Is TCU a better team than Ohio State? This is a valid question that emerged in the most recent College Football Playoff standings. The Buckeyes had sat in the top four before losing to Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines turned a close game into a 45-23 laugher in the second half. Meanwhile, TCU feasted on a seven-loss Iowa State team and moved up to #3, with USC sliding into the fourth spot ahead of their appearance in the Pac-12 Championship. TCU will face Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship, and the committee has the Wildcats ranked #10, even though they are playing with their second-string quarterback right now. It’s hard to argue that TCU could compete with Ohio State on the field, as the quality of competition in the Big 12 is comparable to what you find in the AAC. However, the CFP committee continues to overvalue the Big 12 and will likely continue to do so until Texas and Oklahoma move to the SEC. Let’s take a look at the latest rankings as well as some insights that will influence your College Football betting choices for the conference championship games.
NCAA News: College Football Top 25 and Betting Opportunities
#1 Georgia Bulldogs
#2 Michigan Wolverines
#3 TCU Horned Frogs
#4 USC Trojans
#5 Ohio State Buckeyes
#6 Alabama Crimson Tide
#7 Tennessee Volunteers
#8 Penn State Nittany Lions
#9 Clemson Tigers
#10 Kansas State Wildcats
#11 Utah Utes
#12 Washington Huskies
#13 Florida State Seminoles
#14 LSU Tigers
#15 Oregon State Beavers
#16 Oregon Ducks
#17 UCLA Bruins
#18 Tulane Green Wave
#19 South Carolina Gamecocks
#20 Texas Longhorns
#21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
#22 UCF Golden Knights
#23 North Carolina Tar Heels
#24 Mississippi State Bulldogs
#25 N.C. State Wolfpack
The Conference USA Championship is not getting the same amount of press as the Power 5 title games, but you can still make some money wagering in the Group of Five. UT-San Antonio looked like their unbeaten conference record was going down against UT-El Paso last week, but they roared back for the biggest comeback in the (admittedly short) history of the school, and they finished with an 8-0 C-USA record. The Roadrunners now face North Texas (7-5) in the conference title game. The Mean Green fell to UTSA in conference play, but they only lost by four. The game is set for the Alamodome in San Antonio, so expect a lot of home fans, but the Mean Green have alumni all over Texas. North Texas quarterback Austin Aune threw for 3,115 yards and 31 touchdowns during the season, but UTSA has Frank Harris and a corps of speedy wide receivers. De’Corian Clark (knee) is out, but there are plenty of other options such as Joshua Cephus and Zakhari Franklin. The point total is 66.5, but it would not surprise me to see the real total get close to 80. Take the over.
The AAC Championship features UCF (9-3, 6-2 AAC) and Tulane (10-2, 7-1 AAC). Tulane finished 2-10 in 2021, so they have pulled off the biggest win-loss turnaround in the nation. Quarterback Michael Pratt and tailback Tyjae Spears led a run-heavy offense that kept rolling over teams all season. They lost at home to UCF, 38-31, on November 12, and they look to get some revenge. Tulane is in the AAC Championship for the first time, while UCF is back in the title game for the first time since 2018. UCF has alternated between John Rhys Plumlee and Mikey Keene at quarterback this year, as their chase for a conference title has taken twists and turns. Both teams have productive offenses, so since the point total for this game is 56.5, I would take the over.
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