Appetizer, Entree, Dessert: Championship Saturday in College Football
There are six college football games on Championship Saturday. We took the liberty of sifting through all of the match-ups to present you with the perfect three-course meal of college football for Saturday, December 3, 2022.
Appetizer: Kansas State-TCU
To open your meal, we present the Big 12 championship game: a match-up between number ten-ranked Kansas State, and number three-ranked TCU. The game will be played at Cowboys Stadium/AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. TCU opens as a 2.5-point favorite, and the game has a total of 62.5 points.
TCU has exceeded expectations under first-year head coach Sonny Dykes. Their offense is ranked 16th in the FBS, averaging 473.3 yards per game. Kansas State is no slouch on the offensive front, averaging 424.2 yards per game. Both defenses are in the middle of the pack in FBS, so expect this one to be an early morning high-flying shootout.
The “early morning” aspect will be a factor for Kansas State. Four of their five college football road games this year have been at night. They haven’t played a day game outside of their home stadium.
Kansas State intends to start Will Howard at quarterback, who had his highest QB rating of the season against TCU in Week 8 before going down with an injury. Kansas State eventually lost the game 38-28. Howard kept pace with the TCU offense and was responsible for three total touchdowns before leaving the game.
Entree: USC-Utah
The “entree” also known as the Pac-12 championship game will be served cold. This is a revenge game between Utah and USC. USC lost at Utah 43-42 on October 15 on a two-point conversion with 48 seconds left. If USC won that game, they’d be undefeated and assured of a spot in the college football playoff.
Heisman candidate Caleb Williams will have to put forth another magical performance to ensure the Trojans make it. USC is favored by three points, and the game has a total of 67.5 points.
Dessert: Georgia-LSU
I wish the college football game times lined up better for my menu concept here. From a time perspective, Georgia-LSU’s SEC Championship match-up is in the afternoon. From an entertainment perspective, this game could be a nice treat if something unexpected happens. Georgia losing to LSU would throw the whole bracket into chaos, and fill the month of December with arguments and takes.
I don’t see this game getting there. Georgia has been dominant all season, and the oddsmakers are with them – they’re a 17.5-point favorite. Fans should check in on this game, but shouldn’t clear their plate for it unless they’re a member of one of those fan bases.
