The last full season of college football has been played for the 2016 season, and we are on to Conference Championship weekend, where some very odd things have occurred. Here is my breakdown on what is coming up this week:
Friday
PAC-12: Colorado (10-2) vs. Washington (11-1)
Colorado blows into the conference title game on a six game winning streak, and one thing can be said about the Buffs, and that is they are doing it without playing their best football week in and week out. Special teams were a mess in their South clinching 27-22 win over Utah, and the offense was not always on par. With that said, the Buffs have been playing their best defense in years, and that has carried them a long way.
Washington has just one loss to USC, and are probably glad not to be playing the Trojans again in this title match. Colorado could make things rough for QB Jake Browning if they follow the USC game plan against him, which Washington State certainly did not in the Apple Cup, which the Huskies won 45-17 in Pullman.
Projection: Washington gets into the national playoff with a win here, and they do seem to have the deeper roster, but Colorado is a tough out, and has some serious talent as well. I still see Washington as having just enough to get this done this week.
Washington to the playoffs, Colorado to the Rose Bowl
MAC: Western Michigan (12-0) vs. Ohio (8-4)
The story here is PJ Fleck and his exciting Western Michigan squad, which has been fairly dominant all season long. The most narrow margin of victory all season was the opener against Northwestern, a one point win. Since then, the most narrow margin of victory was 14 against Eastern Michigan...in October. WMU is 12-0, and rolling off of a 55-35 win over Toledo, their toughest competition all season.
Ohio has not been as tough lately, and is coming off of a sluggish 9-3 win over Akron in the regular season finale. The Bobcats had lost to Central Michigan the week before, and are limping into this title match Friday night.
Projection: Western Michigan is still streaking and may be getting better with each snap this season, and has one of the best pass/catch combos in the nation on Zach Terrell and Corey Davis. With Ohio struggling entering this game, I don't see very high chances of a Bobcat upset here.
Western Michigan to the Cotton Bowl, Ohio to Bahamas (tentative)
Next...Saturday Conference Title Game Preview
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