The initial 2022 College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday and brought many surprises. Tennessee took the No. 1 spot ahead of Ohio State and Georgia. One-loss Alabama is ranked one position ahead of the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs. But perhaps most importantly, the Clemson Tigers are No. 4 instead of the Michigan Wolverines.

Both the Tigers and the Wolverines are 8-0, and it seemed Michigan was set to be No. 4 after being in that position for most of the season. However, the committee surprised college football fans with the decision of ranking Clemson higher.

While many things could change until selections are final, Michigan at No. 5 is a shocker nonetheless. With that being said, here are two reasons why the Wolverines should ahead of Clemson in the CFP rankings.

2. Clemson was close to losing multiple times this season

When looking at the schedules from Clemson and Michigan, it is clear the Tigers had a harder stretch. Clemson has defeated three ranked teams (Wake Forest, NC State and Syracuse). On the other hand, Michigan has beaten the only ranked foe (Penn State) it has played.

The problem is the Tigers did not dominate any of their ranked opponents. They beat the Wolfpack just 30-20, and came close to falling to the Demon Deacons and Orange.

In the game against Wake Forest, Clemson only won in double overtime 51-45 thanks to a big fourth-down stop. Against Syracuse, the Tigers were down by more than 11 points in the fourth quarter. While those games show that Clemson can close out tough games, it also reveals the team has struggled against better competition.

When the Wolverines played the then-No. 10 Nittany Lions, they dominated both sides of the ball. Michigan won 41-17, holding Penn State to a field goal in the second half.

1. Led by Blake Corum, Michigan has one of the best offenses in the country

What really sets the Wolverines apart from the Tigers is their offense. Clemson barely makes the top-50 in the nation with 421.5 yards per game, behind struggling traditional powers like Miami (FL) and Oklahoma.

Michigan is No. 22 with 469.8 total yards per game, dominating on the ground. The Wolverines' 246 rushing yards per game ranks fifth in the country, and they have scored 25 times rushing touchdowns—gaudy numbers mostly thanks to star runner Blake Corum.

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Corum is one of the best offensive players in the nation. He has 179 carries for 1,078 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. His biggest game came against the Maryland Terrapins in Week 4, when he had 30 carries for 243 yards and two scores.

Corum is even considered a contender for the Heisman Trophy. According to FanDuel, he has the fourth-best odds to win the award, highest in the nation among non-quarterbacks.

While one player does not represent the entire team, Corum's elite performances is among the biggest reasons why the Wolverines are in contention to win the Big Ten and CFP. His abilities making Michigan one of the best teams in the country alongside Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio State.

Led by Corum, the disparity between the offenses from Michigan and Clemson is obvious All things considered, the initial No. 5 position for the Wolverines is nothing short of a major surprise.