One of the wildest seasons in college football history will conclude with tonight’s CFP National Championship Game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs.

 

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Channel: ESPN

Location: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

 

Tale of the Tape

 

TCU Horned Frogs (13-1) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (14-0)

 

Scoring Offense

TCU: 41.1 points per game (5th in the nation)

Georgia: 39.4 points per game (8th in the nation)

 

Scoring Defense

TCU: 26.43 points per game (64th)

Georgia: 14.79 points per game (5th)

 

Total Offense

TCU: 474.1 yards per game (13th)

Georgia: 494.9 yards per game (8th)

 

Total Defense

TCU: 395.3 yards per game (80th)

Georgia: 304.6 yards per game (11th)

 

Third Down Conversion Percentage

TCU: .411 (47th)

Georgia: .497 (8th)

 

Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense

TCU: .345 (35th)

Georgia: .271 (2nd)

 

Sacks

TCU: 30.0 (T-71st)

Georgia: 30.0 (T-71st)

 

Turnover Margin

TCU: +9 (20th)

Georgia: -2 (79th)

 

Overview

 

After arguably the best set of College Football Playoff semifinal games ever a couple of Saturdays ago on New Year’s Eve, both Georgia and TCU are coming off nail-biters that exhausted a ton of energy. Both squads had unbeaten regular seasons, followed by the Bulldogs winning the SEC and TCU losing a heartbreaker to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game. These schools have matched up just four times in history, with Georgia winning all four games. As the tale of the tape indicates, Georgia is seen as the better and more talented team, and they are two-touchdown favorites (-13.5) tonight.

 

However, while the Bulldogs haven’t always coasted (for example: their comeback win at Missouri and the comeback win over Ohio State in the Peach Bowl), TCU has been more battle tested all year (including in the Fiesta Bowl versus Michigan). The turnover margin (+9 for TCU and -2 for Georgia this season) is something to keep an eye on. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made it clear immediately in the aftermath of the CFP victory that he wants Stetson Bennett to just run the offense and avoid putting the ball in harm’s way. It’s somewhat of a fine line with Bennett, who has gone from a walk-on to a national champion and a Heisman Trophy finalist—with a chance to join an exclusive group of quarterbacks that have won two national titles.

 

Like Bennett, fellow Heisman finalist Max Duggan is a fighter that just finds a way to win games. He showed a ton of heart in the conference championship game loss and is a dual threat that will try to do whatever it takes to move the ball and score points. Georgia’s pass rush wasn’t great this season, but they’ve turned it on in the SEC Championship and the Peach Bowl. But if defenses can’t get pressure (the teams are tied for just 71st in sacks this season, with 30 each), we could see another shootout.

 

Aside from turnovers and a defense potentially stepping up for game-changing sacks or turnovers, the run game for both sides is an X-factor to help offenses stay in favorable third down situations. TCU’s star runner Kendre Miller is dealing with a knee injury suffered just over a week ago in the Fiesta Bowl, but Emari Demercado stayed ready for his opportunity and went for 150 yards and a touchdown on Michigan—look for Demercado to lead the backfield tonight. Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh is a gamebreaker that’s also a strong a receiving option out of the backfield, but the Dawgs are deep at the position and can ride the hot hand. Versatile stud tight end Brock Bowers is also someone to mention for UGA, as he’s one of the top overall players in college football.

 

And looming on over everything is the major goal of the Bulldogs looking to become the first repeat champion in the College Football Playoff era—and the first since Alabama in 2011 and 2012. Regardless of what happens tonight, Coach Smart has built a juggernaut at Georgia.

 

Matchup to Watch

 

TCU WR Quentin Johntson vs. Georgia’s secondary

The six-foot-four Quentin Johnston is one of the best big-play threats in college football, as he displayed in the CFP semifinal win against Michigan:

 

https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB/status/1609343730103861249?s=20&t=BV9esFkTB80fctO0Arysbw

 

The main guy tasked with trying to stop Johnston will be cornerback Kelee Ringo—who of course had the clutch interception to help seal the victory for the Dawgs in last year’s title game—but it’ll be a group effort from the entire secondary. If Georgia can force Duggan to find big plays elsewhere, the defense should be able to make some noise.

 

Predictions

 

I picked against the Dawgs last year and won’t do it this time around. Give me Georgia in a high-scoring game. – Kevin Davis

 

TCU is a gritty bunch that scares me if they can win the turnover battle and if Quentin Johnston has a game. Sonny Dykes has become a turnaround master in college football, and he deserves a ton of credit for the job he’s done this season. But the Bulldogs might have too much, and they are led by an extremely confident quarterback in Stetson Bennett. If Georgia can control the line of scrimmage, I really like them to win their second consecutive national title. – David Chappine

The first overtime in Army-Navy history over the weekend concluded college football’s regular season, and now it’s bowl season. Here’s the full schedule with times and channels for the 2022-2023 college football bowl games, including the College Football Playoff.

 

Friday, December 16

 

Bahamas Bowl

UAB vs. Miami (OH.)

11:30 AM ET | ESPN

 

Cure Bowl

No. 24 Troy vs. No. 25 UTSA

3:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Saturday, December 17

 

Fenway Bowl

Cincinnati vs. Louisville

11:00 AM ET | ESPN

 

Celebration Bowl

Jackson State vs. N.C. Central

12:00 PM ET | ABC

 

Las Vegas Bowl

No. 14 Oregon State vs. Florida

2:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

LA Bowl

Washington State vs. Fresno State

3:30 PM ET | ABC

 

LendingTree Bowl

Rice vs. Southern Mississippi

5:45 PM ET | ESPN

 

New Mexico Bowl

SMU vs. BYU

7:30 PM ET | ABC

 

Frisco Bowl

Boise State vs. Nevada

9:15 PM ET | ESPN

 

Monday, December 19

 

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Marshall vs. UConn

2:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Tuesday, December 20

 

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State

3:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Boca Raton Bowl

Liberty vs. Toledo

7:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Wednesday, December 21

 

New Orleans Bowl

South Alabama vs. Western Kentucky

9:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Thursday, December 22

 

Armed Forces Bowl

Baylor vs. Air Force

7:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Friday, December 23

 

Independence Bowl

Houston vs. Louisiana

3:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Gasparilla Bowl

Wake Forest vs. Missouri

6:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Saturday, December 24

 

Hawai’i Bowl

Middle Tennessee State vs. San Diego State

8:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Monday, December 26

 

Quick Lance Bowl

Bowling Green vs. New Mexico State

2:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Tuesday, December 27

 

Camellia Bowl

Buffalo vs. Georgia Southern

12:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

First Responder Bowl

Memphis vs. Utah State

3:15 PM ET | ESPN

 

Birmingham Bowl

Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina

6:45 PM ET | ESPN

 

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Oklahoma State vs. Wisconsin

10:15 PM ET | ESPN

 

Wednesday, December 28

 

Military Bowl

Duke vs. UCF

2:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Liberty Bowl

Arkansas vs. Kansas

5:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Holiday Bowl

No. 15 Oregon vs. North Carolina

8:00 PM ET | FOX

 

Texas Bowl

Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss

9:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Thursday, December 29

 

Pinstripe Bowl

Minnesota vs. Syracuse

2:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Cheez-It Bowl

No. 13 Florida State vs. Oklahoma

5:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Alamo Bowl

No. 12 Washington vs. No. 20 Texas

9:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Friday, December 30

 

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

No. 23 NC State vs. Maryland

12:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Sun Bowl

No. 18 UCLA vs. Pitt

2:00 PM ET | CBS

 

Gator Bowl

No. 19 South Carolina vs. No. 21 Notre Dame

3:30 PM ET | ESPN

 

Arizona Bowl

Ohio vs. Wyoming

4:30 PM ET | Barstool

 

Orange Bowl

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Clemson

8:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Saturday, December 31

 

Music City Bowl

Iowa vs. Kentucky

12:00 PM ET | ABC

 

Sugar Bowl

No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 9 Kansas State

12:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Fiesta Bowl (CFP semifinal)

No. 3 TCU vs. No. 2 Michigan

4:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Peach Bowl (CFP semifinal)

No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Georgia

8:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Monday, January 2

 

ReliaQuest Bowl

No. 22 Mississippi State vs. Illinois

12:00 PM ET | ESPN2

 

Citrus Bowl

No. 17 LSU vs. Purdue

1:00 PM ET | ABC

 

Cotton Bowl

No. 10 USC vs. No. 16 Tulane

1:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Rose Bowl

No. 8 Utah vs. No. 11 Penn State

5:00 PM ET | ESPN

 

Monday, January 9

 

College Football Playoff National Championship Game

8:00 PM ET | ESPN

A crazy college football season now heads into bowl season and the College Football Playoff.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (13-0) | Last week: 1

Georgia was on a mission to win the SEC championship after losing to Alabama last season, and they did it emphatically by putting up 50 points on LSU. Quarterback Stetson Bennett is a Heisman finalist, leading an underrated Bulldogs offense that complements the aggressive defense. The defending champions are the clear favorites to win a second straight national title.

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (13-0) | Last week: 2

However, Michigan followed up last year’s campaign with an even stronger regular season, destroying the rival Buckeyes in Columbus and winning a second consecutive Big Ten title. Most years, they would be the top seed heading into the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, the Wolverines will be without running back Blake Corum (knee), but Donovan Edwards is showing that he’s more than capable of being the lead back for Michigan.

