As a transfer-heavy offseason finally slows down heading into summer, preseason previews arrive. College football’s 11 most important people in the 2022 playoff race features several recognizable figures along with a few names you may not expect.
Last fall silenced cries over the College Football Playoff’s lack of parity as two newcomers appeared in semifinal matchups. This includes Cincinnati as the first Group of Five representative. And there’s a chance we might see a non-Power Five program once again.
During a recent Cleveland.com podcast, the discussion centered around impactful names in this year’s playoff discussion, but didn’t necessarily include high-profile head coaches and quarterbacks. We’ve generated our own list of impactful contributors we expect to be front and center in the playoff picture as the season winds down this fall.
USC’s transfer portal activity this spring ahead of Lincoln Riley’s first season was an attention-grabber as the Trojans loaded up at the skill positions and landed several quality defenders that will help shape Alex Grinch’s unit. The truth is USC could easily lead the Pac-12 in scoring this season.
