5 Teams with a Realistic Chance of Crashing the 2022 CFB Playoff

After two weeks of the 2022 season, it's widely agreed that Alabama and Georgia are the favorites to win the college football title. But several other teams have put their names in the College Football Playoff conversation.

We're going to look at a few programs that either have the talent but are inexperienced, or have most of tools yet still garner questions at important positions. Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson are fighting for a shot at the title, but they wouldn't be considered crashers, as we're focusing on teams that haven't been in the playoff in the last two years.

There are a couple unspoken rules to a CFB playoff berth. A well-organized coaching staff is vital to help the team push through midseason struggles, but it's also extremely important to have quality play in the trenches and playmakers on both sides of the ball that can change the game at an instance. Whether it's a seasoned squad or a team that's loaded with talent, these programs have the ability to hear their names called by the selection committee.

The Trojans have extremely high expectations for a team with a new head coach, new quarterback and entirely different offensive unit. USC has a combined 22-21 record in the last four years, earning its last bowl win in 2016.

With a substandard roster, Lincoln Riley and his staff gathered the No. 1 rankings in the 247Sports transfer portal, bolstering their offensive lineup. Former 5-star quarterback Caleb Williams decided to join Riley in Los Angeles, and the Trojans never looked back on the trail. The 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner, Jordan Addison, joined forces with Williams to construct one of the top duos in college football. With the insertion of those two stars, USC also added 18 other transfers.

USC immediately showed what its offense can do, putting 66 points on the board in its season opener against Rice. The Trojans still await a true test in their schedule, and that won't come for a while, but their offense looks efficient and very well-schemed. Before they can be called legitimate threats, their defense must improve. Their defensive line was disruptive in Week 2 against Stanford, so there's visible growth. Having an offense that's scored 107 combined points will help make up for deficiencies on defense.

The toughest opponents the Trojans should face this season are the Utah Utes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. USC has the roster and schedule to finish the regular season with an undefeated record. It's unlikely given the Trojans' inexperience, but if the defense can start clicking midway through the season, there won't be many teams ready to face them. USC is still a couple pieces away from winning the College Football Playoff, but it may make the playoff sooner rather than later.

Oklahoma is another program that went through immense changes in the offseason. The Sooners waived goodbye to one of the best offensive minds in college football and said hello to one of the best defensive masters of the game. After years of teams trying to pry Brent Venables from Clemson, he finally accepted a head coaching position with the Sooners. The pressure is on Venables to immediately win, as Oklahoma hasn't lost more than two games since 2014.

The Sooners are in a very similar position to USC. Oklahoma is welcoming the No. 4 transfer portal class with 14 new prospects. All eyes are on UCF transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

In 2021, he suffered a season-ending injury in the third game of the season. But Gabriel was an excellent starter for the Knights in his first two seasons, recording a combined 61 touchdowns and 7,223 yards through the air in 2019 and 2020. He's more than capable of carrying the Sooners offense on his back, but he needs to stay on the field. In 2022, he has 529 passing yards and six total touchdowns in two contests.

Venables has to put his defensive cap on and work on reinforcing the Sooners defense before they're ready to play with the current CFP contenders. They have a subpar linebacker room, with clear questions on the defensive line's depth. Venables is likely content knowing that the biggest issue on the team is his most significant strength.

Unlike most of the teams on this list, the Utah Utes are experienced and have a lot of continuity. Kyle Whittingham has been a full-time head coach with the Utes since 2005, and though it's been a successful run, the team hasn't been in the playoff conversation much.

The Utes were ranked at No. 7 in the preseason AP poll, their highest preseason rating in school history. This isn't the norm for Whittingham and the Utes, since they're usually flying under the radar. They have first-team All-Pac-12 quarterback Cameron Rising and a quality secondary with one of the nations best cornerbacks, Clark Phillips III.

Utah started the season on a rocky note, suffering a Week 1 loss to Florida on the road. But the Utes are still a playoff contender, partially due to a weak schedule. They won't compete against a ranked opponent until the middle of October, so it's necessary for them to gain momentum and catch fire in the next few weeks. Utah's most difficult matchups ahead are a home game against USC and battle on the road against Oregon.

The Utes were clearly thirsty for a win in Week 2, stomping Southern Utah 73-7 at home. Utah has solid players in every position group; if the Utes can use their experience to their advantage, they have a shot at the playoffs.

The Wildcats are rolling behind one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, and possibly one of the best defenses in the conference as well. It's been a roller coaster of emotions for head coach Mark Stoops and the Kentucky fanbase, but they're currently on the rise. It seemed like the 2018 season was a preview to something special when the Wildcats went 10-3, but they followed that up with a combined 13-11 record in 2019 and 2020.

Starting quarterback Will Levis is the star of the show, throwing for 24 touchdowns and 2,826 yards last season. Yet UK will always be known for its quality linebackers. The Wildcats have talented veterans Jacquez Jones and DeAndre Square. They also have a skilled secondary with Tyrell Ajian and Carrington Valentine.

Despite Levis getting most of the attention, their offense ran through first-team All-SEC running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. last year. Rodriguez finished the 2021 season with a career-high 1,379 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He has yet to play this season due to a suspension, but he has been cleared to play on Oct. 1 against Ole Miss. UK needs to see improvement from its pass-catchers, but overall the offense has plenty of weapons.

Kentucky's biggest struggle will be high-powered SEC opponents, especially the ones with an efficient defensive line or secondary. Levis is a good quarterback, but he often gambles, so it's important for Stoops and the staff to help the offense limit turnovers. Stoops has always been a defensive mind, and that didn't stop when he took the job at Kentucky. The Wildcats defense can compete with some of the best teams in the country, but their offense needs to improve for them to continue their CFP hunt.

Oklahoma State had a productive 2021 season, winning 12 games for the first time since 2011. After recording an AP high of No. 5 late in the season, the Cowboys had heavy weight on their shoulders. They left 2021 with one of their best seasons in program history, so the pressure to take the next step into a possible CFP berth is brewing.

Head coach Mike Gundy is in his 18th season with the Cowboys, holding an 11-5 record in bowl games. He's fortunate to return quarterback Spencer Sanders, defensive end Brock Martin, safety Jason Taylor and other proven talents. OSU has picked up right where it left off last season, starting 2-0. The Cowboys are ranked No. 8 after wins against Central Michigan and Arizona State.

Gundy's team lost some key players from 2021 that may give the Cowboys trouble on defense. Their linebacker room took a hit with Devin Harper and Malcolm Rodriguez getting drafted, but they have a profitable backfield with Dominic Richardson and a fine defensive line.

The toughest games on OSU's schedule are Baylor, Texas and Oklahoma, with two of them on the road. The Cowboys have the pieces to compete for a Big 12 title and playoff spot, but they need better assistance throughout the depth chart to call themselves the best in the conference.