Football
After a college football season filled with hype, hope and hysteria, the conference championship weekend is drawing near, and the results of several conference title games will have a direct impact on the 2024 College Football Playoff bracket.
So which of the conference championship matchups are the best of the best this coming weekend? Here’s a look at the top five and how they are ranked in terms of impact and potential excitement level.
Note: All rankings listed come from the Week 13 CFP rankings.
5. Mountain West — No. 22 UNLV at No. 11 Boise State
A win for Boise State here is imperative to stay ahead of the Big 12 champion and keep the bye. Boise State hung on for a five-point win at UNLV on Oct. 25, so the Rebels will enter the game knowing they can keep up with host Boise State. However, playing on their home turf could be a tipping point for the Broncos in what could be a close game.
4. ACC — No. 12 Clemson vs. No. 9 SMU
Miami’s stumbles down the stretch kept it out of the ACC title game, and now it’s time for SMU to prove it’s not only legitimate but that it also deserves that CFP first-round bye. Clemson, meanwhile, can be an agent of CFP chaos here with a win.
Clemson and SMU did not meet in the regular season.
3. Big 12 — No. 16 Arizona State vs. No. 18 Iowa State
Another pair of conference foes that didn’t meet in the regular season, Arizona State and Iowa State play their own playoff game here, with the loser likely getting left out of the CFP conversation.
Arizona State has won five in a row and made it to the title game after being picked last in the Big 12 preseason media poll. Iowa State, meanwhile, started the season 7-0 before finishing 10-2, marking the first time in school history the Cyclones reached double-digit wins.
2. Big Ten — No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 1 Oregon
This will be the first time since 2016 that neither Ohio State nor Michigan will win a Big 10 title game. The team that won it that year? Penn State, which will bring an 11-1 record into this year’s game. Penn State’s only loss came to Ohio State, and the Buckeyes’ loss to Michigan on Saturday pushed the Nittany Lions into the conference title game.
The only unbeaten team left in FBS, top-ranked Oregon has a high-flying offense and perhaps history on its side as well. Including that Ohio State loss, Penn State head coach James Franklin is 1-14 against teams ranked in the top five.
1. SEC — No. 3 Texas vs. No. 7 Georgia
In its first season in the Southeastern Conference, the Texas Longhorns are in the league’s title game, putting a cap on an 11-1 season. The only loss, however, was to Georgia in a 30-15 ambush in Austin on Oct. 19, a game that should provide plenty of incentive for the Longhorns.
With the game in Atlanta, 10-2 Georgia should have the home-field advantage this time as Athens is just 70 miles away. Coming off an eight-overtime win over rival Georgia Tech, the Bulldogs could be on the CFP fence if they suffer their third loss of the season.
Thanks to the rematch and the fate that could be awaiting Georgia with a loss, this game tops our ranking.
Read More Margherita Schroeder