 

3. TCU Horned Frogs (12-1) | Last week: 3

A Big 12 championship and undefeated season heading into the CFP would have been nice, but TCU was rightfully rewarded with a playoff appearance after going 12-0 and losing in overtime to Kansas State in the conference title game. Max Duggan and the Horned Frogs have been battle-tested all year, and the Fiesta Bowl seems to be a game for upsets over the years.

 

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) | Last week: 6 (+2)

We believe the CFP committee did a poor job in selecting the fourth playoff team, which became a debate after USC lost to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship. They seemingly stuck to their original bias in ranking Ohio State No. 1 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings (something that arguably did not make sense) and then consistently keeping them at No. 2. That said, the Buckeyes boast a talented team with an experienced defense, and they can take an underdog mindset into Atlanta on New Year’s Eve.

 

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) | Last week: 5

Nick Saban made the rounds on Saturday night making a case for his team to be included in the College Football Playoff. We agree that Alabama should have made it after USC was knocked out. Their two losses were a combined four points on the road in the SEC (at Tennessee and at LSU), and the loss to the Vols included a very questionable pass interference call that arguably cost them a win—which the committee seemingly didn’t take into account while at the same time claiming that Ohio State was “in the game” with Michigan into the fourth quarter. The Tide will settle for facing Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl while looking to cap a solid (by their standards) double-digit win season.

 

6. Clemson Tigers (11-2) | Last week: 9 (+3)

Just before kickoff on Saturday night, Dabo Swinney said that the ACC Championship Game was the difference between a good season and a great season. His team came through with an emphatic 39-10 victory versus North Carolina to claim the conference title and improve to 11-2 with an Orange Bowl appearance against Tennessee. The Tigers would probably be in the CFP if not for the tough loss to South Carolina, but the Tigers have won their conference in seven of the past eight years. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has entered the transfer portal after a rocky stretch for parts of this season, and it’s now Cade Klubnik’s show for Clemson.

 

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) | Last week: 7

2022 was a strong bounce back year for James Franklin and Penn State, as—thanks in part to two other Big Ten teams making the CFP—a Rose Bowl appearance is about as good as it gets. The Nittany Lions lost an instant classic to USC in “The Granddaddy of Them All” after the 2016 season, so maybe there’s some extra motivation here for the program.

 

8. Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) | Last week: 8

The season-ending knee injury to Hendon Hooker, the potential Heisman Trophy winner (now not even a finalist unfortunately) is really a shame for Hooker himself and Tennessee. Quarterback Joe Milton has a big opportunity playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game in taking on Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

 

9. Utah Utes (9-3) | Last week: NR

Utah basically bullied USC in both matchups this season, and it helped the Utes play spoiler—and more importantly win a conference championship for the second straight year. Kyle Whittingham has done a great job with Utah, and they have a prime opportunity for a signature Rose Bowl win after—like Penn State several years ago—losing a heartbreaking shootout last season to Ohio State.

 

10. USC Trojans (11-2) | Last week: 4 (-6)

Caleb Williams getting banged up played a factor, but Utah just wasn’t a good matchup for USC this year. The Trojans still made a New Year’s Six bowl—they’ll take on Tulane in the Cotton Bowl—but it was a disappointing result while on the cusp of the CFP.

USC’s Caleb Williams remains the heavy betting favorite to win, but this could be the most unpredictable Heisman Trophy voting in quite some time.

 

1. Caleb Williams | USC QB | Sophomore | Last week: 1

Caleb Williams was called a virtual lock to win the honor last week, but a dreadful Pac-12 title game performance for the Trojans as a team makes that much more questionable after the weekend. Williams was injured in the loss, which USC had led 17-3, so that will likely be taken into account by the voters. Overall, Williams had an outstanding 2022 campaign, with 47 total touchdowns while helping his team get to an 11-2 record and a New Year’s Six Bowl game. And the painted fingernails (painting “F*** [opponent name]”) doesn’t really scream as classy and Heisman-like. However, though Williams is probably not a total lock anymore, he’s the deserving favorite.

 

Season stats:

66.1% | 4,075 PASS YDS | 37 PASS TD | 4 INT

109 CAR | 372 RUSH YDS | 10 RUSH TD | 3.4 AVG

 

2. Stetson Bennett | Georgia QB | Senior | Last week: NR

The Heisman Trophy is “awarded to the outstanding college football player… whose performance epitomizes great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work.” A former walk-on that had to go to junior college before going back to Georgia and climbing up the depth chart, Stetson Bennett might be the best description of that diligence, perseverance, and hard work in college football. The national champion dual threat quarterback was excellent in airing it out all year, and he should get serious Heisman consideration—at least an invite to New York—in a season like this after helping the Dawgs go unbeaten and win the SEC.

 

Season stats:

67.9% | 3,425 PASS YDS | 20 PASS TD | 6 INT

47 CAR | 184 RUSH YDS | 7 RUSH TD | 3.9 AVG

 

3. Max Duggan | TCU QB | Senior | Last week: 5 (+2)

TCU quarterback Max Duggan was all heart in the Big 12 Championship loss to Kansas State, playing to the point of total exhaustion to help the Horned Frogs force overtime in the eventual defeat. Despite the loss, TCU still made the College Football Playoff, and Duggan’s clutch play throughout the campaign is a big reason they were able to do so after starting the season unranked. Duggan—who also showed major perseverance throughout his career after coming back from heart surgery—is going to get his share of first-place votes.

 

Season stats:

64.9% | 3,321 PASS YDS | 30 PASS TD | 4 INT

112 CAR | 404 RUSH YDS | 6 RUSH TD | 3.6 AVG

 

4. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: 2 (-2)

The ankle injury toward the end of the season made it difficult for Bo Nix and the Ducks to potentially win the Pac-12 and make the CFP, but the transfer quarterback was awesome in 2022 and should be a Heisman finalist.

 

Season stats:

71.5% | 3,388 PASS YDS | 27 PASS TD | 6 INT

84 CAR | 504 RUSH YDS | 14 RUSH TD | 6.0 AVG

2 REC | 36 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.0 AVG

 

5. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 3 (-2)

The favorite for much of the season, C.J. Stroud drops to No. 5 in the final Heisman rankings—and there are plenty of candidates (J.J. McCarthy being among them) that could be here over him. Still, Stroud led a banged up offense to just one loss and a (controversial) playoff appearance.

 

Season stats:

66.2% | 3,340 PASS YDS | 37 PASS TD | 6 INT

35 CAR | 74 RUSH YDS | 2.1 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Alabama QB Bryce Young

In one of the wildest college football seasons in history, we have a clear top four heading into championship weekend—but we’ve seen how quickly things can change.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (12-0) | Last week: 1

Following a second consecutive undefeated regular season in the SEC, Georgia did not look past in-state rival Georgia Tech with the conference championship game on deck. The Bulldogs won, 37-14, with a balanced attack and good showing on both sides of the ball. Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh has been playing very well late in the season, and he just led the Dawgs in both rushing (12 carries, 86 yards, one touchdown) and receiving (two receptions for 96 yards).

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (12-0) | Last week: 2

And to think the geniuses in the media clamored for Jim Harbaugh to be fired from Michigan. It’s taken time to build a legitimate powerhouse in the Big Ten, but Harbaugh’s Wolverines have done it, becoming the vastly superior team to the Buckeyes in their past two matchups. While Blake Corum was banged up at running back, the reliable Donovan Edwards broke two long touchdown runs late and racked up 216 yards in Columbus. Both Georgia and Michigan should have CFP spots locked up no matter what happens in their conference championship games.

 

3. TCU Horned Frogs (12-0) | Last week: 4 (+1)

Maybe the same can’t be said for TCU, but the Horned Frogs deserve a ton of credit and recognition for completing a 12-0 regular season. It included thrilling victories but was capped by a thrashing of Iowa State last week. Things will get extremely interesting if No. 3 or No. 4 lose this week, but TCU can take care of business and 100% lock up a playoff spot with a win over Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship.

 

4. USC Trojans (11-1) | Last week: 5 (+1)

Likely Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams dazzled as much as ever in USC’s Saturday night win against Notre Dame, and the Trojans are certainly in a win-and-in scenario when they face Utah again in the Pac-12 title game on Friday. The USC defense has had issues at time this season, but they’re forcing turnovers—and Lincoln Riley’s offense lights it up nearly every time they touch the field.

 

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) | Last week: 8 (+3)

Alabama handled rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl to get to 10-2, getting Nick Saban’s program to double-digit wins for the 15th consecutive season, which is simply insane. Now, the Crimson Tide will wait and see what happens this weekend, and we think that if TCU or USC were to fall out of the top four, it should undoubtedly be Alabama—after looking like they were out of the CFP mix—that re-joins. Their two losses came at the very end of games on the road in the tough SEC, and the Tennessee loss included a questionable pass interference call that changed the game.

 

6. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) | Last week: 3 (-3)

We were puzzled when Ohio State began the initial College Football Playoff rankings at No. 1, and we continued to not understand why they were consistently ranked over a Michigan team that’s looked better for most of the season. The Buckeyes are plenty talented and have had tremendous success as a program over the years, but the unquestioned “eye test” results haven’t been there often in 2022. Losing badly at home to your rival the way the Buckeyes did should keep them out of the CFP, but we’ll see if they are kept above Alabama tonight.

