play0:13Drew Mestemaker throws 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence LewisDrew Mestemaker airs it out for 13-yard touchdown pass
Finebaum: It would be a colossal mistake to have Notre Dame over Miami in CFP (2:14)Paul Finebaum sounds off on Notre Dame potentially making the College Football Playoff over Miami. (2:14)
Drew Mestemaker throws 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence LewisDrew Mestemaker airs it out for 13-yard touchdown pass
After Georgia knocked off Georgia Tech to close out the regular season last week, coach Kirby Smart lamented the new era of college football, in which the playoff supersedes everything, and some programs would rather miss a conference championship game to rest up and get healthy than chase a trophy.
It’s true. Championship Week isn’t what it used to be, and a number of this year’s participants — Georgia included — have their spot in the playoff already secured, regardless of the outcome of their conference title game.
But if the playoff has taken some of the shine off a championship trophy, there will still be plenty of action this weekend with high stakes.
In the Big 12, BYU hopes to avenge its only loss — a blowout to Texas Tech — and steal a playoff bid.
In the ACC, chaos has been the conference’s true dominant force, but its best team — Miami — won’t take the field. Instead, Virginia looks to add another chapter to a magical season, while a Duke win could potentially push the conference out of the playoff completely.
The Big Ten championship doesn’t have much in the way of playoff implications. Indiana and Ohio State are both shoo-ins, and both probably getting first-round byes. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing on the line. A showdown between quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin could ultimately determine who wins the Heisman Trophy.
Then there’s the games in the American and Sun Belt conferences. Tulane has the inside track on the Group of 5’s guaranteed playoff berth, but North Texas could prove a serious obstacle. Meanwhile, James Madison needs to win the Sun Belt title, then state its case to the committee to be ranked ahead of the American champ — unless the folks in the committee room opt for both in lieu of a five-loss Duke winning the ACC.
For Alabama, a win guarantees a playoff bid, while a loss opens the door to some harder conversations. For Georgia — well, just ask its coach.
“It’s an opportunity to win an SEC championship,” Smart said. “I grew up thinking that was the greatest game in the world. I’m just different from everybody else.” — David Hale
Duke invested heavily in Mensah this offseason, signing him to a reported two-year deal worth $8 million. So far, he has been worth every penny. Mensah is sixth nationally with 3,450 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, while throwing only four picks. He has been good outside the pocket, throws an excellent deep ball and is capable of extending plays. He has thrown six touchdowns and only one interception this season when under pressure. — Hale
All eyes will be on Heisman hopeful quarterbacks Sayin and Mendoza, but Smith remains the most electric player in college football — when healthy. Smith returned to help the Buckeyes take down Michigan last weekend with a touchdown grab after sitting out a game-and-a-half because of a lower body injury. As his game-clinching grab against Notre Dame in last season’s national championship victory underscored, Smith is the ultimate game-changing playmaker on the big stage. — Jake Trotter
It has been a breakout season for Martin, who leads the Big 12 with 1,229 yards rushing, to go along with 11 touchdowns. He was limited against Texas Tech the first time after sustaining a shoulder injury the previous week against Iowa State. He’s not a breakaway threat, but he is a reliable option to get tough yards — which is exactly what BYU will need. — Kyle Bonagura
The Stanford transfer has played his way into first-round NFL draft pick status with a dominant senior season in Lubbock, and is still the national leader in sacks (12.5) and edge pressures (61), according to ESPN Research. Bailey exited the Red Raiders’ regular-season finale at West Virginia because of an injury and was held out for the second half as a precaution. Coach Joey McGuire has said Bailey is “banged up,” but still expects him to play Saturday. — Max Olson
This has been a down season for Williams, who was a breakout freshman star a year ago. But the reason he is a player to watch is because of how little he has been utilized over the past month of the season. Against Auburn last week, Williams had zero targets for the first time in his career. In November, he had seven total catches for 103 yards and a score. Can Alabama win without him playing much of a role? — Adelson
Drew Mestemaker throws 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Lewis
Drew Mestemaker airs it out for 13-yard touchdown pass
Mestemaker’s story cannot be told enough, from not starting a game during his final three seasons of high school, to becoming one of the top passers in the FBS. Mestemaker has become a national star under coach Eric Morris, leading the FBS in passing yards (3,835), while tying for fourth in passing touchdowns (29) and ranking ninth in completion percentage (70.9). The American Conference Offensive Player of the Year has only four interception on 382 attempts. — Rittenberg
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman on falling in the rankings: “We’re never always going to agree, especially when your program is the one that’s getting dropped after winning by 20-something points.”
