College football picks: FanSided expert predictions

It’s Championship Week in college football and the FanSided experts are back to pick winners from the Power 5 championship games.

This is it. This is the week we’ve been waiting for. The conference championship games are upon us and we’ll find out who will not only be the kings of their respective conferences but we’ll have a really good idea who will be the four teams to make up the College Football Playoff.

If the four teams currently in the top four this weekend, that will be it, and there will be no drama on Sunday afternoon when the selection show reveals the committee’s field.

Clemson, Auburn, Oklahoma and Wisconsin hold the top four spots now but if one of them loses it will open the door to the possibility that No. 5 Alabama can sneak in the back door despite not winning their conference championship, just like Ohio State did last year.

So along with my college football editor, Jack Jorgensen, we’re making our picks for the Power 5 conference championship games. And before you ask, we’re both on the UCF bandwagon, so we like the Knights to remain undefeated and McKenzie Milton to put the finishing touches on his Heisman resume. He’s worthy of being a finalist.

Okay, now let’s get to our predictions.

College Football Picks

Pac-12 Championship Game: No. 12 Stanford vs. No. 10 USC – 8 p.m.

Schmidt: USC
Jorgensen: Stanford

USC beat Stanford by 18 points back in Week 2 and I think that’ll hold up nearly three months later. This game will be closer than the regular season meeting but I think the Trojans are too good. Stanford has played exceptionally well in the last month of the season as running back and Heisman hopeful, Bryce Love has gotten healthy, so that’s why Jack has David Shaw’s team winning.

Big 12 Championship Game: No. 11 TCU vs. No. 3 Oklahoma – 12:30 p.m.

Schmidt: Oklahoma
Jorgensen: Oklahoma

Another rematch from the regular season where Baker Mayfield and the Sooners beat TCU by 18 earlier this month. Oklahoma is one of the two hottest teams in the country and could make that blowout win look tame in the rebirth of the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday afternoon.

SEC Championship Game: No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 2 Auburn – 4 p.m.

Schmidt: Auburn
Jorgensen: Auburn

Another rematch from the regular season that was a one-sided affair. Auburn beat Georgia 40-17 only three weeks ago and are coming off a win over then-No. 1 Alabama. They have the confidence knowing they already beat this team and as long as running back Kerryon Johnson’s injured shoulder holds up, the Tigers should emerge victoriously.

Big Ten Championship Game: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Wisconsin – 8 p.m.

Schmidt: Ohio State
Jorgensen: Ohio State

This game has the most intrigue because a win by Ohio State could force the committee to let a Buckeyes team that lost by 15 at home to Oklahoma and by 35 at a 7-5 Iowa team would be unprecedented in the three years of this playoff system. J.T. Barrett will be ready to play after undergoing surgery on his knee that was tweaked in the win vs. Michigan. Wisconsin is the lone undefeated Power 5 team but the Badgers enter the game as a 6-5 point underdog, so don’t call it an upset if Ohio State gets the win we are predicting.

ACC Championship Game: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 7 Miami – 8 p.m.

Schmidt: Clemson
Jorgensen: Clemson

Hey, a conference championship game that’s not a game we already saw this year. Unfortunately, I don’t think this game is going to be all that competitive or fun to watch. Miami is running on fumes with injuries catching up to them and are reeling after a loss to Pitt, their first of the season. Is there enough power in the turnover chan to upset the No. 1 team and the defending champions? Maybe. But we’re not about to bank on that.

Overall Record: Schmidt 46-19, Jorgensen 35-30

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College Football picks: FanSided expert predictions for Championship Weekend

By Patrick Schmidt | Dec 1, 2017