Darnell Sallins
December 2, 2024, 10:45AM
Rivalry Week lived up to the billing. Chaos ensured from Black Friday all through Saturday. Five top 25 teams went down. Three ranked teams fell to unranked teams. An eight-overtime game in Georgia. An ACC team loses at home but still made the conference championship game. The battle for Texas and the SEC championship game. And the Big 12 title game was finally decided with everyone winning.
Nevertheless, the conference championship games are official, and championship week is set.
Big 12 Championship Game
18. Iowa State vs. 16. Arizona State
The most unlike championship will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Iowa State Cyclones against the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Big 12 preseason poll had Iowa State sixth and Arizona State dead last (16th) by the media. 14 weeks later the Cyclones and Sun Devils are the last two standing. A four-way tie between the Sun Devils, Cyclones, Colorado Buffalos, and BYU Cougars as all four teams finished 7-2 in Big 12 play which favored Iowa state and Arizona State. Four teams went into Week 14 tie at 6-2 and all four teams won with three of the four games being blowout.
The Cyclones are making the Big 12 title game for the first time since 2020, and the Sun Devils are in the title game in their first season as a Big 12 school. Now both schools will battle for a spot in the College Football Playoffs, most likely the only spot available for the Big 12 conference.
Week 14 Results:
16. Arizona State 49-Arizona 7
24. Kansas State 21-18. Iowa State 29
Houston 18-19. BYU 30
Oklahoma State 0-25. Colorado 52
Big 12 Championship Game: Saturday, December 7 12PM ABC
SEC Championship Game
3. Texas vs. 7. Georgia
It's the rematch. Texas against Georgia. Longhorns versus Bulldogs. Burnt orange versus red and black. The most anticipated championship game of the week will be in Atlanta, Georgia. A rematch from Week 8 of the season. The Bulldogs take down the then no.1 Longhorns in Austin, Texas 30-15 giving Texas their only loss of the season. Both teams have been up and don since their October 19th matchup.
Texas had to escape Arkansas 20-10 in Week 12 and won the battle for Texas over no. 20 Texas A&M 17-7 to earn their way to Atlanta. Georgia had to overcome the early loss to Alabama back in September before beating Texas. Then escaped the Florida Gators in Jacksonville despite three interceptions from QB Carson Beck. Then the Bulldogs suffered their second loss at then no.16 Ole Miss in Oxford before rebounding at home in a must-win against no.7 Tennessee to secure their spot in the SEC title game.
Now we have a Top 10 possibly Top 5 showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Winner gets an automatic bye into the quarterfinals in the College Football Playoffs. The question that will loom is if Georgia losses a third game, will the committee penalize the Bulldogs and leave them out of the playoffs?
SEC Championship Game: Saturday, December 7 4PM ABC
Big Ten Championship Game
1. Oregon vs. 4. Penn State
A little surprising matchup in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship only because Ohio State isn't in the game. However, Oregon and Penn State have been Top 5 teams for most of the season. Combine record is 23-1 with the only loss was Ohio State beating Penn State in happy Valley back in early November.
Oregon is the lone unbeaten in college football and in year one in the Big Ten. Penn State is back in the Big Championship since winning in 2016. The Nittany Lions finished the season 11-1 after blowout Maryland 44-7. Despite losing to Ohio State a month ago, Penn State goes to Indianapolis because Ohio state failed to beat Michigan at the Horsehoe on Saturday. The biggest upset of Rivalry Week and it opened the door for James Franklin to capture his second Big Ten title.
This the first meeting between Oregon and Penn State this year and it will be a Top 5 showdown in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Big Ten Championship: Saturday, December 7 8PM CBS
ACC Championship Game
9. SMU vs. 12. Clemson
Well! Well! Well! The conference that had just as much chaos than other of the Power 4 conferences has been the Atlantic Coast Conference. Even though, the Big 12 had four teams battling for two spots, no one seen SMU been in the ACC Championship game in year one yet being the first one to clinch a spot in Charlottle. The Mustangs were picked to finished seventh in the ACC in August but finished first. Florida State were picked to finished first in August but finished last.
Then let one spot available between Clemson and Miami.
the Clemson Tigers had finished their ACC two weeks ago at 7-2 and just was waited to see where the Miami Hurricanes would finish ACC play. The Tigers played their annual rivalry game against no.15 South Carolina in Clemson. The Gamecocks stunned the Tigers in Death Valley 17-14 and panic was setting in at Clemson University. Dabo Swinney suffered a third loss in the season and the Tigers' playoff hopes are now hanging on by a thread. But Syracuse happened.
Later on, Saturday, the no.6 Miami Hurricanes took on a dangerous Syracuse Orangemen team that was 8-3 inside the Dome in New York. The Canes jumped out early on the Cuse 21-0 and then the scripted flipped on a dime. Syracuse answered back with 21 straight points of their own and it's a new ball game early on in the third quarter. Syracuse slowed down Cam Ward and the Canes offense. The Canes defense couldn't stop the Orangemen's offense.
Syracuse 42, no.6 Miami 38
Syracuse upsets no.6 Miami, knocking the Canes out of the ACC Championship Game and putting the Clemson Tigers in.
ACC Championship Game: Saturday, December 7 8PM ABC
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