Today's Schedule of Games

It’s Conference Championship Saturday.  Beyond conference bragging rights, the Big 12, SEC, ACC, and Big Ten Championships all have implications for who gets into the College Football Playoff and how they are seeded.

Here are the highlights, along with our rooting interests for A) who we would match up with best in the CFP if we beat Iowa, and B) making sure that Ohio State does not sneak into the CFP though the back door like they did last year:

At Noon on ABC: #18 Oklahoma State vs. #7 Texas.  The Big 12 Championship.  Texas with 1 loss so far needs to win to get into the CFP.  Oklahoma State has no shot at the CFP with 3 losses already.  Root for Texas.  A Texas win is probably enough to keep Ohio State out of the CFP no matter what happens elsewhere.  They would take the last CFP slot not occupied by the SEC / Big Ten / Pac 12 champs.  And it also makes for some interesting discussions / fights if Alabama beats Georgia.  Texas beat Alabama, at Tuscaloosa, by double digits.  That matters.  That's why you play the games.  The CFP Committee cannot leave Texas out in favor of Alabama.  If 1-loss Alabama is in if they beat Georgia, then 1-loss Texas has to be in.  (Leaving a potentially undefeated FSU screwed.) 

In the Afternoon at 4:00 PM on CBS: #1 Georgia vs. #8 Alabama.  The SEC Championship.  It’s complicated.  If Georgia wins, they will be in the CFP ranked #1.  They could still possibly get in with a close loss if both Texas and FSU lose.  Which would make Ohio State squawk like hell.  Alabama with 1 loss so far would get into the CFP if they beat #1 Georgia.  Root for Alabama (I think).  If we win the Big Ten and the CFP semi-final, Georgia is probably a worse matchup for us than Alabama in the final.  Georgia looks like us, but still with a little bit better talent across the board.  It’s close.  On the other hand, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is the kind of running QB that gives us fits and would be a handful for us.  But Georgia is the more complete and consistent team, so best to avoid them.  Also, if Alabama wins it will create all kinds of interesting chaos and vitriol if Texas and FSU also win.  Who unfairly gets left out?  Who unfairly gets in?  Give the media talking heads something else to rant about for a month besides “sign stealing.”    

In the Evening at 8:00 PM on ABC: #14 Louisville vs. #4 Florida State.  The ACC Championship.  FSU needs to stay undefeated to make it into the CFP.  And they still might get left out in favor of an SEC team with 1 loss.  Because SEC bias is a real thing.  Louisville has no shot at the CFP with 2 losses already.  Root for FSU.  An FSU win is probably enough to keep Ohio State out of the CFP no matter what happens elsewhere.  If we win the Big Ten, we will probably get matched up with Pac 12 champion Washington because the CFP Committee would love one last traditional Big Ten vs. Pac 12 Rose Bowl, and they will engineer the rankings to make that happen as much as they can.  But just in case they don’t, we would match up best with FSU in the CFP semi-final of any potential opponent.     

In the Evening at 8:00 PM on FOX: #2 Michigan vs. #16 Iowa.  The Big Ten Championship.  If Michigan wins, we will be in the CFP ranked #2.  We could go to #1 if Georgia loses.  Iowa has no shot at the CFP with 2 losses already.  The coaches are going to be tempted to play this entire game like the second half of the Penn State game.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T.  The only way that Iowa has a shot is if you let them pull you down into the mud with them in a 13 - 10 puntfest of a game with 9 total drives.  Yeah, we want to take care of the ball, but that’s not the same thing as running Blake Corum into the middle of a stacked box 3 downs in a row.  Use our weapons on offense, take care of business, get a 3 score lead, and then close up shop.  Michigan wins and everybody stays healthy.   

GO BLUE!       

SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2023:

AWAY                                  HOME      TIME         TV

NOON:

18 Oklahoma State  @  7 Texas   12:00 PM   ABC

Miami (OH)  @  Toledo   12:00 PM   ESPN

AFTERNOON:

Boise State  @  UNLV   3:00 PM   FOX

1 Georgia  @  8 Alabama   4:00 PM   CBS

SMU  @  22 Tulane   4:00 PM   ABC

Appalachian State  @  Troy   4:00 PM   ESPN

EVENING:

2 Michigan  @  16 Iowa   8:00 PM   FOX

14 Louisville  @  4 Florida State   8:00 PM   ABC