The second day of conference championship games is upon us. On Friday, Northern Illinois blasted Bowling Green in the MAC championship and Oregon got revenge for two straight losses against Arizona by running over the Wildcats to become the first team to solidify its place in the four-team college football playoff. Let's see what is in store for Saturday.
Season: 78-37; last week: 7-2; Friday: 2-0
Conference USA championship: Louisiana Tech at Marshall, Noon ESPN2
Marshall's undefeated season finally ran out of steam as it lost last week to a now-7-5 Western Kentucky squad by the basketball game-like score of 67-66. At home for the second straight week, I doubt the Thundering Herd play as poorly again. The Bulldogs, at 8-4, are a quality opponent, though, that played a tougher non-conference schedule than the Herd. Tech played Oklahoma and Auburn and lost (and lost to Northwestern State and beat Louisiana-Lafayette), while Marshall's non-conference schedule had the likes of Ohio, Rhode Island, Miami of Ohio, and Akron on it, only Ohio of whom finished at .500. Tech can put up some offense, scoring 76 on Rice last week in a win. Though the Bulldogs pose a threat, I think Marshall will be more ready than last week and won't lose two home games in a row.
Marshall 45, Louisiana Tech 35
SEC championship: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 16 Missouri in Atlanta, 4 p.m. CBS
Alabama is on a roll, especially offensively after scoring 55 in the Iron Bowl last week. Missouri has a tall task ahead of it, and I can't see the Tigers beating a team that has had to go through the gauntlet Alabama has had to go through the last several weeks in the SEC West. Missouri had a much easier schedule in the SEC East, and also has a loss to Indiana and a shutout defeat to Georgia at home. I can't predict that team to upset the Tide.
Alabama 42, Missouri 24
No. 9 Kansas State at No. 6 Baylor, 7:45 p.m. ESPN
Not a conference championship, mind you, but it might as well be. The winner shares the Big 12 conference title with TCU, provided the Horned Frogs beat two-win Iowa State, which they probably will. Of course, Baylor has bigger fish to fry. A win, and a solid win at that, could help its cause in trying to get into the four-team playoff. Baylor has just one loss this year, to West Virginia, but beat TCU at home. However, TCU is at No. 3 in the playoff rankings, ahead of the Bears. Baylor for sure needs an impressive showing to try to jump into the conversation. I like Baylor, but KSU is a tough team and won't go away easily. The Wildcats would need to pound the Bears and then get a ton of help to get into the mix.
Baylor 38, Kansas State 34
ACC championship: No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech in Charlotte, 8 p.m. ABC
For weeks, FSU has cheated death, and it fell behind last week again against rival Florida. But like so many times before this year, FSU overcame a halftime deficit to win. Well, I'm feeling an upset again (I picked Miami over FSU a few weeks ago). Georgia Tech is not the team to fall behind because its offense is so good at controlling the ball with its run game. If the Seminoles get in a hole in this one, it will be harder to climb out of. The Yellow Jackets' offense is multi-dimensional and QB Justin Thomas has shown he can throw the ball, too. Meanwhile, Tech's defense has gotten better as the year has progressed. I think FSU has finally met its match -- provided it falls behind again. Now, if FSU is actually on its game for once this year, it can certainly win. If it falls behind by at least 14 points, I will say, they will not come back in this game.
Georgia Tech 24, Florida State 21
Big Ten championship: No. 13 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Ohio State in Indianapolis, 8:17 p.m. FOX
If FSU loses like I'm predicting, then OSU needs to win this game. That should put it into the playoff. Problem is, star freshman QB J.T. Barrett broke his ankle last week vs. Michigan, forcing a sophomore, Cardale Jones, into action. Being the 3rd-string QB, something tells me Jones isn't as good as Barrett or start-of-the-year QB Braxton Miller. What happened to the Buckeyes the last time they had a first-time starting QB under center this year? A 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech in early September. Wisconsin is a hot team (winners of seven straight) with a 'D' that is also hitting its stride. I like the Badgers.
Wisconsin 38, Ohio State 24
Mountain West championship: Fresno State at No. 22 Boise State, 10 p.m. CBS
The 6-6 Bulldogs challenged themselves in the non-conference schedule this year, facing USC, Utah, and Nebraska. They lost all of those games badly. I give them credit for playing a tough schedule, though. But Fresno State also had a couple bad losses -- 30-27 in OT against UNLV, which ended up 2-11, and 45-17 against Wyoming, which ended up 4-8. Fresno State's other loss was to Boise State in Boise, 37-37. I like the Broncos to win this time by a larger margin.
