Conference championship preview: College Football Playoff spots at stake

We're down to the stretch drive in the battle to book spots in the first NCAA football 12-team playoff bracket.

Nine conference championship games on Friday and Saturday will be the final chances for teams to earn conference-champion berths or make a case to the committee — which already has been heavily criticized by some teams on the wrong side of the bubble — for an at-large spot ahead of Sunday's bracket reveal.

Four of the games figure to have no impact on the College Football Playoff field — Conference USA, Mid-American, American Athletic and Sun Belt finalists are destined for other bowl games — while the other five likely will affect seeding and berths.

Here's a look at what's ahead this weekend when it comes to conference championships and the CFP field.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Friday's games

Conference USA championship
Western Kentucky (8-4) at Jacksonville State (8-4), 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

Mountain West championship
No. 20 UNLV (10-2) at No. 10 Boise State (11-1), 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

American Athletic championship
Tulane (9-3) at No. 24 Army (10-1), 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Saturday's games

Big 12 championship
No. 16 Iowa State (10-2) vs. No. 15 Arizona State (10-2), noon ET / 9 a.m. PT at Arlington, Texas

Mid-American Conference championship
Ohio (9-3) vs. Miami (Ohio, 8-4), noon ET / 9 a.m. PT at Detroit

Southeastern Conference championship
No. 5 Georgia (10-2) vs. No. 2 Texas (11-1), 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT at Atlanta

Sun Belt Championship
Marshall (9-3) at Louisiana (10-2), 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

Big Ten championship
No. 1 Oregon (12-0) vs. No. 3 Penn State (11-1), 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT at Indianapolis

Atlantic Coast Conference championship
No. 17 Clemson (9-3) vs. No. 8 SMU (11-1), 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Current CFP rankings

*1: Oregon (12-0)
*2: Texas (11-1)
3: Penn State (11-1)
4: Notre Dame (11-1)
5: Georgia (10-2)
6: Ohio State (10-2)
7: Tennessee (10-2)
*8: SMU (11-1)
9: Indiana (11-1)
*10: Boise State (11-1)
11: Alabama (9-3)
12: Miami (10-2)
13: Ole Miss (9-3)
14: South Carolina (9-3)
+15: Arizona State (10-2)
16: Iowa State (10-2)
17: Clemson (9-3)
18: BYU (10-2)
19: Missouri (9-3)
20: UNLV (10-2)

* The top four conference champions (highest-ranked teams currently are given that designation) earn the top four seeds and first-round byes

+ The fifth-best conference champion also earns a spot in the field, leaving seven at-large spots. The cut-off currently is after No. 11 Alabama.

CFP format

Seeds 5-8 host first-round games against seeds 9-12, Dec. 20-21. The top four seeds await the winners for neutral-site quarterfinals Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

The final two rounds are also at neutral sites.

Win-and-in situations

The playoff doesn't start until Dec. 20, but it unofficially begins this weekend.

The Mountain West championship and Big 12 championship are seen as win-and-in, lose-and-out games — and perhaps the Atlantic Coast Conference is a third.

No. 10 Boise State has a chance to earn a top-four seed — and a first-round bye — with a win over No. 20 UNLV on its unique blue field thanks to the Big 12 experiencing a down year in the rankings.

Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty, battling for the Heisman Trophy with Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, will be able to make one final case for the top individual prize under a national spotlight with Friday night lights.

The Mountain West finalists both have key Canadian players. Boise State sophomore safety Ty Benefield of Vancouver is his team's leading tackler, while Rebels senior defensive back Jett Elad of Mississauga, Ont., is third on his team in tackles. Both were named honourable mention all-Mountain West players

The Big 12 finalists, No. 16 Iowa State and No. 15 Arizona State, also are battling for a CFP spot — potentially the 12th and final seed. Iowa State hasn't won a league title since 1912, while Arizona State was picked to finish last in the Big 12 in this year's media poll.

Bid stealer?

Clemson's CFP hopes were on life support after a non-conference loss to South Carolina last week, but a Syracuse upset over Miami gave the Tigers the right to play SMU in Saturday's ACC final for what has become an automatic berth.

While SMU is ranked eighth, committee chair Warde Manuel said Tuesday that there is a chance No. 11 Alabama (9-3) could jump ahead of SMU if the Mustangs (11-1) lose.

In a hotly debated decision, Alabama was placed ahead of No. 12 Miami (10-2) in the penultimate rankings on Tuesday, essentially pushing the Hurricanes out of contention.

Canadian QB Kurtis Rourke and the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) figure to be in as one of the last at-large teams.

Who will be No. 1?

It's Oregon if the top-ranked Ducks stay undefeated with a win over Penn State in the Big Ten final.

If Oregon slips up, No. 2 Texas (11-1) figures to get that honour with a victory over Georgia in the SEC final.

If both teams lose, perhaps it's No. 3 Penn State (11-1) on top.

Buckeye slide

Ohio State's stunning home loss to arch-rival Michigan last week prevented what would have been a 1-2 showdown between the Buckeyes and Oregon in the Big Ten final.

The No. 6 Buckeyes (10-2) are safe to be in the CFP bracket, but they won't get a bye.

After four consecutive losses to Michigan — with the latest marred by a post-game brawl after the Wolverines tried to plant its flag at midfield — questions about Ohio State coach Ryan Day's job security are growing louder. Anything less than a big run in the playoffs could lead to a coaching change.

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