Ranking 10 real College Football Playoff national title contenders in 2022
With 12 of the last 16 national championships going to SEC teams, you'd be forgiven for thinking no other conference has a chance at college football's ultimate prize.
But is that really the case? Sure, defending champion Georgia will be among those favored to go all the way, as will perennial contender Alabama.
But if last season should teach us anything, it's that a good team can make it no matter where it comes from.
Case in point: Cincinnati, which ran the table in the regular season and became the first Group of 5 team to make the College Football Playoff. Michigan also earned its first-ever CFP bid in 2021. So there's always room for more if you're good enough.
Let's look at the top 10 teams with the best chance to play for the national championship, ranked from least likely to most likely.
Ranking 10 real College Football Playoff national title contenders
10. Utah
Top 25 ranking: No. 7
Toughest game: Sept. 3 at Florida
Where Utah was: Winning the Pac-12 with a 10-4 record, finishing No. 12 in the final rankings, and losing to Ohio State by 3 in a Rose Bowl for the ages.
Where Utah is now: Getting some serious preseason pub after last year's outing, and expected to be in the front of the Pac-12 race all year, especially with Cameron Rising and Tavion Thomas returning at quarterback and running back. The two combined for 41 TDs a year ago, and this defense has enough experience despite losses to the NFL.
9. Notre Dame
Top 25 ranking: No. 5
Toughest game: Sept. 3 at Ohio State
Where Notre Dame was: A two-time loser but with 11 wins and placing in the top 10 of the final rankings despite a frustrating loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl
Where Notre Dame is now: Marcus Freeman got his promotion very suddenly after Brian Kelly bolted for LSU, but so far he's made major recruiting headway and has chosen Tyler Buchner to start at quarterback. Most analysts predict the Irish will start 0-1, but there are other chances on this schedule to impress the CFP committee.
8. Oregon
Top 25 ranking: No. 11
Toughest game: Sept. 3 vs. Georgia
Where Oregon was: Starting off with a major win at Ohio State and in College Football Playoff contention early before a loss to unranked Stanford and two ugly Ls against Utah, and then losing head coach Mario Cristobal.
Where Oregon is now: Enter Dan Lanning, the architect of Georgia's ferocious defense from a year ago, to lead the Ducks program. He inherits a defense full of potential playmakers and has transfer quarterback Bo Nix to pair with some promising skill options. But there are questions at RB after Travis Dye transferred to USC.
7. Michigan
Top 25 ranking: No. 8
Toughest game: Nov. 26 at Ohio State
Where Michigan was: Having the time of its life, winning 12 games, beating Ohio State in the Big House, winning the Big Ten, and making its first College Football Playoff before Georgia ended UM's season rather unceremoniously.
Where Michigan is now: Hoping it can replace some major losses, including its offensive play-caller, a powerful 1-2 edge rush, its best defensive back, and top rusher. But a lot comes back, too: Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, Blake Corum in the backfield, and Andrel Anthony paired with Ronnie Bell at receiver.
6. Texas A&M
Top 25 ranking: No. 6
Toughest game: Oct. 8 at Alabama
Where Texas A&M was: A home win over the No. 1 Tide as an unranked team was the clear highlight, but four other losses kept the Aggies from doing much with that accomplishment, and there was no bowl game thanks to the virus.
Where Texas A&M is now: On the other side of arguably the single best recruiting effort in college football history, at least on paper. Now comes the task of building that potentially legendary defensive front while the Ags get the most from a speedy receiver group and Devon Achane leading the backfield.
5. Oklahoma
Top 25 ranking: No. 9
Toughest game: Nov. 5 vs. Baylor
Where Oklahoma was: A top 10 team despite losing twice — to Baylor and Oklahoma State, the two teams in the Big 12 title game — and beating Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, with Bob Stoops on the sideline.
Where Oklahoma is now: Lincoln Riley? Gone. Caleb Williams? Gone. Spencer Rattler? Gone. And much more, too. But the Sooners brought on Brent Venables, the premier defensive strategist in college football, to lead the program, and he has play-caller Jeff Lebby and quarterback Dillon Gabriel — who created a top 10 offense at UCF a few years ago — back together.
4. Clemson
Top 25 ranking: No. 4
Toughest game: Nov. 5 at Notre Dame
Where Clemson was: Dealing with injuries on defense and slugging through subpar play from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei en route to three losses, including against eventual CFP champion Georgia, at NC State, and at ACC champ Pitt, missing the College Football Playoff for the first time in six years.
Where Clemson is now: Uiagalalei should (and needs to) look better than the 9 TDs and 10 picks he had in 2021, and the Tigers have the bulk of a very strong front seven coming back. But there are back-to-back games at Wake and against NC State, plus a trip to South Bend and a late home tilt with Miami.
3. Ohio State
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Top 25 ranking: No. 2
Toughest game: Sept. 3 vs. Notre Dame
Where Ohio State was: A two-time loser, at home to Oregon and at Michigan (for the first time in eight years) behind a defense that gave up a lot of big plays despite having the No. 1 ranked offense in college football, beating Utah in the Rose Bowl.
Where Ohio State is now: Returning the core of that stellar offense, including Heisman finalist quarterback CJ Stroud, but with major structural questions defensively. Jim Knowles comes over from Oklahoma State, where he coached the No. 3 defense a year ago, to revive this group behind an aggressive, DB-led approach.
2. Georgia
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Top 25 ranking: No. 3
Toughest game: Sept. 3 vs. Oregon
Where Georgia was: Winning the College Football Playoff national title, the school's first natty since 1980, behind arguably the greatest defense in the sport's history.
Where Georgia is now: Down 15 pieces after losing an NFL record number of players to the draft, but working from a strong recruiting base, and returning Stetson Bennett at quarterback in tandem with an elite group of skill targets. Get past Oregon in the opener and the Bulldogs can easily run the table going into the SEC title.
1. Alabama
Top 25 ranking: No. 1
Toughest game: Oct. 8 vs. Texas A&M
Where Alabama was: SEC champions and CFP runners-up despite losing on the road to an unranked Texas A&M, led by Heisman winner Bryce Young at quarterback.
Where Alabama is now: Blue-chip talent out, blue-chip talent in. It's been the Nick Saban way from the beginning, and once again the Crimson Tide are poised to replace one group of national-title worthy players with another. Young returns, as does linebacker Will Anderson, arguably the best player in college football this year, and a nice group of transfers, including wideout Jermaine Burton, back Jahmyr Gibbs, and defensive back Eli Ricks.