Welcome to conference tournament weekend, where things are getting more and more chaotic.
With the College Football Playoff field set to be revealed Sunday, all that’s left to do is decide the winner of each conference across the country. not at all. 3 TCU lost to Kansas State 31-28 in overtime in the Big 12 title game. 4 USC lost to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game, and the debate is about to unfold.
Although not. 1 Georgia and no. 2. Michigan State seems to have locked up four teams to qualify, did TCU and USC just come out of it? If so, is it fair? 5 Ohio State or No. 6 Alabama ahead of them despite no game this week? These are the questions the committee will have to answer on Sunday.
In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of today’s remaining conference championship games.
(Note: All times ET, odds from BetMGM)
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Louisiana State University
When: 4 p.m. ET | TV: CBS | Line: Georgia-17.5 | Total 51.5
No matter what happens Saturday, the Bulldogs appear to be locked into the College Football Playoff. The conference champion will be the 14th in school history and the first since 2017, when it lost the title game to Alabama a year ago. LSU, which lost three games, was ruled out of the playoffs but needed wins to get into the sugar bowl. Otherwise, Citrus Bowl can be invoked. The last time LSU won the SEC was in 2019, with a national title on the way.
Big Ten: Purdue vs. Do not. 2 Michigan
Time: 8 p.m. TV: Fox | Line: UM-17 | Total: 51.5
The Wolverines would go on to win two straight Big Ten titles. Most importantly, a win secured Michigan’s place in the College Football Playoff. Even with a loss, it’s tough to see Michigan knocked out, but for the Wolverines, the seed is certainly at stake. It’s a big deal for Purdue, too. The Boilermakers have never been to a Big Ten championship game before and have a chance to win their first division title since 2000. A win would earn Purdue a trip to the Rose Bowl.
ACC: No. 23 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Clemson
When: 8 p.m. TV: ABC | Line: Clemson – 7.5 | Total: 63.5
While neither team in this game has a realistic chance of making the playoffs, Clemson is entering its eighth ACC title game in 17 years. Clemson had six straight ACC titles between 2015 and 2020, ending last year. Also, this is UNC’s second appearance in the ACC Championship Game. North Carolina hasn’t won a division title since 1980 and hasn’t had a double-digit winning season since 2015.