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This weekend is championship weekend in college football, and it carries massive implications for the College Football Playoff rankings. This weekend will also feature some of the best games of the season, as Washington hosts Oregon for a rematch and Georgia and Alabama clash in the SEC Championship Game. Keep reading for my best college football championship picks for this weekend!
Stay tuned to our college football odds series for more on betting around the NCAA.
All college football odds courtesy of FanDuel.
Pac 12 Championship Odds: Oregon-Washington Odds
Oregon: -9.5 (-115)
Washington: +9.5 (-105)
This is a very intriguing matchup for a number of reasons. It is likely going to be one of the best games of the season, and with plenty of storylines there won’t be a lack of drama either.
Most analysts would say that the Ducks are the better team, even though Washington has the better record. Since their lone loss, Oregon has gone on a tear that has seen quarterback Bo Nix elevate himself to become arguably the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Ducks have dominated their opponents. Washington, meanwhile, hasn’t won a game by double digits in more than two months.
However, remember that lone loss Oregon suffered earlier this season? That loss came against Washington, in a 36-33 game.
Storylines. Drama. A shot to play for a national championship on the line. It all comes down to this game. If Washington wins, they will have gone undefeated, defeated a top-10-ranked team twice, and will be a conference champion. They’ll be guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff. If they lose? They’ll be out, and Oregon will be a conference champion and will have avenged their only loss.
I think that Oregon will win, but it will be a much closer game than the books are predicting.
Pac 12 Championship Pick: Washington +9.5 (-115)
Big 12 Championship Odds: Oklahoma State-Texas Odds
Oklahoma State: +14.5 (-108)
Texas: -14.5 (-112)
Oklahoma State is a good team, but they simply aren’t anywhere near the level of team that the Texas Longhorns are. The Cowboys have three losses on the year, and it took them a double-overtime victory against BYU to earn a spot in this game. That isn’t going to be enough against a powerhouse like Texas.
The Longhorns are currently ranked 7th in the CFP rankings, which means they’ll not only need to win, but they’ll need some help to make the final four and earn the right to compete for a championship.
One thing they can do to help themselves is to obliterate Oklahoma State. This means they’ll be on a mission and leave no mercy. Longhorns by a million.
Big 12 Championship Pick: Texas -14.5 (-112)
SEC Championship Odds: Georgia-Alabama Odds
Georgia: -6.5 (-105)
Alabama: +6.5 (-115)
The SEC championship game this year features one dynasty that may be on its last legs versus a team on the verge of establishing their own dynasty. On the coaching side, a protege is facing off against his former mentor. While Georgia would likely still make the CFP even with a loss this weekend, Alabama absolutely needs to win this game to even have a slight chance of making the final four.
All of the storylines align for this game. This is what college football fans wait all season for. This could easily end up being one of the best games of the whole season, and there is a chance that after the season some people will look back and consider this the true championship game.
Georgia has stumbled at times this season, but they’ve stepped up as the level of competition has increased, and they put together arguably their two best performances of the season against Ole Miss and Tennessee. Kirby Smart will be looking for his team to use this game as a momentum builder to set the Bulldogs up for a run through all future opponents to hoist the championship trophy once again at the end of the season.
Alabama’s defense is legit, although it may not be quite as good as some of their best defenses over the past 15 years, it certainly comes close. However, their offense is what will ultimately hold them back.
Jalen Milroe is not a bad quarterback by any means, he’s definitely more than serviceable, but Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, he is not. That would be okay if Alabama had the types of playmakers at receiver and running back that they have had in previous seasons, but unfortunately, DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris or Derrick Henry won’t be taking the field this weekend. Additionally, their best running back is injured, to further add to Bama’s injury woes.
Given Bama’s struggles on offense and the fact that the game will be played in Atlanta, Georgia is a good bet to win and cover the spread. However, there is a better play for this game. Georgia’s offense, while elite, is not quite as good as it has been in previous seasons, and several key players may not be at 100%. They’ll likely take some time to get into a rhythm against Alabama’s ferocious defense.
SEC Championship Pick: Georgia -6.5 (-105) 1H total Under 27.5 (-118)
