COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST EARLY BETS WEEK 15: THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Summary
This preview covers several college football conference championship games. In the Conference USA title game, Kennesaw State is favored to cover against Jacksonville State in a high-scoring contest. The Sun Belt Championship is expected to exceed the point total, while North Texas is predicted to cover and the over to hit in the American Athletic Championship. For the Mountain West, Boise State is favored to cover in another game projected to go over the total.
In Saturday’s games, the Big 12 Championship between BYU and Texas Tech is forecast to be high-scoring. Western Michigan is favored to cover against Miami (OH) in the MAC. Alabama is picked to cover against Georgia in the SEC, and the Big Ten Championship between Indiana and Ohio State is expected to surpass the point total. Finally, Virginia is predicted to cover against Duke in the ACC title game.
FRIDAY
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
KENNESAW STATE AT JACKSONVILLE STATE (-2.5, O/U: 59.5)
Kennesaw State (9-3) rolls into the Conference USA Championship on a two-game winning streak. They knocked off Liberty last week in a pool boy thrilling shootout, 48-42. Amari Odom was 14 of 23 for 240 yards, four touchdowns and no picks in the win. He carried the ball 13 times for 72 yards and a score. Coleman Bennett had 14 rushes for 92 yards and a TD. Gabriel Benyard caught four passes for 82 yards. The Gamecocks (6-4) bounced back from a one-score loss FIU with a 37-34 wild win over Western Kentucky last Saturday. Caden Creel was 12 of 19 passing for 204 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. He ran 20 times for 143 yards and a touchdown. Cam Cook had 25 carries for 137 yards and a score. Deondre Johnson caught five passes for 122 yards and a TD.
BEST BETS: Kennesaw State +2.5. Over 59.5
These two teams are used to high scoring games and when they last played three weeks ago, it was Jacksonville State who took it 35-26. I like the Owls to get some revenge here in another pinball machine contest.
SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP
TROY AT JAMES MADISON (-22.5, O/U: 47)
The Trojans (8-4) ended their 2025 regular season winning two straight, dragging Southern Miss behind their chariots to the tune of 28-18. Goose Crowder came out of his tent to go 24 of 34 for 285 yards, three touchdowns and a pick in the victory. Tae Meadows had 21 carries for 94 yards and a score. RaRa Thomas caught five balls for 118 yards and two TDs. James Madison (11-1) enjoyed an era of good feelings (that one is for the history nerds) by winning its 10th game in a row last week, beating the federalist out of Coastal Carolina, 59-10. Alonza Barnett III was 15 of 21 passing for 207 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the triumph. He kept the ball 10 times for 31 yards and a TD. Jobi Malary carried the ball 12 times for 154 yards and a score. Wayne Knight (not the Seinfeld one) rushed 18 times for 85 yards. Braeden Wisloski caught four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
BEST BETS: Over 47.5
While James Madison should have the continental troops to win this one, I’m not sure about the spread. I do think these teams can team up to make it a high scoring game, but Troy will be weeping over Patroclus when the final horn sounds.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP
NORTH TEXAS AT No. 24 TULANE (+2.5, O/U: 66)
North Texas (11-1) won its sixth straight to wrap the year, beating the hell out of Temple, 52-25, a week ago. Drew Mestemaker was 20 of 24 for 366 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Caleb Hawkins rushed 25 times for 186 yards and four TDs. Wyatt Young Caught six passes for 127 yards. Cameron Dorner caught four balls for 125 yards and a TD. The Green Wave (10-2) blanked Charlotte 27-0 to end the regular season. Jake Retzlaff was 28 of 38 for 291 yards. Jamauri McClure rushed 11 times for 69 yards. Anthony Brown-Stephens caught nine passes for 98 yards.
BEST BETS: North Texas -2.5, Over 66.5
North Texas has scored more than 52 points in four of their last five games and in the one where they didn’t hit 52, they still scored 31. Tulane has scored 24 or more in eight consecutive games. That over looks solid and I think the Meen Green will win the Battle of Verdes by at least a field goal.
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
UNLV AT BOISE STATE (-4, O/U: 58.5)
The Rebels (10-2) plowed through the Mountain West to end the season on a four-game win streak, knocking off Nevada last week, 42-17. Anthony Colandrea was 15 of 22 for 270 yards, one TD and two picks in the win. Jai’Den Thomas had 11 carries for 103 yards and four scores. Jaden Bradley caught three passes for 71 yards. Boise State (8-4) bounced back from two straight losses to win two in a row and wrapped up with a tight 25-24 over Utah State. Max Cutforth was 26 of 49 for 341 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Dylan Riley rushed 25 times for 120 yards and a score. Quinton Brown caught a 66-yard TDs. Matt Wagner had four grabs for 64 yards and a touchdown.
BEST BETS: Boise State -4, Over 58.5
The last time these two teams crossed paths, the Broncos won 56-31 so this over looks like a gift we should take in the Holiday spirit for which it was intended.