 

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) | Last week: 10 (+3)

This was a funny viral moment from Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, but in all seriousness he and others leaving the program had a dream-like final game at Beaver Stadium. Clifford is in his sixth and final season with the Nittany Lions program, and he threw four touchdowns in his final home game to help his team get to 10-2 and a likely New Year’s Six bowl.

 

8. Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) | Last week: NR

The ground game for Tennessee was on fire against Vanderbilt:

 

Jaylen Wright: five carries, 160 yards, two touchdowns

Dylan Sampson: 12 carries, 131 yards, one touchdown

Jabari Small: 11 carries 79 yards, two touchdowns

 

It was nice to see Hendon Hooker on the sideline supporting Joe Milton and his team:

 

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1596668673334206467?s=20&t=M4pi6iTH6kywDrzoHzHYjg

 

9. Clemson Tigers (10-2) | Last week: 6 (-3)

The passing offense for Clemson remained off against South Carolina, and it made it difficult to hold their lead after a 14-0 first quarter. Both an all-time great 40-game home winning streak and playoff hopes were dashed in the loss. However, in what has been a parity-filled college football season, the Tigers have put together another strong year with a shot at the ACC title on Saturday.

 

10. Washington Huskies (10-2) | Last week: NR

The two-game losing streak to UCLA and Arizona State in middle of the season hurt—if they were able to win just one of them they’d arguably be in the CFP race right now—but Washington has had a fantastic season in their first year under Kalen DeBoer. Transfer quarterback Michael Penix Jr. led the nation in passing yards during the regular season and has flown under the radar as one of the best players in America.

After a wide open race all year, we have a clear Heisman Trophy favorite heading into the final weekend.

 

1. Caleb Williams | USC QB | Sophomore | Last week: 2 (+1)

In what was arguably a clear two-horse race unless C.J. Stroud or Blake Corum (unfortunately only played a few snaps last week due to his knee injury) had a fantastic showing in “The Game”, but Caleb Williams lit it up on Saturday night in USC’s win over Notre Dame to virtually lock up the Heisman. Williams totaled four touchdowns (three rushing), and he made sensational highlight plays all night. Leading the 11-1 Trojans to a conference title game, Williams can put a cherry on top of things on Friday evening.

 

Season stats:

65.8% | 3,712 PASS YDS | 34 PASS TD | 3 INT

97 CAR | 351 RUSH YDS | 10 RUSH TD | 3.6 AVG

 

2. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: 1 (-1)

The ankle injury for Bo Nix impacted his dual threat ability, but he threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns in Oregon’s crushing loss in which the Ducks defense gave up 21 fourth-quarter points to rival Oregon State. Nix would’ve had a great shot at the Heisman if his team won and gave him another game in the Pac-12 Championship, but he better get an invite to New York after 42 total touchdowns as a transfer from Auburn.

 

Season stats:

71.5% | 3,388 PASS YDS | 27 PASS TD | 6 INT

84 CAR | 504 RUSH YDS | 14 RUSH TD | 6.0 AVG

2 REC | 36 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.0 AVG

 

3. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 3

Michigan has simply been the better team than Ohio State the past two seasons, and the relatively subpar performance from C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes offense simply makes it difficult for the young quarterback to win the Heisman considering how crowded this year’s field is. Ultimately, Stroud had a more prolific 2021 campaign than this season.

 

Season stats:

66.2% | 3,340 PASS YDS | 37 PASS TD | 6 INT

35 CAR | 74 RUSH YDS | 2.1 AVG

 

4. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 5 (+1)

If not for missing some time due to a shoulder injury, Bryce Young probably would be at least at No. 3 in the Heisman race—and you could make the case that he should be up there anyway. Young is simply an awesome player, and he had an excellent performance in the Iron Bowl (343 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 48 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown) in likely his final game in Tuscaloosa.

 

Season stats:

64.1% | 3,007 PASS YDS | 27 PASS TD | 5 INT

46 CAR | 195 RUSH YDS | 4 RUSH TD | 4.2 AVG

 

5. Max Duggan | TCU QB | Senior | Last week: NR

Max Duggan was mentioned as someone to keep an eye on last week, and he might be able to secure an invite to New York as a Heisman finalist with a solid outing in the Big 12 Championship this weekend. Duggan’s play has been key in the Horned Frogs winning tight games this season to remain unbeaten.

 

Season stats:

66.6% | 3,070 PASS YDS | 29 PASS TD | 3 INT

97 CAR | 294 RUSH YDS | 5 RUSH TD | 3.0 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Michigan RB Blake Corum

Another insane weekend that included one-loss Tennessee getting knocked off at South Carolina after appearing to have a potential clear path to the College Football Playoff. Here’s where the top ten stands heading into rivalry week.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (11-0) | Last week: 1

Kentucky put up a fight in the fourth quarter to make things somewhat interesting, but Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs completed their unbeaten SEC regular season schedule to become the third team in history to do it in consecutive seasons. Georgia has won 19 consecutive SEC regular season games, which is astounding. Kenny McIntosh starred on offense against the Wildcats, with 19 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown.

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (11-0) | Last week: 2

All-American kicker Jake Moody was the MVP for Michigan in their tight home victory over Illinois, hitting four-of-four field goals including the game-winner with nine seconds remaining. A loss would have been a stunner, but the big one obviously comes this Saturday in Columbus. The Wolverines struggled after star running back Blake Corum went down with a knee injury, and his status is a huge key to watch.

 

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) | Last week: 3

The Buckeyes have been steady at the No. 2 spot in the CFP rankings, and they get to play this year’s matchup at home after losing in The Big House last season. You know Ohio State is going to be highly motivated and looking to avenge last season, and they are relatively sizable favorites on Saturday. Freshman running back Dallan Hayden (27 carries, 146 yards, three touchdowns) was phenomenal in last Saturday’s win against Maryland, and he might be critical in keeping balance on the OSU offense with other runners banged up.

 

4. TCU Horned Frogs (11-0) | Last week: 4

The end of the game was thrilling partly due to TCU’s clock management, but the Horned Frogs again came through with a comeback victory to remain unbeaten.

 

WOW!@TCUFootball x @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/lurAb5UUcG

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 19, 2022

 

Kicker Griffin Kell didn’t have time to think and just had to kick after the rush onto the field, so that might have actually worked in TCU’s favor to get the win. TCU now hosts Iowa State and then will play in the Big 12 title game on December 3. Two wins should certainly secure a playoff spot.

 

5. USC Trojans (10-1) | Last week: 9 (+4)

USC can score with anyone, but despite putting up 48 points it was their defense that was the difference in the win at UCLA—with three interceptions including the game-sealer when the Bruins had a chance to drive for a tying or game-winning score. Running back Austin Jones (21 carries, 120 yards, two touchdowns) was excellent in the first game without Travis Dye.

 

6. Clemson Tigers (10-1) | Last week: 6

Clemson could arguably move up to No. 5, but they are leapfrogged by USC for this week’s rankings—and that’ll probably remain the case if the Trojans beat a Notre Dame squad that handled the Tigers. Still, Clemson had a strong showing versus Miami, and they have a shot at the CFP and must just take care of their own business, starting with an upset-minded South Carolina team this Saturday.

 

7. LSU Tigers (9-2) | Last week: 7

After allowing an early touchdown, LSU tightened up and had little issue win their 41-10 win against UAB. Texas A&M has had a very tough year, but now the Tigers can’t look past them with the SEC Championship Game on deck.

 

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-2) | Last week: 8

Alabama shutout Austin Peay in the tune-up ahead of the Iron Bowl. Auburn put the Tide up against the wall last season before Bryce Young and the offense pulled off ten fourth-quarter points in a memorable overtime victory, so Bama will be locked in while facing their rival at home this year.

 

9. Oregon Ducks (9-2) | Last week: NR

A banged-up Bo Nix and Oregon won a battle against Utah to put themselves in position to make the Pac-12 title game versus USC—with a potential shot to make the CFP if some things fall their way. The first order of business is getting a tough win at in-state rival Oregon State on Saturday afternoon.

 

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) | Last week: 10

Penn State continues to dominate in their wins, and while the OSU matchup was closer than the score indicates, it’s a shame they didn’t play their best games in the Ohio State and Michigan contests. Nevertheless, the Nittany Lions are looking to finish the regular season at 10-2—though a New Year’s Six bowl might be a touch out of reach.

Former potential Heisman Trophy favorite Hendon Hooker is unfortunately done for the year with a torn ACL, and there’s a new No. 1 again in this week’s rankings.

 

1. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: 2 (+1)

Bo Nix was in the top spot a couple of weeks ago, and he’s back up here after toughing out his ankle injury to help Oregon get a top-ten win over Utah. The lack of respect for the senior quarterback as a serious Heisman candidate is very odd, and he remains tied for first in the nation with 40 total touchdowns this season.

 

Season stats:

72.2% | 3,061 PASS YDS | 25 PASS TD | 6 INT

81 CAR | 509 RUSH YDS | 14 RUSH TD | 6.3 AVG

2 REC | 36 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.0 AVG

 

2. Caleb Williams | USC QB | Sophomore | Last week: 4 (+2)

Among those tied with Nix in total touchdowns this year is Caleb Williams, who led USC to a huge win over rival UCLA on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. Williams had a bad interception early, but overall he threw for 470 yards and two touchdowns while adding 38 yards and another touchdown on the ground. The Big Ten contenders in the next two slots are deservingly getting a lot of love, but a case can be made that the Heisman should be coming down to Nix or Williams.

