What to Expect in the 2022 College Football Season

The 2022 College Football season is coming quickly. Here’s what to expect.

Expectations For the 2022 College Football Season

The start of the new college football season is on the horizon and will be here before you know it. Georgia returns to defend its college national championship with a number of teams prepared to try and take it away.

Bettors are certainly awaiting the new season. As with any new campaign, it is always best to prepare so that you know what to expect this college football season.

The Big Four

Since the inception of the College Football Playoff in 2014, four teams have dominated - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Georgia. Those four teams account for seven of the eight - LSU is the other - national championships in that span.

As if on cue, most preseason top-10 or top-25 polls have some mix of those four teams at the top. Alabama is ranked No. 1 with Ohio State, Georgia, and Clemson coming at No. 2 through No. 4.

Until other programs do something to change it, these four teams will likely be in the thick of the CFP race at the end of the season.

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The Heisman Trophy

College football’s premier award was won by Alabama QB Bryce Young last season. He passed for 4,872 yard and 47 touchdowns leading Alabama to the national title game.

Young is once again among the favorites to win the award and if he is able to, he would become the first player since Ohio State RB Archie Griffin to win the Heisman in consecutive seasons. He’s sure to factor in on this year’s college football odds.

The favorite heading into the new college football season just happens to be an Ohio State quarterback - C.J. Stroud. Last season, Stroud threw for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns in leading the Buckeyes to an 11-2 record and earning the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year award.

Cracking the Top 4 In the 2022 College Football Season

Just outside the top-4 are a handful of teams looking to gain entry. Texas A&M is still the third wheel in a loaded SEC. The Aggies went 8-4 last season but beat Alabama. Head coach Jimbo Fisher had an outstanding recruiting class and Texas A&M is ranked No. 5 in most preseason polls.

Michigan had Jim Harbaugh’s best season going 12-2 with a Big Ten title and a trip to the CFP. The Wolverines lost to Georgia, but they return seven starters on offense and they will reload the nation’s eighth-best scoring defense.

Notre Dame and both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have the type of rosters that could do some damage this season.

We cover all aspects of sports. One of our sister sites recently posted a great NFL article. Check it out, it’s titled getting ready for the 2022 NFL season.

Top Sleepers to Watch

Every college football season there is a team or two that comes out of nowhere and surprises everyone. Cincinnati was that team last year. The Bearcats went 13-1, won an AAC title, and earned the first Group of 5 berth in the CFP.

This year, a sleeping giant could be USC. The Trojans went out and hired former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley and then went nuts in the transfer portal. The roster is strong and the Pac-12 is weak.

It’s a similar situation in Miami, another tradition-rich program. The Hurricanes went out and hired alum Mario Cristobal away from Oregon. They have a potential NFL first-round quarterback in Tyler Van Dyke and seven starters back on offense. The schedule is favorable with only Clemson on the road.

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Rules Changes in the 2022 College Football Season

College football fans will notice some rules changes in 2022. The most well-known was given the name “the Kenny Pickett rule.” Pickett appeared to be going into a slide on a run during the ACC championship game. He didn’t slide and eventually scored a touchdown on the play. Quarterbacks (or any player) may not fake a slide anymore.

Blocking below the waist will be permitted by all offensive linemen and any stationary player lined up inside the tackle box. A player in motion may not block below the waist even if the motion puts him inside the tackle box area. Will the new rules affect betting lines at your bookie?

Defensive holding has always been a 10-yard penalty, but this year a rules change gives a huge bonus to the offense. The new rule includes an automatic first down on a defensive holding penalty.

Expect Upsets - Like Last Year

There will always be upsets, but some are bigger than others.

Last year, FBS teams played a record 117 games against FCS programs. Yes, FBS programs won the majority of those games, but the 12 FCS wins is the most ever.

Of those 12, four came against Power 5 teams - Washington, Vanderbilt, Florida State, and Arizona. There will be ample opportunities this season again. All 14 SEC teams have an FCS team on the schedule and the majority of teams from the other Power 5 conferences do as well.