SATURDAY
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 11 BYU AT No. 5 TEXAS TECH (-13, O/U: 50)
BYU (11-1) kept its College Football Playoffs soaking with a 41-21 win over UCF a week ago. Bear Bachmeier was 21 of 25 for 289 yards, a TD and no interceptions in the victory. LJ Martin rushed 22 times for 95 yards and three scores. Parker Kingston caught six passes for 126 yards and a TD. The Red Raiders (11-1) humiliated West Virginia like they ran off with their prized pig, 49-0 last week. Behren Morton was 25 of 32 for 310 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions before he took a seat in the blowout. Cameron Dickey rushed 12 times for 79 yards. J’Koby Williams had 15 carries for 60 yards and a TD. Caleb Douglas caught five passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Terrance Carter, Jr. hauled in 10 balls for 98 yards.
BEST BET: Over 50
A month ago, Texas Tech handled the Cougars easily, 29-7, but I feel like those Mormons will bring a little more fire to the fight this time. The Red Raiders should still win, but I don’t trust the spread, and I do like them to combine for more than 50.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
MIAMI (OH) AT WESTERN MICHIGAN (-2.5, O/U: 43.5)
The Red Hawks (7-5) show up to this midday game after defeating Ball State 45-24 last week. Thomas Gotkowski was 12 of 24 for 226 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Jordan Brunson rushed 14 times for 54 yards and a score. D’Shawntae Jones had eight totes for 47 yards and a TD. Kam Perry caught two passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Western Michigan (8-4) won the battle of the big mitten, beating Eastern Michigan 31-21 a week ago. Noah Kim was 24 of 41 for 327 yards, two touchdowns and three picks in the win. Dantae McMillan rushed 11 times for 111 yards and a TD. He added four receptions for 126 yards and a TD.
BEST BET: Western Michigan -2.5
A little more than a month ago Miami (OH) won this matchup 26-17, but the Broncos have been on a solid streak since then. I think they’ll pull out a close one.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 GEORGIA AT No. 10 ALABAMA (+2.5, O/U: 47.5)
Georgia (11-1) held on for a 16-9 win over Georgia Tech in Rivalry Week, 16-9, to likely secure a spot in the playoff regardless of what happens Saturday. Gunner Stockton was 11 of 21 for 70 yards, a touchdown and a pick in the win. Nate Frazier rushed 16 times for 108 yards. Zacharia Branch caught five passes for 53 yards and a score. The Crimson Tide (10-2) outlasted Auburn in the Iron Bowl, 27-20. Ty Simpson was 19 of 35 for 122 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 10 rushes for 31 yards. Jam Miller carried the ball 15 times for 83 yards. Isaiah Horton caught five passes for 35 yards and three scores.
BEST BET: Bama +2.5
I don’t care that Nick Saban isn’t coaching the Tide, I’m going to need to see the Bulldogs win this one, which they haven’t done since Jan. 10, 2022, before I believe they can. And even that was after losing to Alabama 41-24 in the 2021 SEC Championship.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 2 INDIANA AT No. 1 OHIO STATE (-4.5, O/U: 48)
The Hoosiers (12-0) put it to Purdue last week, winning 56-3 in a laugher. Fernando Mendoza was 8 of 15 for 117 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions before he hit the sidelines and was replaced by his brother who went 2 for 2 for 76 yards and a score. Roman Hemby carried the ball 12 times for 152 yards and a TD. Kaelon Black rushed 12 times too for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State (12-0) got the monkey off Ryan Day’s back, beating Michigan, finally, 27-9. Julian Sayin was 19 of 26 for 233 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the win. Bo Jackson rushed 22 times for 117 yards. Carnell Tate caught five passes for 82 yards.
BEST BET: Over 48
I’ve got too much faith in Mendoza to fall in love with that spread. I still think OSU will win, especially since Ryan Day’s Grecian formula finally pushed him past the Wolverines. I think the Hoosiers will live up to the hype and we’ll blow past this 48 points to set the stage for an epic rematch in the National Championship Game.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
DUKE AT No. 18 VIRGINIA (-3.5, O/U: 56.5)
Duke (7-5) earned its spot in the ACC title game the hard way, knocking off Wake Forest 49-32 last week. Darian Mensah was 24 of 35 for 268 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He added a TD on the ground. Nate Sheppard rushed 23 times for 75 yards and two scores. Anderson Caslte scored two times as well. Cooper Barkate caught eight passes for 83 yards. The Cavaliers (10-2) won the battle of the State for Lovers, beating Virginia Tech 27-7. Chandler Morris was 21 of 35 passing for 182 yards, no TDs and no picks. J’Mari Taylor tossed the lone TD pass to Sage Ennis and added 20 carries for 80 yards and a score. He also caught four passes for 34 yards.
BEST BET: Virginia -3.5
These two teams played just three weeks ago, with the Cavs winning easily, 34-17. This spread shows a lot of respect for the Blue Devils, which just makes it better for us.
Follow Adam Greene on Blue Sky @AdamGreene13, threads @adam.greene and Twitter @TheFirstMan
