College championships:
Previewing the Football Bowl Subdivision conference title games.
How we see Auburn-Georgia, Clemson-Miami (Fla.), Ohio State-Wisconsin and other conference title games unfolding.
No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 6 Georgia In Atlanta
Dec. 2, 4 p.m., CBS Consensus line: Auburn by 2
Auburn defeated Georgia three weeks ago to maintain its relevance in the College Football Playoff conversation. It needs to do so again to seal a Southeastern Conference title and a likely spot in the national semifinals.
The stakes are similar for Georgia as the Deep South’s oldest rivalry earns an encore performance at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The winner has a chance to return to the same site a little more than a month later for the national championship game.
Auburn (10-2) has already brought Alabama’s three-year run atop of the conference to a halt thanks to a 26-14 victory last week. The Tigers held Alabama to 377 total yards, and RB Kerryon Johnson rushed for 104 yards and a score while also throwing a TD pass.
Georgia (11-1) smashed Kentucky and Georgia Tech the last two weeks as it moved past its 40-17 loss at Auburn on Nov. 11. The Bulldogs managed only 46 yards rushing on 32 carries the first time against the Tigers, and they’ll have to improve against the stingy Auburn front seven to have any chance of claiming the program’s first SEC title since 2005. Who wins? Auburn, 27-21
No. 9 Southern California vs. No. 15 Stanford
In Santa Clara, Calif. Dec. 1, 8 p.m., ESPN Consensus line: Southern Cal by 3
It’s a quick turnaround for Stanford (9-3), which surged past Notre Dame 38-20 Nov. 25. The Cardinal clinched the Pac-12 North when Washington State was thumped at Washington.
That’s quite a different scenario than the one facing the Trojans (10-2), who played 12 consecutive weeks before an open date over Thanksgiving and will try to become the first Pac-12 South team to win the league title game.
The winner of this game is likely to land in the Fiesta Bowl. Southern California won the regular-season meeting 42-24 on Sept. 9 in Los Angeles as QB Sam Darnold threw for 316 yards and four TDs. Stanford RB Bryce Love averaged 9.4 yards per carry, piling up 160 yards and a TD in the loss. Who wins? Southern California, 28-27
No. 14 Memphis at No. 11 Central Florida
Dec. 2, Noon, ABC Consensus line: Central Florida by 7
The American Athletic Conference title game winner will almost certainly earn a New Year’s Six invitation. The host Knights (11-0) have gone from a winless season to an undefeated regular season in a span of two years, and QB McKenzie Milton (3,301 yards, 30 TDs, six interceptions) will look to lock up a league title against the Tigers (10-1).
Memphis suffered its loss Sept. 30 at Central Florida, a 4013 defeat in which QB Riley Ferguson threw three interceptions. He’s tossed only five other interceptions all season.
This is also a platform for two of well-regarded coaches who could draw attention from SEC schools in the coming weeks: Central Florida’s Scott Frost and Memphis’ Mike Norvell.
Who wins? Central Florida, 35-27
North Texas at Florida Atlantic
Dec. 2, Noon, ESPN2 Consensus line: Florida At- lantic by 101⁄ 2
It didn’t take long for Lane Kiffin to invigorate Florida Atlantic (9-3). The Owls didn’t lose a Conference USA game under the first-year coach and have scored at least 30 points in each of their last 10 games behind sophomore RB Devin Singletary (1,632 yards, 26 TDs).
North Texas (9-3) is seeking its first 10-win season since 1977 but will need to play much better the second time around against Florida Atlantic. The Owls rolled to a 69-31 victory over the Mean Green on Oct. 21, piling up a school-record 804 total yards. Who wins? Florida Atlantic, 42-24 Akron vs. Toledo In Detroit
Dec. 2, Noon, ESPN
Consensus line: Toledo by 21 It’s an all-Ohio showdown in the Mid-American Conference title game. Toledo (10-2) has thrived thanks to the efficient play of QB Logan Woodside (3,541 yards, 24 TDs, three interceptions, 65.2 completion
percentage) and is in the league championship game for the first time since 2004.
Akron is back in the MAC title game for the first time since 2005 after securing the East Division last week. The Zips (7-5) enter with three victories in their last four games but lost 4821 to the Rockets on Oct. 21.
Who wins? Toledo, 38-17
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 12 Texas Christian
In Arlington, Texas Dec. 2, 12:30 p.m., Fox Consensus line: Oklahoma by 7
It’s a win-and-get-in scenario for Oklahoma (11-1), which won the Big 12’s regular-season title and must defeat the Horned Frogs (10-2) for the second time in less than a month to all but secure a spot in the Playoff.
QB Baker Mayfield threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns and RB Rodney Anderson accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) in the Sooners’ 38-20 defeat of TCU on Nov. 11. This is the first Big 12 championship game since 2010, the final year the league had 12 teams before conference realignment thinned its ranks. Who wins? Oklahoma, 31-21
Fresno State at Boise State
Dec. 2, 7:45 p.m., ESPN Consensus line: Boise State by 91⁄ 2
Fresno State can only hope the Mountain West title game is a rerun of last week. The Bulldogs (9-3) knocked off Boise State (9-3) 28-17 behind QB Marcus McMaryion’s 332 yards and two TDs passing and WR KeeSean Johnson’s six catches for 119 yards and two TDs.
Broncos WR Cedrick Wilson (1,142 receiving yards, 6 TDs) is a key piece for Boise State, which is seeking its first Mountain West title since 2014.
Who wins? Boise State, 2824
No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 7 Miami In Charlotte
Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC Consensus line: Clemson by 9
Defending national champion Clemson (11-1) will try to win three Atlantic Coast Conference titles in a row for the first time since 1986-88. The Tigers, led by QB Kelly Bryant along with a stingy defense, can lock up a third consecutive Playoff berth with a victory.
Miami (10-1) is coming off a startling 24-14 loss at Pittsburgh and will need to be sharper if it is to claim its first ACC title.
It’s the first meeting between the schools since Clemson’s 58-0 pounding of the Hurricanes in 2015 at Miami. Soon after that loss, Miami fired coach Al Golden and subsequently hired Mark Richt — who needed two years to get the Hurricanes to the ACC title game for the first time. Who wins? Clemson, 34-20
No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
In Indianapolis Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox Consensus line: Ohio State by 61⁄ 2
The big question entering this game — besides whether a two-loss Ohio State team can leapfrog an idle one-loss Alabama bunch — is whether Buckeyes QB J.T. Barrett plays. Coach Urban Meyer was left fuming after Barrett injured his knee be- fore last week’s defeat of Michigan after a cameraman collided with him before kickoff. If Barrett can’t play, look for Dwayne Haskins to start in his place for Ohio State (10-2).
As for Wisconsin (12-0), it is the only undefeated power conference team remaining and would lock up a Playoff berth with a victory. Freshman RB Jonathan Taylor ranks third in the country with 1,806 rushing yards and averaged 155.3 yards in four games in November.
Who wins? Wisconsin, 27-21