The final College Football Playoff field will be formed from the results of conference championship weekend, starting with the Pac-12 on Friday and ending with the ACC on Saturday — plus all the games in between.
The two most impactful games on the schedule appear to be the meetings between No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State in the Big 12, plus No. 4 USC and No. 11 Utah in the Pac-12. A loss by the Horned Frogs or the Trojans would make it possible for one — or both — of Ohio State and Alabama to make the Playoff, despite neither team playing in Week 14.
One game that had Playoff implications was the SEC championship meeting between No. 1 Georgia and No. 14 LSU, though the Tigers' loss to Texas A&M took the shine off that game. Had they won, a win over the Bulldogs likely would have granted entry to the Playoff.
Another game that can impact the Playoff is the Big Ten championship between No. 2 Michigan and unranked Purdue. The Wolverines are heavily favored in this meeting, and a win would give the team its second Big Ten championship and Playoff berth in as many seasons. A loss would be nothing short of shocking, and the ramifications of that defeat would be massive.
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The ACC and AAC championship games are also worth monitoring for the purposes of determining New Year's Day 6 bowl eligibility. The winner between No. 9 Clemson and No. 23 North Carolina — both coming off Week 13 losses — will determine the conference's Orange Bowl representative.
Likewise, the winner between No. 18 Tulane and No. 22 UCF should determine the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, which would gain entry to the Cotton Bowl.
The Sporting News breaks down how to watch all the conference championship games this weekend:
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College football schedule today
All rankings reflect the latest College Football Playoff top-25 rankings.
Friday, Dec. 2
Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
---|---|---|
Akron at Buffalo* | 1 p.m. | |
C-USA: North Texas at UTSA | 7:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network, fuboTV |
Pac-12: No. 4 USC vs. No. 11 Utah (Allegiant Stadium) | 8 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV |
* Game rescheduled from Nov. 19 after a snowstorm in Buffalo, N.Y.
Saturday, Dec. 3
Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
---|---|---|
Big 12: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State (AT&T Stadium) | Noon | ABC, fuboTV |
MAC: Ohio vs. Toledo (Ford Field) | Noon | ESPN, fuboTV |
Valparaiso at New Mexico State* | 3 p.m. | |
Sun Belt: Coastal Carolina at Troy | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 LSU (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) | 4 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
AAC: No. 22 UCF at No. 18 Tulane | 4 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV |
MWC: Fresno State at Boise State | 4 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV |
Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan vs. Purdue (Lucas Oil Stadium) | 8 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV |
ACC: No. 9 Clemson vs. No. 23 North Carolina (Bank of America Stadium) | 8 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV |
* Game scheduled to replace the Oct. 22 game between New Mexico State and San Jose State, which was postponed following the death of a San Jose State player.
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How to watch, live stream college football games
Conference championship weekend will feature 11 games across Friday and Saturday: one for each of the conference championship games, plus the postponed Akron-Buffalo game, which was moved to Friday because of a snowstorm on Nov. 19
Those games will appear on Fox, ESPN, ABC, CBS and the CBS Sports Network. Streaming options include the Bally Sports App, ESPN+, Paramount+ and fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
College football scores conference championship week
Friday, Dec. 2
Game |
---|
Akron at Buffalo |
North Texas at UTSA |
No. 4 USC vs. No. 11 Utah |
Saturday, Dec. 3
Game |
---|
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State |
Ohio vs. Toledo |
Valparaiso at New Mexico State |
Coastal Carolina at Troy |
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 LSU |
No. 22 UCF at No. 18 Tulane |
Fresno State at Boise State |
No. 2 Michigan vs. Purdue |
No. 9 Clemson vs. No. 23 North Carolina |