Rivalry week is over, with Michigan beating Ohio State for the third consecutive year and Alabama holding off Auburn again with a massive touchdown on a long fourth and goal. The College Football Playoff race is red hot, with four undefeated teams remaining: Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State, and all are currently in the top four. There are a handful of one-loss teams looking to get in: Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama, who are considered fringe top-4 teams.
There are a lot of different scenarios for the College Football Playoff. This edition of Sam’s Section will preview the conference championships this weekend that will impact Sunday’s finalized College Football Playoff.
Pac-12 Championship: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 3 Washington (Friday, 8 p.m., ABC)
Not only does the winner likely get into the College Football Playoff, but it is also a battle of two Heisman Trophy candidates as Oregon takes on Washington at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Oregon quarterback Bo Nix will face off against Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Both teams have averaged over 38 points per game on offense this season, with Oregon ranked second in scoring offense with 45.3 points per game. There is not a more important conference championship in college football this season, though it’s a shame that this will be the final Pac-12 Championship.
Big 12 Championship: No. 18 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Texas (Saturday, 12 p.m., ABC)
Despite being favored by 15.5 points, Texas needs tons of help to get into the College Football Playoff. With quarterback Quinn Ewers leading the Longhorns, Texas looks to make one last statement as a member of the Big 12 Conference before they depart for the SEC next season. For Oklahoma State, keep an eye on running back Ollie Gordon II. He is one of the best at his position in college football with 20 rushing touchdowns this season. It will be difficult for the Cowboys, who were lucky enough to make it to Arlington after defeating BYU in double overtime.
SEC Championship: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama (Saturday, 4 p.m., CBS/Paramount+)
Georgia is on the hunt for a three-peat as national champion. However, it will be the first time the Bulldogs face Alabama in the SEC Championship since the Crimson Tide beat them two seasons ago: the last loss Kirby Smart’s team suffered. Georgia got revenge against Alabama just two games later in the CFP National Championship game, but the two best college football programs of this decade have not faced each other since. That will change this Saturday, as Alabama looks to make a giant leap into the College Football Playoff. Even if they beat Georgia, their No. 8 ranking means they might need help for that to happen. The Bulldogs might be in no matter if they win or lose this game, but they are safely in with a win. I have been a big fan of Jalen Milroe as Alabama’s next star quarterback, but he will need a Heisman-like performance to beat the defending back-to-back national champions, who seem almost invincible right now.
Big Ten Championship: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 16 Iowa (Saturday, 8 p.m., FOX)
Michigan is currently a 21.5-point favorite to beat Iowa and complete the three-peat as Big Ten champions, the largest point spread of any conference championship game this weekend. With quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum leading the way on offense, the Wolverines making the College Football Playoff seems like a sure thing. Standing in their way of continuing their undefeated season are the Iowa Hawkeyes. Head coach and UConn alum Kirk Ferentz said that it might be fun to win and mess up the rankings. The Hawkeyes have the fourth-best scoring defense in the country, with only Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State ahead of them. The only way I see Iowa coming out of Lucas Oil Stadium with a win is if they keep the scoring low and completely disrupt Michigan’s offense, which has averaged 37.6 points per game. Iowa’s offense is a complete abomination, averaging just 18 points per game this year. Out of the power conference teams, the Hawkeyes’ offense ranks the fourth-worst behind Michigan State, Arizona State and Nebraska.
ACC Championship: No. 14 Louisville vs. No. 4 Florida State (Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC)
The ACC Championship game is interesting, as Florida State is undefeated and might make the College Football Playoff for the first time since the 2014 season. However, they need to beat a tough Louisville team that recently lost to Kentucky to get in. The Seminoles will be without quarterback Jordan Travis for the rest of the season, relying on backup Tate Rodemaker and a strong defense that has allowed just 16.8 points per game to get in one of the semifinal games. With a win, Florida State deserves to get in. However, without their star quarterback, whoever they face might treat them like how Georgia stomped TCU in last season’s CFP National Championship game. Louisville lost any chance of getting into the College Football Playoff after losing to their in-state rival on Saturday, but still should treat the ACC Championship like they could make it and try to get out of Charlotte with a win.