This weekend’s conference championship games are all that stands between some of the nation’s top teams and college football playoff games or New Year’s Six bowl games. Opportunities are limited on Friday and Saturday so teams can compete for position, however opportunities do exist in five specific league title games played over the weekend.
The off weekend got off to an unexpected start with No. 11 Utah outlasting No. 4 USC to capture its second straight Pac-12 crown and a Rose Bowl appearance, all while stymieing expectations of the Trojans College Football Playoff.
Should USC fall out of the top four, it suddenly opens a door for No. 5 Ohio State to join the four-team field, as it is at home after falling last week in The Game. That’s not to say the Trojans would necessarily be eliminated if they were defeated, but with two losses to the Utes, it would likely be difficult for the CFP Selection Committee to put USC in a limited field. Should USC fall and Ohio State take its place, the Big Ten would become just the second conference to get two teams to the playoffs in the same season (SEC).
Elsewhere, Saturday’s clashes are mainly about seeding. CBS Sports bowl expert Jerry Palm maintains that current No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU are likely in the playoff, win or lose. The Wolverines have the easiest path to the top seed as a two-plus-touchdown favorite over unranked Purdue. The Bulldogs have taken over the No. 1 seed but have to contend with No. 14 LSU, which looked like a legitimate challenger before being upset by Texas A&M last week. And then there are the Horned Frogs, who have the toughest test of the bunch as they battle No. 10 Kansas State, who they barely edged out on the road earlier this season.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all weekend for college football coverage from Friday’s championship game openers through Selection Sunday. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games during championship weekend.
Big 12: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State
Featured Game | TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas State Wildcats
noon | ABC, fuboTV (Free Trial) – Kansas State outscored TCU for most of their first matchup in Fort Worth, Texas, before quarterback injuries, but the Horned Frogs have gotten much better over the past month. TCU posted 62 points with ease despite missing key pieces against Iowa State, and has certainly kept the previous game against K-State on top. In a rematch, take the best team to come out on top — that’s TCU. Prediction: TCU -2.5 — Shehan Jeyarajah
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 LSU
Featured Game | Georgia Bulldogs vs. LSU Tigers
4 p.m CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Georgia will stifle an LSU team that should be demoralized after last week’s stunning loss at Texas A&M. Jayden Daniels needs to establish himself as the centerpiece of the Tigers’ ground game, or it won’t click. Easier said than done against this Georgia defense that will force Daniels to win this game with his arm. That won’t happen. However, Georgia knows they have to end this game as soon as possible. The Bulldogs will build an early lead and take their foot off the gas pedal to allow the Tigers to cover. The game, however, will never be in doubt. Prediction: LSU (+17.5) — Barrett Sallee
American: No. 18 Tulane vs. No. 22 UCF
Featured Game | Tulane Green Wave vs. UCF Knights
4 p.m ABC, fuboTV (Try it for free) — The Green Wave are hitting their stride as the Knights are struggling. Tulane outlasted two-time champion Cincinnati and crushed fourth-ranked SMU by 35 points. UCF was down 17-14 against Navy and needed a late push to escape a horrible South Florida team. Willie Fritz’s team will not let this opportunity pass and win a conference championship for the first time since 1998. Prediction: Tulane -4 — Shehan Jeyarajah
ACC: no. 9 Clemson vs. no. 23 North Carolina
Featured Game | North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Clemson Tigers
8 p.m ABC, fuboTV (Free Trial) — Clemson is the better team, but the door is open for an upset in a way we haven’t seen in a long time when it comes to these conference championship matchups vs. the ACC Coastal. North Carolina has some injury concerns and hasn’t been a consistent team this season, but it has a market advantage at quarterback and should play with considerably less pressure given preseason expectations. Prediction: North Carolina +7.5 — Chip Patterson
Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan vs. Purdue
Featured Game | Michigan Wolverines vs. Purdue Boilermakers
8 p.m Fox, fuboTV (Try it for free) — I don’t give Purdue much of a chance to win this game, but I don’t think the Boilermakers are pushovers. This is a team that could give the Wolverines trouble offensively, but the concern is how many stops will Purdue’s defense get? It’s a solid unit but not one that matches up well with the Wolverines. Considering that, in addition to the fact that this game will be played indoors and on grass, I see more points being scored than expected. That’s why I like it more than anything. Prediction: Over 52 — Tom Fornelli
Pac-12: No. 4 USC v. no. 11 Utah (Friday)
Featured Game | USC Trojans vs. Utah Utes
8 p.m Fox, fuboTV (Free Trial) — USC had to earn a 38-27 win over Notre Dame last week, while Utah cruised to an easy win at Colorado. In a short week and in a game between two evenly matched teams, attrition could be a factor. Utah won the first meeting by one point on Oct. 15, and the Utes have experience on this stage as the reigning Pac-12 champions. While beating the same team twice in one season can be difficult, Utah did it last season against Oregon. The Utes can do it again as they face a USC team that remains shaky defensively and relies too much on an uncanny ability to force turnovers. Prediction: Utah +3 — David Cobb
Which college football picks can you confidently make during championship week, and which heavy favorites will pull off a scare? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread, all based on a proven computer model that has returned nearly $2,500 in profits over the past six plus seasons, and find out.