Ranking Every College Football Playoff Game

Brian Olson
college football playoff trophy

As we put a bow on the ninth edition of the College Football Playoff, the majority of fans agree that the 2022 version was one of the best editions of the tournament to date. Despite the blowout in the championship game, there was a lot of intrigue and storylines over the four teams that competed, and both semifinal games were electric, fun and close games.

That got me wondering though: where do these games rank among all the previous ones across the nine years of the CFP? Well, I went back and re-watched all 27 games and decided to rank them all. 

Obviously my list isn’t perfect, and it is not solely based on how close the game was. There is a lot of interpretation when it comes to what people think a “good game” is, but I based it on these categories: competitiveness, intrigue, stakes and entertainment. So without further ado, here are the rankings.

27. 2016 Fiesta Bowl — Clemson 31, Ohio State 0

Photo Credit: @ClemsonFB on Twitter

Clemson was a team on a mission looking to avenge the previous year’s National Championship Game loss. Ohio State, two years removed from winning the inaugural CFP title, could not rekindle the magic it had in 2014. This game was just no fun. Despite two drives ending in missed field goals in the first quarter, OSU could not find any momentum at all. Clemson didn’t make the blow out fun either. The Tigers methodically and slowly squeezed the life out of the Buckeyes, and of everyone watching this game. 

26. 2021 Cotton Bowl — Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6

Photo Credit: @AlabamaFTBL on Twitter

It was a neat story to see a Group of Five team in the CFP. That was as far as the intrigue went for this matchup. Led by Nick Saban, Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and defensive star Will Anderson Jr., Alabama toyed with Cincinnati and coasted to an easy victory from the jump. After a methodical touchdown drive to begin the game, I don’t think anyone watching, aside from maybe Bearcats fans, believed the game was ever in doubt for the Crimson Tide. 

25. 2016 Peach Bowl — Alabama 24, Washington 7

Photo Credit: @AlabamaFTBL on Twitter

Despite scoring a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead, Washington’s offense was completely dominated by the inevitable ‘Bama juggernaut. The Huskies defense held serve for the majority of the game, turning this matchup into a snail race. A pair of long Bo Scarbrough touchdown runs and the fact that Washington was within 10 points for the majority of the game made it watchable. However, it was still a very bad football game.  

24. 2021 Rose Bowl — Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14

Photo Credit: @AlabamaFTBL on Twitter

The 2021 Rose Bowl’s unfortunate move to AT&T Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic took all the possible intrigue out of this game. It just did not feel like THE Rose Bowl. Notre Dame used its one year in the ACC to springboard into the playoff, but the Irish were no match for Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and the high-powered Bama offense. This may have been ranked higher had it been played in Pasadena with all of the pomp and circumstance it usually brings, but an almost empty stadium just made this whole experience worse, understandably of course.  

23. 2015 Cotton Bowl — Alabama 38, Michigan State 0

Photo Credit: @AlabamaFTBL on Twitter

Despite the lopsided final score, this game was closer than we remember. It took almost 25 minutes for anyone to score, and Michigan State was within striking distance at halftime. Some second-half fireworks by Alabama, including a Cyrus Jones punt return touchdown, gave the game a little splash of excitement, but overall it was still one of the most boring games in the CFP era. 

22. 2018 Cotton Bowl — Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3

Photo Credit: @ClemsonFB on Twitter

Trevor Lawrence proved he was as advertised and then some. After a slow first quarter, the freshman quarterback picked apart the Notre Dame defense. Fellow freshman Justyn Ross had a monster game that included two incredible touchdown grabs of 52 and 42 yards, respectively. All four of Clemson’s touchdowns came on explosive plays, making this one of the more entertaining blowouts. But, it was a blowout nonetheless.  Man, you just have to feel bad for the people over at the Cotton Bowl. They’ve hosted three semifinal games, and all three are among the worst games on this list.

