College football conference championship weekend is around the corner, and all four Power Four conference championship games could shape the upcoming 12-team playoff field.
Numerous teams in the College Football Playoff committee’s latest top-25 poll will get a shot to solidify or move up in the playoff chase. Teams vying for seeding this weekend include the likes of No. 1 Ohio State (12–0), looking to secure the top seed, and unranked Duke (7–5). Here’s a look at the Power Four championship games and the playoff implications.
Big Ten Championship: No. 1 Ohio State (12–0) vs. No. 2 Indiana (12–0)
Indiana gets to further prove itself against the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Indianapolis on Saturday. Hoosiers junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been stellar all season, with 2,758 yards and 32 touchdowns in pursuit of the Heisman Trophy. Buckeyes sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin likewise has impressed, with 3,065 yards passing for 30 touchdowns, and he could also claim the Heisman.
Indiana had one close call in the past five games with an upstart Penn State, but Mendoza came up big late for a 27–24 victory on Nov. 8. Ohio State notably handled Penn State 38–14 the week before, and the Buckeyes have dominated every team this season. OSU’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 16 points in a game so far.
SEC Championship: No. 3 Georgia (11–1) vs. No. 9 Alabama (10–2)
The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Georgia Bulldogs 24–21 when they met two months ago, but Saturday’s game in Atlanta could be different. Crimson Tide junior quarterback Ty Simpson has been strong this season, with 3,056 yards and 25 touchdowns, but the Tide have seen close calls and a loss as of late.
Alabama has two one-score wins over South Carolina and Auburn in the past five weeks, and the Tide lost to No. 8 Oklahoma 23–21 and only beat LSU 20–9 on Nov. 8.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton has a solid season going, with 2,535 yards and 20 touchdowns, and he has helped the Bulldogs win down the stretch. While the Bulldogs only beat rival Georgia Tech 16–9 last time out, Georgia won the previous three games by 20 or more points each, which included a 35–10 rout of No. 13 Texas on Nov. 15.
Alabama needs to win to get in for certain, as other teams in the running for a playoff spot could finish ahead of the Tide, depending on how the other conference championship games turn out. Georgia is a lock for the playoffs, barring an unforeseen meltdown.
Big 12 Championship: No. 4 Texas Tech (11–1) vs. No. 11 Brigham Young (11–1)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders could secure a playoff spot and beat BYU twice in a season when the two meet in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday. The Red Raiders have a high-octane offense that averages 43.2 points per game, led by senior quarterback Behren Morton, who has 2,428 yards passing and 20 touchdowns. BYU has a solid defense, 14th in the nation, at 17.8 points allowed per game.
The Cougars need a win to make the 12-team field. A Group of Six team could leapfrog the final poll with a conference title, and only one of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game participants is in the top 25 at the moment.
BYU fell 29–7 to Texas Tech in their previous matchup in November. The Cougars have won four of the past five games by 12 or more points, but the Red Raiders beat their last four opponents outside of BYU by 23 or more points.
ACC Championship: No. 17 Virginia (10–2) vs. Duke (7–5)
The ACC could provide a shakeup in the final playoff seeding if the Duke Blue Devils can upset the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday. Virginia has been on the trajectory to take the ACC since an early-season upset of Florida State, and the Cavaliers have one of the better running backs in the nation with senior J’Mari Taylor. He has 997 yards rushing for 14 touchdowns, and he has 39 receptions for 219 yards.
Virginia, which beat Duke 34–17 when they met in November, has picked up steam since a 16–9 loss to Wake Forest. The Cavaliers dominated rival Virginia Tech 27–7 on Nov. 29.
Duke beat Wake Forest 49–32 last time out, but only beat Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels 32–25 the week before. Blue Devils sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah is a threat, with 3,450 yards passing for 28 touchdowns this season.
