With the College Football Playoff field set to be revealed on Sunday, all that’s left to do is decide the winners of each conference across the country. And while teams like Georgia and Michigan appear to be locks to make the four-team field, TCU likely needs to win its conference to secure a shot at the national title. And No. 4 USC may already be in trouble after losing to Utah in Friday’s Pac-12 title game. Here’s a breakdown of each of today’s major conference title games. (Note: All times ET, odds from BetMGM)
Big 12: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State
Time: Noon ET | TV: 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 just their fourth conference title overall. KSU is headed to the Sugar Bowl no matter what happens on 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 look locked in the College Football Playoff no matter what happens on 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 picture but needs to win to go to the Sugar Bowl. Otherwise, the Citrus Bowl could be calling. LSU last won the SEC in 2019 en route to the national title.
Big Ten: Purdue vs. No. 2 Michigan
Time: 8 p.m. | TV: Fox | Line: UM -17 | Total: 51.5 The Wolverines are going for two straight Big Ten titles. Additionally, a win secures Michigan a spot in the College Football Playoff. It’s hard to see Michigan getting out of the field even with a loss, but the seeding is definitely in jeopardy for the Wolverines. This is also a big deal for Purdue. The Boilermakers have never reached the Big Ten championship game and have a chance to win the conference title for the first time since 2000. A win would earn Purdue a trip to the Rose Bowl. The story continues
ACC: No. 23 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Clemson
Time: 8 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: Clemson -7.5 | Total: 63.5 While neither team in this game has a realistic shot at the playoffs, Clemson is playing in its eighth ACC title game in its 17 years of existence. Clemson won six consecutive ACC titles between 2015 and 2020 before ending its streak last year. Meanwhile, it’s UNC’s second appearance in the ACC title game. North Carolina hasn’t won a conference championship since 1980 and hasn’t had a double-digit win season since 2015.
