Conference Championships are still IMPORTANT. PERIOD! It is ( should be ) the #1 goal/target (not targeting!) for any team to work for beginning in the off season. Sorry that Notre Dame (and a few others) are missing out on this! ND, test driving the ACC does NOT count and is kinda like saying “I support the environment and drive an EV” because your 1981 Dodge has a battery in it. Ok…moving on.
Biggest implications this week are for TCU and USC to win and stay in the CFP. If your favorite commercial on TV is the Allstate Mayhem guy, then you want them to lose and it is not a stretch noting who they play!!
Padre is continuing his non-stop vigils for UF recruiting and transfer portal procurement but is ready to prognosticate Championship Weekend.
Padre’s Championship Predictions
Most Boring Championship Week in History (or as long as I can remember….which may honestly be like a year!)
Pac-12 Championship – Hollywood vs. Holy-wood Championship
Utah 31 USC 30
Utah gets the upset to allow Ohio State into the Playoff. And the rest of the country just puked.
MAC Championship – This game is not on a Wednesday night? Championship
Toledo 23 Ohio 20
I literally know nothing about these 2 teams. This is a pure guess. Rockets sound cooler than Bobcats. So, Rockets by 3.
Big 12 Championship – The Jerry Jones is Very disappointed it isn’t Texas and Oklahoma Classic Championship
Kansas State 34 TCU 33
TCU’s run (sadly), well, runs out of gas. The Manhattan (KS) Project throws a bomb into the CFP discussions.
Sunbelt Championship – The Mullet Hairdo and Light Beer Championship Game
Troy 27 Coastal Carolina 20
Deep South Alabama vs. Dirty Myrtle. I used to live somewhat near Troy. I have a soft spot for them. So…… I say someone from the State of Alabama is winning a title game on Saturday. War Troy and Roll Trojans Roll!
SEC Championship – The I can’t believe it’s not Bama Championship
Georgia 37 LSU 16
It’s not as close as the score, but Georgia gets bored and let’s it seem closer than it actually is – giving other CFP teams hope. A hope the Dawgs will eventually chew up like a little toy! ( puke again! )
AAC Championship – The Preparation Conference for the Future Big 12 Teams Championship
UCF 26 Tulane 24
Gold is more valuable than green. And I still don’t know how Tulane is good at football.
ACC Championship – The We put this Game on Late because the SEC owns Mid-Day Championship
Clemson 34 North Carolina 23
My UF and UNC fan 11 year old son was heart-broken at the N C State game last week. I keep taking him to these games and his teams keep losing. I can’t decide if I am teaching him valuable lessons about losing or if I am a bad parent for taking him to games that may break his heart. I’ll go with the valuable lesson! OH WAIT, I ask him to be a Gator fan too. That probably counts as emotional abuse in some way. I am not a good parent, am I??
Big 10 Championship – The We Seriously thought it would Always be Wisconsin or Nebraska Against Ohio State ( or maybe Michigan) Championship
Michigan 34 Purdue 24
Harbaugh and his Wolverines will be going to the playoff, AGAIN! Back to Back years!! If you saw that coming 5 years ago, I want you to let me know your next lottery number predictions.
So, what does all this mean? Well, if I am right about USC and TCU, then the CFP Committee will have to pick between TCU and Bama for that 4th spot ( USC would be done). I think…..they will……actually pick Bama!
CFP on Sunday = (1) Georgia, (2) Michigan, (3) Ohio State, and (4) Bama ( Puke for a third time! ) A 12 team playoff cannot come soon enough!!!! PADRE OUT!!!
ZT back from the road, again. Hotels, Meetings, Group Meals…..it just goes on and on (alot like your prognostications ZT!!! ) but back home and ready to prognosticate!
Pac-12 Championship – Friday 7pm cst Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas
#12 Utah Utes vs #4 USC Trojans
Revenge is a dish best served cold….or in Allegiant Stadium. USC would be undefeated except for a 43-42 loss to the Utes in Salt Lake City. This one should be fun as the Utes have scored 34+ points 9 times this season. QB Cameron “my stock is always” Rising has 22 TDs in the air, 7 on the ground and only 7 INTs. HC Kyle Whittingham’s Defense is solid and held Oregon to only 20 points 2 weeks ago. USC is not the same team the Utes played last time. Former OU trader, I mean transfer, QB Caleb Williams leads an offense averaging over 42 PPG in their last 8 games. ZT noticed by his actions in the ND game he must have been hanging out with the cast of Jersey Shore or the Housewives of Jerks of Southern Cal. Doesn’t mean he isn’t a great player, just ask him. ZT wants Mayhem and the UTES but….. Trojans 35 Utes 31
Big 12 Championship – Saturday 11am cst Jerry World
#13 Kansas State Wildcats vs #3 TCU Horned Frogs
