Ohio State rises in Joel Klatt's rankings after championship week
Week 14 of the college football season featured conference championship games — teams' last chances to make an impression on the committee before the College Football Playoff pairings were revealed. And the action didn't disappoint.
With TCU and USC both losing, how did that shake up the top four in FOX Sports' lead college football analyst Joel Klatt's rankings?
Here are Klatt's updated rankings after Week 14.
1. Georgia (Previous ranking: 1)
Championship week result: Defeated LSU, 50-30, in the SEC Championship
Why they're ranked here: The Bulldogs are 13-0 for the first time in school history and have won 15 straight going back to last season's CFP semifinal victory over Michigan.
Key stat: The 2022 senior class added to its school record for wins as it stands at 47-5.
What's next? Peach Bowl vs. Ohio State
2. Michigan (Previous ranking: 2)
Championship week result: Defeated Purdue, 43-22, in the Big Ten Championship
Why they're ranked here: Michigan is off to its first 13-0 start in school history and is unbeaten heading into bowl season for the first time since 1997.
Key stat: The Wolverines have won more games the past two seasons (25) than any two-year stretch in school history.
What's next? Fiesta Bowl vs. TCU
3. TCU (Previous ranking: 3)
Championship week result: Lost to Kansas State, 31-28, in overtime in the Big 12 Championship
Why they're ranked here: TCU is 11-0 this season in games that ended in regulation and 1-1 in contests ending in overtime.
Key stat: QB Max Duggan became the first player to pass for 250 yards and rush for 100 in a conference championship game since Deshaun Watson in the 2015 ACC title game.
What's next? Fiesta Bowl vs. Michigan
4. Ohio State (Previous ranking: 5)
Championship week result: N/A
Why they're ranked here: The Buckeyes are one of two teams in the country to score 40-plus points in nine or more games this season (USC).
Key stat: Ohio State has outscored opponents by 109 points in the second half of games this season, tops in the nation.
What's next? Peach Bowl vs. Georgia
5. Alabama (Previous ranking: 6)
Championship week result: N/A
Why they’re ranked here: The Crimson Tide have won at least 10 games in 15 consecutive seasons under Nick Saban.
Key stat: Bryce Young has 8,035 passing yards in his Alabama career, the second-most in school history (A.J. McCarron, 9,019).
What's next? Sugar Bowl vs. Kansas State
6. Penn State (Previous ranking: 7)
Championship week result: N/A
Why they’re ranked here: The Nittany Lions won their final four games of the regular season while outscoring opponents 165-40.
Key stat: Penn State is one of just five FBS teams to allow fewer than 320 yards per game and force at least 20 turnovers.
What's next? Rose Bowl vs. Utah
7. Tennessee (Previous ranking: 9)
Championship week result: N/A
Why they're ranked here: The Volunteers are one of six programs (Utah, UCLA, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina) that own multiple victories over current CFP top 15 teams.
Key stat: Tennessee is the fifth SEC team since 2000 to average 45-plus points-per-game in a season (47.3), joining 2020 Alabama (48.5 ppg), 2019 LSU (48.4), 2019 Alabama (47.2) and 2018 Alabama (45.6).
What's next? Orange Bowl vs. Clemson
8. Kansas State (Previous ranking: 10)
Championship week result: Defeated TCU, 31-28, in overtime in the Big 12 Championship
Why they're ranked here: Kansas State took down its third top-10 opponent of the season, marking the first time in school history it has defeated multiple top-10 teams in a season.
Key stat: This is the Wildcats' first 10-win season since an 11-victory campaign in 2012.
What's next? Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama
9. Utah (Previous ranking: N/A)
Championship week result: Beat USC, 47-24, in the Pac-12 Championship
Why they're ranked here: Utah's 14-point comeback Friday was the biggest in the Pac-12 title game history. Its three touchdowns of 50-plus yards were also a first.
Key stat: Utah is the third team to win consecutive Pac-12 Championship Games (Stanford 2012-13; Oregon 2019-20).
What's next? Rose Bowl vs. Penn State
10. USC (Previous ranking: 4)
Championship week result: Lost to Utah, 47-24, in the Pac-12 Championship
Why they're ranked here: USC fell to 0-2 versus Utah this season but is 11-0 against all other opponents.
Key stat: Lincoln Riley's 11 wins are tied for the most by a USC head coach in his debut season, matching Howard Jones in 1925 and John Robinson in 1976.
What's next? Cotton Bowl vs. Tulane