Welcome to Conference Championship Weekend.
With the field for the college football playoffs set to be revealed on Sunday, all that remains is to decide the winners from each conference across the country. And while teams like Georgia and Michigan seem like locks on making the four-team group, TCU likely needs to win its conference to secure a national title shot. And USC No. 4 could already be in trouble after losing to Utah in Friday’s Pac-12 title game.
Here’s a breakdown of each of the major conference title games today.
(Note: All times ET, odds from BetMGM)
Big 12: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State
Time: noon ET | Television: ABC | Line: TCU-2.5 | Total 62
A win secures TCU its first college football playoff berth in school history. The Horned Frogs could still be in the playoffs even with a loss to Kansas State, but we’re sure TCU fans don’t want to sweat it. The Wildcats are playing for their first Big 12 title since 2003 and only their fourth conference title overall. KSU is heading to the Sugar Bowl no matter what happens Saturday.
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 LSU
Time: 4 p.m. ET | Television: CBS | Line: Georgia -17.5 | Total 51.5
The Bulldogs seem locked into the college football playoffs no matter what happens Saturday. A conference title would be the 14th in school history and the first since 2017 after losing to Alabama in the title game a year ago. LSU, with three losses, is out of the playoff bracket but must win to go to the Sugar Bowl. Otherwise, the Citrus Bowl might be calling you. LSU last won the SEC in 2019 en route to the national title.
Big Ten: Purdue vs. No. 2 Michigan
Time: 8 p.m. | Television: Fox | Line: UM-17 | Overall: 51.5
The Wolverines are targeting back-to-back Big Ten titles. On top of that, a win secures Michigan a berth in the College Football Playoffs. It’s hard to see Michigan being knocked off the field even with a loss, but seeding is definitely on the line for the Wolverines. It’s also a big deal for Purdue. The Boilermakers have never reached the Big Ten championship game before and have a chance to win the conference title for the first time since 2000. A win will earn Purdue a trip to the Rose Bowl.
ACC: No. 23 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Clemson
Time: 8 p.m. | Television: ABC | Line: Clemson -7.5 | Overall: 63.5
Although neither team in this game has a realistic chance of making the playoffs, Clemson is playing its eighth game for the ACC title in its 17-year history. Clemson won six straight ACC titles between 2015 and 2020 before his streak ended last year. Meanwhile, this is UNC’s second appearance in the ACC title game. North Carolina hasn’t won a conference championship since 1980 and hasn’t had a season with double-digit wins since 2015.
