It's crunch time for college football teams still hoping to clinch a bid to their respective conference championship games. As it turns out, though, there's a lot of opportunity still out there. Entering the final full Saturday here in 2023, seven title games at the FBS level remain unsettled. Some, like the Big Ten and Big 12, boast one team that has already qualified. .
Here's a quick look at the conference championship matchups that are already decided with all times ET:
- ACC: Florida State vs. Louisville -- Saturday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m.
- Pac-12: Washington vs. Oregon -- Friday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m.
- SEC: Georgia (East) vs. Alabama (West) -- Saturday, Dec. 2, 4 p.m. ET on CBS
- Conference USA: Liberty at New Mexico State -- Friday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
- MAC: Miami-Ohio (East) vs. Toledo (West) -- Saturday, Dec. 2, 12 p.m,
Now, let's take a look at all the scenarios that could play out in each of the conference races that remain open.
Big 12
Texas claimed the first Big 12 Championship Game spot by beating Texas Tech 57-7 Friday evening. The Longhorns will face Oklahoma State, provided the Cowboys can take care of business against BYU on Saturday afternoon.
Oklahoma is still in the running and effectively eliminated Kansas State on Friday by beating TCU. If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State finish with identical conference records, the Pokes get the edge since they captured victory in Bedlam a couple weeks ago.
So that means Oklahoma is rooting hard for BYU on Saturday. With an Oklahoma State loss, the Big 12 title game will feature a Red River Rivalry rematch.
For a full breakdown of the Big 12 drama that could play out, click here.
Big Ten
Iowa has already locked down its second Big Ten Championship Game appearance of the past three years. The Hawkeyes earned a berth in Week 12 with a 15-13 win against Illinois, battling through an injury-plagued season and coordinator controversy to emerge out of a heated Big Ten West race.
Iowa's opponent will be decided Saturday as Michigan and Ohio State face off for the Big Ten East title. This will be the third straight season that the Wolverines and Buckeyes play for a chance at the Big Ten title game and likely College Football Playoff berth.
American
Tulane advanced to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game by beating UTSA 29-16 on Friday. The second team is still undecided, though SMU can claim a berth by downing Navy in its regular-season finale. The Roadrunners aren't totally out of the, well, running just yet.
If SMU loses, that's where things get more complex. That would mean SMU and UTSA are 7-1 in conference play without a head-to-head matchup to decide things, so the AAC would use a composite average of selected computer rankings to determine the second spot.
Mountain West
UNLV will host the Mountain West Championship Game if it can beat San Jose State. The Rebels would then play Boise State since the Broncos picked up a 27-19 win against Air Force Friday.
If San Jose State beats UNLV, that will create a three-way tie between those teams and Boise State. In that case, Mountain West Championship Game participants would be decided by computer rankings -- similar to the American Athletic Conference.
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt is one of a few conferences that still use divisions. Troy has already clinched the Sun Belt West with a 6-1 conference record, so it already has a spot in the title game. And though James Madison, with a 10-1 overall record and 6-1 Sun Belt showing, cannot participate in the conference championship due to NCAA bylaws, the Dukes do play an important role in how the Sun Belt East plays out.
Their game against Coastal Carolina Saturday could decide everything. Coastal Carolina can win the East with a victory against James Madison. The Chanticleers will also qualify for the Sun Belt Championship Game if Appalachian State loses to Georgia Southern. If James Madison beats Coastal Carolina, that leaves the door open for Appalachian State to capture the East division with a win against Georgia Southern.
