NCAA Championship Week

I'm combining the Top 25 with the picks, since there are so few games.  Most of the conferences are still determining their champion this week; only four conferences already have their winner.  Florida International won the Sun Belt, regardless of what happens this week, since they hold the tiebreaker over Troy.  TCU won the Mountain West and finished unbeaten.  Oregon is the same, having won their conference and are currently unbeaten.  The Big Ten finished with a three-way tie.  Wisconsin won the BCS bid due to their BCS rating, but based upon the OLD Big Ten rules, Michigan State would be considered the winner.  Officially, it ends in a three-way tie.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  Oregon Ducks (11-0) [2]
2.  Auburn Tigers (12-0) [4]
3.  TCU Horned Frogs (12-0) [3]
4.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) [5]
5.  Stanford Cardinal (11-1) [6]
6.  Wisconsin Badgers (11-1) [8]
7.  Boise State Broncos (10-1) [1]
8.  Nevada Wolfpack (11-1) [9]
9.  Michigan State Spartans (11-1) [11]
10. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-2) [14]
11. Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) [13]
12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-2) [7]
13. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) [15]
14. Missouri Tigers (10-2) [17]
15. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) [12]
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) [16]
17. Northern Illinois Huskies (10-2) [19]
18. Utah Utes (10-2) [18]
19. LSU Tigers (10-2) [10]
20. Texas A&M Aggies (9-3) [20]
21. South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3) [21]
22. Florida State Seminoles (9-3) [22]
23. Central Florida Golden Knights (9-3) [23]
24. West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3) [25]
25. Hawaii Warriors (9-3) [NR]

On the Edge:  Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-3)
Dropped: NC State Wolf Pack [#24]

I'll start the picks with the days prior to Saturday, then I'll examine games by their conference.

Thurs Dec 2
Arizona State Sun Devils at Arizona Wildcats:  The Sun Devils aren't bowl eligible, and the Wildcats already are, but that doesn't matter.  These in-state rivalries are all about beating your opponent.  The Sun Devils will battle hard, but the Wildcats should prevail.  ARIZONA

Fri Dec 3
Illinois Fighting Illini at Fresno State Bulldogs:  Illinois is back on track, and Fresno has barely scraped by in their games, so I have to favor my Illini in this, especially since the Illini need this game to be bowl eligible.  The Bulldogs already have six FBS victories.  ILLINOIS

Big East - There are three games that could determine the conference winner:
UConn Huskies at South Florida Bulls:  If the Huskies win, they win the conference.  That's great motivation, and the Huskies have been strong during this second half of the season.  South Florida is getting some players back from injury, though, so they may surprise.  UCONN

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at #24 West Virginia Mountaineers:  If UConn falls, the door is open for West Virginia.  The Mountaineers are already guaranteed a bowl game, and they shouldn't have any trouble against Rutgers.  WEST VIRGINIA

Pitt Panthers at Cincinnati Bearcats:  Pitt has an outside chance if both UConn and West Virginia lose.  I don't see that happening, but Pitt still wants to win to ensure a bowl spot.  They should get that.  PITT

Pac-10
#1 Oregon Ducks at Oregon State Beavers:  The Beavers have been a bit disappointing this season, but if anything would inspire them to step up and play above themselves, it would be hosting the Ducks.  The Beavers have actually upset conference rivals three times in the last four seasons when they have to come to Corvallis, so the Beavers are hoping that this week will be it.  I don't think so, but they may slow down that vaulted Ducks offense.  OREGON

USC Trojans at UCLA Bruins:  Another fierce rivalry, records never matter for these games.  USC has stumbled recently, but so has UCLA.  I think this will be a close game, but the Trojans are hungry for a win.  They can't go to a bowl, so beating UCLA will be their bowl game.  USC

WAC - Another conference with a possibility of a three-way tie.  If they settle it by total record, then Nevada is actually in the lead.
#8 Nevada Wolfpack at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs:  Thanks to playing a 13th game and having just one loss, Nevada can win the WAC with a victory.  I don't think the Bulldogs will give them much trouble, so Nevada should get at least a share of their first WAC crown.  NEVADA

Utah State Aggies at #7 Boise State Broncos:  Boise is not unbeaten, and their loss to Nevada puts them in danger of missing the WAC title, but it's still been a good ride.  Beating Utah State will be the capper.  BOISE STATE

UNLV Running Rebels at #25 Hawaii Warriors:  Hawaii has an outside chance of winning the conference.  If Boise loses, Hawaii wins, since they hold the tiebreaker against Nevada.  A three-way would actually be the worst result for Hawaii.  They'll still go to a bowl game; likely their own.  HAWAII

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP - #17 Northern Illinois Huskies at Miami Ohio Redhawks:  Miami came on strong at the end of the season, but Northern Illinois has consistently shown the kind of firepower that wins conferences.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP - SMU Mustangs at #23 Central Florida Golden Knights:  SMU had some help to get here.  UCF was strong enough to get here on their own.  They shouldn't have too much trouble winning this one.  CENTRAL FLORIDA

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP - #22 Florida State Seminoles v #10 Virginia Tech Hokies:  For the first time since the ACC expanded, a team has won every single conference game in a season.  That's the Hokies.  While the Seminoles would love to end that streak, I don't think they will.  VIRGINIA TECH

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP - #2 Auburn Tigers v #21 South Carolina Gamecocks:  I think Alabama had the best chance to beat Auburn; they led at halftime, but faltered in the second half.  Stever Spurrier is capable of pulling off the upset, but I don't think the rest of the Gamecocks can do it.  AUBURN

BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP - #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers v #11 Oklahoma Sooners:  The rivalry continues, with a conference title and BCS bowl on the line!  They didn't play each other this year, so this is a grudge match with much at stake.  I expect the lead to switch several times.  The victor could be the last team to hold the ball.  Without knowing that, I like Oklahoma's chances.  OKLAHOMA