College football conference championship games predictions - ESPN

Conference championship weekend is nearly upon us and it's going to be a memorable one.

Beginning Friday through Saturday night, all 10 FBS conferences will hold their title games. Unlike some seasons, each power conference championship game has direct College Football Playoff implications in the final year of the four-team model. The Pac-12 and SEC games shape up as likely CFP play-ins, as Georgia and Washington try to remain undefeated. CFP hopefuls Michigan, Florida State and Texas attempt to complete their playoff profiles against upset-minded Iowa, Louisville and Oklahoma State, respectively.

The Group of 5 title games also bring intrigue and different possibilities. Tulane aims for consecutive AAC titles — and certainly another New Year's Six bowl berth — against SMU, which appears in its first AAC championship before moving to the ACC in 2024. The Mustangs haven't won an outright conference title since 1982, when the «Pony Express» squad finished No. 2 nationally. Liberty aims for 13-0 against Jerry Kill's New Mexico State Aggies, one of the nation's most surprising success stories, while Troy and Toledo aim for consecutive league crowns.

As the games get closer, we're predicting each outcome and why. Take a look.

Jump to a game:
Conference USA | Pac-12
Big 12 | MAC
Mountain West | SEC
AAC | Sun Belt
ACC | Big Ten

New Mexico State (10-3) at Liberty (12-0)
Friday, 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
Line: Liberty -11

Heather Dinich: Liberty 28, New Mexico State 17. We've seen this movie before, and the Flames racked up 526 yards on offense in the conference opener. This might be a close game early, but quarterback Kaidon Salter will continue to be a game-changer and Liberty will finish as undefeated conference champs.

Adam