21. 2023 National Championship Game — Georgia 65, TCU 7

Photo Credit: @GeorgiaFootball on Twitter

Not only was this the biggest blowout in championship game history, it was the biggest blowout in ANY bowl game in history. Despite the outcome, this matchup had plenty of intrigue and storylines to follow, which is why it’s higher on the list than it otherwise would be. The stories of both quarterbacks, Georgia looking to go back-to-back for the first time in the CFP era, and TCU looking to cap off an amazing Cinderella run to a national title were all amazing plots coming to a head in Los Angeles. Alas, TCU’s clock struck midnight, and its magic came to a screeching halt. Georgia put a beat down only seen in action movies and just wouldn’t stop, scoring a touchdown in all but two possessions, not including the drive to run out the clock. There was little the Horned Frogs could do to stop the UGA tank, but they had a neat story nonetheless. 

20. 2018 Sugar Bowl — Alabama 24, Clemson 6

Photo Credit: @SugarBowlNola on Twitter

They say that the third installment of a movie series or trilogy is always the worst. Well, the same can be said about the Alabama-Clemson series as well. Both offenses struggled to move the ball against two of the best defenses in the country, and it was really a slog for the majority of the game. Despite this, it was still a one-possession game halfway through the third quarter. Two interceptions by Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant allowed Alabama to pull away late in the third quarter, and neither team scored in the remaining 20 minutes of the game.  But hey, we got a big man interception, and that’s always fun, right?! 

19. 2021 Orange Bowl — Georgia 34, Michigan 11

Photo Credit: @GeorgiaFootball on Twitter

Michigan surprised everyone by reaching the CFP after a couple of tough seasons where many called for head coach Jim Harbaugh to be fired. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, they had the misfortune of having to play a Georgia team who had to listen to criticism and scrutiny for a month following yet another humiliating loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. 

The Dawgs were out for blood to prove to everyone that despite the loss, they were still the best team in the country. UGA shot out of the gates quickly, scoring in each of its first five possessions to build a 27-3 halftime lead. The offense parked the bus in the second half and the defense held serve to close out and conclude Michigan’s surprising run.

18. 2018 Orange Bowl — Alabama 45, Oklahoma 34

Photo Credit: @UA_Athletics on Twitter

The quarterback matchup between Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oklahoma’s Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray was reason alone to tune into this game. Two of the best offenses in the country were destined to bring on an instant classic. Alabama had other plans though. ‘Bama shot out of a cannon to start the game and jumped to a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. Oklahoma made a valiant effort to claw back into the game, and although the Sooners couldn’t trim the lead down to single digits, they made it just close enough to shoot some tension back into the game. 

17. 2021 Sugar Bowl — Ohio State 49, Clemson 28

Photo Credit: @ohiostatefb on Twitter

After the instant classic in the previous year’s meeting between these teams at the Fiesta Bowl, we all expected the sequel to be just as good. It was looking like it was heading that way early with both teams trading touchdowns in all four first-quarter possessions, taking a 14-14 game into the second quarter. From then on, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields exploded for three touchdown passes in the second quarter to put the game out of reach. The Buckeyes avenged the crushing Fiesta Bowl loss and denied Trevor Lawrence his third consecutive championship game appearance. 

16. 2019 National Championship Game — Clemson 44, Alabama 16

Photo Credit: @ClemsonFB on Twitter

The beginning of the fourth and final edition of the four-chapter epic between these two teams was one of the most electric starts to any football game I have seen. The first eight minutes of this game saw a pick-six by Clemson; a 62-yard touchdown pass by Alabama; a 62-yard pass play followed by a 17-yard touchdown run by Clemson; and a 75-yard, four-minute drive by Alabama. Once the dust settled, Alabama led 16-14 early in the second quarter. That was as close as it got as Clemson finished the game on a 30-0 run to win its second title in four years, finishing the four-year rivalry at two games apiece. 

15. 2015 Rose Bowl — Oregon 59, Florida State 20

Photo Credit: @goducks on Twitter

Despite the final score, the first ever CFP semifinal matchup was an entertaining one. Florida State came into the game as the defending champion in the middle of a 29-game winning streak. Oregon, led by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, was looking to win its first national title. The score was relatively close for most of the game, with Oregon leading 25-20 halfway through the third quarter. Five second-half turnovers by the Seminoles, including an iconic fumble by Jameis Winston, allowed the Ducks to finish the game with 34 unanswered points to punch their ticket to the first ever CFP National Championship Game.

