Jojo Picks The Conference Championship Games
I was breezing along, having huge success picking regular season football games, and then the small college playoffs started, and the big schools started having tougher games, and it all fell apart (kind of, I was still above 50 percent).
This week I take my chances with the Conference Championship Games. Remember, kids, NO WAGERING!!
BIG TEN -- Indianapolis, IN Saturday, 8:00pm, FOX
Michigan State (11-2) vs. Iowa (12-0) -- Two schools with plenty of tradition, two coaches who will pull out all the stops to win. The winner will surely land a spot in the College Football Playoffs, so this game promises to be a hard hitting slug fest, with both defenses in the spotlight. The difference will be MSU's ability to adapt on offense, as they proved a few weeks back when starting QB Connor Cook was sidelined. MSU 24, Iowa 13.
SEC -- Atlanta, GA Saturday 3:30pm, CBS
Alabama (11-1) vs. Florida (10-2) -- The Crimson Tide need to win to secure their playoff spot, while Florida has nothing to lose. They also have no solid starting quarterback after Will Grier was suspended. Alabama can manage the game better, and they will manage to win. Alabama 30, Florida 14.
ACC -- Charlotte, NC, Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC
Clemson (12-0) vs North Carolina (11-1) -- A North Carolina upset here woudl cause all sorts of rumbles through the playoff rankings, and they have the talent offensively to do it. The difference here will be which defense can rise to the occasion to get the big stop. Clemson 38, UNC 30.
PAC 12 -- Santa Clara, CA, Saturday, 7:45pm, ESPN
Stanford (10-2) vs USC (8-4) -- This game has little implication in the playoff picture as Stanford would need a near miracle to get in, and USC has laready been eliminated. But the winnder gets a Rose Bowl bid and that still means a lot, particularly to a USC team with nothing to lose. USC 30, Stanford 27.
Mid American -- Detroit MI, Friday 8:00pm, ESPN2
Northern Illinois (8-4) vs Bowling Green (9-3) -- Northern Illinois has been like Jeckyl and Hyde, being good enough to hang in with Ohio State until the bitter end, while looking like crap against thelikes of Central Michigan and Ohio University. If the good NIU shows up, they'll win in a close game, if bad NIU shows up, it will be long night for Huskies fans, as BG can put points up fast. NIU 30, BGSU 27
American Athletic -- Houston, TX, Saturday, noon, ABC
Houston (11-1) vs Temple (10-2) -- Houston has the home field advantage, but Temple has the better defense. Temple 24, Houston 21
NCAA Division II Regional Championship
Grand Valley State (11-2) at Colorado State-Pueblo (12-1) -- You'd think I'd have learned my lesson not to bet against the Lakers, but I feel like if I pick them now and they lose, it would be my fault. CSU-P 38, GVSU 31