Conference championship weekend is right here.
Nine conferences will resolve their champions over Friday and Saturday. Four conference titles shall be selected Friday, whereas the opposite 5 shall be decided a day later.
Advertisement
Here’s what’s at stake for every of these video games. Could a James Madison win on Friday coupled with a Duke win on Saturday drop the ACC from the College Football Playoff?
Troy at No. 25 James Madison
What’s at stake for Troy: The Trojans are in search of their ninth conference title and third in 5 seasons. Troy received back-to-back Sun Belt titles in 2022 and 2023 below new Florida coach Jon Sumrall. This yr, the Trojans wish to play spoiler as they’re huge underdogs in opposition to James Madison. After back-to-back losses to Arkansas State and Old Dominion — the latter loss was 33-0 — Troy made the Sun Belt title game with wins over Georgia State and Southern Miss.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for James Madison: Don’t anticipate James Madison to point out a lot mercy if the Dukes get out to a giant lead over Troy. There’s no purpose for JMU to not blow out the Trojans if at all potential given what’s on the road. A Duke win in the ACC title game seemingly places these Dukes in the College Football Playoff with a conference title of their very own. James Madison’s protection is among the higher models in college football and is perhaps the very best outdoors the 4 energy conferences. JMU permits simply 4.2 yards per play and 16 factors per game.
Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State (Conference USA)
What’s at stake for Kennesaw State: It’s been an unbelievable two seasons for the Owls at the highest stage of college football. Kennesaw State went 2-10 in 2024 however obtained a win over Liberty in their first yr at the FBS stage. This yr, Kennesaw State is 9-3 and enjoying for the conference title. KSU went 9-1 after dropping by one level to Wake Forest to open the season after which in a blowout to Indiana in Week 2. The solely loss in that span? A 35-26 defeat on the highway at Jacksonville State.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Jacksonville State: The Gamecocks have solely been an FBS crew for a season longer than Kennesaw State and are on the lookout for their third nine-win season in three years. After taking on for Rich Rodriguez, Charles Kelly led the Gamecocks to a different 7-1 conference file as JSU goes for back-to-back CUSA titles.
No. 24 North Texas at No. 20 Tulane (American)
What’s at stake for North Texas: The predominant goal is identical for each groups. The winner of this game is headed to the College Football Playoff. Both UNT and Tulane are forward of James Madison in the CFP rankings and the winner will keep there. The American champ might even get the No. 11 seed in the CFP if Duke wins the ACC title game.
Advertisement
The Mean Green’s solely lack of the season got here in a 63-36 residence defeat to South Florida that was crammed with turnovers in an inexplicable second quarter. The Mean Green have received six straight since that loss and all of these victories have been by a number of possessions. Five of the six have even been by 4 scores. North Texas leads the nation in scoring at almost 47 factors per game.
What’s at stake for Tulane: Both North Texas and Tulane are additionally hoping to ship off their coaches in model. North Texas coach Eric Morris is heading to Oklahoma State after the season and Sumrall has been launched as Florida’s new coach.
The Green Wave have received 4 straight since a 48-25 midweek loss at UTSA. Tulane is getting credit score from the playoff committee for its win over Duke in Week 3 and, presumably, for scheduling Ole Miss every week later. Former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff has accomplished 63% of his passes and has rushed for as many TDs (14) as he’s thrown for. Retzlaff is the crew’s main rusher with 561 yards.
UNLV at Boise State (Mountain West)
What’s at stake for UNLV: The Rebels have already clinched back-to-back 10-win seasons and are hoping for the third 11-win season in faculty historical past. To put the final two years in perspective for UNLV, the college’s solely 10-win season earlier than 2024 got here in 1984. UNLV goes for its second conference title in faculty historical past and is chasing 11 wins in consecutive seasons with completely different coaches. Barry Odom left UNLV for Purdue after 2024 and former Florida coach Dan Mullen was employed to exchange him.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Boise State: The Broncos are going for back-to-back conference titles although they know {that a} playoff spot isn’t in the offing this season. It’s additionally the college’s final likelihood for a Mountain West title. Boise State is one in every of 5 colleges leaving the MWC for the Pac-12 forward of the 2026 season.