14. 2019 Peach Bowl — LSU 63, Oklahoma 28

Photo Credit: @lsufootball on Twitter

35-point blowouts aren’t supposed to be fun. What LSU did to Oklahoma in this game was A LOT of fun. How could you not sit there in awe of the offensive masterclass that the Tigers put together? LSU quarterback Joe Burrow threw SEVEN touchdown passes in the first half. Seven! He also rushed for a score in the second half. Justin Jefferson caught four of those touchdowns to go along with his 227 receiving yards. Oklahoma Heisman finalist quarterback Jalen Hurts did all he could, but nothing was stopping that LSU team on its way to becoming one of the greatest teams of all time. Regardless of the scoreboard, fans could do nothing more than just admire the greatness.

13. 2021 National Championship Game — Alabama 52, Ohio State 24

Photo Credit: @alabamaftbl on Twitter

Another entertaining and historic blowout. Two explosive offenses were set to put on a show, and it started out that way. Both teams traded punches early before Heisman winner DeVonta Smith really stole the show and put the game away. To cap off his Alabama career, Smith broke championship game records with 12 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns. Those stats are impressive on their own, but what is insane is that he did all of that in the FIRST HALF! The only thing that was able to stop Smith was a broken finger early in the third that knocked him out of the game. Luckily, the game was in hand at that point and Nick Saban captured his SEVENTH national championship as a head coach. 

12. 2015 Orange Bowl — Clemson 37, Oklahoma 17

Photo Credit: @orangebowl on Twitter

A matchup between quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson in their first appearances in the CFP, this game was closer than what the final score indicates. The first half was a defensive battle that prevented neither team from taking control of the game. Both squads traded leads throughout, and Oklahoma led 17-16 at the break. That was as close as it got for the Sooners. Watson and company took control of the game in the second half and outscored Oklahoma 21-0 to put the game away. The win sent Clemson into the first of four consecutive matchups against Alabama in the CFP, which we will get to a little later. 

11. 2020 National Championship Game — LSU 42, Clemson 25

Photo Credit: @lsufootball on Twitter

All the different storylines going into this game could win Oscars with how crazy they were — Clemson looking to repeat as the national champion and cap off back-to-back undefeated seasons; LSU looking to complete one of the greatest seasons of all time; quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow trying to cement their place among the all-time great college quarterbacks. The game got off to a hot start with both teams throwing absolute haymakers in the first half. Clemson built a 17-7 lead early before LSU’s powerful offense roared back to take a 28-17 lead at the half. Clemson cut it to three in the third quarter before LSU pulled away to capture the title.  Fun fact: 19 of LSU’s 22 starters in this game were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. That is insane to think about! 

10. 2015 National Championship Game — Ohio State 42, Oregon 20

Photo Credit: @CFBPlayoff on Twitter

It didn’t take long to get the first “Cinderella” championship run in the CFP era. The first ever CFP National Championship Game saw the No. 4 seed Ohio State, with third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, face off against the Oregon Ducks, led by Marcus Mariota. Despite turning the ball over four times, the Buckeyes were able to use a heavy rushing attack to build a 21-10 halftime lead. Oregon came back to make it a one-point game late in the third quarter before OSU cemented the title with a 21-0 run.  Running back Ezekiel Elliott scored three second-half touchdowns and sealed Ohio State’s improbable national title run. The questions of whether a playoff system would work was answered with an emphatic yes. 

9. 2022 National Championship Game — Georgia 33, Alabama 18

Photo Credit: @CFBPlayoff on Twitter

If Georgia wanted to win its first national title in over 40 years, it had to once again face the team that had denied it that chance multiple times over the past decade — the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide once again got the best of Georgia in the SEC title game, dominating the Bulldogs and showing that they were still the big brother on campus. All the doubts surrounding Georgia were quickly silenced as its historic defense held Alabama to just 18 points. UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett silenced his own doubters by leading consecutive touchdown drives to give Georgia a 26-18 lead late in the fourth. With the game on the line, UGA cornerback Kelee Ringo made thousands of grown men cry by returning an interception 79 yards for a touchdown to give Georgia the elusive title it so desperately coveted, finally conquering the Crimson Tide in the process. 

