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College Football Champ Week and News
Let's start with the big news that after the Rose Bowl agreed, the path is now clear for a 12 team playoff that could start as early as 2024.
This is obviously a game changer. I believe this leads to the detsruction of conferences. Not in name, but in function. We are headed toward more of a national college game.
NIL is also a huge factor. No team is safe. Even loaded teams like bama and OSU could lose guys who find themselves lower on the depth chart than they planned and get offered money and a starting spot elsewhere.
Penn State looks to be a strong position heading into next season, hoping to add a few transfers to bolster the roster. But what if they lose a few players because of NIL money? You never know.
Penn State bowl news. I'm hearing everything from the Rose Bowl to a game vs Tulane or UCF. The Rose has achoice of teams when the #1 of is in the playoff. The assumption is they will take Ohio State BUT they don't have to. I'm hearing they may prefer Penn State because Ohio State played there last year.
Ohio State fans may not be as excited to travel all that way for a letdown after missing the playoff. Plus Ohio State played Utah last year in the Rose and they may not want a rematch. They could maybe skip Utah and go with Washington vs Ohio State, but the point is, Penn State does have a shot at the Rose even if Ohio State does not get in the playoffs.
Right now CBS is predicting Penn State vs Washington in the Rose and Ohio State to the Orange vs Clemson. Ohio State fans may actually prefer that to play in Florida vs a tougher on paper opponent.
Penn State could also get Tenn or Bama but those seem less likely. Many PSU fans would like playing one of those SEC teams rather than a lackluster Washington or Tulane.
As for the Championship games, the conventional wisdom is that unbeatens Georgia, Michigan and likeley even TCU are locked in even if they lose. It would be hard to justify a 2 loss Bama over any of them even if they were to lose.
The X factor is USC. Again the thought is that if they lose, it's Ohio State in the playoff with 1 loss.
Friday
Pac 12 Champ from Vegas
11 Utah at 4 USC 8:00 FOX USC -3
Utha won the regular season matchup in a close one. As i wrote above, USC looks like the only loose brick in the playoff wall. Win and they're in and Caleb Williams also likely wins the Heisman. USC is a much better team than they were when they met earlier.
Not only are Ohio State fans rooting for Utah, i'd bet Georgia fans are as well. Caleb Williams and the USC WRs are so explosive and dynamic. Williams is much more of a run threat that CJ Stroud and that gives defense nightmares.
Saturday Games
Big 12 Champ - Cowboys Stadium
10 Kansas State vs 3 TCU 12:00 ABC TCU -1.5
Still we see the disrespect all the way to the end as they are just a 1.5 favorite and they are playing essentially a home game in Dallas. Unless TCU gets blown out, their playoff spot looks safe but they won't want to chance it.
SEC Champ - Atlanta
14 LSU vs 1 Georgia 4:00 CBS UGA -17.5
How good is LSU? Hard to tell. Kelly has them pointed in the right direction but for this season they are up and down. They lost to a bad Texas A&M team last week, but LSU didn;t really have anything on the line since they were already locked into the SEC Champ. LSU will give UGA a game but I don;t think their offense is good wnough to crack that UGA defense.
Is UGA better off losing? If they lose, they would still be in the playoff but would drop to the 2 or 3 seed. That might mean they play TCU rather than USC. With the way Caleb Williams is playing, i'd rather play TCU now and let Michigan deal with USC.
American Athletic Champ - New Orleans
22 UCF at 18 Tulane 4:00 ABC Tul -4
The winner is on track for e NY 6 bowl. This would be a huge win for Tulane's program as they get to play a home game for the title
Big 10 Champ - Indianapolis
Purdue vs 2 Michigan 8:00 FOX Mich -16.5
MIchigan cruised through the season not having to do anything but run the ball. JJ McCarthy had a big game vs Ohio State but OSU's horrible defensive gameplan gave Mich several easy big plays. Purdue will make it a game but Michigan will wear them down and pull away in the second half.
ACC Champ - Charlotte
9 Clemson vs 23 North Carolina 8:00 ABC Clem -7.5
This game is all about getting into a NY 6 bowl. That would be big for both programs. UNC as a step up but for Clemson, it would be seen as a bust season if they can't even make it to a top bowl.
