Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff Final Predictions

After one of the most chaotic seasons in Big 12 history, the conference championship matchup is finally set. Arizona State and Iowa State will face off in Arlington for the right to go to the College Football Playoff.

Despite there being a four-way tie in the standings, not many people could argue that these are the two best teams in the conference. The winner of this game will likely get a first-round bye if Clemson is able to knock off SMU. Nevertheless, everything is riding on this game for both of these teams.

Big 12 Title Prediction: No. 15 Arizona State vs. No. 16 Iowa State

The Sun Devils are playing the best football of anyone in the conference and have been for the last five weeks. Iowa State has recovered nicely from their two-game losing streak a couple of weeks ago, but they will still be a slight underdog in this matchup. The energy that Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham is bringing to their program is impossible to ignore. The Sun Devils will continue their march toward the playoffs by winning the Big 12 in the program's first season in the conference.

Playoff Field Prediction: The Top Four

1. Oregon (Big Ten Champion)

The Ducks are in an excellent position to secure the top seed. While it’s true that the fifth-seeded team might have a slightly easier path, the Ducks have consistently demonstrated their dominance throughout the season, making them the strongest team in the country. Plus, Penn State cannot win big games. It is hard to believe they will beat Oregon.

2. Georgia (SEC Champion)

The Bulldogs manhandled Texas the first time they played them. Kirby Smart is still the king of the SEC until proven otherwise, despite his team having some concerning performances during the season. Texas has still not proven much this year, with their best win coming against a now-unranked Texas A&M.

3. Boise State (MWC Champion)

Boise State is currently No. 10 in the rankings, putting them in a fantastic position to earn a first-round bye. It is also likely that they get the No. 3 seed if they can beat UNLV and if Clemson beats SMU.

4. Arizona State (Big 12 Champion)

Since the Sun Devils are only ranked No. 15, it is very unlikely that they would leapfrog Boise State if the Broncos also pick up a ranked win over UNLV. However, in this scenario they would still get a top-four seed with an SMU loss to Clemson.

The Rest of the Field:

5. Notre Dame

6. Texas

7. Ohio State

8. Tennessee

9. Penn State

10. Indiana

11. Clemson (ACC Champion)

12. SMU