8. 2015 Sugar Bowl — Ohio State 42, Alabama 35

Photo Credit: @CFBPlayoff on Twitter

After controversially jumping TCU to the No. 4 in the final ranking, many wondered if Ohio State deserved to be the final team in the initial CFP. Starting their third-string quarterback and playing an Alabama team that had won three of the last five titles, the Buckeyes were big underdogs. It looked that way early, as Alabama jumped out to a 21-6 lead. OSU stormed back with 28 unanswered points to take a 34-21 lead. Up by six with under four minutes to play, Zeke Elliott broke an 85-yard run for a touchdown to ice the game and pull off the first huge upset of the CFP era. 

7. 2019 Fiesta Bowl — Clemson 29, Ohio State 23

Photo Credit: @ClemsonFB on Twitter

After falling behind 16-0, Clemson clawed its way back, highlighted by a 67-yard touchdown scramble by Trevor Lawrence to take a 21-16 lead after three. In the middle of the comeback, an Ohio State fumble return for a touchdown that would’ve given the Buckeyes the lead was controversially overturned after review and was called an incomplete pass. After both teams traded the lead in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes drove deep into Clemson territory with under a minute to play. Clemson’s defense came up big with an interception by Nolan Turner in the end zone, sealing the win for the Tigers and capping one of the best games in the CFP era. 

6. 2016 National Championship Game — Alabama 45, Clemson 40

Photo Credit: @CFBPlayoff on Twitter

The second CFP National Championship Game sparked a run of instant classics in the title game for years to come. Both teams traded blows all game and neither one was able to pull away. With the game tied at 24 and his team unable to stop the Clemson offense, Nick Saban felt he needed a spark and called a surprise onside kick. The Tide ran it perfectly and got the ball back, scoring a touchdown two plays later to take the lead. After a Clemson field goal, Alabama’s special teams once again came up huge with Kenyan Drake returning the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to go up 38-27. The special teams gamble seemed to be the right call as Clemson’s offense continued to score, but that gamble provided just enough cushion for Alabama to win an absolute thriller of a game. 

5. 2022 Fiesta Bowl — TCU 51, Michigan 45

Photo Credit: @TCU_Athletics on Twitter

Picked to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 at the beginning of the season, the TCU Horned Frogs miraculously found themselves in the CFP as the third seed behind Heisman finalist Max Duggan. 

Many people believed that TCU didn’t stand a chance facing an undefeated Michigan team, but the Horned Frogs showed they belonged early and often. Two goal-line stands, a pick six, and two touchdown drives put the Horned Frogs in front 21-6 at halftime. 

The third quarter was absolutely bananas. Both teams combined to score 44 points, and explosive plays were aplenty. Despite trailing by double digits on multiple occasions, Michigan answered every single time and crawled back to make it a one-possession deficit. Up 41-38 early in the fourth quarter, TCU star receiver Quentin Johnston took a screen pass 76 yards for a touchdown that virtually put the game away. One final push by Michigan fell just short as the Wolverines failed to convert on fourth down to lose 51-45, giving TCU a chance to play for its first national championship since 1938. 

4. 2017 National Championship Game — Clemson 35, Alabama 31

Photo Credit: @Clemsonfb on Twitter

Not very often is the sequel better than the original. In this case, Alabama-Clemson Pt. 2 was “The Empire Strikes Back” of the series. The game definitely played out like a blockbuster movie. It began slowly, building momentum and intensity until a final climactic fight where the villain is defeated with a heroic blow.

In this case, our hero is Deshaun Watson. The final quarter, especially the final five minutes of this game, was probably the most insane sequence I have seen in a title game. Both teams traded blows and seemingly put the game on ice before the other team would answer right back. After a Clemson touchdown, Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts led his team right down the field, scoring with his legs from 30 yards out, seemingly giving Alabama the lead for good. 

That proved to be too much time for Watson, as he cemented his legacy as a college football legend by marching down and completing a touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with one second to play, giving the Tigers their first title in over 30 years and kickstarting a run of continued success for years to come. 

3. 2018 National Championship Game — Alabama 26, Georgia 23

Photo Credit: @CFBPlayoff on Twitter

The first half of this game didn’t look like it would end up third on this list. Georgia seemed to be in full control of the game and had jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead. Second-year head coach Kirby Smart seemed to have all the answers to take down his former mentor and school. The game was turned on its head at halftime when Nick Saban made one of the most memorable decisions in college football history by benching quarterback Jalen Hurts for unproven true freshman Tua Tagovailoa. 

