CFB Picks: Championship Week

Here is Championship Week and our last week of picks until the bowl series. We are going to do a Bowl Challenge where they will be a Facebook invite, Twitter invite and just an overall blog post. We will probably do it for a StubHub gift card like always. If you have an idea for a better prize, let me know.

B1G Championship
2. Ohio State vs. 10. Michigan State 7:17 pm FOX - I am very excited for this game. I think everyone should be pretty pumped to see this two teams. On one hand, you have Ohio State who is feeling like they are getting disrespected by everyone leading them to having a massive chip on their shoulder. Everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop with Ohio State. Carlos Hyde would be a Heisman award candidate if he was not a dumbass at the beginning of the year. Hyde is a bruising back and needs to find holes in the tough Michigan State defense to control this clock and win this game.

As for Michigan State's defense, they are mean. One of the scariest defenses you will ever see in college football. They can stop both the pass and running attacks. Braxton Miller has a tendency to fumble the football, and Michigan State will be looking for the strip. While I believe Ohio State is a great team, I like Michigan State in this matchup as their defense stands tall. MSU 20-17

SEC Championship
5. Missouri vs. 3. Auburn 3:00 pm CBS - TIGER BOWL. A fun non-traditional SEC title game. Missouri is a team who always is the groomsmen or bridesmaid at the end of the year. They never seem to reach the pinnacle. Everyone talks about their tough defense, but in reality, it is a surface level thing. They have a mean as hell pass rush, but other than that, there is no much there. Honestly, they have not really stopped the run as well as you think they would being heralded as this great defense. I feel like Auburn can expose them a bit with big performances from Tre Mason and Nick Marshall and continue their magical run. AUB 35-20

Pac-12 Championship
7. Stanford at 11. Arizona State 6:45 pm ESPN - I have a weird feeling this might be the best game of the day. If no one is giving Ohio State, then the world is not giving Arizona State credit. Sun Devils are dominating teams of late, and have been playing great football including a big road win against UCLA. But they will likely be without Marion Grice, their star running back. Can Taylor Kelly really carry this team against a tough Cardinal defense? I am not so sure. Tyler Gaffney becomes the difference in this one as he is able to control the clock and win the game for Stanford. STAN 27-23

Big 12 Games that aren't championship games but good games -
17. Oklahoma at 6. Oklahoma State 11:00 am ABC - It is currently horrid conditions with about one to two inches of snow on the turf. I am not sure if either of these teams have played in conditions like these ones. But when it comes to cold games you have to look towards the running game. Oklahoma lost Damien Williams a couple weeks ago and that will hurt this week. Oklahoma State's attack of Desmond Roland and Clint Chelf will push them ahead in Bedlem and into the BCS. OK STATE 21-14

25. Texas at 9. Baylor 2:30 pm FOX - Fair to say Baylor is on shaky ground, or do they just miss home? They are a different team when playing in Waco. If Oklahoma State loses, this becomes a de facto Big 12 Championship game so maybe hope for that to get a better product on the game. Texas can definitely wear a defense down running the football, and they will need to do that to keep Baylor's offense off the field. This is a game though where Bryce Petty needs to come up big. He has struggled in his last two games, and he needs a defining performance against a good team. I think he does it here and gets the win for the Bears. BAY 35-30

ACC Championship
20. Duke vs. 1. Florida State 7:00 pm ABC - First of all, I think a 29 point spread is too high for this game. Second of all, I am interested to see Jameis Winston on this night. He knows the world is watching and if he plays well, he guarantees a Heisman.  Winston tends to play up to the biggest stage. Duke needs to have a good first quarter. If Blue Devils are loose, maybe get a touchdown and prove to themselves they can play with Florida State, they can play a full four quarter game. Like I said, it is closer than experts will predict, but Seminoles get a couple late scores pushing them over the top. FSU 38-28

MAC Championship
Bowling Green vs. 14. Northern Illinois (Played on Friday) 7:00 pm ESPN - FIRE UP THE MACTION. I have learned with the MAC Championship game that nothing is a given. You will get MACTION and like it. Bowling Green had an impressive road win versus Buffalo last Friday getting them here, but they have to stop Jordan Lynch early and often. I think it is a wild game where the last team with the ball wins, and I will say that's the Huskies. NIU 42-41

Mountain West Championship
Utah State at 23. Fresno State 9:00 pm CBS - I am sort of amazed this game is on the big CBS this late at night. Someone is going to be pissed Blue Bloods isn't on. Anyways, I like Utah State, but Fresno State is the better team. Derek Carr will have a big performance. FRESNO 45-31

Charlie.