Back-To-Back

A DOOLEY TRIBUTE -
HOISTING THE 2022 FLAG
ATOP SANFORD!
PHOTO BY: ROB SAYE
2022National
Champions
Edition
Back-To-Back
JD’S TOP 15
— Jeff Dantzler
The highlight of the bowl season was New Year’s Eve, when two of
the three greatest semifinal games of the College Football Playoff era
were played. The top of the SEC showed its dominance on the biggest
stages, highlighted by Georgia’s history-making run to a second straight
national championship. The three most talented teams seemed to be
Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State. But TCU beat Michigan, which beat
Ohio State. There were some great head to head battles amongst the top
teams this season.
1. GEORGIA - The Bulldogs are the first team
in the CFP era to capture back-to-back national
championships. The 65-7 blowout of TCU in the
National Championship Game is one of the most dominant
performances on such a stage in the history of sport.
2. TENNESSEE - It was a tremendous season for
Tennessee, the Volunteers best since 2001. The wins
over Florida, LSU, Alabama and Clemson will long be
remembered by the Tennessee faithful. Georgia dominated the
Vols, the L at South Carolina baffling.
3. ALABAMA - The Crimson Tide played in five
games determined by six or fewer points and went
3-2 in those to finish 11-2. Bryce Young had another
tremendous season at quarterback. The Sugar Bowl
performance against Kansas State was lights out.
4.TCU - Granted it was a bad ending, but this
was a tremendous season for TCU. The longest of
longshots with a first year head coach, the Horned
Frogs had a perfect regular season, had a Heisman
Trophy finalist and beat Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.
5. MICHIGAN - The Wolverines beat Ohio State for
a second straight season, went 12-0 and then won
the Big Championship Game. Then came disaster
against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Missed opportunities,
turnovers and self inflicted wounds cost Michigan dearly.
6. OHIO STATE - The Buckeyes came up just short
against Georgia 42-41 in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
semifinal. It’s one of the greatest games ever. The
Buckeyes were tremendously talented, but lost their last two
games of the season.
7. WASHINGTON - The Huskies, with one of the
top histories of any west coast program, had a terrific
year, finishing 11-2 with a 27-20 win over Texas in
the Alamo Bowl. Head Coach Kalen DeBoer did an
excellent job, and quarterback Michael Penix had a strong year.
8. PENN STATE - The Nittany Lions posted an 11-2
record, falling to Michigan and Ohio State. The highlight
wins came at Auburn and then in the Rose Bowl, where
Penn State beat PAC-12 champion Utah 35-21.
9. TULANE - The Green Wave had their best season
of the 21st century, and it ended in style. They beat
Central Florida in the American Championship Game
and then had an epic comeback to beat Southern Cal
46-45 in the Cotton Bowl to finish 12-2.
10. FLORIDA STATE - The Seminoles bookended
their regular season with victories over LSU and
Florida. MIke Norvell kept the momentum going in
the postseason, as Florida State beat Oklahoma 35-
32 in the Cheez-it Bowl.
11. UTAH - The Utes won a second straight PAC-12
Championship, derailing Southern Cal’s playoff hopes
in the title game. For a second consecutive season,
the Utes came up short in the Rose Bowl, losing to
Penn State 35-21 in Pasadena.
12. SOUTHERN CAL - Lincoln Riley and Caleb
Williams had an enormous first season impact for the
Trojans. But the campaign did not end well. USC lost
the PAC-12 title game by a big number, then, after
Williams won the Heisman, the Trojans fell to Tulane in Dallas.
13. LSU - The Fightin’ Tigers are almost always ready
to play in their bowl game. After losing to Texas A&M
and then Georgia in the SEC Championship Game,
LSU blew away Purdue 63-7 in Orlando to finish 10-4
in Brian Kelly’s first year.
14. CLEMSON - The Tigers had their hearts ripped
out in the regular season finale, falling to South
Carolina. Clemson rebounded to beat North Carolina
to win the ACC for the seventh time in eight seasons. The
Tigers lost to Tennessee 31-14 in the Orange Bowl.
15. OREGON - After losing to Georgia 49-3 in Dan
Lanning’s Ducks debut, then won eight in a row.
Oregon lost heartbreakers to Washington and Oregon
State, but rallied to defeat North Carolina 28-27 in the
Holiday Bowl to finish 10-3.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 128 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EDITION