NCAA Football Week 13 Top 25 and Conference Championships

We had an interesting rivalry weekend, where the underdog won most games between ranked teams.  Several games between ranked and unranked teams ended up with the underdog winning, too, which is an interesting lead-in to the conference championships.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0) [1]
2. Clemson Tigers (12-0) [2]
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) [3]
4. UCF Golden Knights (11-0) [5]
5. Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) [7]
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) [8]
7. Oklahoma Sooners (11-1) [6]
8. Michigan Wolverines (10-2) [4]
9. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3) [13]
10. Fresno State Bulldogs (10-2) [14]
11. Boise State Broncos (10-2) [15]
12. Washington State Cougars (10-2) [8]
13. Utah State Aggies (10-2) [11]
14. Appalachian State Mountaineers (9-2) [17]
15. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-2) [18]
16. Texas Longhorns (9-3) [16]
17. LSU Tigers (9-3) [10]
18. West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3) [12]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4) [20]
20. Florida Gators (9-3) [22]
21. Army Black Knights (9-2) [21]
22. Washington Huskies (9-3) [23]
23. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-4) [24]
24. Syracuse Orange (9-3) [25]
25. Buffalo Bulls (10-2) [NR]

Dropped off: UAB Blazers [#19]
On the Edge:  Temple Owls (8-4), Memphis Tigers (8-4), Utah Utes (9-3), North Texas Mean Green (9-3), Houston Cougars (8-4)

I will go over the conference championship games in order they will be played.
MAC Championship: #25 Buffalo Bills v Northern Illinois Huskies:  The Huskies are always dangerous, as they have been here many times, but I really like the Bulls.  Buffalo has the best offense in the conference, but Northern Illinois has the best defense.  The Huskies are great at causing turnovers, and then making the most of those turnovers.  If Buffalo can prevent making mistakes, this conference title will be theirs.  BUFFALO

Pac-12 Championship: Utah Utes v #22 Washington Huskies:  Utah comes into this game on a three-game winning streak, and an offense that has been improving as the season progressed.  For Washington, defense has been a stronger focus than offense, and that defense stymied the best offense in the conference last week (although the snow may have helped).  Despite the preference for a fancy and quick offense, a well-played defense is crucial in title games, and Washington plays defense very well.  Utah has the tools to win this game, but I have to favor the Apple Bowl champs.  WASHINGTON

Big XII: #16 Texas Longhorns v #7 Oklahoma Sooners:  The Big XII Conference wanted a faux conference championship, thinking they needed an additional game to impress the playoff selection committee.  That might bite them in the butt here.  Texas has already beaten Oklahoma once at a neutral site, and that was before Texas had fully gotten their offense coordinated.  They are even more deadly now.  What's worse is Oklahoma's defense, which has faltered in the last month.  Over this time, their opponents have averaged 47 points per game.  Yes, Oklahoma won those games, but only in the case of Kansas did they win by more than 3 points.  Texas has the ability and talent to upset the Sooners, and I think they will.  That will cause the Sooners, and the Big XII's, playoff chances to evaporate.  So much for the philosophy of a conference championship.  TEXAS

Sun Belt: Louisiana Ragin Cajuns at #14 Appalachian State Mountaineers:  Talk about strong defenses, that's the Mountaineers.  Louisiana got past perennial winner Arkansas State to reach the conference championship, but getting past Appalachian State will be too much.  APPALACHIAN STATE

Conference USA:  UAB Blazers at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders:  UAB is one of the few conference championship teams coming into the game on a loss.  In fact, they've lost two in a row.  Worse, the team who just beat them is this same Blue Raiders team, and they handily destroyed them.  UAB will spend this week examining that game, so they may be more competitive, but I fear another loss in the works here.  The Raiders have really improved their offense in the past few weeks, and that offense shredded the Blazers last week.  I don't see much changing in the rematch.  MIDDLE TENNESSEE

American Athletic: Memphis Tigers at #4 UCF Golden Knights:  I'm sure Memphis would like the chance to finally end UCF's winning streak, but I don't see it.  Yes, they beat Houston last week, but Houston's defense had been faltering for a few weeks.  UCF is strong, sturdy, and seemingly indestructible.  UCF

SEC: #1 Alabama Crimson Tide v #5 Georgia Bulldogs:  Many of the national analysts are looking at a potential Georgia upset.  That's because the SEC favoritism spurs them to want another Georgia v Alabama national championship.  Ain't gonna happen.  No discredit to Georgia, but they don't match up as well.  Alabama had some struggles last year, especially with injuries.  This year, they have the toughest defense in the SEC (although Mississippi State comes close) and the best offense BY FAR. No other team in the SEC comes within 100 points and 75 yards per game than Alabama.  And after engineering two masterful second half performances in a row the past two weeks, this team knows they can accomplish anything, so nothing Georgia does will slow them or discourage them.  ALABAMA

Mountain West: #10 Fresno State Bulldogs at #11 Boise State Broncos:  Boise State earned their spot in this game by slowing the best offense in the country.  That shows the strength of their defense.  The only defense better in the conference?  Their opponent in this game.  Fresno State is potent, allowing only one team to score more than 20 points against them.  That team was Boise State.  This game will be close, and the lead will switch, but I think Fresno State will have learned about the Broncos from their last game, and come better prepared.  FRESNO STATE

ACC: #2 Clemson Tigers v Pittsburgh Panthers:  This one has the makings to be the most one-sided conference championship of them all, even more than the Sun Belt.  CLEMSON

Big Ten: Northwestern Wilcats v #6 Ohio State Buckeyes:  Northwestern got here by winning some incredible close games, and causing some turnovers at key moments.  Okay, the turnover part might be a concern for Ohio State, but as far as close games?  Ohio State has had only three, and won them all.  I don't see Northwestern winning this game.  OHIO STATE