The final day of the regular season is full of crucial games that will set the conference championship matchups and influence the rankings that will determine the postseason.
Among the Power Four, only the Big 12 Conference has its championship set while the ACC, Big Ten and SEC will settle things Saturday along with every other Bowl Subdivision league. Here is what to watch for:
ACC
No. 17 Virginia (vs. Virginia Tech) and No. 25 SMU (vs. Cal) can advance to the conference championship Dec. 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina, if they win. No. 24 Pitt (vs. Miami) can make it with a win and a loss by either Virginia or SMU. No. 23 Georgia Tech, Duke and No. 13 Miami have slimmer hopes.
CFP: It’s weird in the ACC, which has five teams in the College Football Playoff top 25 ahead of Tuesday’s rankings from the selection committee before the bracket is set Dec. 7. But Miami is the only one ranked inside the top 12 and is on the bubble when it comes to hoping for an at-large bid. Beating Pitt and getting a lot of help to reach the title game would help but seems like a long shot.
Big 12
No. 7 Texas Tech will play No. 11 BYU on Dec. 6 in Arlington, Texas, for the conference championship and the games this weekend (Tech at West Virginia, UCF at BYU) won’t impact that. It will be a rematch: The Red Raiders beat the Cougars 29-7 on Nov. 8.
CFP: The Big 12 is hoping to be a two-bid league with its title game participants and No. 14 Utah (No. 13 CFP) is on the doorstep in case of turmoil.
Big Ten
If No. 1 Ohio State beats archrival No. 15 Michigan, then the Buckeyes will play No. 2 Indiana in the Big Ten title game Dec. 6 in Indianapolis. If the Wolverines upset Ohio State and No. 5 Oregon loses at Washington, then it’s Michigan vs. Indiana. If Michigan and Oregon both win, then the Ducks face the Hoosiers for the league title.
Indiana will be trying to win its first conference crown since 1967 and will head to the title game with the nation’s second-best scoring offense and scoring defense and a Heisman Trophy favorite in quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
CFP: Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon appear to be locks for the playoff, with the Buckeyes looking to win back-to-back national championships.
SEC
If No. 10 Alabama beats archrival Auburn, then the Crimson Tide will play No. 4 Georgia in the SEC title game Dec. 6 in Atlanta. If the Crimson Tide lose, then No. 6 Ole Miss will play the Bulldogs.
Georgia has won eight in a row since its only loss of the season, to Alabama, on Sept. 27.
CFP: Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Alabama are all ranked in the CFP top 10 going into Saturday’s games. The Sooners (vs. LSU) and Crimson Tide can strengthen their cases even more with wins.
American Athletic
No. 21 North Texas is in the AAC title game Dec. 5. No. 22 Tulane will join the Mean Green with a win over Charlotte. If Tulane loses, Navy gets in.
Conference USA
Western Kentucky plays Jacksonville State for a spot in the Conference USA title game Dec. 5 as well as hosting rights. Kennesaw State clinches a spot with a win over Liberty. If Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State both lose, Jacksonville State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title game. If Kennesaw State and WKU both lose, Kennesaw State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title game.
Mid-American
Western Michigan is in the MAC title game Dec. 6 in Detroit. Miami (Ohio) can join WMU by beating Ball State. If Miami loses, the second spot in the title game would go to either Ohio or the Toledo-CMU winner, whoever has the better SportSource Analytics ratings that may not be available until Sunday.
Mountain West
There will be either a three-way or four-way tie for first — depending on how UNLV (5-2) does Saturday at Nevada — and the deadlock will be broken by computer metrics. San Diego State,, Boise State and New Mexico all have 6-2 records. The title game is Dec. 5 at the home of the higher seed.
Sun Belt
No. 20 James Madison is hosting the Dec. 5 title game and will play the winner of the Troy-Southern Miss game Saturday.
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AP Sports Writer Noah Trister contrbuted to this report.
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