College football picks from ESPN's College GameDay for Championship Week

It's Championship Week time once again, and as college football kicks off its first postseason slate, let's lock in our final picks for the top games with help from ESPN's College GameDay.

ESPN's College GameDay reveals its final predictions for college football's most important Championship Week games. / Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images

Championship Week is here, and with it comes the traditional first taste of postseason games across the college football schedule, and with plenty to still sort out in the conference and playoff picture, the guys on ESPN’s College GameDay have revealed their predictions for today’s matchups.

ESPN’s College GameDay comes to us live this week from the 2024 SEC Championship Game, site of a bombshell rematch between Georgia and Texas, with the winner set to earn a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, while the loser plays a likely first-round game at home instead.

Penn State and Oregon meet for the Big Ten championship, and, much like in the SEC, the winner looks to secure that first-round bye while the loser settles for a home game in the first round.

Iowa State and Arizona State square off in the Big 12 Championship Game, and while neither team is currently projected to get the first round off, the winner of this matchup is guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff, although likely on the road in their first game.

The calculus for Clemson is easy enough: win, and it’s in; lose, and it’s out. That’s what’s at stake for the Tigers against league newcomer SMU in the ACC Championship Game.

For the Mustangs, a win should clinch a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, but a loss could prove very costly, with other Power Four teams lower down in the rankings waiting to pounce.

What can we look forward to as some major and historic Championship Week games kick off on Saturday?

Let’s take a turn around the country and lock in our final picks for the biggest games today with the help of the analysts on ESPN’s College GameDay.

College football Championship Week picks, predictions

SWAC Championship: Nick Saban stood alone picking Southern to take down Jackson State, while the others are going with the favorites.

MAC Championship: Guest picker Timothee Chalamet was the lone voice in favor of Ohio in what would be an upset over Miami.

Sun Belt Championship: Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Kirk Herbstreit are taking Marshall while Nick Saban is going with Louisiana.

Big 12 Championship: Howard and Herbstreit are taking the Cyclones to pull off a big upset while the others expect Cam Skattebo and the Sun Devils to run the ball to a win.

ACC Championship: Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit taking Clemson to get the upset over SMU and play its way into the College Football Playoff.

Big Ten Championship: A unanimous decision for Oregon to take down Penn State.

SEC Championship: Nick Saban flipped a coin to pick Texas over Georgia, but Pat McAfee stuck with the Bulldogs to make it two against the Longhorns.

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College Football HQ picks

Championship Week picks against the spread

College football predictions by expert model

What games you should watch today

Big 12 Championship Game: Arizona State vs. Iowa State

Expert model predicts Iowa State vs. Arizona State

ACC Championship Game: Clemson vs. SMU

Clemson vs. SMU score prediction by expert model

Big Ten Championship Game: Oregon vs. Penn State

Analytical model projects Penn State vs. Oregon

SEC Championship Game: Georgia vs. Texas

Expert model predicts Georgia vs. Texas

College Football Playoff Rankings for Championship Week

1. Oregon
2. Texas
3. Penn State
4. Notre Dame
5. Georgia
6. Ohio State
7. Tennessee
8. SMU
9. Indiana
10. Boise State
11. Alabama
12. Miami
13. Ole Miss
14. South Carolina
15. Arizona State
16. Iowa State
17. Clemson
18. BYU
19. Missouri
20. UNLV
21. Illinois
22. Syracuse
23. Colorado
24. Army
25. Memphis

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What the College Football Playoff looks like today

Playoff seeding is not necessarily the same as the CFP top 25 rankings position, given some teams will be given higher seeds as conference champions

First-Round Byes

No. 1 Oregon
Projected Big Ten champion

No. 2 Texas
Projected SEC champion

No. 3 SMU
Projected ACC champion

No. 4 Boise State
Projected Mountain West champion

First Round Games

No. 12 Arizona State at
No. 5 Penn State
Winner plays No. 4 Boise State

No. 9 Tennessee at
No. 8 Ohio State
Winner plays No. 1 Oregon

No. 11 Alabama at
No. 6 Notre Dame
Winner plays No. 3 SMU

No. 10 Indiana at
No. 7 Georgia
Winner plays No. 2 Texas

First two out: Miami, Ole Miss

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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