Predicting what the third release of the 2022 College Football Playoff rankings will be

OK. After getting a peek at the official College Football Playoff rankings for two weeks, we have a good baseline of how things might play out with the next announcement. I’m not claiming to know some of the zany things the CFP committee might do based on past history, but it does give us some guardrails.

Since we like a challenge, we’ll continue to bang our heads against the proverbial wall each week after all the games and get ahead of what you might see before the next rankings on ESPN. Most days that’ll be on Tuesday, but we’ll get our final look at the CFP rankings that will determine the field on the Sunday after all the conference championship games.

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This week the top four teams took care of their business: Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and TCU won. Some teams clinging to hopes of seeing confetti fall had those hopes end. Oregon lost to Washington, Ole Miss fell in a close one to Alabama and UCLA fell to to Arizona.

That means there will most assuredly be shakeup when we see the dog and pony show that is the CFP rankings revealed on Tuesday. Here is our best prediction for the third release of the 2022 College Playoff Rankings this week.

25

Texas Longhorns (6-4)

Texas Longhorns running back Roschon Johnson (2) runs the ball forward during the Texas Longhorns football game against Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Kansas

24

Tulane Green Wave (8-2)

Nov. 12, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana; Tulane Green Wave tight end Reggie Brown (89) catches a pass against the UCF Knights during the fourth quarter at Yulman Stadium. Rebecca Warren-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. SMU

23

Coastal Carolina (9-1)

Nov. 12, 2022; Conway, South Carolina; Coastal Carolina Chanticleers quarterback Jarrett Guest (7) sets for a pass in the fourth quarter against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Brooks Stadium. David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Virginia

22

Cincinnati Bearcats (8-2)

Dec. 31, 2021; Arlington, Texas; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell on the sidelines during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2021 Cotton Bowl college football CFP national semifinal game at AT&T Stadium. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Temple

21

NC State (7-3)

Sept. 3, 2022; Greenville, North Carolina; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary (13) looks on against the East Carolina Pirates during the first half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Louisville

20

Florida State Seminoles (7-3)

Sept. 28, 2019; Tallahassee; Florida State Seminoles symbols Osceola and Renegade during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Louisiana

19

UCF Knights (8-2)

Nov. 12, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana; UCF Knights running back Johnny Richardson (0) runs the ball against the Tulane Green Wave during the fourth quarter at Yulman Stadium. Rebecca Warren-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Navy

18

Washington Huskies (8-2)

Sept. 24, 2022; Seattle; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes against the Stanford Cardinal during the third quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Colorado

17

Notre Dame (7-3)

Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Boston College

16

Kansas State Wildcats (7-3)

Sept. 24, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Adrian Martinez (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at West Virginia

15

UCLA Bruins (8-2)

Nov. 27, 2021; Pasadena, California; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) drops back to pass the ball against the California Golden Bears in the second half at the Rose Bowl. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. USC

14

North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1)

Oct. 30, 2021; South Bend, Indiana; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Josh Downs (11) carries in the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Georgia Tech

13

Ole Miss (8-2)

Oct. 29, 2022; College Station, Texas; Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) celebrates with quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) after a touchdown run against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Kyle Field. Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Arkansas

12

Penn State Nittany Lions (8-2)

Credit: USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Rutgers

11

Utah Utes (8-2)

Sept. 3, 2022; Gainesville, Florida; Utah Utes place kicker Jordan Noyes (67) smiles as he makes an extra point against the Florida Gators during the second half at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Oregon

10

Oregon Ducks (8-2)

Nov. 5, 2022; Boulder, Colorado; Oregon Ducks defensive back Christian Gonzalez (0) celebrates his interception with defensive tackle Keyon Ware-Hudson (95) in the third quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Utah

9

Clemson Tigers (9-1)

Sept. 10, 2022; Clemson, South Carolina; Clemson Tigers running back Kobe Pace (7) runs against Furman Paladins safety Jack Rhodes (15) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Miami

8

Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2)

Crimson Tide shares a laugh during a game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Austin Peay

7

USC Trojans (9-1)

Sept. 24, 2022; Corvallis, Oregon; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) runs against Oregon State Beavers defensive back Rejzohn Wright (2) at Reser Stadium. Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at UCLA

6

LSU Tigers (8-2)

Josh Williams runs the ball and scores as the LSU Tigers take down Alabama 32-31 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at UAB

5

Tennessee Volunteers (9-1)

Oct. 15, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee; General view during the first half of the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at South Carolina

4

TCU Horned Frogs (10-0)

Nov. 5, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas; TCU Horned Frogs punt returner Derius Davis (11) reacts after scoring a touchdown on 82-yard punt return during the first half of a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Baylor

3

Michigan Wolverines (10-0)

Michigan defenders take the field during Michigan’s 29-7 win over Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Ann Arbor. USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

vs. Illinois

2

Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0)

Nov. 12, 2022; Columbus; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Kamryn Babb (0) celebrates scoring a touchdown with quarterback CJ Stroud (7) during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

NEXT UP

at Maryland

1

Georgia Bulldogs (10-0)

Georgia Bulldogs running back Branson Robinson (22) celebrates with Georgia Bulldogs tight end Cade Brock (44) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Auburn and Georgia in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2022. USA TODAY Sports

NEXT UP

at Kentucky

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