah. Penn State won 11 games with its only 2 losses coming to Michigan and Ohio State, both of that made the College Football Playoff
. In quarterback Sean Clifford’s final game, he threw for 279 backyards and 2 touchdowns in the win. Real freshman running back Nick Singleton ran for 120 backyards and two touchdowns, which put him simply 16 lawns far from breaking Saquon Barkley’s freshman rushing record at Penn State. Fellow freshman Kaytron Allen also ran for a goal and revealed why the future is brilliant for the Nittany Lions.– Tom VanHaaren Coach Kalen DeBoer’s climb from hugely successful NAIA coach to the Power 5 level set about along with possible . He inherited
a 4-win team on the edge of collapse simply 2 years after Chris Petersen’s departure and led the group to an 11-2 record– and a Utah upset of USC in the Pac-12 title game far from a berth in the Rose Bowl. Under DeBoer and offending planner Ryan Grubb, quarterback Michael Penix Jr.– an Indiana transfer– was among the most respected passers in college football and will return next season when the Huskies will begin the season in the playoff conversation.– Kyle Bonagura Tulane’s very first 12-win season because 1998 ended in awesome fashion with its 46-45 Cotton Bowl success over USC. The Green Wave tallied 16 points in the game’s last 4:07 to assist craft an effective launching in the New Year’s Six. Tyjae Spears’season-high 205 rushing backyards and 4 touchdowns allowed Tulane to stay within striking range of the Trojans all day long. Spears(1,581 yards, 19 TDs )concluded his junior year with eight straight 100-yard games.– Blake Baumgartner play 2:23 Tulane manages stunning return to protect Cotton Bowl win over USC Tulane conquers a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to get its first Cotton Bowl win in program history.
There might not be a group heading into the offseason hotter than the Seminoles today. Florida State won 10 games for the very first time because 2016 and clearly looks to be on the rise under coach Mike Norvell. Quarterback Jordan Travis capped a fantastic season with an exceptional performance in the Cheez-It Bowl against Oklahoma, throwing for 418 yards, running for another 50 and scoring 2 touchdowns. Travis is set to return for 2023 together with numerous other crucial factors, consisting of running back Trey Benson and defensive tackle Fabien Lovett. The expectations make sure to soar for this group.– Andrea Adelson It was another successful season with a bittersweet ending for the Utes as they won a 2nd straight Pac-12 title however were beaten in the Rose Bowl by a Huge 10 challenger. Still, the Utes stay the most consistent group in the conference, even if they’re not the shiniest or the ones with the most talent. There’s lots of continued optimism for Kyle Whittingham’s team on the horizon, starting with getting some of their finest players back for another year. Both quarterback Camera Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe announced Monday that they would return to Salt Lake City for another season. Moreover, Whittingham’s performance history is starting to pay off on the recruiting path: The Utes are set to have a top-25 class in 2023, the very best in program history.– Paolo Uggetti There were plenty of highs and lows during Brian Kelly’s very first season as head coach of the Tigers. A Week 1 loss in New Orleans to Florida State could have been a horrible sign of things to come. And a 27-point loss in your home to Tennessee could have been the start of a rough second half of the season. Instead, LSU reeled off 5 straight wins, consisting of an overtime win over Alabama. The group chose in the preseason to end up fifth in the SEC West wound up winning the department. And while losses to Texas A&M to end the routine season and Georgia in the SEC championship game weren’t what anybody in Baton Rouge expected, Kelly’s Tigers recuperated perfectly with a resounding 63-7 win over Purdue in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.– Scarborough The highs were high for the Trojans this season– their first under Lincoln Riley– however the lows will likely remain more. In spite of an amazing turn-around from last year’s 4-8 team to a one-loss regular season that had USC a step from the College Football Playoff, most of the attention will go to USC’s three losses– 2 against Utah, consisting of one in the Pac-12 title game that kept them out of the playoff,
and the Cotton Bowl finale versus Tulane where they blew a 14-point 4th quarter result in the Green Wave. It was a devastating end to a near-dream season that will leave a lot of scrutiny on defensive planner Alex Grinch and the defense, which was an issue all season long. There’s no doubt that Heisman winner Caleb Williams will put the Trojans in a position to succeed next season. The question is: will the defense?– Uggetti TCU might have reached the national title game, however they couldn’t take the Big 12 title. Those spoils went to Chris Klieman’s 10-4 Wildcats, who endured quarterback injuries to beat 3 top-10-at-the-time teams and claim their very first conference crown since 2012. They could not rather stick the landing on the season in general, losing big to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, however KSU balanced over 30 points per game for the very first time considering that 2017– running back Deuce Vaughn stayed among the nation’s terrific double hazards, publishing 1,936 combined hurrying and receiving yards with 12 goals. The Wildcats also allowed under 22 points per game for the 3rd time in four years under Klieman, whose culture has formally begun to settle in Manhattan.– Costs Connelly Editor’s Picks 2 Related The Tigers ended up the season with a frustrating 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. Freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik still has some learning and growing to do as he progresses as the starter, but there are other problems that must be solved in the offseason, consisting of the offending line, protective backfield and how to make use of running back Will Shipley
more effectively. Regardless of the loss
, Clemson did win 11 games for the 8th time in the past 11 years and can call itself ACC champion as soon as again.– Adelson First-year coach Dan Lanning’s arrival in Eugene kicked off with a humbling debut, a 49-3 loss to Georgia, however the Ducks ran 8 straight wins after that to climb up as high as No. 6 in the AP poll. Their explosive offense with Auburn transfer Bo Nix under center was amongst the best in college