Boise State 38, Fresno State 21
Season: 78-37; last week: 7-2; Friday: 2-0
Conference USA championship: Louisiana Tech at Marshall, Noon ESPN2
Marshall's undefeated season finally ran out of steam as it lost last week to a now-7-5 Western Kentucky squad by the basketball game-like score of 67-66. At home for the second straight week, I doubt the Thundering Herd play as poorly again. The Bulldogs, at 8-4, are a quality opponent, though, that played a tougher non-conference schedule than the Herd. Tech played Oklahoma and Auburn and lost (and lost to Northwestern State and beat Louisiana-Lafayette), while Marshall's non-conference schedule had the likes of Ohio, Rhode Island, Miami of Ohio, and Akron on it, only Ohio of whom finished at .500. Tech can put up some offense, scoring 76 on Rice last week in a win. Though the Bulldogs pose a threat, I think Marshall will be more ready than last week and won't lose two home games in a row.
Marshall 45, Louisiana Tech 35
SEC championship: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 16 Missouri in Atlanta, 4 p.m. CBS
Alabama is on a roll, especially offensively after scoring 55 in the Iron Bowl last week. Missouri has a tall task ahead of it, and I can't see the Tigers beating a team that has had to go through the gauntlet Alabama has had to go through the last several weeks in the SEC West. Missouri had a much easier schedule in the SEC East, and also has a loss to Indiana and a shutout defeat to Georgia at home. I can't predict that team to upset the Tide.
Alabama 42, Missouri 24
No. 9 Kansas State at No. 6 Baylor, 7:45 p.m. ESPN
Not a conference championship, mind you, but it might as well be. The winner shares the Big 12 conference title with TCU, provided the Horned Frogs beat two-win Iowa State, which they probably will. Of course, Baylor has bigger fish to fry. A win, and a solid win at that, could help its cause in trying to get into the four-team playoff. Baylor has just one loss this year, to West Virginia, but beat TCU at home. However, TCU is at No. 3 in the playoff rankings, ahead of the Bears. Baylor for sure needs an impressive showing to try to jump into the conversation. I like Baylor, but KSU is a tough team and won't go away easily. The Wildcats would need to pound the Bears and then get a ton of help to get into the mix.
Baylor 38, Kansas State 34
ACC championship: No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech in Charlotte, 8 p.m. ABC
For weeks, FSU has cheated death, and it fell behind last week again against rival Florida. But like so many times before this year, FSU overcame a halftime deficit to win. Well, I'm feeling an upset again (I picked Miami over FSU a few weeks ago). Georgia Tech is not the team to fall behind because its offense is so good at controlling the ball with its run game. If the Seminoles get in a hole in this one, it will be harder to climb out of. The Yellow Jackets' offense is multi-dimensional and QB Justin Thomas has shown he can throw the ball, too. Meanwhile, Tech's defense has gotten better as the year has progressed. I think FSU has finally met its match -- provided it falls behind again. Now, if FSU is actually on its game for once this year, it can certainly win. If it falls behind by at least 14 points, I will say, they will not come back in this game.
Georgia Tech 24, Florida State 21
Big Ten championship: No. 13 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Ohio State in Indianapolis, 8:17 p.m. FOX
If FSU loses like I'm predicting, then OSU needs to win this game. That should put it into the playoff. Problem is, star freshman QB J.T. Barrett broke his ankle last week vs. Michigan, forcing a sophomore, Cardale Jones, into action. Being the 3rd-string QB, something tells me Jones isn't as good as Barrett or start-of-the-year QB Braxton Miller. What happened to the Buckeyes the last time they had a first-time starting QB under center this year? A 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech in early September. Wisconsin is a hot team (winners of seven straight) with a 'D' that is also hitting its stride. I like the Badgers.
Wisconsin 38, Ohio State 24
Mountain West championship: Fresno State at No. 22 Boise State, 10 p.m. CBS
The 6-6 Bulldogs challenged themselves in the non-conference schedule this year, facing USC, Utah, and Nebraska. They lost all of those games badly. I give them credit for playing a tough schedule, though. But Fresno State also had a couple bad losses -- 30-27 in OT against UNLV, which ended up 2-11, and 45-17 against Wyoming, which ended up 4-8. Fresno State's other loss was to Boise State in Boise, 37-37. I like the Broncos to win this time by a larger margin.
Boise State 38, Fresno State 21
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