Beating the Spread: NCAA Football Conference Championship Weekend, Preview and Predictions

Big 12 Championship Baylor vs. Oklahoma(-9)

Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: McLane Stadium, Waco, TX
Network: ABC

What’s at stake?

A shot at a playoff berth. It is not a guarantee that the winner gets in but a dominating win for either team gives them a chance.

The way Oklahoma plays offense should neutralize the vaunted Bears’ pass rush. The biggest question concerning this game will be can Oklahoma play 60 minutes of consistent football? Baylor takes care of the ball and causes turnovers on defense and that is always a recipe for success in big games at any level of football.

Take the Bears and the points in this game. The difference in winning the game will be Jalen Hurts but the Bears will be in this game until the bitter end.

Prediction: Oklahoma 44  Baylor 37

SEC Championship Game Georgia vs. LSU

Date: Saturday, December 7

Start Time: 4 p.m. ET 

TV: CBS 

What’s at stake?

The winner is in the playoffs and the loser is out? Not so fast! If LSU were to lose a close, hard-fought game then you may see two SEC teams in the Final Four.

My biggest question is Kirby Smart going to coach to win the game or is he going to coach to NOT lose the game? The Bulldogs have a big-time defense and a big-time quarterback but I think they will be lacking a big-time head coach which will ultimately cost them once again.

I think Georgia’s defense is good enough to limit the explosive plays from LSU’s offense but in the end, Joe Burrow will be the difference here.

Prediction: LSU 31  Georgia 23

Big Ten Championship: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Broadcast

Date: Saturday, December 7
Game Time: 8:00 ET
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Network: FOX

On the outside looking in this looks like a total mismatch, but as the old saying goes, looks can be deceiving! Or could the look just be a fact?

What’s at stake

For Ohio State, it’s obvious, a win and they are in the College Football Playoffs as either a number one or number two seed. For Wisconsin, the Rose Bowl looks to be the main prize they can attain.

Chase Young had 4 sacks in the Buckeyes first game against the Badgers, helping to lead them to a 38-7 win. The Badgers’ offensive line will have to come up huge to even have a chance to win this game. On defense the Badgers must look to stop the run. The actually got a good pass rush on the Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields in the first matchup but got destroyed on the ground.

Wisconsin’s only chance is a huge game by star running back Jonathan Taylor and even then this seems like a tall task. I think it will be a little closer this time around but the Buckeyes should cruise.

Prediction: Ohio State 34  Wisconsin 17