Purple Power Cats vs. Horned Frogs…..Assume Ace Ventura and Dr. Doolittle are announcing this one? Another rematch ….1st time K State was up 28-10 before the Horned Frogs hopped on the O-Train and score 28 unanswered in Ft. Worth for the W (come on ZT..please don’t toss in more animal dung in this one!). K State offense is fun to watch with QB Will Howard leading the charge after “Yo”Adrian Martinez was injured ( ok ZT, no Rocky crap either! ). ZT LOVES RB Deuce Vaughn and who, other than opposing defenses, wouldn’t?!? Over 1200 yds rushing and 40 receptions spells NFL to ZT!! How can you not love the Horned Frogs…..unless you have Ranidaphobia. ZT had this as a child from watching a show called Land of the Lost and they had some nasty creatures called Sleestaks that looked like walking frogs……also dated a girl that looked alot like Chaka which likely was more of an issue than the walking frogs….Where were we.. Oh yes, TCU…QB Max Duggan should be in NYC with his 3,000 + yds and 29 TDs with 5 more on the ground and an undefeated season with multiple comeback wins. Connects on over 66% of his passes. Don’t forget RB Kendre Miller has over 1200 yds and 16 TDs. Purple Power Cats likely headed to Sugar Bowl and TCU, well…CFP if they win. Upset Special Purple Power Cats 35 De-Horned Toads on a cloudy day 31
SEC Championship – Saturday 3pm cst Mercedes Benz Stadium Atlanta
#11 LSU Tigers vs #1 Georgia Bulldogs
Brian Kelly had to buy new pants after he soiled his at College Station last week. Forget the CFP but a SEC Championship and ruining the Dawgs perfect season is plenty of motivation. Only issue?…you don’t beat Georgia by just being motivated. LSU QB Jayden “Jack” Daniels “if you please” is a little banged up but will be ready for this one. Last time Georgia won 2 championships in a row? Hershel Walker was the RB (ZT knows this because he is receiving no less than 25 emails daily direct from Hershel). If Dawgs can establish the ground game with Kenny “G” McIntosh, Daijun Edwards, and Kendall Milton, this one is over early. LSU must get some pressure on QB Bennett and Dawgs must contain QB Daniels ( Thanks ZT, you going for another Captain Obvious analysis award with that?? ). Kirby wins and ask Santa for a new visor for Christmas. DAWGS 38 Tired Tigahs 20
AAC Championship – Saturday 3pm cst Yulman Stadium New Orleans
#22 UCF Knights vs #18 Tulane Green Wave
The Gus Bus heads to NOLA and he now has 9 wins in each of his 1st 2 seasons. Offense averages over 35 PPG while Defense allows about 21 PPG. That will typically get you 9+ wins! Knights did beat the Green Wave a few weeks ago 38-31. 9 UCF players made the All-AAC team, 4 on the O-line along with RB Isaiah “I wear tight trousers” Bowser ( power runner with 13 TDs and tight pants as noted ). QB is Ole Miss defector John Rhys Plumlee who is dual threat. Green Wave has offensive weapons with QB Michael Pratt and RB Tyjae “I don’t listen to Brittany” Spears. Like the Green Wave Defense and ZT knows it is hard to beat a good team twice. Green Wave 31 Knights back on the bus with Gus 30
ACC Championship – Saturday 7pm cst B. of America Stadium Charlotte
#10 Clemson Tigers vs #24 UNC Tar Heels
Well…no longer a play-in game for the CFP but, as noted in the opening, WIN YOUR CONFERENCE!!! UNC on a 2 week slide while Clemson lost to the other USC, so who can dig deep and win the ACC?!? UNC QB Drake May likely surpasses 4,000 yds in the air this week and has 35 TDs and only 5 INTs…….oh yea, he is also the leading rusher for Dancing Mack’s Tar Heels. Not surprising the offense is ranked #19 with only 1 problem, the defense is ranked #100 in PPG and #118 in YPG. Dabo’s Tigers are surprisingly #22 in PPG and #45 in YPG with the defense in Top 30 in most all categories. QB DJ U. ( ZT tired of spelling it ) likely wins the Duncan Yo-Yo award for his inconsistent play. RB Will “when I hit you, you’ll need Advil” Shipley can be the difference maker in this one. Orange Tigers 38 Blue, Blue Christmas TarHeels 24
Big 10 Championship – Saturday 7pm Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis
#31 Purdue Boilermakers vs # 2 Michigan Wolverines
Wolverines are #2 for a reason. They have earned it! Only question is will they have a let down after the big win in Columbus? Boilermakers HC Jeff “I’m as calm as a H-Bomb” Brohm is good at preparing teams to take out higher ranked foes, hence the nickname Spoilermakers. The prize? A BIG 10 Title and their 1st outright title since 1929 (same year Joe Biden was starting QB at Scranton PA High School per Joe) and they haven’t shared one since 2000. Oh yea, a trip to the Rose Bowl as well!! Harbaugh noted this in his post game presser. Michigan got some bad news with RB Blake Corum skipping this one for some knee surgery but they thumped OSU without him. QB JJ McCarthy (17 TDs and only 2 INTs ) and RB Donovan Edwards can make it happen and they have the #3 scoring defense so. No weather inside Lucas Oil Stadium is a help to Purdue’s attack but it ain’t near enough. Wolverines 35 Dudes needing Fireball and a Beer 17
Special Prognostication
Sunbelt Championship – Veteran Stadium Troy Alabama 230pm
#34 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs #26 Troy Trojans
Exciting times for the Men of Troy as they host the Sunbelt Championship. The big question is will CC QB Grayson McCall be able to play after missing almost a month with a foot injury. He still threw for over 2800 yds & 27 TDS in a shortened season while RB Shemari ” Ferrari” Jones was able tote the rock (ZT, that’s another Progressive Becoming your Parents phrase!) . Trojans win but win close with many wins by 1 score. HC Jon Sumrall has a balanced teams with decent offense and strong defense ( ranked #8 nationally ). Game is in Troy. Expect a lower scoring affair. Teams’ named Trojans get 2nd win in 24 hours. Trojans 27 Fictional Roosters 20
Padre and ZT back next week for the Army Navy game then a break ( mostly for those of you crazy enough to keep reading this ) till near New Years!!
Pigskin Prognostications by the Piedmont Padre and Zimmern's Twin 