 

Season stats:

64.9% | 3,480 PASS YDS | 33 PASS TD | 3 INT

88 CAR | 316 RUSH YDS | 7 RUSH TD | 3.6 AVG

 

3. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 3

While the Buckeyes put up 43 points at Maryland, it was by no means an easy day for C.J. Stroud and the passing attack—but it was still another solid outing for the sophomore. Stroud was 18/30 for 241 yards and a touchdown while helping Ohio State get to 11-0 with the huge matchup versus Michigan this Saturday.

 

Season stats:

66.4% | 2,991 PASS YDS | 35 PASS TD | 4 INT

33 CAR | 77 RUSH YDS | 2.3 AVG

 

4. Blake Corum | Michigan RB | Junior | Last week: NR

Bijan Robinson is among the other running backs that could crack the top five, but Blake Corum—after leaving Michigan’s tight win over Illinois with a knee injury that showed how valuable he is to their offense—gets back into the top five. Corum is third in the nation in rushing and second in rushing touchdowns, and hopefully he’s healthy enough to give it a go against Ohio State this weekend.

 

Season stats:

245 CAR | 1,457 RUSH YDS | 18 RUSH TD | 5.9 AVG

11 REC | 80 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 7.3 AVG

 

5. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 5

Who knows how things will play out during this insane college football season, but it appears likely the Heisman will come down to one of the top four (though TCU’s Max Duggan is someone to keep an eye on). But Bryce Young remains here in the improbable scenario that those above him falter in a major way. Also, Hendon Hooker could still be included here and arguably deserves an invitation to New York; he might be put back in the top five depending on how the final couple of weeks go.

 

Season stats:

63.8% | 2,664 PASS YDS | 24 PASS TD | 4 INT

41 CAR | 147 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 3.6 AVG

The top five remains the same, but the bottom half of this week’s top ten college football power rankings includes shuffling and a couple of new teams.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (10-0) | Last week: 1

Stetson Bennett threw a couple of interceptions, but Georgia racked up over 450 yards of offense while eventually coasting to a 45-19 victory at Mississippi State thanks to a 28-7 second half. The Bulldogs are locked in to face LSU in the SEC Championship Game, but they obviously can’t look past Kentucky this Saturday.

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (10-0) | Last week: 2

Michigan demolished Nebraska, holding the Cornhuskers to just 71 passing yards and 76 rushing yards in a 34-3 win to improve to 10-0—their best start to a season since 2006. The Wolverines continue to make it look like last season’s conference title and CFP campaign was just the start for a squad that’s here to stay under Jim Harbaugh.

 

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) | Last week: 3

The passing attack led by C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr. got back on track in Ohio State’s 56-point outburst against Indiana, and the Buckeyes also did serious damage on the ground with both Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden going over 100 yards with a score—and Xavier Johnson chipping in with a 71-yard touchdown run. The touchdown by Kamryn Babb, who has been through an unfathomable number of injuries throughout his career, was awesome to see.

 

4. TCU Horned Frogs (10-0) | Last week: 4

The defensive battle was surprising, but TCU found a way to beat Texas­—despite a late scoop-and-score that kept the Longhorns in the game late in the fourth quarter—to remain undefeated. TCU now heads to Baylor (last year’s Big 12 champs) for their final road game of the year.

 

5. Tennessee Volunteers (9-1) | Last week: 5

Tennessee promptly got back to looking like the offense we’ve seen all season, with 66 points, 724 total yards, and 9.7 yards per play while blowing out Missouri. Out of the SEC title game, the Vols are structured to put up the “style points” these final two regular season games while making a case they should make the CFP.

 

6. Clemson Tigers (9-1) | Last week: 7 (+1)

Last Saturday was a story of bounce backs for some top teams, with Clemson among them in jumping to an early 10-0 first quarter in a 31-16 victory versus an upset-minded Louisville squad. The Tigers seemingly wanted to re-establish the line of scrimmage, with Phil Mafah (10/106/1), Will Shipley (19/97/1), and D.J. Uiagalelei (15/32/1) pacing the ground game.

 

7. LSU Tigers (8-2) | Last week: 8 (+1)

In a surprising cold environment, LSU won a defensive game against Arkansas to lock up—with some help from Alabama later in the day—the SEC West title in Brian Kelly’s first season at the helm. You wouldn’t have believed the Tigers would be in the SEC title game a couple of months ago, but they’ve found a way to battle and win—with a clear path to the CFP if they can win out. LSU should handle UAB this week.

 

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2) | Last week: 9 (+1)

A strong second half from Bryce Young and the Crimson Tide offense—and key stops by the defense, including to end the game—helped Alabama improve to 8-2. It’s been a more difficult season than in recent memory for Nick Saban (by their standards), and you could tell how proud he was of his team for getting the win both right after the stop and during his postgame interview.

 

9. USC Trojans (9-1) | Last week: NR

In a competitive Pac-12, 9-1 USC appears to have the clear best path to a playoff berth after Oregon’s loss to Washington. But this Saturday night at the Rose Bowl against UCLA is one of the most anticipated games of the year and should be a close one. The Trojans unfortunately lost running back Travis Dye for the season due to a leg injury, and Caleb Williams and the passing attack will need to keep performing at a high level.

 

10. Penn State (8-2) | Last week: NR

North Carolina and a few Pac-12 teams could all be here at No. 10, but Penn State’s only two losses this season were to top three teams in Ohio State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions are playing well, following up a 45-14 win over Indiana a couple of weeks ago with a 3-0 shutout versus Maryland last weekend. The defense has been exceptional in most games this year.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy race remains as wide open late in the season as it has been in a long time. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker reclaims the top spot this week.

 

1. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: 2 (+1)

Hooker totaled 405 yards and four touchdowns in a huge bounce back following the loss to Georgia. The senior quarterback and the Vols put up 66 points in Missouri. Hooker’s squad is averaging 47.4 points per game this season, which is the best in the country.

 

Season stats:

71.1% | 2,888 PASS YDS | 24 PASS TD | 2 INT

99 CAR | 405 RUSH YDS | 5 RUSH TD | 4.1 AVG

 

2. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: 1 (-1)

The talk that Bo Nix’s Heisman candidacy is over after a very tough loss to Washington is a tad ridiculous. Nix again wow’d with his arm, and perhaps the game would have turned out differently if not for Nix having to exit briefly due to an ankle injury late. Nix threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns while adding 55 rushing yards and a score on the ground, bringing him to 39 total touchdowns for the 8-2 Ducks.

 

Season stats:

72.8% | 2,774 PASS YDS | 24 PASS TD | 5 INT

79 CAR | 512 RUSH YDS | 14 RUSH TD | 6.5 AVG

2 REC | 36 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.0 AVG

 

3. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 4 (+1)

After an off day at Northwestern a couple of Saturdays ago, C.J. Stroud got back on track with five touchdown passes in Ohio State’s blowout win against Indiana. Stroud hit four different receivers on his five touchdowns, and he’s now the first player in Big Ten history with 30+ touchdown passes in consecutive seasons.

 

Season stats:

67.1% | 2,750 PASS YDS | 34 PASS TD | 4 INT

29 CAR | 83 RUSH YDS | 2.9 AVG

 

4. Caleb Williams | USC QB | Sophomore | Last week: 3 (-1)

Caleb Williams also totaled five touchdowns over the weekend—scoring twice on the ground while adding three through the air. Williams can put a big stamp on his Heisman candidacy with a phenomenal outing at UCLA this Saturday night.

 

Season stats:

63.7% | 3,010 PASS YDS | 31 PASS TD | 2 INT

80 CAR | 283 RUSH YDS | 6 RUSH TD | 3.5 AVG

 

5. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 5

This year’s college football season and the Heisman race have been so crazy that a handful of guys could not only be in the top five but can also be as high as No. 1. TCU quarterback Max Duggan and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye among them. However, the reigning winner keeps the No. 5 spot this week after tossing three touchdowns in Alabama’s tight win at Ole Miss. They’ve had success when he missed time with the shoulder injury, but overall the Tide would be in a tough spot without Young this season.

 

Season stats:

63.0% | 2,443 PASS YDS | 22 PASS TD | 4 INT

37 CAR | 157 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 4.2 AVG

The craziness continues, and our latest college football power rankings include what is likely a clear top six at this stage—but we’ll see what the CFP selection committee does.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (9-0) | Last week: 1

The Georgia defense had been strong all year, but they turned it up to an entirely different level when hosting a high-flying Tennessee offense last week. The Bulldogs started hot offensively with Stetson Bennett and company, and the defense got pressure on Hendon Hooker all afternoon, recording six sacks after coming into the game with just ten all year. It was a shock Georgia was ranked No. 3 in the initial CFP rankings, and they should be a lock to move into the top spot tonight.

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (9-0) | Last week: 3 (+1)

Michigan being at No. 5 in the initial CFP rankings last week was also a surprise, but they’ll be moving into the top three after last Saturday—and we continue to keep them above rival Ohio State. It looked like the Wolverines were in a battle, trailing Rutgers, 17-14, at halftime. But things quickly flipped in the 28-0 third quarter of an eventually dominant 52-17 victory.

