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The college football regular season is now over as rivalry week concluded things over the weekend. It was a bizarre final couple of days as we saw thrilling endings in eight overtimes and shocking upsets that no one saw coming. There were zero conference title matchups set before the weekend, but all of the questions were obviously answered. Cam Skattebo and the Arizona State football team needed to take down rival Arizona to punch their ticket to the Big 12 title game, and they cruised to a victory.
Not too many people had the Arizona State football team making the College Football Playoff this year, but the Sun Devils are now just one win away from doing just that. They are playing their best football right now, and only the Iowa State football team stands in the way of Arizona State making the playoff.
Before we talk more about Cam Skattebo and predictions for his performance, let's take a deeper look at both of these teams.
Matt Campbell continues to excel with Iowa State
This Iowa State football team was near the bottom of the Big 12 when Matt Campbell took over, and they are now a consistent contender in the conference. The Cyclones have already made a Big 12 title game under Campbell, and they have a chance to win one this weekend.
Iowa State is coming into this game with a 10-2 record. Both losses came in Big 12 play as the Cyclones lost in back-to-back weeks against Texas Tech and Kansas.
After those losses, Iowa State was in some trouble in terms of making the Big 12 title game. However, they clutched up and won their final three games of the season to earn a bid.
Arizona State is hot right now
The Arizona State football team has not lost a game since mid-October. The Sun Devils are rolling right now as they won their final five games of the season, so they are coming into this game with a lot of momentum.
Arizona State wasn't expected to be here, but one more win will punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff. This has been an incredibly impressive year, and the Sun Devils aren't done yet.
A big reason why Arizona State has been so good this year is the play of running back Cam Skattebo. Skattebo has nearly 1,400 yards rushing this year and 17 touchdowns. He can take this team far. Here are three predictions for his performance this weekend:
Cam Skattebo will score two touchdowns
Cam Skattebo is going to need to have a big game this weekend, and the Arizona State football team knows that. Skattebo will be getting the ball often as he is one of the best playmakers on this team, and he is going to make big plays like he always does. When all is said and done, Skattebo will have at least two touchdowns.
Cam Skattebo will rush for over 100 yards
The Arizona State offense is going to run through Cam Skattebo, and like always, he will deliver. The Iowa State defense is going to have a tough time stopping him, and the Sun Devils will be tough to beat with the run game working. They will win the line of scrimmage and time of possession, and Skattebo will end up with over 100 rushing yards.
Cam Skattebo and Arizona State will win the Big 12 title 35-24
A big day from Cam Skattebo will help the Arizona State football team reach the College Football Playoff for the first time ever. The Sun Devils will win this one 35-24, and Iowa State will not make the playoff.
Iowa State and Arizona State will kick off at noon ET on Saturday from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the game will be airing on ABC. The Sun Devils are currently favored by 1.5 points.
Conference championship preview
The Big 12 title game should be an exciting one to watch, but this entire weekend is going to be a lot of fun, and every matchup will shape the College Football Playoff. Let's take a look at what will be going in every notable conference.
First off, there are a couple important non-power four conference title games that will kick off the weekend on Friday night. #22 UNLV and #11 Boise State will face off in the Mountain West title game and #17 Tulane will play Army in the American title game. Remember, the highest-ranked non-power four teams get an automatic bid.
The Big 12 will kick things off on Saturday with this Arizona State-Iowa State matchup that we talked about. This is a win or go home. The loser will not make the playoff.
After that, the SEC title game will get going at 4:00. Georgia is taking on Texas, and both of those teams will likely go to the playoff regardless of the outcome.
In this Big Ten title game, the same is true. Win or lose, Oregon and Penn State will both be going to the playoff. Ohio State was expected to be make this game, but a shocking loss to Michigan over the weekend paved the way for the Nittany Lions.
The other night game this weekend is the ACC title game that will feature Clemson and SMU. Clemson definitely needs a win to get in the playoff, but SMU could still squeak in even if they lose.
Conference championship week is always fun. Enjoy it, college football fans.
