vlog

Skip to content
NOWCAST vlog News at 8am Saturday Morning
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

What are the matchups in college football's conference championship games?

What are the matchups in college football's conference championship games?
WHAT A NIGHT IN AMES. AND THE PARTY IS JUST GETTING STARTED. ALL TVS NOW ON THE GAME IN PROVO AND WE’LL GET TO THAT. BUT LET’S SHOW YOU HOW WE GOT TO THE MOMENT WHERE SHANNON EARHART WAS CELEBRATING WITH THE PEOPLE ON THE FIELD. THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME IN PROGRAM HISTORY, I THINK. YES, IT WAS A FRIGID NIGHT AT JACK TRICE STADIUM. FARMAGEDDON WAS UPON US. IT WAS SENIOR NIGHT, ALWAYS AN EMOTIONAL ONE. GUYS LIKE JARED HUFFORD GETTING TO GO OUT WINNERS AT JACK TRICE. AND IT STARTED OUT WITH A BANG. FIRST PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE KANSAS STATE GOES A LITTLE SPEED OPTION. THE PITCH IS BEHIND DYLAN EDWARDS RECOVERED BY MYLES PURCHASE. IOWA STATE WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TURNOVER. ROCCO BECK, JAYDEN HIGGINS CYCLONES TAKE A SEVEN NOTHING LEAD, BUT KANSAS STATE WOULD RESPOND. FOURTH AND TWO. THEY’RE GOING TO AIR IT OUT. AVERY JOHNSON TO JACE BROWN. THEY WERE RUMORS COMING INTO THIS GAME THAT BROWN MIGHT BE ENTERING THE TRANSFER PORTAL. WELL HE WAS VERY MUCH AT JACK TRICE STADIUM SEVEN SEVEN THEN TEN SEVEN AFTER A KYLE CANNADY FIELD GOAL AND MORE TURNOVERS COMMITTED BY KANSAS STATE. KEEGAN JOHNSON, FORMER HAWKEYE GETS THE BALL PUNCHED OUT AND ONCE AGAIN, CYCLONES TURN TURNOVERS INTO POINTS. ROCCO FLUSHED OUT TO JAYLEN NOWELL. THAT’S A BULLET. IT’S 17 SEVEN. IT WOULD BE 2414 AT THE HALF. CYCLONES DIDN’T SCORE IN THE THIRD. BUT KANSAS STATE DID. AND IT’S A THREE POINT GAME ON THIS THROW FROM AVERY JOHNSON TO GARRETT OAKLEY. SAME SCORE. AND THE IOWA STATE DEFENSE MAKES A PLAY JOHNSON IS FLUSHED WAY BACK. THIS IS INTENTIONAL GROUNDING IN THE END ZONE. AND YOU SEE MATT CAMPBELL THERE. HE WANTS A SAFETY. HE GETS IT. IT’S 2621 KYLE CONRADI IS GOING TO GET A FIELD GOAL TO GIVE THE CYCLONES AN EIGHT POINT LEAD. AND YOU KNOW THE REST. IOWA STATE GOES ON TO WIN THIS GAME. 2921 IS YOUR FINAL IOWA STATE TEN WINS. AND NOW THEY WAIT
Advertisement
What are the matchups in college football's conference championship games?
After a chaotic end to the regular season in college football, the matchups are set for championship week. Here's a look at the showdowns coming up in the Power Four and Group of Five. All championship games are Dec. 7 except in the American Athletic, Conference USA and Mountain West, which will be played Dec. 6.ACC ChampionshipNo. 9 SMU (11-1, 8-0 ACC, No. 9 CFP) vs. No. 12 Clemson (9-3, 7-1, No. 12 CFP) at Charlotte, North CarolinaWhat to know: The Mustangs completed a sweep of their first ACC schedule with a 38-6 win over California, making them the only team in their new league that didn't lose a conference game; SMU has a 17-game conference winning streak dating to its days in the American Athletic. Clemson, which advanced to the title game after Miami lost at Syracuse, will be seeking its eighth ACC crown in the past 10 years.Big Ten ChampionshipNo. 1 Oregon (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) vs. No. 4 Penn State (11-1, 8-1, No. 4 CFP) at IndianapolisWhat to know: The Nittany Lions have been one of the quietest one-loss teams all season but get a chance for a big win and a higher CFP seed with a victory in this one. They will face the last unbeaten team in college football in the Ducks, who finished the regular season without loss for the first time since 2010.Big 12 ChampionshipNo. 14 Arizona State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) vs. No. 17 Iowa State (10-2, 7-2, No. 18 CFP) at Arlington, TexasWhat to know: The Sun Devils rode Cam Skattebo (177 yards and three touchdowns) in a big win over rival Arizona to land a title game berth after perhaps the wildest of all power conference races. The Cyclones will make their second appearance in the conference championship game. They lost to Oklahoma in 2020.SEC ChampionshipNo. 3 Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP) vs. No. 6 Georgia (10-2, 6-2, No. 7 CFP) at AtlantaWhat to know: The Longhorns have national title hopes but first get a chance to win a championship in their first year in the SEC. They will also get a chance to avenge their only loss of the season against the resilient and dangerous Bulldogs, who advanced after an epic overtime win against Georgia Tech. American Athletic ChampionshipNo. 25 Army (10-1, 8-0 AAC) vs. No. 18 Tulane (9-3, 7-1, No. 17 CFP) at West Point, New York.What to know: The Green Wave's loss to Memphis over the weekend likely cost the league any hope of a playoff bid but both teams are going to the postseason regardless. Army still has its annual showdown with Navy before a bowl game, too.Conference USA ChampionshipJacksonville State (8-4, 7-1 CUSA) vs. Western Kentucky (8-4, 6-2) at Jacksonville, FloridaWhat to know: The C-USA title game pits two teams in a rematch six days after facing each other. WKU handed the Gamecocks their first league loss, 19-17 on Saturday night, and will have to beat them again for the title.Mid-American ChampionshipOhio (9-3, 7-1 MAC) and Miami (Ohio) (8-4, 7-1) at DetroitWhat to know: The two Ohio schools met earlier this season, with the RedHawks beating the visiting Bobcats 30-20. Ohio has won seven of its last eight.Mountain West ChampionshipNo. 11 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MWC, No. 11 CFP) vs. No. 21 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 22 CFP) at Boise, IdahoWhat to know: The Broncos bring a 10-game winning streak into the championship game, have won 11 straight at home and are on the verge of making the College Football Playoff behind Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty. They have made the Mountain West title game three straight seasons. This one is a rematch of the title game a year ago won by Boise State and a regular-season matchup in October, a 29-24 Broncos win.Sun Belt ChampionshipLouisiana-Lafayette (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Marshall (9-3, 7-1) at Troy, AlabamaWhat to know: The Ragin' Cajuns earned a spot in the championship for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the game. Marshall beat James Madison 35-33 in double overtime to clinch a spot for the first time in program history.

