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Conference Championship Games This Weekend Will Determine The CFP

Georgia has a playoff spot locked up, but the other three are still up for grabs. Let's take a look at a packed NCAAF weekend 🏈 (5 minute read)

December 03, 2021

Nine years ago, Alabama beat Georgia in a crazy SEC Championship game ft. T.J. Yeldon, Eddie Lacy, Amari Cooper, Todd Gurley, C.J. Mosley and other NFL players. Let’s talk Championship weekend 👇

Conference Championship Preview

Championship weekend is here! 16 teams across the FBS will be battling for their respective conference title over the next two days, and with the four-team CFP field anything but settled, there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s a look at the games with major postseason implications👇

  • Saturday @ 12pm: #5 Oklahoma State -5.5 vs. #9 Baylor

  • Saturday @ 4pm: #1 Georgia -6.5 vs. #3 Alabama

  • Saturday @ 4pm: #4 Cincinnati -10.5 vs. #21 Houston

  • Saturday @ 8pm: #2 Michigan -11 vs. #13 Iowa

According to oddsmakers, six schools remain in serious contention for the four playoff spots. Take a peek at each team’s chances at getting to playoffs👇

  • Georgia: -4000 (bet $4000, win $100)

  • Alabama: -195

  • Michigan: -350

  • Cincinnati: -350

  • Notre Dame: +200 (bet $100, win $200)

  • Oklahoma State: +210

The only team not in action this weekend is Notre Dame, who will have to wait at home with their fingers crossed. Buckle up, it should be a wild weekend 😎

Alabama vs. Georgia

No disrespect meant to the other conferences, but the most highly anticipated game of the weekend is undoubtedly the one at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Two college football powerhouses will be duking it out for the SEC title, and when its all said and done, both could be headed to the playoff

  • Spread: Georgia -6.5 vs. Alabama

  • Moneyline: Georgia -238 (bet $238, win $100), Alabama +190 (bet $100, win $190)

  • Over/Under: 49.5

How uncommon is it for Alabama to be a touchdown underdog? Extremely…

  • Alabama hasn’t been an underdog in a game since 2015, when they were a 1-point dog against Georgia

  • The last time they faced a spread this big? The 2008 SEC title game when they were 10-point underdogs to the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators 🤯

While it may be unprecedented, there’s good reason for the steep line — Georgia has simply been in a league of their own this season 

  • Across 12 games, Georgia has given up just 83 points. That’s 6.92 PPG, best in the nation and over eight points less than the nearest competitor

  • They’re no slouches on offense either; the Bulldogs are one of just seven FBS teams averaging over 40 PPG

  • All said, they’re outscoring opponents by 32.4 PPG this year, the best differential in the country by nearly eight points 😳

Bama and Georgia have yet to face off this season, but they’ve each beaten four common opponents: Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Auburn. The Bulldogs won each game with an average score of 37-6, while the Crimson Tide averaged a 37-28 victory

Georgia has been on the losing end of their last six games against Alabama, but this year’s matchup favors the Dawgs 🐶

Trivia question: Georgia last beat Alabama in 2007 — who was their starting QB? (answer below)

Michigan Vs. Iowa

  • Spread: Michigan -10.5 vs. Iowa

  • Moneyline: Michigan -450 (bet $450, win $100), Iowa +350 (bet $100, win $350)

  • Over/Under: 43.5

Michigan is riding high, coming off one of the biggest wins in recent program history — a convincing 42-27 victory over the heavily-favored Ohio State. It was their first win over their rivals in 10 years 😤

  • The Wolverines will now play in their first ever Big 10 Championship Game (it was first held in 2011), and will seek to win the conference for the first time since 2004

  • Jim Harbaugh’s crew has been great on both sides of the ball this year, ranking top 15 nationally in both scoring offense (13th) and scoring defense (8th)

Iowa won’t let Michigan visit their first CFP without a fight; the Hawkeyes were ranked as high as second in the nation this year before a pair of consecutive losses. But, the Wolverines at least have history on their side; they’re 42-15 in the all-time series ⚡️

Oklahoma State Vs. Baylor

  • Spread: Oklahoma State -5.5 vs. Baylor

  • Moneyline: Oklahoma State -222 (bet $222, win $100), Baylor +180 (bet $100, win $180)

  • Over/Under: 46.5

Oklahoma State is currently on the outside looking in at the CFP field, but a convincing win over Baylor in the title game tomorrow could certainly give the committee something to talk about

  • The two teams have already clashed this year, and OSU came out on top at home, 24-14

  • Since suffering their only loss of the season against Iowa State, the Cowboys have been red-hot, outscoring their opponents 202-56 over their past five games

OSU likely needs a win and either an Alabama or a Cincinnati loss to have a shot at cracking the CFB. But, would a 2-loss Bama team still have a better resume in the eyes of the committee? Only time will tell, and we should have a much clearer picture after Saturday’s action 🍿  

For My Parlay Gurus

As much as I’d love to see a playoff-altering upset this weekend, I think I gotta ride with the favorites. With a playoff spot all but locked up, Georgia has less to play for than most, but recent history vs Bama should fire them up. Look for Oklahoma State to make a strong case to the committee, and for Georgia to take care of business 👇

  • Georgia -6.5 vs. Alabama: -110

  • Oklahoma State -5.5 vs. Baylor: -110

If this hits, make sure to email [email protected] for $100. First come, first serve 😉

Trivia answer: Sophomore QB and future first-overall pick, Matt Stafford, led the Bulldogs to a 26-23 overtime victory in their last win vs Alabama