League titles up for grabs
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 4 Northwestern (6-1 , 6-1 ) vs.
No. 4 Ohio State (5-0, 5-0)
Noon Saturday, FOX
Ohio State is pushing to earn its fourth consecutive Big Ten championship, but more important, a win over Northwestern would essentially guarantee the Buckeyes a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. This is the second time in three years the Wildcats have faced off against Ohio State in the conference championship game. Northwestern has lost eight straight games and 32 of its last 33 meetings with the Buckeyes.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 0 Oklahoma (7-2, 6-2) vs.
No. 6 Iowa State (8-2, 8-1 )
Noon Saturday, ABC
Oklahoma won 20 of the last 22 meetings with Iowa State, but the Sooners lost 37-30 to the Cyclones earlier this season. Iowa State hasn’t won or shared a conference title since 1912. The Sooners have won five straight Big 12 titles and a win Saturday would be the fifth time in school history an OUteam has won a conference title with two league losses (2010, 2007, 2002 and 1976).
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 Clemson (9-1 , 8-1 ) vs. No. 2 Notre Dame (1 0-0, 9-0)
4 p.m. Saturday, ABC
It’s a highly anticipated rematch of their early November showdown, with Notre Dame escaping the first round with a 47-40 A double overtime win. Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence was unavailable for game against Irish, forced to sit out due to COVID19 safety protocols. Notre Dameis competing for its first conference championship in the 132-year history of the football program. The Fighting Irish hold the longest win streak in the country at 16 games.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 Alabama (1 0-0, 1 0-0) vs. No. 7 Florida
(8-2, 8-2)
8 p.m. Saturday, CBS
Florida’s loss to LSU last week took some of the shine off this one, but it still features two of the top 10 offenses in the country, with Alabama averaging 538 yards per game and Florida averaging 514 yards per game. Saturday’s matchup could go a long way in deciding the Heisman Trophy, with quarterbacks Mac Jones (Alabama) and Kyle Trask (Florida) among the favorites to win college football’s top individual prize after record setting seasons. Trask leads the country in passing yards (3,717) and touchdown passes (40).
AAC CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 23 Tulsa (6-1 , 6-0) at No. 9 Cincinnati
(8-0, 6-0)
8 p.m. Saturday, ABC
Cincinnati’s needs a lot of help to earn a playoff semifinal bid, but first the Bearcats must beat Tulsa. Awinover the Golden Hurricane would secure the program’s second American Athletic Conference title and a spot in a New Year’s Six Access Bowl as the highest ranked Group of 5 team. Cincinnati hasn’t played a game since Nov. 21 after COVID19 issues forced the cancellation of a pair of games, including the team’s regular-season finale against Tulsa last week.