College Football Playoff rankings: Who are the top four teams in fourth CFP poll of 2022?

Survive and advance.

That was the motto of last week, as Michigan and TCU took the full 60 minutes to pull out wins over Illinois and Baylor, respectively. For Michigan, it was a flurry of field goals at the end of the game. For TCU, it was a game-winner as time expired that kept their playoff dreams alive.

And at this point in the season, keeping them alive is what it’s all about. Michigan weathered the storm to set up a clash of the titans against fellow undefeated Ohio State this weekend, in what will ostensibly determine who will represent the Big Ten in the playoffs this year. TCU now has the table set for a game against Iowa State, as they look to shock the world and stay in playoff contention.

Amidst all of this, Georgia is perched, more or less waiting for LSU in the SEC Championship Game, as the Tigers came in at No. 5 with a path to the playoffs in front of their eyes, albeit a difficult one.

Outside of the top four, Tennessee suffered a heartbreaking loss in which the Volunteers starting QB, Hendon Hooker, went down with a season-ending ACL injury, all but shattering its playoff chances. Now, LSU and USC find themselves in a relatively surprising position to break through with first year coaches.

The Sporting News breaks down the latest set of College Football Playoff top 25 rankings, starting with those all-important four teams in:

College Football Playoff rankings 2022

Top four CFP teams of fourth CFP poll

Unsurprisingly, the top four remained the same, as Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and TCU all managed to hold serve despite scares from the latter two. Ohio State and Michigan, of course, are playing to keep their respective places in the top four, but a loss doesn’t necessarily knock them out. It will depend on the game itself, more likely than not. With two-loss LSU and one-loss USC behind them, losing to a playoff team is not an immediate kiss of death this season.

MORE: Updated AP Top 25, Coaches Poll rankings after Week 13

First two teams out of fourth CFP poll

LSU and USC were fortuitous last week, with No. 5 Tennessee suffering a massive upset at the hands of South Carolina. That means the Tigers and Trojans likely have a bit of their own destiny in their hands. USC eked out a three-point win over UCLA last week that kept its postseason dreams alive, and it now has a pivotal game against Notre Dame. LSU, for its part, has a game against Texas A&M Saturday before a date with Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

MORE: CFP ranking release dates for 2022

College Football Playoff top 25 rankings from the second CFP poll of 2022

The top 25 rankings are in, and there are a few surprises. Alabama has found itself ahead of Clemson in the rankings again, ranked No. 7 at 9-2 ahead of No. 8 Clemson, which is 10-1 on the year. Oregon is in the top 10 again at 9-2, whereas LSU and USC have found themselves to be the first two out. Tennessee also stayed in the top 10 after Saturday’s loss, albeit barely, even after losing Hendon Hooker for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.

The top four, meanwhile, had no surprises to speak of. Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and TCU stayed top four, in that order. At the bottom of the rankings, Texas got its way back into the top 25 and Ole Miss dropped down to 20th after suffering a brutal loss at the hands of Arkansas.

Here’s a full look at how the rankings shook out.

New Year’s Day 6 bowl projections

Projections coming shortly.

* – CFP Semifinals