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- Jacob Rhee

I was only planning to make predictions for the college football regular season, but I feel like giving out more rewards. Same rules apply; every time I pick a winner incorrectly, it costs me $15 in rewards. I will be predicting the outcomes of the Power Four conference championship games, as well as all 11 playoff contests. That’s 15 extra chances to inflate the Prize Pot. Let’s go.

Big 12 Championship Game: No. 16 Iowa State vs No. 15 Arizona State

The pick: Arizona State wins, 31-26.

Here is 2024 Cam Skattebo, lined up next to the regular season stats of a mystery former collegiate running back. Both guys were on a major-conference team with realistic national title hopes. Who is Player B?

Player B is Mark Ingram, in his 2009 Heisman-winning campaign at Alabama. Skattebo’s numbers are essentially identical, yet he likely won’t be invited to New York in a couple of days.

I don’t really know what my point is here; I guess I’m just urging you to pay attention to the kid. The media won’t have any choice but to discuss Cam in a few hours, when he drags his mediocre supporting cast into the bracket. It’s time to party, Tempe.

SEC Championship Game: No. 5 Georgia vs No. 2 Texas

The pick: Georgia wins, 34-30.

There’s no doubt that the Longhorns look like the better team right now. But how can you take them to win this game with any sort of confidence after what we witnessed in October? It was one of the most anticipated home contests in Texas’s history, and the Dawgs absolutely dominated.

Things should be tighter this time around, but I’ll trust Kirby Smart over Steve Sarkisian on a big stage all day. Georgia grabs a first-round bye.

Big Ten Championship Game: No. 3 Penn State vs No. 1 Oregon

The pick: Oregon wins, 33-17.

This is massive for the Nittany Lions. A victory gives them just their second outright conference title in the last two decades. Perhaps more importantly, the narrative about the program wilting under the bright lights would evaporate.

I watched a soft Ohio State squad walk into Happy Valley and throw James Franklin’s crew around in the trenches. I expect the Ducks to follow suit. The ever-underappreciated Jordan James gets rolling in the second half, and Oregon wins the Big Ten four months after joining it.

ACC Championship Game: No. 17 Clemson vs No. 8 SMU

The pick: SMU wins, 27-24.

I stared at this one for quite some time. I ultimately threw up my hands and went with the more consistent group.

The Tigers have a sizable talent advantage, and the crowd in Charlotte should be firmly in their corner. But Phil Mafah’s injury really scares me. If Clemson can’t establish the run, Cade Klubnik is going to have to drop back 38 times and be a hero; I just have a hard time believing that he’d come through. The guy has faced eight ranked opponents in his college career. Four passing touchdowns, five interceptions.

Kevin Jennings - who was behind Klubnik and 130 other quarterbacks in the 2022 recruiting class - will prove that he’s a true star tonight. SMU wins on a field goal as time expires, and turns up the temperature on Dabo Swinney’s seat.

My predictions for the 12-team College Football Playoff field:

1) Oregon (Big Ten champion)

2) Georgia (SEC champion)

3) SMU (ACC champion)

4) Boise State (Mountain West champion)

5) Notre Dame

6) Texas

7) Penn State

8) Ohio State

9) Tennessee

10) Indiana

11) Alabama

12) Arizona State (Big 12 champion)

• Week 14 Results: 1-5

• Overall Season Picks Record: 58-26

• Current CFB Prize Pot: $390

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