Credit: Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
TCU finished runner-up in the national championship game and the Horned Frogs were No. 2 behind Georgia in the final AP Top 25 poll released Tuesday.
The Bulldogs (15-0) began the season ranked third and defended their national title on Monday night in a 65-7 rout to cap the first repeat in College Football Playoff history.
Georgia received all 63 first-place votes.
TCU (13-2) was unranked to begin the 2022 regular season but won 13 games to reach the championship game. Michigan (13-1), which lost in the CFP semifinals to TCU, finished third in the Top 25 ahead of Ohio State (11-2), Alabama (11-2), Tennessee (11-2), Penn State (11-2) and Washington (11-2). The Huskies finished the season with seven consecutive wins. UW is ranked in the final poll for the first time since 2018.
Ranked No. 1 entering the season, the Crimson Tide beat Kansas State 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl with their only losses this season to sixth-ranked Tennessee (52-49) and LSU (32-31). The Tigers (10-4) landed at No. 16 in the season-ending poll.
Alabama was the last team to finish consecutive seasons ranked No. 1 (2011, 2012).
No. 9 Tulane (12-2) moved up five spots on the strength of the Green Wave victory over USC in the Cotton Bowl. The 46-45 loss dropped the Trojans (11-3) four spots to No. 12.
–Field Level Media