Updated strength of schedule rankings for Heisman contenders after TCU’s loss

December 3, 2022 6: 41 pm ET

No. 7 Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) concluded its 2022 regular season in Week 13.

The Vols await their bowl destination.

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Tennessee’s 2022 regular-season schedule featured home games against Ball State (W, 59-10), Akron (W, 63-6), Florida (W, 38-33), Alabama (W, 52-49), UT Martin (W, 65-24), Kentucky (W, 44-6) and Missouri (W, 66-24).

The Vols’ 2022 schedule featured road contests at Pittsburgh (W, 34-27 OT) in the second edition of the Johnny Majors Classic, LSU (W, 40-13), Georgia (L, 27-13), South Carolina (L, 63-38) and Vanderbilt (W, 56-0).

College Football Playoff top 25 rankings ahead of conference championship weekend

Despite defeating No. 6 Alabama, Tennessee was ranked one spot below the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff rankings ahead of conference championship weekend.

Week 14 games consisted of conference championship contests.

No. 4 USC lost to No. 11 Utah, 47-24, Friday in the Pac-12 championship game.

No. 10 Kansas State defeated No. 3 TCU, 31-28, in overtime in the Big 12 championship game.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker’s collegiate career ended Nov. 19 at South Carolina. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound quarterback suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee in that game.

During the 2022 season, Hooker guided the Vols to wins versus Alabama, Florida and LSU.

In 11 games in 2022, he completed 229-of-329 passing attempts for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions. Hooker recorded 430 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 104 attempts.

Hooker is a Heisman Memorial Trophy contender for the 2022 season.

Following USC and TCU’s conference championship games, and ahead of Saturday’s remaining conference championship games, ESPN FPI updated its strength of schedule rankings for Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

Strength of schedule rankings for Heisman Memorial Trophy contenders following USC and TCU’s conference championship games are listed below.