 

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) | Last week: 4 (+1)

Ohio State won by two touchdowns at Northwestern, but the 21-7 game was much closer than the margin might indicate—which isn’t a great sign against a one-win opponent. Granted, there were 50-MPH wind gusts which had a factor in grounding C.J. Stroud (76 passing yards) and the passing attack. However, it was surprising that it took so long for the Buckeyes ground game led by Miyan Williams—with key runs by Stroud—to take over.

 

4. TCU Horned Frogs (9-0) | Last week: 7 (+3)

An ankle issue kept star receiver Quintin Johnston out of the game after he tried to give it a go after playing through it the previous week, but TCU’s offense was able to put up 429 yards in yet another comeback victory versus Texas Tech. The Horned Frogs keep finding ways to win games—and they are likely in the driver’s seat for a Playoff spot after losses by Clemson and Alabama.

 

5. Tennessee Volunteers (8-1) | Last week: 2 (-3)

The Vols showed fight on both sides of the ball in winning the second half, 7-3, after a 24-6 halftime deficit in Athens. But the offense was under constant siege and averaged just 3.9 yards per play while going 2/14 on third down. However, if Tennessee can win out in the SEC this regular season, potentially staying home during championship weekend can give them a shot to sneak back into the CFP depending on how teams fare ahead and behind them.

 

6. Oregon Ducks (8-1) | Last week: 8 (+2)

Quarterback Bo Nix threw two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns, and caught a touchdown while Oregon had a ton of fun in a 49-10 rout of Colorado. The Ducks seem to have great vibes right now, with Nix emerging as a potential Heisman frontrunner. Oregon hosts a 7-2 Washington team this Saturday night as they look to keep it going.

 

7. Clemson Tigers (8-1) | Last week: 5 (-2)

The top six should be extremely clear, but there are several teams that can vary in this No. 7 through No. 10 range. Clemson did not have a good showing at all—particularly on offense, where they couldn’t get much of anything done in the first three quarters—at Notre Dame, but they still have a lot in front of them including an ACC conference they’re looking to win. The Tigers still have their CFP hopes alive with how crazy this year has been, but they must be totally focused on a tough Louisville squad this week.

 

8. LSU Tigers (7-2) | Last week: NR

Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Tigers in both passing and rushing, making key plays to keep the offense moving in the Tigers’ upset home win over the Crimson Tide. The decision by Brian Kelly to go for two at the end of the first overtime was gutsy, and the result was yet another stunner in of this crazy 2022. With a path to the SEC Championship Game, LSU’s playoff hopes are very much alive after a disappointing start to the Kelly tenure.

 

9. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) | Last week: 6 (-3)

It feels so weird that Alabama is essentially already eliminated from CFP contention before mid-November, but this year’s team has shown some definite vulnerabilities all season. The Tide will look to overcome the disappointment by getting at a big win at Ole Miss this week.

 

10. UCLA Bruins (8-1) | Last week: 9 (-1)

Both UCLA and USC do have their College Football Playoff hopes alive, and they both have a shot to rise in the rankings these next few weeks. We still give the nod to the Bruins, who are doming off another phenomenal performance on the ground even with Zach Charbonnet out:

 

pic.twitter.com/Mw1d6jE4U0

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) November 8, 2022

The first 2022 Heisman Trophy rankings for November include a bunch of shuffling and a new No. 1.

 

1. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: 4 (+3)

The rise of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix continues after he threw two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns, and caught a touchdown against Colorado, pulling off an impressive hat trick while leading a Ducks offense that’s on fire. Nix is already up to 36 total touchdowns through nine games this season, and the first game of the year where Georgia completely dominated should not discount Nix’s candidacy too much.

 

Season stats:

72.3% | 2,495 PASS YDS | 22 PASS TD | 5 INT

69 CAR | 457 RUSH YDS | 13 RUSH TD | 6.6 AVG

2 REC | 36 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.0 AVG

 

2. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: 1 (-1)

Speaking of struggling against Georgia, Hendon Hooker didn’t have much of a chance with the pressure he was under from the Dawgs all afternoon. Hooker was held out of the end zone, threw an interception, and had just 17 rushing yards (lost yardage on sacks hurting his total there). Still, the veteran quarterback is having an outstanding season and remains squarely in the Heisman mix.

 

Season stats:

71.0% | 2,533 PASS YDS | 21 PASS TD | 2 INT

91 CAR | 355 RUSH YDS | 4 RUSH TD | 3.9 AVG

 

3. Caleb Williams | USC QB | Sophomore | Last week: NR

Caleb Williams has five total touchdowns in each of the past three games, and he’s clearly back in the Heisman discussion with a chance to keep rising in the rankings. Williams is up to 28 touchdown passes compared to just one interception this season, along with four additional touchdowns on the ground.

 

Season stats:

64.4% | 2,742 PASS YDS | 28 PASS TD | 1 INT

72 CAR | 287 RUSH YDS | 4 RUSH TD | 4.0 AVG

 

4. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 2 (-2)

The weather conditions were not ideal at windy Northwestern, but C.J. Stroud struggled mightily in the Buckeyes’ closer-than-expected victory to remain unbeaten. Stroud was 10/26 for 76 yards, but he did make key plays with his legs and racked up by far a season-high 79 yards rushing.

 

Season stats:

67.9% | 2,453 PASS YDS | 29 PASS TD | 4 INT

25 CAR | 75 RUSH YDS | 3.0 AVG

 

5. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 3 (-2)

The early interception in the red zone hurt, and it was an inefficient night overall, but Bryce Young again showed his magician-like ability in leading Alabama to 15 fourth-quarter points of their heartbreaking overtime loss to LSU. Ultimately, Young is probably in a tough spot to win the Heisman given that his team has two losses—adding to the difficulty of voters’ potential hesitancy to crown the second ever two-time winner. SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai also deserves a brief mention here after an insane ten total touchdowns (nine passing) against Houston.

 

Season stats:

62.9% | 2,234 PASS YDS | 19 PASS TD | 4 INT

30 CAR | 147 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 4.9 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Pittsburgh RB Israel Abanikanda

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2022 will release tonight. Where do teams stand as we hit November?

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (8-0) | Last week: 1

A flurry by Florida in the third quarter temporarily made it a game after Georgia’s 28-3 halftime lead, but the Dawgs were too much for the Gators and pulled away with a 42-20 victory to improve to 8-0. A couple of uncharacteristic turnovers led to the 17-point third quarter for Florida, so look for UGA to be focused on cleaning that up ahead of this Saturday’s massive showdown.

 

2. Tennessee Volunteers (8-0) | Last week: 2

The 44-6 rout of Kentucky was too much to ignore, and Tennessee is finally up to No. 2 in the AP poll—with the expectation that they’ll land in the top two for the initial CFP rankings tonight. Quarterback Hendon Hooker (three passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown versus Kentucky) continues to light it up, and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (nine touchdowns in his past three games) cannot be stopped. No. 1 against No. 2 this Saturday afternoon should be one of the games of the year, though college football odds have Georgia as relatively big favorites.

 

3. Michigan Wolverines (8-0) | Last week: 3

Michigan had to settle for more field goals than they would have liked in their 29-7 win against Michigan State, but the reigning Big Ten champions were able to get a little redemption for last year’s loss to the Spartans. The Wolverines outrushed the in-state rival 276-37, and they had 27 first downs compared to MSU’s 11. The postgame fight in the tunnel was obviously unacceptable, and both teams using the same tunnel is unfortunately becoming a big issue at Michigan Stadium.

 

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) | Last week: 4

Ohio State ultimately won by multiple possessions after a 28-17 fourth quarter, but their victory over Penn State at Happy Valley was closer than the final score might indicate. The Buckeyes offense had some struggles on third down and was relatively sloppy through the first three quarters, but four turnovers forced by the defense—led by J.T. Tuimoloau, who was sensational with two sacks and two interceptions including a pick-six—was key to improve to 8-0.

 

5. Clemson Tigers (8-0) | Last week: 5

Clemson, a team coming off a bye week, is one of the most intriguing teams heading into tonight. We still have them at No. 5 following their 8-0 start, but the Tigers have been a bit inconsistent this season—and it would not be shocking if they were as low as No. 6 or No. 7 for the initial rankings. This week, Clemson will go on the road to face a Notre Dame team that’s been playing better lately.

 

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) | Last week: 6

Considering Alabama’s lone loss was to Tennessee in a game with very questionable officiating at the end, don’t be surprised if the Crimson Tide land at No. 5 or even in the top four tonight. Bama had off last week and will next play a surging LSU team (now ranked No. 15 in the AP poll) this Saturday in Baton Rouge.

 

7. TCU Horned Frogs (8-0) | Last week: 7

TCU hit a bunch of big plays to key their 41-31 win over West Virginia, with quarterback Max Duggan throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 completions and running back Kendre Miller carrying ten times for 120 yards and a touchdown. The Horned Frogs defense was on the field for 79 plays last week, so keep an eye on this Saturday against Texas Tech.

 

8. Oregon Ducks (7-1) | Last week: 8

Bo Nix is inserting himself into the Heisman Trophy discussion after totaling six touchdowns (three passing, three rushing) and nearly 500 yards of total offense in Oregon’s 42-24 win over Cal. The Ducks might have been a bit sluggish early coming off their huge win over UCLA the previous week, but Nix and the offense are humming.

