College Football Playoff Race Heating Up

By Matthew Taylor Last updated Nov 30, 2023

Michigan beat rival Ohio State for the third straight season to move to 12-0. They play Iowa this Saturday in the Big 10 Championship Game. PHOTO CREDIT: KEN LUND, FLICKR

It’s championship season in college football, with conference championships being played this upcoming weekend and bowl season coming up after that. For the playoff contenders, this weekend will play a big role in determining who will qualify for the final four-team College Football Playoff.

The first major conference championship game will occur on Friday night at 8 p.m. in Las Vegas. In what will likely be the final Pac-12 championship game, the 3rd-ranked Washington Huskies take on the 5thranked Oregon Ducks. Washington is 12-0 and beat Oregon 36-33 back on Oct. 14, while Oregon is 11-1 with that being their only loss. The winner of this game will almost certainly qualify for the College Football Playoff, and I predict that it will be the Ducks who win the final Pac12 championship.

On Saturday at 12 p.m., the 7thranked Texas Longhorns play the 19th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 championship game. The Longhorns are 11-1, with their one loss being a 34-30 defeat at the hands of rival Oklahoma. Texas has one of the best wins in College Football this season, as they beat the Alabama Crimson Tide back in Week 2, which could significantly boost their playoff hopes. Oklahoma State is 9-3 and does not have a chance to make the playoff, but a win in the Big 12 title game would significantly boost their ranking and qualify them for a better bowl game. I predict Texas will win this one.

Later on Saturday at 4 p.m., the 1st-ranked Georgia Bulldogs play the 8th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game. Georgia has won the past two College Football Playoffs and is on a 29- game winning streak. Alabama is 11-1, with their one loss being the loss to Texas in Week 2. Alabama winning this game would significantly shake up the College Football Playoff landscape, but I predict the Bulldogs will get their 30th straight win and be the number one seed in the College Football Playoff.

At 8 p.m. on Saturday, the 4thranked Florida State Seminoles take on the 15th-ranked Louisville Cardinals. Florida State is undefeated at 12-0, while Louisville is 10-2. However, Florida State star quarterback, Jordan Travis, is out for the season due to a leg injury, and I think Louisville will win this game.

The final Power Five conference championship, also at 8 p.m. on Saturday, will likely be the least exciting. The 2nd-ranked Michigan Wolverines play the 18th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, with the Wolverines currently being 21.5-point favorites over the Hawkeyes in this game. I predict that this will be end up being a relatively easy win for Michigan.

Given my predicted results for these conference championship games, my predicted College Football Playoff is Georgia at number one, Michigan at number two, Oregon at number three, and Texas at number four.