After a chaotic end to the regular season in college football, the matchups are set for championship week. Here's a look at the showdowns coming up in the Power Four and Group of Five.

All championship games are Dec. 7 except in the American Athletic, Conference USA and Mountain West, which will be played Dec. 6.

Advertisement

ACC Championship

No. 9 SMU (11-1, 8-0 ACC, No. 9 CFP) vs. No. 12 Clemson (9-3, 7-1, No. 12 CFP) at Charlotte, North Carolina

What to know: The Mustangs completed a sweep of their first ACC schedule with a 38-6 win over California, making them the only team in their new league that didn't lose a conference game; SMU has a 17-game conference winning streak dating to its days in the American Athletic. Clemson, which advanced to the title game after Miami lost at Syracuse, will be seeking its eighth ACC crown in the past 10 years.

Big Ten Championship

No. 1 Oregon (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) vs. No. 4 Penn State (11-1, 8-1, No. 4 CFP) at Indianapolis

What to know: The Nittany Lions have been one of the quietest one-loss teams all season but get a chance for a big win and a higher CFP seed with a victory in this one. They will face the last unbeaten team in college football in the Ducks, who finished the regular season without loss for the first time since 2010.

Big 12 Championship

No. 14 Arizona State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) vs. No. 17 Iowa State (10-2, 7-2, No. 18 CFP) at Arlington, Texas

What to know: The Sun Devils rode Cam Skattebo (177 yards and three touchdowns) in a big win over rival Arizona to land a title game berth after perhaps the wildest of all power conference races. The Cyclones will make their second appearance in the conference championship game. They lost to Oklahoma in 2020.

SEC Championship

No. 3 Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP) vs. No. 6 Georgia (10-2, 6-2, No. 7 CFP) at Atlanta

What to know: The Longhorns have national title hopes but first get a chance to win a championship in their first year in the SEC. They will also get a chance to avenge their only loss of the season against the resilient and dangerous Bulldogs, who advanced after an epic overtime win against Georgia Tech.

American Athletic Championship

No. 25 Army (10-1, 8-0 AAC) vs. No. 18 Tulane (9-3, 7-1, No. 17 CFP) at West Point, New York.

What to know: The Green Wave's loss to Memphis over the weekend likely cost the league any hope of a playoff bid but both teams are going to the postseason regardless. Army still has its annual showdown with Navy before a bowl game, too.

Conference USA Championship

Jacksonville State (8-4, 7-1 CUSA) vs. Western Kentucky (8-4, 6-2) at Jacksonville, Florida

What to know: The C-USA title game pits two teams in a rematch six days after facing each other. WKU handed the Gamecocks their first league loss, 19-17 on Saturday night, and will have to beat them again for the title.

Mid-American Championship

Ohio (9-3, 7-1 MAC) and Miami (Ohio) (8-4, 7-1) at Detroit

What to know: The two Ohio schools met earlier this season, with the RedHawks beating the visiting Bobcats 30-20. Ohio has won seven of its last eight.

Mountain West Championship

No. 11 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MWC, No. 11 CFP) vs. No. 21 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 22 CFP) at Boise, Idaho

What to know: The Broncos bring a 10-game winning streak into the championship game, have won 11 straight at home and are on the verge of making the College Football Playoff behind Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty. They have made the Mountain West title game three straight seasons. This one is a rematch of the title game a year ago won by Boise State and a regular-season matchup in October, a 29-24 Broncos win.

Sun Belt Championship

Louisiana-Lafayette (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Marshall (9-3, 7-1) at Troy, Alabama

What to know: The Ragin' Cajuns earned a spot in the championship for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the game. Marshall beat James Madison 35-33 in double overtime to clinch a spot for the first time in program history.