 

9. UCLA Bruins (7-1) | Last week: 10 (+1)

Running back Zach Charbonnet paced the Bruins with 198 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns while also leading the team in receiving (five receptions for 61 yards) in a 38-13 home win against Stanford. Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kazmeir Allen also scored on the ground, helping the offensive effort of 324 rushing yards compared to Stanford’s 270 yards total.

 

10. USC Trojans (7-1) | Last week: NR

Star receivers Jordan Addison and Mario Williams were out for USC, but Caleb Williams still threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns on Arizona’s defense. Overall, while some of their wins have been a little close for comfort, the Trojans racked up 621 yards on offense, and it’ll be interesting to see where the selection committee ranks Lincoln Riley’s explosive squad tonight relative to conference foes Oregon and UCLA.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy race continues to heat up, with a bunch of potential candidates that can make a run in November.

 

1. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: 2 (+1)

Hendon Hooker totaled four more touchdowns while Tennessee breezed past Kentucky, and he’s arguably the clear (yet close) frontrunner for the Heisman ahead of this Saturday against Georgia. If Hooker has another outstanding game in a highly anticipated SEC contest—and especially if the Vols pull off the road upset—his candidacy might take off.

 

Season stats:

71.2% | 2,338 PASS YDS | 21 PASS TD | 1 INT

73 CAR | 338 RUSH YDS | 4 RUSH TD | 4.6 AVG

 

2. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 1 (-1)

While Stroud threw for 354 yards and a touchdown against Penn State, the star quarterback and the Ohio State passing game is still just a touch off from where they want to be—which says a lot considering the passing yardage Stroud is putting up. Stroud should again hit the 30-mark touchdown this season when the Buckeyes face Northwestern on Saturday.

 

Season stats:

71.3% | 2,377 PASS YDS | 29 PASS TD | 4 INT

 

3. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 3

Bryce Young had off, but he’s steady at No. 3 in this week’s Heisman rankings. Young and Alabama have a tough game coming up at LSU this weekend.

 

Season stats:

66.1% | 1,906 PASS YDS | 18 PASS TD | 3 INT

26 CAR | 137 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 5.3 AVG

 

4. Bo Nix | Oregon QB | Senior | Last week: NR

Bo Nix has 11 total touchdowns (eight passing, three rushing) over the past two games, and he’s quietly working his way near the top of the Heisman watch. Nix has led Oregon to a 7-1 start, with the lone loss coming in a very difficult environment in his first game for the program facing Georgia. I was tempted to insert Nix all the way up to No. 2, and if he keeps playing the way he has been, he’ll keep rising.

 

Season stats:

72.3% | 2,221 PASS YDS | 20 PASS TD | 5 INT

60 CAR | 441 RUSH YDS | 11 RUSH TD | 7.4 AVG

 

5. Israel Abanikanda | Pittsburgh RB | Junior | Last week: 5

Pitt lost again to drop to 4-4, but Israel Abanikanda ran for 127 yards and three touchdowns helping his team build a lead that was eventually relinquished with 21 points in the fourth quarter by North Carolina. The junior running back leads the nation in touchdown runs (16) and is third in rushing yards (1,086). There are other worthy candidates for the top five, but Abanikanda remains at No. 5.

 

Season stats:

183 CAR | 1,086 RUSH YDS | 16 RUSH TD | 5.9 AVG

7 REC | 109 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 15.6 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Texas RB Bijan Robinson

The top six remains clear, but where do teams like TCU and Oregon rank in the final college football power rankings for October?

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0) | Last week: 1

This weekend unfortunately won’t be a ranked matchup after Florida lost to LSU to drop to 4-3, but the Florida-Georgia rivalry is one of the best in college football. After the week of rest, we’ll see how the Bulldogs defense handles Gators dual threat quarterback Anthony Richardson.

 

2. Tennessee Volunteers (7-0) | Last week: 2

Hendon Hooker continues to be near or at the top of Heisman lists, and Tennessee had no trouble coasting to a 65-24 win versus Tennessee-Martin. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt stayed red-hot with 174 yards and two touchdowns as a follow-up to his five-touchdown performance. Kentucky will obviously be a bigger challenge this week.

 

3. Michigan Wolverines (7-0) | Last week: 3

Michigan had off last week and will now host rival Michigan State in The Big House for the big national ABC game on Saturday night. The Wolverines won’t have to deal with stud running back Ken Walker III, who is now doing damage in the NFL, but the team will be ready to go as they look to redeem last year’s loss.

 

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0) | Last week: 4

It says something that a 54-10 conference win in which you put up the most points ever on a Kirk Ferentz-coached Iowa is a bit of a disappointment for the offense. The Buckeyes defense forced six turnovers in the win, and they’ll look to keep rolling when they go to Penn State this Saturday noon ET.

 

5. Clemson Tigers (8-0) | Last week: 5

D.J. Uiagalelei was benched after a couple of interceptions for top recruit Cade Klubnik in Clemson’s comeback home win against fellow unbeaten Syracuse, but Dabo Swinney says Uiagalelei is still the team’s starting quarterback. Uiagalelei was also benched last season before coming back strong, and he’s been really good for most of 2022—so look for him to bounce back from his off day and play well over the final four regular season games. The Tigers will now step back and recharge with a bye week.

 

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) | Last week: 6

The Alabama defense responded to their performance in Knoxville that led to their first loss of the season, holding Mississippi State to just six points and 3.4 yards per play in a 30-6 win. And perhaps most importantly, the Tide had just three penalties for 20 yards after struggling with that mightily. Now Alabama will face a surging LSU team coached by Brian Kelly for the first time.

 

7. TCU Horned Frogs (7-0) | Last week: 8 (+1)

A balanced offensive attack led by Max Duggan (280 passing yards, three passing touchdowns) and Kendre Miller (153 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns) paced TCU to yet another ranked victory within the Big 12. The Horned Frogs will look to get to 8-0 when facing a struggling West Virginia team this weekend.

 

8. Oregon Ducks (6-1) | Last week: 10 (+2)

Quarterback Bo Nix was phenomenal in Oregon’s home victory against UCLA, and the Auburn transfer hasn’t gotten enough credit for the way he’s been playing since the switch seemingly flipped in the 29-point fourth quarter at Washington State a month ago. First-year head coach Dan Lanning is pushing the right buttons for the Ducks.

 

9. Oklahoma State (6-1) | Last week: NR

Oklahoma State’s defense tightened up in a major way in their win versus Texas, holding the Longhorns to three second-half points after giving up 34 in the first half. Jason Taylor II had two of the Cowboys’ three interceptions in the victory, and Spencer Sanders threw for 391 yards and two touchdowns in the comeback. Also, the well-coached Mike Gundy program committed zero penalties in the game.

 

10. UCLA Bruins (6-1) | Last week: 7 (-3)

A shootout looked likely, potentially with the team getting the ball last winning—but the onside kick by Oregon in the second quarter gave them the momentum that they did not give up for the rest of the game after taking a two-possession lead in Eugene. UCLA showed fight, and there’s a chance for a rematch in the Pac-12 title game in December.

The Heisman race remains extremely tight ahead of the final full month of the season.

 

1. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 1

Some called it stat padding in the second half after relative struggles for C.J. Stroud against Iowa (despite a blowout home victory). But overall the sophomore quarterback tossed four more touchdowns to help the Buckeyes improve to 7-0, and he’s up to 32 total touchdowns this season.

 

Season stats:

70.0% | 2,023 PASS YDS | 28 PASS TD | 4 INT

 

2. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: 2

Hendon Hooker was essentially flawless in Tennessee’s 65-24 rout of Tennessee-Martin, so he continues to push for the top spot. Hooker has been highly efficient and will look to keep it going at home versus Kentucky this week.

 

Season stats:

70.6% | 2,093 PASS YDS | 18 PASS TD | 1 INT

63 CAR | 315 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 5.0 AVG

 

3. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 3

It wasn’t a massive outing for Bryce Young, but the reigning Heisman winner put together another solid night in Bama’s win over Mississippi State. Every week, the magical quality Young has at quarterback shines at least a few times.

 

Season stats:

66.1% | 1,906 PASS YDS | 18 PASS TD | 3 INT

26 CAR | 137 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 5.3 AVG

 

4. Bijan Robinson | Texas RB | Junior | Last week: NR

After dropping out last week, Bijan Robinson is back in the top five after another sensational dual-threat performance in Texas’ tough loss to Oklahoma State. Bijan ran 24 times for 140 yards and a touchdown while adding a 41-yard touchdown reception—most of the damage came in the first half, but it was another great individual effort for the star running back.

 

Season stats:

162 CAR | 920 RUSH YDS | 11 RUSH TD | 5.7 AVG

17 REC | 280 REC YDS | 2 REC TD | 16.5 AVG

 

5. Israel Abanikanda | Pittsburgh RB | Junior | Last week: 5

Pitt also lost, but again Israel Abanikanda did his part leading the Panthers in both rushing (28 carries, 129 yards, one touchdown) and receiving (three receptions for 50 yards). Other running backs like Jahmyr Gibbs can also be included in the No. 4 or No. 5 slots, along with Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei (who was benched last week but remains Clemson’s QB1).