Lane Kiffin at his LSU news conference: “Someone very close to me reminded me this week in this decision that LSU is the best job in football.”
Ole Miss AD Keith Carter on Kiffin’s comments since his departure: “There’s been a lot of things he’s said publicly that I’m not sure have been totally accurate. I think that both coach and his representation knew several weeks ago that coaching in the playoffs was not an option if he was not going to be the Ole Miss head coach.”
Ole Miss OL Brycen Sanders on Kiffin’s departing statement that insinuated players asked for him to coach the team in the playoff: “I think everyone that was in that room would disagree.”
Stanford coach Tavita Pritchard on restoring good offensive line play: “We’re going to make sure that position room is right. That was a common thread through all the great Stanford teams, was the offensive line. That’s a place we know we will recruit. We will make that kind of the heart and soul of the offense.”
Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline after being named the head coach at South Florida: “Becoming a first-time head coach at a place like USF is a dream come true for me and my family. I look forward to leading the team to new heights, both on and off the field.”
New Florida coach Jon Sumrall: “I’m built for this job. I was made for this job. Winners win. I’m a winner. We’re going to win.”
New Oregon State coach Jamarcus Shephard: “We will win the Pac-12 championship and a bowl game with class, integrity, and academic excellence. That is what we will do here.”
What does Duke need to do to win? When these two teams met in Durham less than a month ago, Virginia dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides, and the result was an ugly loss for the Blue Devils. Virginia ran for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Duke’s vaunted defensive front produced minimal pressure, failing to record a sack of Chandler Morris. Inside the pocket, Morris has been dangerous all season, completing 69% of his throws with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. But when he has moved off of his spot, he has completed onlyt 55% with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. On the flip side, Duke needs to run the ball. Coach Manny Diaz said Virginia was the one team all season that pushed around Duke’s O-line, and the result was only 42 rushing yards, while quarterback Darian Mensah was sacked four times.
What does Virginia need to do to win? Virginia used the perfect blueprint to beat Duke in their first meeting this season — taking advantage of a beat-up secondary with big plays through the air, while dominating on the offensive and defensive lines. Virginia was particularly impressive on defense, holding Duke to a season-low 42 yards rushing while harassing Mensah all game. Can that blueprint be replicated? Virginia will certainly try. The biggest key is to slow down a Duke offense that can put up points in a hurry. The Blue Devils are best when they have balance. Just once this season did they win a game when they had fewer than 100 yards rushing, and that was in a win over Clemson when they were able to throw the ball at will. If Virginia can get another effort like that from its defense, the offense should be able to score on a Duke defense that has struggled over the second half of the season.
The veteran quarterback said in January that he came to Virginia to play for a championship, and here he is, backing up his talk. He had one of his best performances of the season against Duke earlier, coming off an injury no less. In that 34-17 win, Morris threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns, though he did throw two interceptions — including one returned for a touchdown. Morris will have to avoid those mistakes with the stakes much higher this time, but it certainly feels as though everything he has done for Virginia has led it to this moment. No pressure. — Andrea Adelson
What does Indiana need to do to win? The Hoosiers must control the game with their rushing attack, which has improved substantially this season, as the team ranks No. 9 nationally (229.8). Michigan had early success running against Ohio State until losing Jordan Marshall to an apparent shoulder injury. IU coach Curt Cignetti was candid after last season that the team’s offensive line didn’t measure up against the best opponents. Several transfer portal additions have helped Indiana’s front, which must keep the offense out of obvious pass-rushing situations and limit Buckeyes defensive standouts Arvell Reese, Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald. Indiana also must avoid any special teams breakdowns like it had last year, when Caleb Downs’ punt return touchdown broke open the game.