DawgsHQ Staff Predictions: Conference Championships

The regular season is in the books, and with that attention turns to the postseason. It’s conference championship Saturday (or Friday if you’re the PAC-12) in College Football, and to Georgia fans’ pleasure, their Bulldogs are in action. They’ll take on LSU for a chance to take home the SEC crown and likely lock up the top spot in the College Football Playoffs. Elsewhere things are interesting too. USC plays tonight to hold onto the No. 4 position. Some think that TCU would be in even with a loss, but the Horned Frogs won’t want to test the waters there. Meanwhile, Michigan, like Georgia, has its eyes on a second straight Playoff appearance as goes for the Big Ten title. Of course there’s the ACC out there too, plus all the Group of Five teams vying for a New Year’s Six spot. Here’s how the DawgsHQ crew thinks it’ll play out.

No. 1 Georgia (-17.5) vs. No. 14 LSU – 4:00 p.m. ET (CBS)

Palmer (31-32-1): Georgia took home the ultimate title in College Football last year, but oddly enough the SEC crown was one that evaded them. Kirby Smart has had equal amounts of success at Georgia winning the SEC Championship as he has the National Championship, and it has often been a loss on this stage that’s cost him and his team the opportunity to play for the bigger prize. Not this year. You’re looking at a Georgia team that’s got something to play for this season while its opponent could throw in the towel and you not notice. If they win this game they won’t be remembered. Georgia has a chance to be remembered and to do something that hasn’t been done in Athens since Smart’s second season. I think all that motivation carries Georgia to victory in a game that’s never that close – Dawgs cover – but doesn’t have the excitement some are hoping for. Prediction: Georgia 31, LSU 13

Reuse (25-38-1): LSU…what to make of the Tigers? A few nice wins under their belt, and a pretty thorough beating from the lowly Aggies last week. On the flip side, Georgia has been up and down in terms of consistency in-game, but ultimately, the results were all the same in the end. I think that pays off here. Georgia has shown it can win any number of types of games, from comebacks to beatdowns. What’s most encouraging, however, is that Georgia has played its best against the opponents it was supposed to. This is another of those opportunities, and I think the Dawgs will be dialed in for that reason. I look for a fast start from them in this one, and I don’t think they’ll have to look back. Defense comes up big. I bet Harold Perkins has a moment for the other side, as well. Not enough, though. Prediction: Georgia 31, LSU 10

Rowe (31-33): That’s a lot of points. I like Georgia to win and control the game, but do I like them to win by 18 or more? It all depends on the offensive game plan. Does Kirby Smart want or need to grind it out this week? If so, I’d take LSU for sure. I think Georgia will build a good lead with a balanced offense before going into a shell, similar to the Tennessee game. The 17.5 points puts this one in bad-beat territory because a touchdown or more greater than that and the foot comes off the gas. Prediction: Georgia 34, LSU 17

Wes (30-34): Well, the Costanza Method finally failed me. My gut told me Georgia wouldn’t cover against Georgia Tech, I faded myself, and my gut proved to be correct in the end. Does this mean I’ve turned a corner? I was unblemished on the sheet once I made this switch right before halfway in the season. Now I have a dilemma. Maybe my gut, is actually correct? Maybe, the Costanza Method was the perfect prediction probiotic? My gut tells me Georgia will play this one physical, run the ball, and make it difficult to cover. But the Costanza Method is resilient. Like a bad stomach bug, I’m not getting rid of it just yet. Prediction: Georgia 34, LSU 14

No. 6 USC (-2.5) vs. No. 11 Utah- Friday, 8:00 p.m ET (FOX)

Wes: Am I missing something here? Heisman Trophy favorite Caleb Williams and America’s darling, USC, only a 2.5-point favorite against a Utah team they barely lost to in the regular season? The Trojans made a resilient Notre Dame team look like a Catholic High School. With the CFB Playoff on the line, Lincoln Riley cooks this brisket perfectly. Prediction: USC (-2.5)

Palmer: USC (-2.5)

Reuse: USC (-2.5)

Rowe: USC (-2.5)

No. 3 TCU (-2.5) vs. No. 10 Kansas State – 12:00 p.m. ET (ABC)

Reuse: Kansas State has been a very solid team this year, but TCU has some magic about it, never more apparent than that walk-off field goal for the win against Baylor. I think the Horned Frogs realize they’re on the cusp of something special for the program (I mean the playoff. Don’t see them winning it), and they’ll be ready to seize that opportunity. Gimme some more heroics from Max Duggan and Sonny Dykes. Fun to follow to this point, and I think the ride continues. Prediction: TCU (-2.5)

Palmer: TCU (-2.5)

Rowe: Kansas State (+2.5)

Wes: TCU (-2.5)

No. 9 Clemson (-7.5) vs. No. 23 North Carolina – 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC)

Palmer: Here’s the anti-SEC Championship Game. If the slogan of that game is “It Just Means More,” this one just means less. The only thing on the line here is an Orange Bowl berth. Both teams are coming off of losses last week to in-state rivals. North Carolina is coming off of two straight losses while Clemson has two in the last month. Not a ton to play for here other than pride. I think we see a close game through because of that. Ultimately think Clemson ends up winning this one and covering the spread. Prediction: Clemson (-7.5)

Reuse: North Carolina (+7.5)

Rowe: Clemson (-7.5)

Wes: North Carolina (+7.5)

No. 2 Michigan (-16.5) vs. Purdue – 8:00 p.m. ET (FOX)

Rowe: Purdue is going to need a monumental effort to keep this one close and I think it will get it. Michigan torched whoever it played in the 2021 Big10 title game but the Wolverines are in a different place now. They’ll control the game but the’ll also miss Blake Corum, who is now done for the season after knee surgery. Prediction: (Purdue +16.5)

Palmer: Michigan (-16.5)

Reuse: Michigan (-16.5)

Wes: Michigan (-16.5)