football– the Ducks ranked No. 10 nationally in scoring(38.8 points per game)– and they completed the season with an unforgettable win against North Carolina in the Vacation Bowl.– Bonagura Jonathan Smith stays among the most underappreciated coaches in the nation. Prior to Smith was worked with prior to the 2018 season, the Beavers had actually won just seven games over the previous 3 seasons and had actually completed with double-digit win totals in simply 2 seasons all-time. This season, Oregon State completed 10-3, fielded the very best scoring defense in the Pac-12 and will end up ranked in the AP Top 25 for the very first time in a years.– Bonagura Non-CFP bowls handle various significances in the age of opt-outs, however Notre Dame actually needed to end its very first season under coach Marcus Freeman on a strong note. After wasting a 28-7 lead against Oklahoma State in last year
‘s Carnival Bowl, Freeman’s first game, the Irish were the ones requiring to rally against South Carolina and eliminated a 24-10 deficit to win the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Freeman’s very first season featured a little bit of whatever, from rough house losses to Marshall and Stanford to a dominant win versus Clemson. Notre Dame’s outstanding recruiting class took some hits before signing day but presently sits as ESPN’s No. 6 class. The Irish got a major increase from the website in quarterback Sam Hartman, the ACC’s all-time goal passes leader. Notre Dame still has areas to resolve, specifically who will catch passes from Hartman, but he must raise expectations for 2023 under Freeman.– Rittenberg Sadness gripped the end of Mississippi State’s season. The Bulldogs lost coach Mike Leach, who dropped dead on Dec. 12 after issues connected to a heart disease
. They still had the wherewithal to go win their championship game, a come-from-behind 19-10 victory over Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl, topping their very first nine-win season since 2017. It was an emotional scene in Tampa, Florida, as players waved a”MIKE “flag on the field after the game in memory of their late coach. Protective coordinator Zach Arnett was promoted to head coach in the weeks leading up to the game. The Bulldogs were one of five teams in the SEC to win nine or more games this season and will return quarterback Will Rogers in 2023. He holds Mississippi State career records with 10,428 passing backyards and 81 goal passes and led the SEC this season with 3,974 passing yards and 35 goal passes.– Low play 2:29 MS State rallies to win ReliaQuest Bowl, honors Leach While doing it for Mike Leach, Marcus Banks returns a fumble 60 yards for
a TD on the final
play as No. 22 MS State rallies to beat Illinois, 19-10. Aside from TCU’s Sonny Dykes, it’s difficult to make a case that anybody had a much better first year in charge than Troy’s Jon Sumrall. After winning 5 games for three successive
years, the Trojans exploded to 12-2, walloped Coastal Carolina for the Sun Belt title– their first straight-out conference title given that 2009– and after that outlasted Conference USA champ UTSA in the Treatment Bowl. Sumrall’s defensive chops shined through instantly: Troy permitted simply 4.7 yards per play and 17.1 points per game in 2022, both eighth in the FBS. Linebacker Carlton Martial set the all-time career tackles record, protective end T.J. Jackson racked up 15.5 tackles for loss and it was just a wonderful season from top to bottom.– Connelly The Dorian Thompson-Robinson age at UCLA ended with the Bruins ‘finest season under Chip Kelly. A 6-1 start
and 9-4 record are a plain contrast to how the first few years of the Kelly period in Westwood went. The obstacle now will be for Kelly & Co. to discover another quarterback to lead the offense. Kent State transfer Collin Schlee has actually signed up for the task, but there is also plenty of excitement about inbound freshman Dante Moore, who flipped from Oregon to UCLA and looks every bit the part of a superstar so far.– Uggetti In his 2nd season at South Carolina, Shane Beamer continued the momentum he integrated in Year 1 with late-season wins over a set of top-10 teams– Tennessee and Clemson. The 31-30 road win at Clemson snapped a seven-game losing streak in the rivalry for the Gamecocks, who won 8 regular-season games for just the second time in the last 9 years. There were some lopsided losses along the way(48-0 to Georgia and 38-6 to Florida), however South Carolina was able to win seven of its last 9 games to end the routine season prior to falling 45-38 to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. The Gamecocks did lose numerous players to the transfer website and are still waiting to see if quarterback Spencer Rattler returns in 2023. Rattler played his best football toward the end of the season.– Low The Panthers ended the season on a five-game
winning streak after an exciting 37-35 triumph over UCLA in the Sun Bowl to get to 9 triumphes. Pitt has actually now won 20 games over the previous 2 seasons. Only Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson have won more games over that timeframe. Making what occurred against UCLA much more outstanding, Pitt played without 5 beginners who opted out, consisting of quarterback Kedon Slovis, running back Israel Abanikanda and protective end Deslin Alexandre. Perhaps provided the way Pitt ended the season, it is time to consider the Panthers a preseason top-25 team for 2023.– Adelson The Gophers capped off a nine-win season in a 28-20 win over Syracuse in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis began the game for Minnesota however was injured and relieved by Tanner Morgan. Running back Mo Ibrahim put the offense on his back, however, rushing for 71 yards and a touchdown. He became Minnesota’s all-time rushing leader with the efficiency after running for 4,668 yards throughout his career.– VanHaaren
Fresno State’s fourth straight bowl triumph came courtesy of accumulating 501 total yards in an uneven 29-6 success over Washington State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. A set of elders, quarterback Jake Haener (24-of-36 passing for 280 backyards, two TDs) and running back Jordan Mims (career-high 209 hurrying lawns and 2 scores), led the way. The Bulldogs won the Mountain West title for the fourth time given that 2012 after winning at least 10 games for the 5th time since 2013.– Baumgartner