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Conference championship weekend can be an exhilarating dream come true scenario for some for others it can be more of grueling nightmare. This Saturday will be one for the history book as non of the power five conference title games are going to be heavily one sided.
Conference championship weekend can be an exhilarating dream come true scenario for some for others it can be more of grueling nightmare. This Saturday will be one for the history book as non of the power five conference title games are going to be heavily one sided.
Now let me be clear I'm not calling for an Iowa St upset over #4 TCU and I don't believe #6 Baylor looses to #9 Kansas State at home meaning Baylor & TCU would be co champs of the Big 12. That may sound confusing but the Big 12 has the most predictable outcome in my opinion. The other four power conference titles will be decided in a far more dramatic fashion.
For example in the Pac 12 #2 Oregon will battle #7 Arizona for the conference championship and a chance at the coveted college playoff birth. For Arizona a victory by far would make them the best two loss school in the land. The Wildcats are the only team to defeat Oregon this season. In fact Arizona has handed the Ducks their last two losses. For Oregon this is an official playoff game. A Pac 12 title they're in the playoffs a loss they have nothing but a consolation bowl in their future.
In the Big 10 the story line is just as thick. The Ohio State Buckeyes have had an up and down 2014 campaign. First they loose all world QB and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller to start the year. Then a crushing September home loss to Virginia Tech almost derailed the entire season. Yet back up QB J.T. Barrett led the Buckeyes back into the top 5 just outside the playoff window. Another huge blow came last Saturday when Barrett was carted off the field, unavailable for the conference title game. Cardale Jones #5 Ohio State's third QB this season is handed the unenviable task of taking on #13 Wisconsin. The Badgers come in with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation led by Melvin Gordon. This game should be an edge of your seat thriller.
The SEC is full of unpredictability and highlight reel comeback victories. However this season don't be surprised if #1 Alabama pounds #16 Missouri from start to finish. Nick Saban has his boys playing with a chip on their shoulder. Although ranked #1 the last two weeks by the committee the Tide were not receiving much love from the respected judges. A conference title almost a lock for Bama so is the playoffs. Yet in college nothing is certain and the Tigers are one of the hottest teams in the nation. Winners of their last six including wins at Texas A&M and Florida Missouri would love nothing more then to spoil Alabama's New Year's plans.
This all leads up to in my opinion the most important title game of the weekend. The ACC offers #4 FSU against #11 Georgia Tech. If Missouri is one of the hottest teams then Georgia Tech is the hottest. Winners of five in a row including their last two against ranked opponents. One of those ranked teams was Georgia who the Yellow Jackets defeated in Georgia. Jameis Winston and Florida State might just be walking into an ambush. This week once again the talk has been about Winston and his off the field woes rather than the gridiron Xs & Os. FSU has a reputation for starting slow and Georgia Tech hopes to capitalize on that. FSU has also struggled against teams within the conference like BC, Syracuse and NC State. While Georgia Tech handled NC State and their share of ACC opponents. A Yellow Jacket victory completely shakes up the playoff picture. An FSU loss combined with any other upset this weekend and you have complete chaos in your first ever college playoff.
Look for Georgia Tech to stun the land and do their part to make the committee's job that much more difficult next week when they release their final playoff and major bowl rankings.
For example in the Pac 12 #2 Oregon will battle #7 Arizona for the conference championship and a chance at the coveted college playoff birth. For Arizona a victory by far would make them the best two loss school in the land. The Wildcats are the only team to defeat Oregon this season. In fact Arizona has handed the Ducks their last two losses. For Oregon this is an official playoff game. A Pac 12 title they're in the playoffs a loss they have nothing but a consolation bowl in their future.
In the Big 10 the story line is just as thick. The Ohio State Buckeyes have had an up and down 2014 campaign. First they loose all world QB and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller to start the year. Then a crushing September home loss to Virginia Tech almost derailed the entire season. Yet back up QB J.T. Barrett led the Buckeyes back into the top 5 just outside the playoff window. Another huge blow came last Saturday when Barrett was carted off the field, unavailable for the conference title game. Cardale Jones #5 Ohio State's third QB this season is handed the unenviable task of taking on #13 Wisconsin. The Badgers come in with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation led by Melvin Gordon. This game should be an edge of your seat thriller.
The SEC is full of unpredictability and highlight reel comeback victories. However this season don't be surprised if #1 Alabama pounds #16 Missouri from start to finish. Nick Saban has his boys playing with a chip on their shoulder. Although ranked #1 the last two weeks by the committee the Tide were not receiving much love from the respected judges. A conference title almost a lock for Bama so is the playoffs. Yet in college nothing is certain and the Tigers are one of the hottest teams in the nation. Winners of their last six including wins at Texas A&M and Florida Missouri would love nothing more then to spoil Alabama's New Year's plans.
This all leads up to in my opinion the most important title game of the weekend. The ACC offers #4 FSU against #11 Georgia Tech. If Missouri is one of the hottest teams then Georgia Tech is the hottest. Winners of five in a row including their last two against ranked opponents. One of those ranked teams was Georgia who the Yellow Jackets defeated in Georgia. Jameis Winston and Florida State might just be walking into an ambush. This week once again the talk has been about Winston and his off the field woes rather than the gridiron Xs & Os. FSU has a reputation for starting slow and Georgia Tech hopes to capitalize on that. FSU has also struggled against teams within the conference like BC, Syracuse and NC State. While Georgia Tech handled NC State and their share of ACC opponents. A Yellow Jacket victory completely shakes up the playoff picture. An FSU loss combined with any other upset this weekend and you have complete chaos in your first ever college playoff.
Look for Georgia Tech to stun the land and do their part to make the committee's job that much more difficult next week when they release their final playoff and major bowl rankings.
