College Football Week 14: Picks for Championship Week

I can’t believe we are winding down the regular season this week. Just nuts. It will be a long winter of NBA basketball and NFL playoffs, which is ok, but college football in the fall is hard to beat. Here are the top games this weekend, including the Big 12 and SEC Championships:

C-USA Championship

SMU vs. Central Florida

Central Florida has three losses on the season, which in their eyes is a pretty good thing. They face the Mustangs who like to throw the ball and will do so a lot this weekend. Watch for this one to be high scoring.

My Prediction: Central Florida 40 SMU 32

“The Civil War”

No. 2 Oregon @ Oregon State

Oregon has been great all season, take away the “poor” performance against Cal. Oregon State had high expectations coming into the season, but things haven’t gone as expected. A win over the Ducks would almost “save” the season for the Beavers. Look for this one to be tight throughout the first half, with the Ducks putting the pedal down late.

My Prediction: Oregon 33 Oregon State 19

SEC Championship

No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 19 South Carolina

These two teams met in Week 4 of the season, a game in which Auburn won 35-27 (JWSB picked 27-23 Auburn). For the Gamecocks, it was a game of “what if.” South Carolina turned the ball over four times, which was too much to get over. This time, if the Gamecocks can keep the ball, they will have a legitimate shot at winning the game. Of course, Heisman front-runner Cam Newton will have a lot to say about that. This will be a great game.

My Prediction: Auburn 30 South Carolina 27 (Newton leads game-winning drive in final two minutes)

ACC Championship

No. 15 Virginia Tech vs. No. 21 Florida State

It seems like the last time we saw the Hokies, they were getting beat up by Boise State and upset by James Madison. Pretty amazing that they are ranked 15th and playing for the ACC title. Led by a strong running game, the Hokies will try and control the clock against a speedy Seminole team. Christian Ponder and company have their hands full with a sturdy Va Tech defense. Look for a low-scoring game.

My Prediction: Florida State 24 Virginia Tech 20

Big 12 Championship

No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Nebraska

Classic matchup between two all-time powerhouses. Nebraska hopes it can make up for last year's heartbreaking loss to Texas. Oklahoma survived the Bedlam game with a high-powered win over Oklahoma State. One thing to watch: The Huskers lead the conference (No. 2 in the nation) in pass defense, and Oklahoma is No. 1 in the conference (No. 4 nationally) in passing offense; one will have to “give." This should be a fun game to watch. 

My Prediction: Nebraska 27 Oklahoma 26