Conference Championship Week has arrived and it’s setting up for perhaps the most dramatic finish to a college football season we’ve ever seen. A logjam of elite teams at the top has left us heading for a controversial decision by the College Football Playoff selection committee, who are likely hoping and praying for some chaos this weekend that could help make their decision easier.
As it stands now, we’ll have five Power 5 conference champions with one loss or fewer and only four spots in the playoffs. That means every little detail, every chance to make an impression on the committee, counts more than ever this weekend.
Of course, the Group of 5 have their own conference championship games as well this weekend and one of those actually makes our list this week of the five best conference championship games you should be watching. Take a look below for our full rankings, along with where to find each game.
5
No. 24 Liberty vs. New Mexico State (Friday, 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network)
Favorite: Liberty (-10.5)
You may be asking “Conference USA is not a Power 5 conference, right?” You’re absolutely right. You may also be asking “Doesn’t that mean that since this is a top five list, you’re leaving out one of the Power 5 conferences?” Right again! Why on God’s beautiful, green earth would I subject myself to approximately three-to-four hours of Iowa vs. Michigan in the Big Ten Championship when instead I could watch Liberty and New Mexico State, two of the most fun and dynamic teams in college football this season? You only get one life. Don’t waste it watching punts.
4
No. 7 Texas vs. No. 18 Oklahoma State (Saturday, Noon ET on ABC)
Favorite: Texas (-15.5)
Of the games on our list, this one has the largest point spread and it’s the game in which we’re least expecting to see an upset. That said, Texas is in a precarious position and needs to take every chance it can get to impress the selection committee. Will a close, hard-fought win over Oklahoma State be enough to get the Longhorns in?
3
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 14 Louisville (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET on ABC)
Favorite: Florida State (-2.5)
Florida State is undefeated heading into its conference championship game but of any team on this list, its the team with the smallest margin for error. Tate Rodemaker did an admirable job willing his team to a win over Florida last week but it wasn’t pretty and Florida State will need a much better effort this week to hold off Louisvile. A loss all but closes the door on Florida State’s playoff chances.
2
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 3 Washington (Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC)
Favorite: Oregon (-9.5)
Since these two teams last met — a game resulting in a win for Washington — it’s clear that Oregon has been the superior team and that’s a big part of why the Ducks are now fairly sizable favorites entering this game. It’s possible that the loser of this game still has a shot at a playoff spot (if things get wild in some of the other games) but more than likely this is a de facto College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the same way that Ohio State-Michigan was a week ago. These are two of the absolute best that college football has to offer this season and it’s a joy that we’ll get to watch them play a second time.
1
No. 1 Georgia (-6) vs. No. 8 Alabama (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET on CBS)
Favorite: Georgia (-6)
One man could throw all of college football into complete and utter chaos this week. That man is Jalen Milroe, the dynamic Alabama quarterback whose last-second heroics against Auburn may have given us the play of the year in college football. Georgia has clearly been the more complete team this season, never really facing a serious challenge outside of a scary game against Missouri. But the Bulldogs have a past with Alabama, particularly when it comes to mobile quarterbacks named Jalen. Can the Crimson Tide further complicate an already complicated playoff picture by pulling off an upset?
