Upsets Brewing for College Football Championship Weekend?
With championship weekend set to kick off later this evening, will we see upsets in any of the Power Five games?
Let’s look at the five matchups set to go down and for potential spots to target underdogs.
All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Pac-12 Championship: Utah (+125) vs. USC (-150)
The USC Trojans are back in contention before many expected them to be. Lincoln Riley has done an excellent job in his first season with the Trojans. They’ll be looking to avenge their only loss of the season, which was on October 15 against these same Utah Utes. It was a back-and-forth affair that ended with the Utes coming out on top 43-42, which coincides with the tight spread that we have, with the Trojans favored by 2.5 points. The College Football Playoff likely has only one seed up for grabs, and that’s if USC loses, meaning all eyes, especially those at Ohio State, will be watching this matchup. USC is a different team than they were in mid-October, while Utah has some warts that should be apparent in this contest. Take the Trojans minus the points.
Best Bet: Trojans -2.5 (-118)
Big-12 Championship: Kansas State (+116) vs. TCU (-140)
Like Utah and USC, Kansas State also met TCU earlier this season, but the undefeated and No. 3 ranked Horned Frogs got the better of the Wildcats, 38-28. Even though the game finished with a double-digit Kansas State loss, they had a 28-17 lead at halftime before being outscored 21-0 in the second half. The Wildcats can play with the Horned Frogs, and the line tells us as much, with TCU favored by just 2.5 points. Even if the Horned Frogs lose, you will not punish them for playing on championship weekend. Their berth in the playoff should be all but sealed, assuming they don’t lose this game by 50. TCU is the better team. Look for them to win, pulling away in the second half.
Best Bet: Horned Frogs -2.5 (-110)
SEC Championship: LSU (+640) vs. Georgia (-1000)
If LSU hadn’t entered this game with three losses, falling to Texas A&M last weekend, there’s a case to be made that a victory over Georgia could have cleared a path to the College Football Playoff. That won’t happen, so all the Tigers have to play for is the SEC title. It won’t be easy for LSU, up against a Georgia squad with unfinished business after last year’s SEC Championship. The Bulldogs are the top-ranked team in the country but have been known to play down to their competition. Still, this game will be their final tune-up ahead of the playoff, and they’ll want that top seed. Expect Georgia to win this matchup by three scores.
Best Bet: Bulldogs -17.5 (-110)
ACC Championship: Clemson (-310) vs. North Carolina (+245)
It’s been a weird year for the Clemson Tigers. There’s a ton of talent on this team, but there have been too many moments where they have fallen short. The Tigers should be up for this game, but the North Carolina Tar Heels will be ready. All eyes are on Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye, who has the potential to put this game on upset watch. That’s what we expect, so North Carolina has a lot of value in winning this game outright.
Best Bet: Tar Heels moneyline (+245)
Big Ten Championship: Purdue (+550) vs. Michigan (-820)
After a massive victory over rival Ohio State Buckeyes, the Michigan Wolverines will look to win their second consecutive Big Ten title. Is this a potential letdown spot for the Wolverines after an emotional victory last weekend? Absolutely. Still, Michigan has many advantages, listed as -820 favorites on the moneyline. The only real question should be if they can cover the spread and if there’s potential value in expecting them to do so during the second half.
Best Bet: Wolverines -16.5 (-110)