 

Season stats:

157 CAR | 959 RUSH YDS | 13 RUSH TD | 6.1 AVG

7 REC | 109 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 15.6 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei

A crazy and memorable Saturday of college football saw four top-ten teams go down, including Alabama in a classic at Tennessee.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0) | Last week: 1

Following the narrow victory over Missouri a few weeks ago, Georgia has rolled by a combined margin of 97-10 in wins against Auburn and Vanderbilt the past two games. The Dawgs just outgained Vandy, 579-150, and they now have a week to rest ahead of the Florida-Georgia rivalry on October 29.

 

2. Tennessee Volunteers (6-0) | Last week: 6 (+4)

Hendon Hooker and the Volunteers delivered one of the best wins in program history with the upset versus the Crimson Tide, and it was total pandemonium in the aftermath of the home victory. Jalin Hyatt caught all five touchdowns from Hooker, and Tennessee is obviously very difficult to stop offensively. There’s a case for the Vols to be ranked No. 1.

 

3. Michigan Wolverines (7-0) | Last week: 4 (+1)

Michigan looked to be in a battle against Penn State, but they ran away from the Big Ten opponent in the second half, starting with Donovan Edwards breaking a long touchdown run—followed by Blake Corum doing the same. Overall, Edwards (16/173/2) and Corum (28/166/2) and excellent defense helped the Wolverines to what turned into a 41-17 blowout.

 

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) | Last week: 3 (-1)

The Buckeyes had off, and an argument can be made that they should be ranked anywhere in the top three. For now, they get leaped by their biggest rival. Iowa is up this Saturday at home before a trip to Happy Valley.

 

5. Clemson Tigers (7-0) | Last week: 5

Clemson started slow and ended a bit slow, but they felt in total control for most of their 34-28 victory at Florida State. Myles Murphy recorded a couple of sacks, but the defense overall must get more consistent—especially when facing a tough Syracuse squad this week, likely their toughest remaining regular season opponent.

 

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1) | Last week: 2 (-4)

 

One of these plays was called pass interference. The other was not. This is just a fact. pic.twitter.com/cHIvMs5mCm

— Adam Weil (@AdamWeil22) October 16, 2022

 

If not for the very shaky pass interference call against Alabama at the end of the game (and one earlier in the second half that arguably should have clearly been called on Tennessee), things might be a lot different right now, with the Tide likely at No. 1 in the rankings. That said, the Crimson Tide are uncharacteristically committing way too many penalties this season, and it’s something Nick Saban knows must get solved. It was good to see a healthy Bryce Young playing at his usual high level in the shootout loss to the Vols.

 

7. UCLA Bruins (6-0) | Last week: 8 (+1)

The bye was a good one for UCLA, with USC losing to Utah and the overall craziness of the weekend moving the Bruins into the AP top ten for the first time since 2015. Also, the bye gave UCLA extra time to prepare for a big challenge on the road at Oregon, where College Gameday will be on Saturday.

 

8. TCU Horned Frogs (6-0) | Last week: NR

TCU overcame a 14-point deficit to eventually top fellow undefeated Oklahoma State in overtime, 43-40. Max Duggan (23/40, 286 yards, two touchdowns) took care of the ball, running back Kendre Miller (104 yards, two touchdowns) ran well, and receiver Quintin Johnston (8/180/1 in the win) is one of the best players in the nation. Sonny Dykes is doing a very good job with his team.

 

9. Ole Miss Rebels (7-0) | Last week: NR

The Rebels went with a super run-heavy approach while totally controlling their win over Auburn from start to finish. Ole Miss had 448 yards rushing, but their own run defense must get sorted out after Tank Bigsby and company did damage themselves on the ground. Next up is a trip to face LSU.

 

10. Oregon Ducks (5-1) | Last week: NR

Like UCLA, Oregon had off last week ahead of the massive Pac-12 matchup with their old friend Chip Kelly. Since the opening-season loss to Georgia, the Ducks have put up point totals of 70, 41, 44, 45, and 49. This Saturday might come down to which defense can make a play like a turnover or a big sack.

This week’s Heisman watch gets another quarterback back into the rankings and near the top.

 

1. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 1

C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes were on a bye, but he narrowly remains in the top spot over the next two guys on the list. Stroud plays Iowa at home this Saturday before a matchup at Penn State to end October.

 

Season stats:

70.6% | 1,737 PASS YDS | 24 PASS TD | 3 INT

10 CAR | 4 RUSH YDS | 0.4 AVG

 

2. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: NR

You can argue that Hendon Hooker benefited from the pass interference call on a late interception, but give the senior quarterback all the credit in the world for stepping up and throwing a dime to Bru McCoy to put his team into position for the game-winning field goal to cap off a sensational performance. Receiver Jalin Hyatt, who caught all five touchdowns from Hooker, also deserves a shoutout here.

 

Season stats:

70.0% | 1,817 PASS YDS | 15 PASS TD | 1 INT

59 CAR | 287 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 4.9 AVG

 

3. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 2 (-1)

After missing one game with the shoulder issue, Bryce Young went into Knoxville and did about all you can ask of him in Alabama’s 52-49 loss. Young threw for 455 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team battle back from a 28-10 deficit to be in position to win the game. The junior quarterback will remain in the mix all season.

 

Season stats:

67.2% | 1,657 PASS YDS | 16 PASS TD | 3 INT

22 CAR | 150 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 6.8 AVG

 

4. D.J. Uiagalelei | Clemson QB | Junior | Last week: 3 (-1)

Somehow, despite playing for a top team in Clemson, D.J. Uiagalelei performing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country has been going under the radar. After Uiagalelei was off slightly to start the game on Saturday night, he turned it on in the second quarter and threw three touchdowns while also adding another score in the ground. D.J. is up to 21 total touchdowns through seven games.

 

Season stats:

64.0% | 1,665 PASS YDS | 17 PASS TD | 2 INT

81 CAR | 337 RUSH YDS | 4 RUSH TD | 4.2 AVG

 

5. Israel Abanikanda | Pittsburgh RB | Junior | Last week: 4 (-1)

This race remains wide open after several weeks, and a few players include Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Blake Corum all could be included in the top five. Israel Abanikanda gets the nod for now, though, dropping one spot after he and Pitt had a bye last week.

 

Season stats:

129 CAR | 830 RUSH YDS | 12 RUSH TD | 6.4 AVG

4 REC | 59 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 14.8 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Texas RB Bijan Robinson

How high does UCLA enter the top ten of the latest 2022 college football power rankings?

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (6-0) | Last week: 1

Georgia bounced back to dominate at home against Auburn, 42-10, to improve to 6-0. The Dawgs racked up 500 yards of offense with a balanced attack that included 292 rushing yards, and the defense held Auburn to 258 yards. Georgia has a bye week coming up, but they must take care of business versus Vanderbilt this Saturday.

 

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) | Last week: 2

Not having Bryce Young (shoulder) hurt, but Texas A&M played Alabama extremely tough, with a shot to win at the end on a play at the goal line. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is inexperienced, but he’s shown that he’s a playmaker. However, overall, the Tide uncharacteristically turned the ball over four times, and Nick Saban credited the home crowd, stating “I thought the fans were great. I think the fans had as much to do with us winning as anything.”

 

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) | Last week: 3

C.J. Stroud became the first player in Ohio State history to throw for six touchdowns in three separate games, and he’s done it for two consecutive years against Michigan State. The Buckeyes have completely dominated the Spartans in the series, winning seven consecutive matchups.

 

4. Michigan Wolverines (6-0) | Last week: 4

It couldn’t have been easy for Michigan to focus on the task at hand in the battle with Indiana after running backs coach Mike Hart collapsed on the sideline; and thankfully Hart is doing well and hopes to rejoin the team soon. The Wolverines did get going in the second half, with a 21-0 margin in their 31-10 victory. J.J. McCarthy threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.

 

5. Clemson Tigers (6-0) | Last week: 5

It’s impressive that Clemson felt a little off, particularly in the beginning of the game, at Boston College but still rolled to a 31-3 road win. Three different players caught touchdowns for the Tigers, and quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei again led the team in both passing and rushing. Florida State is up next this Saturday night.

 

6. Tennessee Volunteers (5-0) | Last week: 8 (+2)

LSU was no match for Tennessee, with Hendon Hooker (239 passing yards, two touchdowns) and Jabari Small (127 rushing yards, two touchdowns) leading the Vols to 40 points. Tennessee had 12 penalties in the win and must clean that up ahead of this weekend versus Alabama, but Josh Heupel’s group has the confidence to do battle with one of the top teams in the nation.

 

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) | Last week: 6 (-1)

The bye came at an ideal time for Penn State, as they’ll go to Ann Arbor to face Michigan Saturday at noon ET in a top-ten matchup.

 

8. UCLA Bruins (6-0) | Last week: NR

After a convincing conference win over Utah, UCLA is a clear top ten team to us. Chip Kelly has done a fantastic job of building the Bruins program back up over the past handful of years, and UCLA boasts an experienced group led by quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet. The defense, which has arguably been the difference in this year’s team, has been forcing key turnovers.

