Like It Is

Some drama left with conference title games

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban arrive for a press conference ahead of the NCAA college football national championship in Atlanta, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

It was so much fun picking football games this season that it will continue this weekend with a look at the Power 5 conference championship games.

Before getting into that there's this from my oversight committee. There is a bowl game in Texarkana on Saturday. Southern Arkansas University will take on Missouri Western State in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl at noon in Texarkana's Razorback Stadium. Tickets are just $10.

Last weekend the record was 8-1 bringing the season total to 93-26. The only loss was Texas A&M over LSU in seven overtimes, and while Ed Orgeron will get a reprimand from the SEC for questioning the officiating, yours truly won't. It seemed like some of the old Southwest Conference officials were calling the game.

Here are the Power 5 conference championship picks:

Georgia vs. Alabama

The experts believe the Crimson Tide are in the College Football Playoff regardless of the outcome of this game, and the Tide better hope the experts are right because this game doesn't look like a gimme even though Alabama is favored by 13 1/2.

The Tide also were favored in last year's national championship game, but the Bulldogs led 13-0 at the half only to see freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa get the call to start the second half. He was 14-of-24 passing for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a game-winning 41-yard pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime.

Georgia is a really good football team, too, and with a break or two things could go the Bulldogs' way. However, that said, this Alabama team may be the best college team ever, and if it finished 15-0 will definitely deserve to be in that argument. No doubt someone will bring up Army in the 1940's but the game has really changed since then.

Alabama has outscored its opponents 588-165 and that could make the University of Arkansas a future trivia question. Which team scored the most points on the Crimson Tide in 2018? Of course, that goes out the window if Georgia scores more than 31, and it could, but most likely won't. Alabama 38-28

Texas vs. Oklahoma

Of all the games left to be played this one has the highest over-under at 78 points. There just isn't much defense played in the Big 12 and the key tomorrow could be which team can make consecutive stops. If the Sooners win they are the favorite to make the College Football Playoffs over Ohio State because they are playing a higher ranked team.

This will be Kyler Murray's final chance to impress the Heisman Trophy voters as he will report to the Oakland A's for spring training next year. He was the ninth player taken in the last Major League Baseball Draft.

In their first meeting Texas led 45-24 going into the fourth quarter, but the Sooners tied it at 45 with 2:38 to play. It would not be enough as the Longhorns kicked a 40-yard winning field goal with :09 on the clock. Oklahoma 45-21

Ohio State vs. Northwestern

The Buckeyes will roll in this game looking for style points in hopes of overcoming Oklahoma with the Playoff Selection Committee, but they have a heavy weight around their neck after losing to Purdue and struggling with Nebraska and Maryland. Ohio State 66-30

Washington vs. Utah

The Pac-12 championship is practically meaningless in the big picture because the league is not very good, again. This game is tonight, so it may have decent TV ratings. Washington 27-17

Pittsburgh vs. Clemson

David had better odds against Goliath than the 7-5 Panthers against the 12-0 Tigers. Clemson 56-21

Sports on 11/30/2018