The second half of this game turned into a true freshman takeover as Tagovailoa and Georgia freshman quarterback Jake Fromm traded blows with big touchdowns passes in the third quarter. Despite making several mistakes, Tua fueled a comeback to tie the game late and put the Tide in position to win the game with a game-winning field goal. The kick sailed wide right, sending the game to overtime. After holding Georgia to a field goal, Alabama had the ball down 23-20 needing a touchdown to win. A key sack by the Georgia defense put Alabama out of field goal range. 

What followed is one of the greatest moments in college football history. Facing second-and-26, ‘Bama dialed up the deep ball and Tua threw a perfect ball to freshman DeVonta Smith for a game-winning touchdown, ending one of the wildest games in CFP and college football history. This game is No. 1 on many people’s list, but the sloppy first half brings it down a bit, and I think the game-winning play carries a lot of weight for this game. 

2. 2022 Peach Bowl — Georgia 42, Ohio State 41

Photo Credit: @georgiafootball on Twitter

The defending champion Georgia plowed through its schedule to finish the season No. 1 and was rewarded by having to play, arguably, the second-best team in college football all season in Ohio State, which got help from USC losing to Utah to even make the tournament. Heisman finalist quarterbacks Stetson Bennett IV of Georgia and C.J. Stroud of OSU played the best games of their careers to give us an absolute classic that will be talked about for years to come. 

The Buckeyes flexed their muscles early and often, jumping to a 14-point lead. And although Georgia came back to tie the game in the first half, OSU looked to have the game in hand late, with an 11-point lead and the ball with under 10 minutes to play. All momentum shifted when a seemingly successful fake punt by Ohio State was sniffed out by Kirby Smart, who called timeout mere moments before the ball was snapped, resulting in OSU axing the call and punting.

On the very next play, Bennett found a wide open Arian Smith for a 76-yard touchdown. After a Buckeyes field goal, Bennett once again drove down the field and capped a 14-0 run by finding AD Mitchell in the end zone with under a minute to play to give the Dawgs a 42-41 lead. Stroud did all he could to march down the field to give his team a shot at a game-winning field goal, which Noah Ruggles pushed wide left, giving Georgia the thrilling 42-41 win to advance to the National Championship Game. 

1. 2018 Rose Bowl — Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48

Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong/AP

In the greatest CFP game to date, the Georgia Bulldogs faced off against the Oklahoma Sooners, led by Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. 

This game was absolute chaos. The twists and turns made everyone watching glued to their seats in fear of missing anything, and every single play seemed to make a huge impact. Momentum swing after momentum swing made this game feel like it was moving 100 mph. This game being the Rose Bowl made everything that transpired even more special. 

Mayfield and company got going quickly and looked like they were going to make quick work of Georgia. A late touchdown CATCH by Mayfield gave the Sooners a 31-14 lead with only seconds to play in the first half. A late field goal from Georgia trimmed the lead to 31-17 going into halftime. From then on, madness ensued. 

After its inability to stop Oklahoma’s offense, Georgia finally found an answer and was able to come all the way back to tie the game at 31 with two long touchdown runs by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The first play of the fourth quarter was an interception by Mayfield that allowed Georgia to score quickly, capping a run of 24 unanswered points that gave the Dawgs a 38-31 lead. 

The momentum shifted almost immediately by Oklahoma responding with a 14-0 run of its own, after a touchdown pass by Mayfield and a 46-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Steven Parker. Georgia would again answer, tying the game at 45 with a Chubb touchdown to head to overtime. 60 minutes of madness was just not enough. After trading field goals in the first OT, the game took its final chaotic turn, when Georgia blocked an Oklahoma chip-shot field goal in its ensuing possession. Only needing a field goal to win, Georgia instead decided to end the game on a game-winning run by Michel, finally ending the craziest, most electric game I have ever seen. 

About the author

Brian Olson
Website | Read more posts by this author

I was raised in Texas, but I am a Georgian by heart. I come from a long line of Dawgs. I have been a diehard Georgia Bulldogs fan since the day I was born. I have hosted multiple podcasts, and college football has always been my passion. I went to the University of Texas at San Antonio to study education, but I plan on returning to get a degree in Journalism. Go Dawgs! P.S. Tyler Simmons was onsides.

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