The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2022 college football season have just been released Tuesday night, and it's bound to make a bunch of people either sleep soundly or stay up until the wee hours of the morning, depending on how fans feel about the positions of their teams. For many fans –and even non-fans — of the Michigan Wolverines, seeing Michigan football ranked fifth and out of the CFP picture is something unacceptable.
Clemson being ranked ahead of Michigan makes zero sense at this point
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 1, 2022
Michigan is No. 5 in the CFP, a mild surprise to be behind Clemson.
— Bill Rabinowitz 🗞 (@brdispatch) November 1, 2022
If you’re upset about Michigan being #5 in the CFP rankings on November 1st, let’s chill.
It legitimately means nothing. Just win. It will take care of itself. I promise.
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) November 1, 2022
“Clemson is ahead of Michigan because of their non-conference schedule” 🤥🤥🤥 pic.twitter.com/2sZtXFFJxC
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 1, 2022
Don’t schedule UCONN
— Larry Reus (@BE11EVE) November 1, 2022
Like Clemson, Michigan football is undefeated, but the CFP committee's decision to rank the Wolverines lower than Clemson might have come down to the strength of schedule. The Wolverines has had faced just one ranked team so far this season, and that was against the then-No.10 Penn State Nittany Lions back in Week 7. Meanwhile, Dabo Swinney's Tigers are 3-0 against ranked squads to date, with victories over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, NC State Wolfpack, and their latest victim, the previously undefeated Syracuse Orange.
It's also worth reiterating that there is still plenty of football to be played and the CFP rankings today could look drastically different in a matter of weeks. Michigan football still has four games remaining on their regular-season schedule, and that includes two massive games against the Illinois Fighting Illini and, of course, the showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are currently No. 2 in the CFP rankings.
The Tennessee Volunteers and the reigning national champions Georgia Bulldogs are set to meet this weekend in Athens, and the result of that matchup should have a significant impact as well on the rankings.
Michigan football, obviously, can't afford to lose to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday if it wants to stay within striking distance of the top 4.
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