It's Tiebreaker Time: A Guide To The Championship Game Game
With one week staying, nearly every conference title video game area is still up for grabs throughout the FBS. Whether the circumstances are complicated (looking at you, ACC, MAC and Mountain West) or basic (thank you, Sun Belt and Conference USA), there's a lot left to play for.
Here's an appearance at where each league stands. (All records are in-conference records.)
Standings: Virginia (6-1), SMU (6-1), Pitt (6-1), Georgia Tech (6-2), Duke (5-2), Miami (5-2).
Significant games this week: Virginia Tech at Virginia, SMU at California, Miami at Pitt, Wake Forest at Duke.
Scenarios:
- Virginia and SMU can each conclude a spot in the ACC champion game with a win today. Pitt can make it with a win and a loss by either Virginia or SMU.
- The two-loss groups need to want to enter into a tiebreaker of some sort - which could be chosen by strength of schedule within the conference.
Betting favorite: SMU (+130 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: North Texas (6-1), Tulane (6-1), Navy (6-1), South Florida (5-2), East Carolina (5-2).
Significant games today: Navy at Memphis, Temple at North Texas, East Carolina at Florida Atlantic, Rice at South Florida, Charlotte at Tulane.
- North Texas has a head-to-head tiebreaker over Navy after beating the Midshipmen during the regular season. But in a multiway tie, head to head may not use if all teams involved didn ´ t face
each other.-After head to head, the very first tiebreaker is CFP ranking, and just Tulane (No. 24) remained in it recently. So keep an eye on the committee ´ s next release Tuesday night. However, any team that loses this week can not benefit from the CFP ranking tiebreaker.
- The next tiebreaker after CFP ranking is a composite of different computer system rankings. With one week still to go, that composite currently puts the teams in the following pecking order: North Texas, South Florida, Tulane, Navy, East Carolina.
Betting favorite: North Texas (-125 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: Texas Tech (7-1), BYU (7-1), Utah (6-2), Arizona State (6-2).
Significant video games this week: Utah at Kansas, Arizona at Arizona State, UCF at BYU, Texas Tech at West Virginia.
- Texas Tech and BYU can each clinch a spot in the title video game by winning this week. They would also both remain in if Arizona State loses.
- Utah can make it with a win, a loss by Texas Tech and wins by BYU and Arizona State. That would develop a three-way tie for the 2nd spot in which Utah would dominate.
- Arizona State can make it with a win and a loss by BYU, or a win and losses by Texas Tech and Utah.
Betting favorite: Texas Tech (-400 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: Ohio State (8-0), Indiana (8-0), Oregon (7-1), Michigan (7-1).
Significant video games today: Indiana at Purdue, Oregon at Washington, Ohio State at Michigan.
- If Ohio State beats Michigan, the Buckeyes face Indiana in the title game. This is real even if the Hoosiers lose to Washington because Indiana would win a tiebreaker with Oregon for the 2nd slot if requirement be.
- If Michigan beats Ohio State and Indiana and Oregon both win, the title video game would be Indiana vs. Oregon.
- If Michigan beats Ohio State, Indiana wins and Oregon loses, the title video game would be Indiana vs. Michigan.
- If Michigan beats Ohio State, Oregon wins and Indiana loses, the title game would be Michigan vs. Oregon.
- If Michigan beats Ohio State and Oregon and Indiana both lose, the title video game would be Michigan vs. Ohio State.
Betting favorite: Ohio State (-145 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: Kennesaw State (6-1), Western Kentucky (6-1), Jacksonville State (6-1). Missouri State (5-2) is not yet qualified to play in the Conference USA title game after joining the league this season.
Significant games today: Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State at Liberty.
- The WKU-Jacksonville State winner clinches an area in the title game and will host it.
- Kennesaw State clinches a spot with a win.
- If Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State both lose, Jacksonville State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title video game. If Kennesaw State and WKU both lose, Kennesaw State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title video game.
Standings: Western Michigan (6-1), Central Michigan (5-2), Ohio (5-2), Toledo (5-2), Miami of Ohio (5-2).
Significant games today: WMU at Eastern Michigan, Ohio at Buffalo, Ball State at Miami, Toledo at CMU.
- The Toledo-CMU loser is out. That ´ s the simple part. And WMU remains in with a win.
- Aside from that, the tiebreakers are plentiful and complicated. If the favorites this week (WMU, Ohio, Miami and Toledo) all win, that would develop a three-way tie for the second title game area, and Miami would prevail based on record vs. typical opponents. This might become part of the reason Toledo ´ s chances of winning the league (now at +425) have actually gotten longer given that last week, when the Rockets were preferred.
Betting favorite: WMU (-120 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: San Diego State (6-1), Boise State (5-2), UNLV (5-2), New Mexico (5-2), Hawaii (4-3), Fresno State (4-3), Utah State (4-3).
Significant video games this week: San Diego State at New Mexico, Boise State at Utah State, Fresno State at San José State, UNLV at Nevada, Wyoming at Hawaii.
- Don ´ t ask. This could end in a four-way tie for very first or perhaps a six-way tie for second. If San Diego State, Boise State and UNLV all win, SDSU would face Boise State for the title thanks to Boise State ´ s head-to-head win over UNLV.
- If ties aren ´ t broken by head-to-head outcomes or the CFP rankings, computer rankings are used.
Betting favorite: San Diego State (+145 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: Texas A&M (7-0), Georgia (7-1), Mississippi (6-1), Alabama (6-1).
Significant video games today: Mississippi at Mississippi State, Texas A&M at Texas, Alabama at Auburn.
- Texas A&M is in the SEC national championship with a win, but the Aggies are susceptible if they lose because they ´ ve played a weak in-conference schedule, which tiebreaker would enter play here if there ´ s a three-way or four-way tie.
- If Texas A&M loses, it would still make the title game if both Alabama and Mississippi lose.
- Alabama remains in with a win and out with a loss.
- Georgia is in if either Alabama or Texas A&M loses.
- Mississippi remains in if it wins and both Alabama and Texas A&M lose.
favorite: Texas A&M (+140 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Standings: James Madison (7-0) has actually already clinched the East Division. Southern Mississippi (5-2) and Troy (5-2) are connected atop the West.
Significant game this week: Troy at Southern Miss.
. Outlook:
- At last, an obvious one: The Troy-Southern Miss winner goes on to the title game.
Betting favorite: James Madison (-750 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)
Title game: Dec. 5 at James Madison.