The college football regular season has wrapped up and it was unlike any other season with the unveiling of the 12-team playoff and even more conference realignment. With these changes and the growth of NIL and the transfer portal, this season has been less predictable than any in recent memory. This weekend is one of the biggest of the year as it is conference championship week. This column will preview the most significant championship games with the biggest implications.
Mountain West
UNLV vs. Boise State
The Boise State Broncos have been one of the best teams in college football all season. They are led by Heisman-candidate running back Ashton Jeanty, who has looked unstoppable in one of the best seasons for running backs since Derrick Henry’s 2015 season. UNLV, on the other hand, had an unexpected season as midway through, their starting quarterback, Matthew Sluka, left the program due to NIL concerns. The Rebels turned to Hajj-Malik Williams to fill the quarterback spot, and he performed exceptionally, leading them to the Mountain West title game. These two teams last met on Oct. 25 and the Broncos won 29-24. The rematch can’t get any bigger as the winner will punch their ticket to the college football playoffs.
Big 12
Iowa State vs. Arizona State
Iowa State started the year 7-0, but the Cyclones dropped two straight games to unranked opponents. The once-promising season started to look bleak for head coach Matt Campbell’s program, but they have since bounced back and added three straight wins to the win columns. They are led by quarterback Rocco Becht, one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. Arizona State has had a season for ages; after being picked last in the conference, they found themselves in a title game. Head coach Kenny Dillingham is one of the quickest risers in the sport, and winning the conference title in the school’s first year in the Big 12 may lead him to win National Coach of the Year. The Big 12 has been chaotic this season, and it will all come to an end Saturday with the winner of this contest going to the playoffs.
SEC
Georgia vs. Texas
Georgia and Texas find themselves in a rematch of the Oct. 19 contest, where Georgia dominated on the road 30-15. Texas, however, has not lost since then and is coming off a thrashing of rival Texas A&M last Saturday. The Longhorns’ defense is amongst the top in the country, and their offense is flooded with talent. Since defeating Texas, Georgia lost to Ole Miss but has had some big wins on their schedule since then. They are coming off a comeback victory against rival Georgia Tech, where they won after eight overtimes. With the win, Georgia all but secured their spot in the college football playoffs, regardless of the outcome on Saturday. The winner of this game will not only rule the SEC, but have a first-round bye in the college football playoffs.
Big Ten
Oregon vs. Penn State
The Oregon Ducks are the lone undefeated team in college football and are playing their best football of the season. In the school’s first season in the Big 10 conference, Dan Lanning’s Ducks have lived up to, and exceeded, expectations. Penn State has reached the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2016 when they won. Penn State’s head coach James Franklin and his squad have yet to record a big win this season and are hoping to do so this weekend against the top team in the country. This game would be a monumental win for each program as it would mean clinching a Big Ten title in Oregon’s first year, and for Penn State, it would be the biggest win of the Franklin era. The winner will also get a first-round bye from the college football playoffs, and a win by Oregon would earn them the one seed.
ACC
SMU vs. Clemson
Rhett Lashlee’s SMU Mustangs are in their first year in the ACC and have exceeded all expectations. Despite a change in the quarterback position from Preston Stone to Kevin Jennings, the team has not lost a step but gained one. Clemson, on the other hand, has spent their season beating up on bad opponents and struggling against good ones. They have nine wins under their belt, but only one of which being against a team with a winning record. None of this will matter if the Tigers can knock off the Mustangs on Saturday night. A loss for SMU may knock them out of the playoffs. The ACC title game has more on the line than any other Power 4 championship game.