Championship Week is already off to a furious start and heads to Saturday's games with more excitement sure to follow as teams still in College Football Playoff contention battle for the four spots set to be announced on Selection Sunday. A huge step toward the completion of the process went down on Friday night as No. 3 Washington defeated No. 5 Oregon for the second time this season in the Pac-12 Championship Game. With the win, the Huskies clinched not only the final Pac-12 championship but also one of those coveted College Football Playoff spots while remaining undefeated. The Pac-12 -- in its final year of existence -- is now guaranteed a chance at the national championship for the first time since 2016 when Washington represented the conference.
No. 7 Texas will have a chance to state its case with one additional ranked when as it faces No. 18 Oklahoma State. All eyes will be on the final SEC Championship Game on CBS as No. 1 Georgia battles No. 8 Alabama. The Bulldogs will lock up the top seed with a victory, while the Crimson Tide will undoubtedly create chaos if they can upset their rivals. Some believe there is a chance the SEC could get left out if Bama takes down UGA, but that seems highly unlikely given the prominence of the conference and the fact that the Tide would take down the nation's top team on the final week of the season.
No. 2 Michigan, which enters as a 23-point favorite against No. 16 Iowa, is simply looking to solidify a playoff bid in the evening. The true star of the show Saturday night will be the ACC Championship Game with No. 4 Florida State -- potentially down to its third-string quarterback -- taking on No. 14 Louisville. The Seminoles must win to have a chance at the playoff, but even if they emerge victorious, will the CFP Selection Committee definitely put them in the field as an undefeated conference champion?
That all remains to be seen. As do the results of Championship Week. No worries. Our CBS Sports experts are here breaking down every game with predictions against the spread and their best bets on the game. Take a gander below.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
ACC: No. 14 Louisville vs. No. 4 Florida State
8 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) -- Mike Norvell and Jeff Brohm are two excellent game-planners and play-callers. Though we have two of the ACC's better defenses on the field, I think good offense beats good defense when the coaching is top-notch. There is so much skill on the field there are bound to be a few explosive plays schemed up perfectly, so I'm expecting a lot more points than this total is suggesting. Pick: Over 47.5 -- Chip Patterson
Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 16 Iowa
8 p.m. | Fox, fubo (Try for free) -- I'm not going to mess with the spread. First of all, while anything is possible, I don't see Iowa shocking the world here. I just don't know how the Hawkeyes will score points. While they've had success against the Big Ten West, this is still the same team that lost to Penn State 31-0 this year. And the Hawkeyes were much healthier then. Michigan is Penn State on steroids. The question is, how motivated will the Wolverines be to run up the score? They have no need. Win and they go to the playoff. Outside of getting Blake Corum a couple touchdowns, I don't see why Michigan will risk anything in the second half if it has a lead it feels comfortable protecting. Pick: Under 35 -- Tom Fornelli
Big 12: No. 18 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Texas
Noon | ABC, fubo (Try for free) -- Oklahoma State has gotten up for big games, but Texas won't waste its moment. The Longhorns have been dominant when it matters and are hitting another level down the stretch. Texas should be able to contain Ollie Gordon II and make OSU's passing game the centerpiece of the matchup. The Cowboys just aren't dynamic enough to win that way. The Longhorns roll. Pick: Texas -14.5 -- Shehan Jeyarajah
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama
4 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App -- The Bulldogs will wear down the Alabama defense thanks to a phenomenal rushing performance from the duo of Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards. After all, if Auburn can do it, Georgia certainly can. Quarterback Carson Beck will do enough through the air to keep the Alabama defense honest, which will go a long way toward securing the Bulldogs' second straight SEC title. Alabama will keep it close into the fourth quarter, but a stout Dawgs defense will force QB Jalen Milroe into a late mistake or two as Georgia will cover to move on to the CFP. Pick: Georgia -6 -- Barrett Sallee
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in conference championship games? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.
