Texas-Georgia rematch headlines conference title games
One of the wildest college football regular seasons in recent memory has come to a close with tons of drama on the final weekend of action.
Ohio State and Miami both suffered stunning upsets Saturday to fall out of their respective conference championships and put their fate in the hands of the College Football Playoff committee. Penn State and Clemson will compete in their place next weekend to try and grab the automatic spot in the 12-team field for the Big Ten and ACC, respectively.
Here's the full list of matchups for conference championship weekend.
SEC: Georgia vs. Texas
Georgia nearly laid an egg Friday against rival Georgia Tech weeks after already clinching an SEC title game berth. But the Bulldogs somehow stormed back to win an epic eight-overtime thriller and keep their 31-game home winning streak alive. That likely secures a CFP spot for Kirby Smart's program regardless of next weekend's result in Atlanta. Texas pounded Texas A&M to set up a rematch, as its only loss in its first SEC season was a 15-point home setback to Georgia. Will the return leg be any different for Steve Sarkisian and last year's CFP semifinalist?
Big Ten: Oregon vs. Penn State
The most shocking conference championship situation Saturday unfolded in the Big Ten. Virtually everyone assumed Oregon would get a rematch with Ohio State in the title game. However, the Wolverines once again took down the Buckeyes, this time as 20.5-point underdogs on the road. That paved the way for Penn State to make its first Big Ten title game since 2016 after a blowout of Maryland at home.
ACC: SMU vs. Clemson
SMU capped a perfect first season in the ACC with a comfortable home victory over Cal on Saturday. The Mustangs breezed through the conference schedule without a loss as the lone setback was a three-point non-conference defeat to BYU early in the campaign. SMU should grab a spot in the CFP regardless of how the ACC title game shakes out. Miami's path seemed straightforward: win as a double-digit favorite at Syracuse. However, the Hurricanes' defense once again faltered, and the Orange delivered a stunning win to allow Clemson to back in despite a non-conference loss to South Carolina on Saturday.
Big 12: Arizona State vs. Iowa State
Arizona State is without question the biggest surprise in a Power 4 conference title game this season. The Sun Devils entered 2024 off back-to-back three-win campaigns but stormed to a 10-2 mark capped by a blowout win over Arizona in the Territorial Cup rivalry. That booked a Big 12 title game slot for Kenny Dillingham's program in its first season with the conference. The other side will see Iowa State thanks to the Cyclones securing their first 10-win season in program history Saturday against Kansas State.
MWC: Boise State vs. UNLV
Boise State not only has a very solid chance at a CFP berth, but the Broncos could also grab a top-four seed with a win Friday night. All that stands in the way is a rematch with UNLV for the Mountain West crown. The Rebels actually gave Ashton Jeanty his toughest game this season, holding the likely Heisman finalist to just 3.9 yards per carry. However, Boise State still won that game on a Jeanty touchdown in the fourth quarter.
AAC: Tulane vs. Army
MAC: Ohio vs. Miami (Ohio)
C-USA: Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State
Sun Belt: Louisiana vs. Marshall