It's Championship Week! And once again we're in it to win it, with a Playoff bye on the line. Tons of good games all around, should be an excellent weekend of football.
CFP rankings, lines are from ESPN since Circa didn't have an easy graphic this time around.
Friday games
Conference USA Championship - Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State (-1.5)
7 / 6 CBSSN - Burgess - Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium, Jacksonville, Alabama
RichRod hosts the Hilltoppers to win the conference we know and love from the football-adjacent product we half-watch on our grimmest Tuesday evenings.
American Athletic Conference Championship - Tulane (-3.5) vs. #24 Army
8 / 7 ABC - Michie Stadium, West Point, New York
This is going to be a great looking game of football. Great uniforms, beautiful campus, beautiful stadium, the cadets in in the stands. Just perfect. Fun clash of playing styles as well.
Mountain West Conference Championship - #20 UNLV vs. #10 Boise State (-4.5)
8 / 7 Fox - Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
It's a win-and-you're-in battle in Boise. Barry Odom's Rebels didn't miss a beat after their QB and RB threw an early-season NIL hissy fit, while Ashton Jeanty is a bad, bad man for the Broncos. He started his high school career in Naples, Italy - some poor Italian teenagers still probably have PTSD.
Saturday games
Big XII Championship - #16 Iowa State vs. #15 Arizona State (-1.5)
12 / 11 ABC - AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Arizona State has been the surprise package of college football, coming out of nowhere to be the Big XII favorite. Cam Skattebo is an angry human cube. Meanwhile, Matt Campbell finally got the 'clones over the 10 win hump (leaving Vandy as the only P5 team never to achieve it), but can he finally win the big one?
Mid-American Conference Championship - Miami (OH) (-1.5) vs. Ohio
12 / 11 ESPN - Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
In a conference known for gritty Midwesternness, it's Ohio's two country club party schools that will battle in Motown. The bar scene should be a good one.
Southeastern Conference Championship - #5 Georgia vs. #2 Texas (pick 'em)
4 / 3 ABC - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia convincingly beat Texas in Austin in pretty much their only complete performance of the year (Carson Beck tossing out free INTs aside). Beck has improved, the defense has backslid. Meanwhile, Texas brushed aside the rest of its "SEC gauntlet" and gave OU and our two little brothers a noogie on the way in. Still, this is essentially a Dawg home game. Should be a good one!
Sun Belt Championship - Marshall vs. Louisiana - Lafayette (-4)
7:30 / 6:30 ESPN - Cajun Field, Lafayette, Louisiana
Fun Belt time! The tailgate that will unquestionably have the best food of the weekend features about as stark of a cultural difference as it comes. Acadiana hosts a school from where the Midwest meets the Appalachians. It's Thundering Herd vs. Ragin' Cajuns!
Atlantic Coast Conference Championship - #17 Clemson (-2) vs. #8 Southern Methodist
8 / 7 ABC - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
SMU should be in as long as they aren't blown out (as Rhett Lashlee said, if they all pretended to get COVID, they'd be in), and their program trajectory is pointed straight up. Clemson needs this one to get in, and their recruiting class of 15 players and general disdain for the Portal isn't getting it done for next season and beyond. It's the past against the future of college football!
Big Ten Championship - #3 Penn State vs. #1 Oregon (-3)
8 / 7 Fox - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
The biggest game of the day. Can Oregon flash and financial firepower finish blowing the doors off the staid old Big Ten in their first season? Or will James Franklin finally win a big game at Penn State? I know who my money would be on.