AP top 25 poll: National champion Georgia tops final college football rankings of 2022
Georgia dominated the College Football Playoff national championship, trouncing TCU in a 58-point rout that is the widest margin of victory in any bowl game in college football history.
So not much drama about which team finished at No. 1 in the final AP top 25 college football rankings as Georgia topped the last poll of the season.
And despite losing by such a historic margin, the Horned Frogs actually improved in the polls, moving up to No. 2 in the final rankings, the team's best finish since 2010, when it beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
Michigan and Ohio State held the third and fourth spots in the top 25 while another Big Ten contender, Penn State, also moved into the top 10.
Washington, a team to watch in the Pac-12 next season, finished the season strong and inched into the top 10 itself for the first time since 2016.
With another wild season of football officially in the books, it's time to get our look at the last top 25 college football rankings of the season.
College football rankings: Final AP top 25 poll for 2022 season
The final AP top 25 college football rankings
USA Today Images
- Georgia (63 1st-place votes)
- TCU
- Michigan
- Ohio State
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Penn State
- Washington
- Tulane
- Utah
- Florida State
- USC
- Clemson
- Kansas State
- Oregon
- LSU
- Oregon State
- Notre Dame
- Troy
- Mississippi State
- UCLA
- Pittsburgh
- South Carolina
- Fresno State
- Texas
AP top 25 rankings notes: Georgia leads the way with 1,575 points, followed by TCU at 1,484. Michigan earned 1,438 votes and Ohio State 1,394.
Others receiving votes
Duke 49, UTSA 45, Air Force 40, Boise State 38, Minnesota 35, Texas Tech 19, North Carolina 8, North Carolina State 6, Iowa 4, Louisville 3, Purdue 3, Maryland 2, Marshall 2, Cincinnati 1, Illinois 1
AP top 25 rankings: Biggest movers
Texas (Down 4). Not a great way to end the season, with a big loss to Washington in the Alamo Bowl, and the Longhorns are also set to lose running back Bijan Robinson to the NFL Draft. But they'll also get Arch Manning, the consensus top recruit in 2023.
Troy (Up 4). The champions of the Sun Belt finished strong with a win over a ranked UTSA in the Cure Bowl behind another strong defensive performance, winning 12 games on the year.
USC (Down 4). Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy in a major Year 1 showing under coach Lincoln Riley, but the Trojans missed out on the College Football Playoff after a loss to Utah in the Pac-12 title. And the defense fell apart again in a loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.
Tulane (Up 5). On the other side, the Green Wave made a huge statement by winning the AAC championship and taking down USC in a New Year's bowl game, setting up some major expectations in the 2023 rankings and season.
Washington (Up 4). Excellent returns in Kalen DeBoer's first season, thanks in large part to quarterback Michael Penix, who led college football in passing, and who will be back next year in a Pac-12 race loaded with elite QB talent.
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | All Teams