No. 11 BYU vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Big 12)
What’s at stake for BYU: The Cougars are in the College Football Playoff for the primary time with a win over the Red Raiders. It would cap off an incredible week for this system after coach Kalani Sitake mentioned that he would keep at BYU amid curiosity from Penn State. BYU has received 23 conference titles in faculty historical past however because of its run of football independence in the 2000s, it hasn’t received a conference title because it received the Mountain West in 2007.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Texas Tech: At No. 4 in Tuesday’s CFP rankings, Tech is sort of assuredly in the playoff even with a loss to BYU. But the Red Raiders are going to have the backing of a really partisan crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. There’s going to be loads of raucous crimson and black. And it could possibly be the identical scene in the College Football Playoff too. If Tech wins, the Red Raiders might get assigned to the Cotton Bowl after a first-round bye. Back-to-back video games in the DFW metroplex can be a reasonably good postseason perk.
Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan (MAC)
What’s at stake for Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks are again in the MAC title game for the third consecutive season. Can they win a second in that span? In 2023, Miami upset Toledo with a 23-14 victory. A season in the past, Miami was blitzed 38-3 by Ohio. This yr, the RedHawks can say they’re lucky to be in the title game. Miami received a three-team tiebreaker for second place in the conference regardless of losses to — you guessed it — Ohio and Toledo, the 2 groups it tied.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Western Michigan: The Broncos are a win away from their finest season since going 13-1 in 2016 and making the Cotton Bowl below present Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck. After Fleck’s departure to the Gophers, WMU has received eight video games in only one different season. A win on Saturday accompanied by a victory in a bowl game would give the Broncos simply their second 10-win season ever.
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 9 Alabama (SEC)
What’s at stake for Georgia: A win ensures a first-round bye for the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff. It would even be Georgia’s third SEC title in the previous 4 seasons. It additionally provides to what’s been an absurd run for Georgia below Kirby Smart. When you’re taking out an 8-2 file in the 2020 COVID-shortened season, Georgia has received at least 11 video games in eight straight full seasons. A win offers Georgia at least 12 wins in six of these eight seasons. This is an unbelievable run of success.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Alabama: The Crimson Tide don’t should sweat almost as a lot on Sunday in regards to the playoff since a win will get them in. A loss and, nicely, who is aware of with this committee. A season in the past, no crew that misplaced its conference title game fell out of the playoff area. Would that maintain with Alabama too? Or might the No. 9 Tide drop two spots to No. 11 and fall out of the playoff completely in favor of a crew that didn’t play? The disaster scenario for Alabama is a loss coupled with a BYU win. It’s onerous to see how Alabama can be in the playoff in that situation.
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana (Big Ten)
What’s at stake for Ohio State: The Buckeyes entered final yr’s playoff because the No. 8 seed earlier than successful 4 video games on the way in which to a nationwide title. This yr, Ohio State will in all probability skip the primary spherical no matter what occurs on Saturday night time. Whoever wins this game is the No. 1 seed in the playoff and heading to the Rose Bowl. Four extra wins makes Ohio State — or Indiana — the primary crew in college football historical past to go 16-0. It’d be the eleventh undefeated season in program historical past.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Indiana: To say Indiana doesn’t have the football historical past that Ohio State does can be fairly the understatement. The 2025 season was simply the second time in faculty historical past that Indiana went undefeated in conference play. The different was 1945, when Indiana was 5-0-1 in the Western Conference. Heck, Indiana has solely had one conference loss in simply seven seasons. And a kind of years was in 1905, when the Hoosiers performed simply two Western Conference video games. It’s truthful to state a Big Ten title would imply a bit extra to an Indiana program that’s starved for football success and is attending to expertise what life is like at the highest of the heap since coach Curt Cignetti’s arrival.
Duke vs. No. 17 Virginia (ACC)
What’s at stake for Duke: The Blue Devils have the chance to do the funniest factor and throw a wrench into the 12-team playoff with a win. OK, possibly a Duke win isn’t all that humorous for ACC officers — you possibly can guess that Duke followers shall be hyper-aware of any controversial calls throughout Saturday’s game — nevertheless it’d be nice for the concept that anybody has an opportunity to make the playoff now that it’s been expanded to 12 groups. Duke went simply 1-3 in non-conference play with losses to Illinois, Tulane and UConn. Those three groups went a mixed 27-9.
Advertisement
What’s at stake for Virginia: A victory would proceed what’s been a dream season for Tony Elliott’s crew. After simply 11 wins over Elliott’s first three seasons in Charlottesville, Virginia can match that whole with a win over Duke. Oh, and it will make the College Football Playoff too. Virginia’s final conference title got here in 1995 because it received the league because of a head-to-head win over Florida State.