 

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0) | Last week: 7 (-2)

It was looking shaky for a bit, but Oklahoma State ultimately pulled away in their 41-31 home win over Texas Tech. The bottom line is Mike Gundy’s team is finding ways to win, but the Cowboys defense allowed 30 first downs and 527 yards to the Red Raiders. This Saturday at TCU will be a strong measuring stick for OK State, and it’s one of three matchups of unbeaten teams of 5-0 or better in one week—the second time that’s happened in college football history.

 

10. USC Trojans (6-0) | Last week: 9 (-1)

USC’s defense stepped up to make stops in the second half of the Trojans’ 30-14 win versus Washington State (holding the Cougars to 4/13 on third-down conversions throughout the night). Mario Williams caught both touchdowns from Caleb Williams, and Travis Dye paced the rushing attack with 149 yards and one touchdown. There’s still plenty of time before November 19, but the USC-UCLA matchup looks highly intriguing right now.

This week’s Heisman watch adds another running back to the crowded early-season race.

 

1. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 3 (+2)

Bouncing back from an early pick-six against Michigan State, C.J. Stroud again lit up the Spartans for six touchdowns through the air. Stroud is already up to 24 passing touchdowns this season, averaging four per game while operating a video-game-like offense in Columbus.

 

Season stats:

70.6% | 1,737 PASS YDS | 24 PASS TD | 3 INT

10 CAR | 4 RUSH YDS | 0.4 AVG

 

2. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 1 (-1)

Bryce Young is already a Heisman Trophy winner starring in “Heisman House” commercials, and he and Alabama are smartly not rushing him back from the shoulder injury. Still, missing action knocks the star quarterback from the top spot in the Heisman watch.

 

Season stats:

67.2% | 1,202 PASS YDS | 14 PASS TD | 3 INT

18 CAR | 154 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 8.6 AVG

 

3. D.J. Uiagalelei | Clemson QB | Junior | Last week: 2 (-1)

D.J. Uiagalelei and the Tigers offense took some time to get going against Boston College, but they eventually broken through and the big quarterback again led the team in passing (220 yards, three touchdowns) and rushing (12 carries, 69 yards).

 

Season stats:

63.9% | 1,462 PASS YDS | 14 PASS TD | 2 INT

67 CAR | 311 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 4.6 AVG

 

4. Israel Abanikanda | Pittsburgh RB | Junior | Last week: NR

When you’re second in the nation in rushing and break Tony Dorsett’s school record for yards in a game, you belong on the Heisman watch. Pitt running back Israel Abanikanda carried 36 times for 320 yards and six touchdowns against Virginia Tech, and while he’s had a couple of quiet games, he’s also exploded for 154, 133, 177, and 320 yards rushing in his other four outings.

 

Season stats:

129 CAR | 830 RUSH YDS | 12 RUSH TD | 6.4 AVG

4 REC | 59 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 14.8 AVG

 

5. Bijan Robinson | Texas RB | Junior | Last week: 5

It was difficult to leave Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker out this week, but top running backs around the country are on fire. Texas completely dominated the Red River Showdown in shocking fashion (a 49-0 victory), and Bijan Robinson was a big part of that, carrying 22 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Season stats:

110 CAR | 645 RUSH YDS | 10 RUSH TD | 5.9 AVG

12 REC | 203 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 16.9 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

Another great week of college football leads to some shuffling in the backend of the top ten.

 

1. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) | Last week: 1

Breathe easy, Georgia fans. The Dawgs dealt with multiple double-digit deficits at Missouri, but Stetson Bennett’s confidence shined late in the game, as he and the run game calmly put up 14 points in the 26-22 victory. Georgia outgained Missouri 481-294, but look for the defense to be determined for more of a total shutdown effort when they host Auburn this week.

 

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) | Last week: 2

Alabama gave up 23 unanswered points to Arkansas to make it a 26-23 ballgame that appeared in serious jeopardy with Heisman quarterback Bryce Young (shoulder) out of the game, but the Crimson Tide ran away—sparked by an 80-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Milroe to get the momentum back for the Tide—in the fourth quarter. Now we have to hope Young is OK with the shoulder, and thankfully it’s not a serious injury as it easily could have been when he went down awkwardly.

 

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) | Last week: 3

Miyan Williams ran for 189 yards and tied a school record with five rushing touchdowns in Ohio State’s 49-10 rout of Rutgers. What got most of the headlines was the fake punt by the Buckeyes with a massive lead, which led to a verbal confrontation between head coach Ryan Day and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, but the former colleagues appear to be OK now.

 

Things are getting heated in Columbus 👀 pic.twitter.com/1ogLILcOKX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 1, 2022

 

Ryan Day 🤝 Greg Schiano pic.twitter.com/K0RCWtND23

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 1, 2022

 

4. Michigan Wolverines (5-0) | Last week: 4

Considering Iowa’s playing style, last Saturday was a solid road victory for Michigan. The Wolverines limited the Hawkeyes to 35 rushing yards while Blake Corum starred again on offense with 29 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown. Jim Harbaugh should have his guys ready to go this week at Indiana to avoid it becoming a trap game with Penn State on deck.

 

5. Clemson Tigers (5-0) | Last week: 5

As Kirk Herbstreit noted on the broadcast, Clemson typically brings out the quarterback run in the biggest games. D.J. Uiagalelei did not disappoint, rushing 14 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns while taking care of the football and making plays as a passer too. And the Tigers defense bounced back from their showing versus Wake Forest, making things difficult on excellent NC State quarterback Devin Leary in the primetime home win.

 

6. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) | Last week: 6

The dynamic duo of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen each had 21 carries to help pace Penn State in an ugly grind-it-out type of win over Northwestern, 17-7. The Nittany Lions dominated the time of possession (37:28) despite five turnovers while improving to 5-0.

 

7. Oklahoma State (4-0) | Last week: NR

Oklahoma State got a little bit of redemption from the classic Big 12 Championship Game last year, beating Baylor on the road. The Cowboys defense was able to record a couple of sacks and a couple of interceptions, and the special teams chipped in with a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown by Jaden Nixon to begin the second half.

 

8. Tennessee Volunteers (4-0) | Last week: 7 (-1)

Tennessee had a bye last week, and it came ahead of two ranked matchups at No. 25 LSU and against No. 1 Alabama.

 

9. USC Trojans (5-0) | Last week: 9

Caleb Williams threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns, also adding a touchdown as a runner, in the Trojans’ 42-25 win against a reeling Arizona State program. The USC offense has scored 41+ points in four of its first five games this season.

 

10. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0) | Last week: NR

Ole Miss jumped to an early 14-0 lead and had success running the ball against Kentucky, eventually closing out the victory with a clutch strip sack from Jared Ivey on first-and-goal for Kentucky down three with under a minute remaining. The Rebels now must avoid a letdown at Vanderbilt.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy race looks wide open after a handful of weeks.

 

1. Bryce Young | Alabama QB | Junior | Last week: 1

Unfortunately, Bryce Young had to leave Alabama’s win against Arkansas with a shoulder injury after he landed awkwardly near the sidelines. Fortunately, Young isn’t dealing with a serious injury and might be able to play as soon as this Saturday against Texas A&M. Before leaving last week, Young totaled 177 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) in the first half.

 

Season stats:

67.2% | 1,202 PASS YDS | 14 PASS TD | 3 INT

18 CAR | 154 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 8.6 AVG

 

2. D.J. Uiagalelei | Clemson QB | Junior | Last week: NR

D.J. Uiagalelei gets some flack from people, but the lighter and quicker Clemson quarterback has been a great dual threat early this season. The junior leader of the Tigers offense used his legs to help his team get a big conference win versus NC State, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown while also leading Clemson in rushing with 14 carries for 73 yards and two more scores on the ground.

 

Season stats:

65.4% | 1,242 PASS YDS | 11 PASS TD | 1 INT

55 CAR | 242 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 4.4 AVG

 

3. C.J. Stroud | Ohio State QB | Sophomore (RS) | Last week: 2 (-1)

It was the run game that starred for Ohio State in their blowout win over Rutgers, with Miyan Williams rushing for 189 yards and five touchdowns. C.J. Stroud had 154 yards and two touchdowns along with an interception, which is a very modest outing for him statistically. But Stroud is still off to an outstanding start to 2022 overall, and next up he’ll look to light up Michigan State again after he torched them for six touchdowns last year.

 

Season stats:

68.7% | 1,376 PASS YDS | 18 PASS TD | 2 INT

9 CAR | 8 RUSH YDS | 0.9 AVG

 

4. Hendon Hooker | Tennessee QB | Senior (RS) | Last week: 4

Hendon Hooker and the Vols were off last week, but the veteran quarterback will have a couple of big opportunities back-to-back against LSU and Alabama the next two weeks.

 

Season stats:

71.4% | 1,170 PASS YDS | 7 PASS TD

35 CAR | 175 RUSH YDS | 3 RUSH TD | 5.0 AVG

 

5. Bijan Robinson | Texas RB | Junior | Last week: 5

While Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett drops out of the top five, he was clutch at the end of the Bulldogs’ close win at Mizzou and remains in the early mix after about a month. However, Bijan Robinson remains in the top five after again rushing for over 100 yards to help Texas get back on track with a victory versus West Virginia.

 

Season stats:

88 CAR | 515 RUSH YDS | 8 RUSH TD | 5.9 AVG

10 REC | 188 REC YDS | 1 REC TD | 18.8 AVG

 

Dropped out:

Georgia QB Stetson Bennett