In the end, championship week is right here. School soccer’s common season has wrapped up — aside from subsequent week’s Military–Navy sport — and it is time to crown league champions throughout the nation forward of Sunday’s School Soccer Playoff bracket reveal.
What occurs Saturday will give the choice committee its remaining knowledge factors earlier than it slots groups into the 12-team postseason discipline. The motion begins at midday Japanese with a Massive 12 Championship Recreation rematch between No. 4 Texas Tech and No. 11 BYU. The Crimson Raiders routed the Cougars 29-7 on Nov. 8, and BYU will likely be looking for revenge in a sport with main nationwide stakes.
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If BYU wins, the Massive 12’s probabilities of touchdown two CFP bids will skyrocket — unhealthy information for bubble groups like Notre Dame, which might solely watch on Saturday. The SEC Championship Recreation between No. 3 Georgia and No. 9 Alabama might additionally ripple throughout the bubble. If the Crimson Tide take a 3rd loss, detractors will likely be loud, particularly if Georgia delivers a convincing win.
The night window brings a blockbuster showdown between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana within the Massive Ten Championship Recreation. The Heisman Trophy might hold within the stability with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin going through off. Operating concurrently is the ACC Championship Recreation between Duke and No. 17 Virginia.
If the 7-5, unranked Blue Devils pull off an upset, it might open the door for 2 Group of 5 groups to crash the CFP discipline.
Listed here are the knowledgeable predictions for these video games and for Friday’s quartet of Group of 5 championship matchups.
Noon ET on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): This is a different Miami (OH) team than the one that beat Western Michigan in the regular season. The RedHawks have looked a lot different without Finn. These two teams are also headed in entirely different directions. WMU won four in a row following its loss to Miami, while Miami is 2-2 over the last month — including that 21-point loss to Toledo. Momentum will carry the Broncos to a bit of revenge. Prediction: Western Michigan -1.5 (-118) — Will Backus
Noon on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): BYU played it safe during its first road trip to Lubbock. The Cougars didn’t throw much until they trailed big, and didn’t have a healthy LJ Martin. This time, expect plenty more motion and downfield passing after reviewing a full game of tape. However, it won’t be enough. Texas Tech is the class of the Big 12 — and maybe college football. They’ll pull away in the fourth quarter for their first ever Big 12 title. Pick: Texas Tech -13.5 — Shehan Jeyarajah
4 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Alabama’s offensive form has taken a step back since mid-October, with the Crimson Tide failing to score 30 points in their last four games against FBS opponents. That lack of rhythm could make it tougher for the hot start that Kalen DeBoer has been able to defend in both of his wins against Georgia, and thus create a different matchup when Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs ultimately make their adjustment. Pick: Georgia -2.5 — Chip Patterson
8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): The nation’s two best teams finally meet on the field with a Big Ten Championship at stake. It’s strength on strength here as Ohio State and Indiana both have explosive offenses and game-wrecking defenses. Both teams have been cruising and this will easily be each’s toughest game so far. Will Heisman frontrunners Julian Sayin and Fernando Mendoza go to town? Or will the nation’s top two defenses make this a low-scoring affair with neither able to get comfortable? It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see points being hard to come by early in this game, but ultimately I think it ends up being a bit more high-scoring than either defensive coordinator would prefer. Pick: Over 47.5 — John Talty
8 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Duke played arguably its worst game of the season against Virginia on Nov. 15, falling 34-17 at home to the Cavaliers, but the result shouldn’t be overanalyzed. It was the best of Virginia and the worst of Duke. Life this year in the ACC is so volatile that the paradigm could easily shift the other way this time around. Expect an inspired effort from the Blue Devils, who have spent the week hearing why they don’t deserve to be here as an unranked team with a 7-5 record. Duke boasts one of the nation’s top passers in quarterback Darian Mensah, and head coach Manny Diaz is smart enough defensively to deliver a better game plan than in the first meeting. Pick: Duke +3.5 — David Cobb
Who will win and cover in each conference championship game? Legendary Vegas expert Bruce Marshall is on a 43-36 roll on college football picks. Visit SportsLine now to see all his college football picks.
