[CFB] 2022 Conference Championships Game Day Thread [/CFB]

[Will]

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK

It's Championship Week. Time to determine who reigns supreme in each conference, time to determine which Group of 5 Champion gets an auto-bid to one of the New Year's 6 Bowls, and time to determine which 4 teams make the College Football Playoff.

There are 6 games that REALLY matter tonight and tomorrow, the Power 5 title games and the American Athletic Conference Championship game featuring 2 ranked Group of 5 teams with the winner getting a New Year's 6 Bowl spot.


FRIDAY NIGHT: PAC-12 Championship between #11 Utah and #4 USC

USC QB Caleb Williams is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. He could become a virtual lock if he leads USC to victory tonight in primetime. USC's lone loss of the season was on the road at Utah. Williams threw for nearly 400 yards and 5 TDs with no interceptions, but USC's defense let them down and Utah won at home 43-42 back in October. This time the game is at a neutral site (Las Vegas now instead of Santa Clara) with a College Football Playoff spot on the line for USC. Hopefully this one is as good as the Oct. 15th thriller was.


SATURDAY:

Big XII Championship between #10 Kansas State and #3 TCU

Don't sleep on K-State. All 3 of their losses came to teams ranked in the Top 20 of this week's College Football Playoff rankings. Early in the season they lost by 1 score to #18 Tulane, who is favored to win the AAC tomorrow and go to a New Year's 6 Bowl. They also by 1 score to #20 Texas, and by 10 points on the road at TCU. This time they get TCU at a neutral site. TCU of course has not lost, but boy have they come close. Repeatedly. A win here and TCU makes the playoff in Sonny Dykes' 1st season at the helm. A loss could perhaps drop them out? 11-1 Ohio State is lurking at #5 . . . .


SEC Championship between #1 Georgia and #14 LSU

What needs to be said about #1 Georgia? They opened their title defense in DOMINATING fashion, hammering Oregon 49-3. They coasted through chunks of the SEC schedule, at time looking vulnerable perhaps, but when the stakes were huge they showed up, notably suffocating then #1 Tennessee's high-flying offense and holding them to 13 points (No one else held them to less than 34 all season). Aside from a once again dominating defense, UGA has a now very experienced veteran, championship QB in Stetson Bennet, and the best TE in the nation in Brock Bowers. The team's one weakness has been a step back at WR, but it hasn't mattered yet. #14 LSU has had an up and down season, but inarguably a great first season under Brian Kelly. NO ONE thought LSU would even compete for the SEC West this season, and they won it, defeating Alabama in Kelly's 1st season at the helm. But the season was book-ended by 2 disappointing losses: an opening loss to FSU at the end of the game, and a closing and surprising loss to Texas A&M last week which ended LSU's playoff hopes. This is it for the Tigers, the best they can play for is an SEC Championship.


American Athletic Championship between # 22 UCF and #18 Tulane

UCF is coached by Gus Malzahn. Tulane has some of the best uniforms in College Football. Winner gets the AAC title and a New Year's 6 spot. This completes everything I know about UCF and Tulane this season.




B1G Ten Championship between #2 Michigan and Purdue

Big Blue mud-stomped Ohio State in their own back yard. Michigan's pass rush isn't what it was last year, but overall their defense is better. Importantly, their offense is MUCH better. Blake Corum steamrolled through the B1G all season long. But he was hurt last week. No problem, Harbaugh's change at QB this season from Cade McNamara to the young and talented J.J. McCarthy paid off last week as the talented QB dropped bombs on the Ohio State secondary all afternoon. Michigan looks every bit the contender to UGA this season, and they just may be good enough this season to knock them off. All they have to do to get into the playoff is not get blown out by . . . . unranked Purdue. Yeah, Michigan likely rolls.


ACC Championship between #9 Clemson and #23 North Carolina

2 teams that are in many ways mirror images of one another. Both lead by elite recruiters and . . . . suspect Game Day coaches who have won championships. Both inconsistent and head-scratchingly disappointing at times this season. Both completely out of playoff contention despite meeting in a Power 5 Conference Championship. UNC's offense is elite, led by the very young, very talented, potential eventual #1 NFL draft pick Drake Maye. They can score a ton on anybody. Which is good, because anybody can score a ton on their dog-shit defense. That good news for Clemson, since QB D.J. Uiagalelei's play this season has been equally stinky. ACC less relevant than even the lowly PAC and Big XII now. Sad. But this game could be highly entertaining!

[Anjdog2003]

UCF and Tulane are ranked above unranked Purdue. Play cupcakes win the Big 10.

[sublime1996525]

GO UTES!

[Anjdog2003]

[Taurus]

Will be cheering my Utes on, it's a tall order but we did it last year pretty much the same way with two upsets of Oregon.

[Anjdog2003]

Originally Posted by Taurus

Will be cheering my Utes on, it's a tall order but we did it last year pretty much the same way with two upsets of Oregon.

And you had fOSU by the balls last year in the Rose Bowl.

[sublime1996525]

Originally Posted by Anjdog2003

And you had fOSU by the balls last year in the Rose Bowl.

We did lose our QB. That didn’t help. This year when we play them again we got this.

[higgyburners]

Ducks beat the Utes this year...Go USC

[Will]

What an opening haymaker from USC. WOW! Impressive TD drive.

[Rodnok1]

Adog just messed himself..

[Will]

USC gets a RedZone stop, forces the FG, then goes on another TD drive capped off with a ballsy 4th down TD.

Making a statement here in the 1st quarter.

[Anjdog2003]

Originally Posted by Rodnok1

Adog just messed himself..

I just turned the game on 30 seconds ago. Need to look at stats and see how they scored.

[Rodnok1]

Utah defense blows... Leaving guys uncovered constantly. Any qb could hit them they're so wide open.

[sublime1996525]

Originally Posted by Rodnok1

Utah defense blows... Leaving guys uncovered constantly. Any qb could hit them they're so wide open.

The defense hasn’t been looking like themselves. Much better this last drive. Here’s hoping they keep it up

[Will]

Epic collapse. Utah ties it before the half.

[sublime1996525]

Whew! Way to step up Utah!

[higgyburners]

Originally Posted by Rodnok1

Utah defense blows... Leaving guys uncovered constantly. Any qb could hit them they're so wide open.

Originally Posted by Will

Epic collapse. Utah ties it before the half.

What you two homers are seeing is two really good teams go at it in the PAC Championship Game....You don't get that in the B1G...

[sublime1996525]

Originally Posted by higgyburners

What you two homers are seeing is two really good teams go at it in the PAC Championship Game....You don't get that in the B1G...

This is true

[Rodnok1]

Mistake for USC go for it mid field on 4th and long.

[sublime1996525]

What the ****!? 3rd and 4 and you run it?? Stupid call