Between the conclusion of the College Football regular season and College Football Playoff, there is one more weekend of entertaining matchups — the conference championships. Especially for the Power Five, these games can act as a last grasp into the playoffs, or a heartbreaking season-ender where teams see their title hopes slip away.
This year is no different.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
(#14) Louisville Cardinals vs. (#4) Florida State Seminoles
On Dec. 2, the Louisville Cardinals will face off against the Florida State Seminoles at a neutral site in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I predict the Louisville Cardinals will come out on top with a score of 37-24. The Cardinals have shown up in big matchups earlier this season, going 2-0 against ranked opponents and winning those games by an average of 18 points. Cardinals running back Jawhar Jordan has had four games this season with multiple touchdowns, proving to be a headache for defenders. On the other side, the Seminoles will be hindered by a key injury. Throughout the entire season, the Seminoles’ offensive game plan has been contingent on their star quarterback Jordan Travis. In the Seminoles’ Nov. 18 win vs. the North Alabama Lions, Travis suffered a lower leg injury that ended his season. It will be tough for the Seminoles to find their footing against this formidable Cardinals squad.
Big Ten:
(#16) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (#2) Michigan
On Saturday, Dec. 2, the Iowa Hawkeyes will take on the Michigan Wolverines in Indianapolis, Indiana.
I believe that the Michigan Wolverines will run away with this one, winning 30-7. Michigan is coming off its toughest game of the season, defeating the then second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 30-24. Additionally, head coach Jim Harbaugh returns to the sideline after serving his three-game suspension from the Big Ten as the NCAA continues their sign-stealing investigation. The Iowa Hawkeyes won the Big Ten West, but have struggled to score against good teams, having averaged just over 12 points per game in Big Ten competition. In their only ranked matchup on Sep. 23, the Hawkeyes got stomped by the Penn State Nittany Lions 31-0. Thanks to the Hawkeyes’ inability to score in bunches and keep up with good teams, I predict the Wolverines will dictate the game’s flow and guarantee their spot in the College Football Playoff.
Big 12:
(#18) Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. (#7) Texas Longhorns
On the morning of Dec. 2, the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns will face off in the Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
In my eyes, the Longhorns will defeat the Cowboys 45-37 in a high-scoring affair. The Longhorns have been impressive all season, with their only loss coming off a 34-30 nail-biter against the Oklahoma Sooners. Though star running back Jonathon Brooks has been the motor for the Longhorn’s rushing attack, his ACL tear against the TCU Horned Frogs has forced the offense to be more dependent on quarterback Quinn Ewers and the passing attack. The Cowboys have depended on running back Ollie Gordon II, who leads all FBS running backs with 1,580 rushing yards and is second with 20 rushing touchdowns. Though the Cowboys have a strong running game, the Longhorns will continue their winning streak and force the College Football Playoff committee to consider them for that last spot.
PAC-12:
(#5) Oregon Ducks vs. (#3) Washington Huskies
On Dec. 1, the Oregon Ducks will meet the Washington Huskies for the PAC 12 Championship in Las Vegas.
In my opinion, the Oregon Ducks will squeak by the Washington Huskies 35-32 to hand the Huskies their first loss of the season. Over the course of the season, the Ducks have been nearly flawless, scoring at least 30 points in all of their contests. Recently, Ducks quarterback Bo Nix has been unstoppable, throwing over 360 yards in each of their past four games. On Washington’s side, the Huskies have been one of — if not the most — tested teams in college football. For starters, they won 36-33 in the first head-to-head matchup with the Ducks on Oct. 14. In the final seconds, Washington got the missed field goal they needed to win from Ducks’ kicker Camden Lewis before the Husky faithful stormed the field. In November, they had three consecutive wins against teams in the AP Top 25. However, in the Huskies last game, they got a game-winning field goal to sneak by the unranked Washington State Cougars 24-21 in the Apple Cup. Though Oregon looks to have the advantage in this one, the PAC-12 Championship should be an intense game that will have a tremendous impact on the College Football Playoff seedings.
Southeastern Conference (SEC):
(#8) Alabama Crimson Tide vs. (#1) Georgia Bulldogs
On Dec. 2 the Alabama Crimson Tide will face off against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship. The game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
I predict the Georgia Bulldogs will remain undefeated and defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide 30-27. Searching for their third straight National Championship win, the Bulldogs have continued their winning ways. The Bulldogs’ star tight end Brock Bowers served as a top pass catcher for the team last season and hopes to fill a similar role during their title run this season. Bowers has 661 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, despite a left ankle injury that took him out for a couple of weeks. For the Crimson Tide, they suffered a 34-24 loss to the Texas Longhorns in mid-September, but had rattled off nine straight wins, including three victories over ranked opponents. In the Crimson Tide’s last game against the Auburn Tigers, they needed a touchdown pass to the back corner of the end zone on fourth and goal from the 31 yard line to top their rival 27-24. Despite this Iron Bowl miracle, the Bulldog’s dominance on both sides of the ball will be too much for the Crimson Tide to handle. With this victory, the Bulldogs will hand Alabama their second loss of the season and eliminate any chance for the Crimson Tide to slip into the College Football Playoff.
*Numerical rankings are according to most recent version of the College Football Playoff Rankings.
