What the College Football Playoff rankings might have looked like after Week 3

We are still weeks away from getting our first official look at the first release of the 2022 College Football Playoff rankings, but that doesn’t stop us from trying to sort it all out ourselves.

It’s been incredibly hard to figure out what the CFP committee in any given year uses as the criteria it chooses to pick to justify the rankings on a year-to-year basis. That’s what happens when you have human beings rotating throughout the committee and their differing opinions and views marrying up with picking only four teams to get into the so-called “playoff.” That’s why I’m a big fan of the future model that’s been reported that has more known variables involved.

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But back to the current state of things. Based on what we’ve seen in the past from the CFP committee and where teams are at this still very young point of the season, here’s how we see the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings shaking out if they were released at this point in the season.

25

Michigan State

Michigan State’s Jalen Nailor wears the “S” logo on his helmet along with the rest of the Spartans for the game against Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Lost to Washington 39-28
Next Game | vs. Minnesota
Read Spartans Wire

24

Miami (FL)

Oct 30, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes helmets sit on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Lost to Texas A&M 17-9
Next Game | vs. MTSU

 

23

Texas Longhorns

Nov 10, 2018; Lubbock, TX, USA; A Texas Longhorns helmet on the sidelines during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat UTSA 41-20
Next Game | vs. MTSU
Read Longhorns Wire

22

Texas A&M

Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat Miami (FL) 17-9
Next Game | at Texas Tech
Read Aggies Wire

21

Utah

Sept. 14, 2019; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; A general view of the helmet worn by Utah Utes quarterback Tyler Huntley (1) against the Idaho State Bengals at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat San Diego State 35-7
Next Game | at Arizona State

20

Florida

Nov 20, 2021; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Florida Gators helmet against the Missouri Tigers during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat USF 31-28
Next Game | at Tennessee
Read Gators Wire

19

BYU

Oct 1, 2021; Logan, Utah, USA; A general view of a helmet worn by Brigham Young Cougars during a game against the Utah State Aggies at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Lost to Oregon 41-20
Next Game | vs. Wyoming

18

Oregon

An “End racism” sticker joins the American Flag on the helmets of Oregon players Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat BYU 41-20
Next Game | at Washington State
Read Ducks Wire

17

Baylor

Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baylor Bears helmets on the sidelines in the first quarter of the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 2-1
Week 3 result | Beat Texas State 42-7
Next Game | at Iowa State

16

Washington

Nov 23, 2018; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington Huskies helmet sits during a football game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Martin Stadium. Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Michigan State 39-28
Next Game | vs. Kent State

15

Wake Forest

Sept. 30, 2017; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A closeup view of a Wake Forest Demon Deacons helmet during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at BB&T Field. Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Vanderbilt 37-36
Next Game | vs. Clemson

14

Ole Miss

Oct. 12, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Mississippi Rebels helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Georgia Tech 42-0
Next Game | vs. Tulsa

13

NC State

Nov 13, 2021; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet is seen on the sideline during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Truist Field. Credit: William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Texas Tech 27-14
Next Game | vs. UConn

12

Tennessee

Nov 23, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Tennessee Volunteers helmet during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Akron 63-6
Next Game | vs. Florida
Read Vols Wire

11

Arkansas

Nov 23, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; General view of Arkansas Razorbacks helmet during the second half game against LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Missouri State 38-27
Next Game | at Texas A&M
Read Razorbacks Wire

10

Oklahoma State

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of an Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat AR-Pine Bluff 63-27
Next Game | at Baylor

9

Kentucky

Oct. 27, 2018; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of a Kentucky Wildcats helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Youngstown State 31-0
Next Game | vs. Northern Illinois

8

Penn State

Nov 16, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; General view of a Penn State Nittany Lions helmet prior to the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Beaver Stadium. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Auburn 41-12
Next Game | vs. Central Michigan
Read Nittany Lions Wire

7

Clemson

The Clemson football helmet near the Fiesta Bowl trophy at the coaches’ press conference in Scottsdale, Arizona Friday, December 27, 2019. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Louisiana Tech 48-20
Next Game | at Wake Forest
Read Clemson Wire

6

USC

Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; General overall view of the 2017 Cotton Bowl logo on the back of the helmet of Southern California Trojans long snapper Jake Olson at AT&T Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Fresno State 45-17
Next Game | at Oregon State
Read Trojans Wire

5

Oklahoma

Oklahoma helmets are seen before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Nebraska 49-14
Next Game | vs. Kansas State
Read Sooners Wire

4

Michigan

Nov 18, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; An Michigan Wolverines helmet during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.  Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat UConn 59-0
Next Game | vs. Maryland
Read Wolverines Wire

3

Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes helmets with the word “Equality” sit on the sidelines before an NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat Toledo 77-21
Next Game | vs. Wisconsin

2

Alabama

Jul 18, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; An Alabama Crimson Tide helmet is shown on the main stage during SEC football media day at the College Football Hall of Fame. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat UL Monroe 63-7
Next Game | vs. Vanderbilt

Read Roll Tide Wire

1

Georgia

Dec 12, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A detailed view of a Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Where Things Stand

Record | 3-0
Week 3 result | Beat South Carolina 48-7
Next Game | vs. Kent State
Read UGA Wire)

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