Let's start with the big news that after the Rose Bowl agreed, the path is now clear for a 12 team playoff that could start as early as 2024.
This is obviously a game changer. I believe this leads to the detsruction of conferences. Not in name, but in function. We are headed toward more of a national college game.
NIL is also a huge factor. No team is safe. Even loaded teams like bama and OSU could lose guys who find themselves lower on the depth chart than they planned and get offered money and a starting spot elsewhere.
Penn State looks to be a strong position heading into next season, hoping to add a few transfers to bolster the roster. But what if they lose a few players because of NIL money? You never know.
Penn State bowl news. I'm hearing everything from the Rose Bowl to a game vs Tulane or UCF. The Rose has achoice of teams when the #1 of is in the playoff. The assumption is they will take Ohio State BUT they don't have to. I'm hearing they may prefer Penn State because Ohio State played there last year.
Ohio State fans may not be as excited to travel all that way for a letdown after missing the playoff. Plus Ohio State played Utah last year in the Rose and they may not want a rematch. They could maybe skip Utah and go with Washington vs Ohio State, but the point is, Penn State does have a shot at the Rose even if Ohio State does not get in the playoffs.
Right now CBS is predicting Penn State vs Washington in the Rose and Ohio State to the Orange vs Clemson. Ohio State fans may actually prefer that to play in Florida vs a tougher on paper opponent.
Penn State could also get Tenn or Bama but those seem less likely. Many PSU fans would like playing one of those SEC teams rather than a lackluster Washington or Tulane.
As for the Championship games, the conventional wisdom is that unbeatens Georgia, Michigan and likeley even TCU are locked in even if they lose. It would be hard to justify a 2 loss Bama over any of them even if they were to lose.
The X factor is USC. Again the thought is that if they lose, it's Ohio State in the playoff with 1 loss.
Friday
Pac 12 Champ from Vegas
11 Utah at 4 USC 8:00 FOX USC -3
Utha won the regular season matchup in a close one. As i wrote above, USC looks like the only loose brick in the playoff wall. Win and they're in and Caleb Williams also likely wins the Heisman. USC is a much better team than they were when they met earlier.
Not only are Ohio State fans rooting for Utah, i'd bet Georgia fans are as well. Caleb Williams and the USC WRs are so explosive and dynamic. Williams is much more of a run threat that CJ Stroud and that gives defense nightmares.
Saturday Games
Big 12 Champ - Cowboys Stadium
10 Kansas State vs 3 TCU 12:00 ABC TCU -1.5
Still we see the disrespect all the way to the end as they are just a 1.5 favorite and they are playing essentially a home game in Dallas. Unless TCU gets blown out, their playoff spot looks safe but they won't want to chance it.
SEC Champ - Atlanta
14 LSU vs 1 Georgia 4:00 CBS UGA -17.5
How good is LSU? Hard to tell. Kelly has them pointed in the right direction but for this season they are up and down. They lost to a bad Texas A&M team last week, but LSU didn;t really have anything on the line since they were already locked into the SEC Champ. LSU will give UGA a game but I don;t think their offense is good wnough to crack that UGA defense.
Is UGA better off losing? If they lose, they would still be in the playoff but would drop to the 2 or 3 seed. That might mean they play TCU rather than USC. With the way Caleb Williams is playing, i'd rather play TCU now and let Michigan deal with USC.
American Athletic Champ - New Orleans
22 UCF at 18 Tulane 4:00 ABC Tul -4
The winner is on track for e NY 6 bowl. This would be a huge win for Tulane's program as they get to play a home game for the title
Big 10 Champ - Indianapolis
Purdue vs 2 Michigan 8:00 FOX Mich -16.5
MIchigan cruised through the season not having to do anything but run the ball. JJ McCarthy had a big game vs Ohio State but OSU's horrible defensive gameplan gave Mich several easy big plays. Purdue will make it a game but Michigan will wear them down and pull away in the second half.
ACC Champ - Charlotte
9 Clemson vs 23 North Carolina 8:00 ABC Clem -7.5
This game is all about getting into a NY 6 bowl. That would be big for both programs. UNC as a step up but for Clemson, it would be seen as a bust season if they can't even make it to a top bowl.
