The Power-5 conferences in College Football will host their conference title games this weekend with a playoff berth hanging in the balance for many.
The final week of the College Football season before bowl season is upon us: It’s conference championship weekend.
As we head into conference championship week, there are plenty of things left to be determined in terms of the College Football Playoff and what the final four will look like when we play the games later this month.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each of the Power-5 conference championships and the current Vegas spread for those College Football matchups, courtesy of the Action Network.
ACC: Clemson (-28.5) vs. Virginia
Clemson comes into this matchup as a 28.5-point favorite over Virginia. The Tigers are the more talented team and need this win to lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff. The path to the playoff is pretty simple for the Tigers: Win and you’re in, lose and you’re out.
Bryce Perkins could present a challenge for that stout Tiger defense, but there’s no reason to believe that Clemson won’t pull off a big victory with more talent and depth than the Cavaliers.
Big Ten: Ohio State (-18) vs. Wisconsin
Ohio State is the clear favorite in this one and for good reason. The Buckeyes already took care of Wisconsin one time earlier this season and they just have more talent and depth than the Badgers. Led by Justin Fields, that Buckeye offense is just faster than Wisconsin’s defense and that will likely be the difference.
Big 12: Oklahoma (-8.5) vs. Baylor
Oklahoma and Baylor are battling it out again for an opportunity to remain in the CFB Playoff discussion. The Bears had a sizeable lead on Oklahoma earlier this season, but the Sooners rallied for a victory on the road.
This time, the two will matchup for the Big 12 Championship. It will be interesting to see how Jalen Hurts plays against this Baylor defense the second time around, but this one could very well be close as we head down the stretch.
Pac-12: Utah (-6.5) vs. Oregon
Utah is a touchdown-favorite over an Oregon team that was upset just a couple of weeks ago. The Ducks will be trying to turn things around and win the Pac-12 Championship, but Utah is still vying for a playoff berth.
The Utes are extremely physical and should have a major advantage along the lines of scrimmage. That could be the difference in this one.
SEC: LSU (-4) vs. Georgia
If Georgia wins, then both teams get into the playoff most likely. If Georgia loses, then the Bulldogs are out.
LSU has a prolific offense led by Joe Burrow and Georgia has one of the nation’s best defenses. On the other hand, the Bulldogs have had an abysmal offense at times and LSU’s defense has not been good all season. It will be strength vs. strength, and weakness vs. weakness when these two teams matchup in Atlanta.
What do you think of the matchups this week in College Football? Comment below with your predictions and what you expect moving forward in the postseason.