What to Watch: Playoff spots are up for grabs during championship week

It’s the final full Saturday of the regular season and many of the championship games will have an influence on the College Football Playoff and the New Year’s Six bowls. Only Alabama’s spot in the top four is guaranteed, which makes this weekend the most important of all.

Here’s what to watch in Week 14:

FRIDAY GAMES

Mid-American Conference
No. 17 Western Michigan vs. Ohio, 7 p.m. ET

Western Michigan is trying to cap an undefeated season, nab its first conference title and perhaps earn a berth in the Cotton Bowl. The Broncos haven’t played for the MAC title since 2000 when Marshall defeated them. Ohio is also seeking its first MAC title. They were beaten by Northern Illinois, 23-20, in their last trip to the title game in 2011 and are 0-3 overall in the title game.

This is a matchup of the league’s best offense (WMU) against the league’s best defense (Ohio). The duo of quarterback Zach Terrell and receiver Corey Davis is one of the most dynamic in the country. Terrell has completed 71.7 percent of his pass attempts with 30 touchdown passes and just one interception. Davis, has 83 receptions for 1,283 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Pac-12 Conference
No. 8 Colorado vs. No. 4 Washington, 9 p.m. ET

Both Washington and Colorado have an opportunity to play for a spot in the College Football Playoff, though the Huskies’ chances are significantly higher since they’re already in the top four.

Both of these teams suffered just one conference — both to USC — and Colorado has beaten two ranked teams to get into this game. The Buffaloes will try to use their swarming defense to disrupt the rhythm of Washington quarterback Jake Browning, who is still a Heisman hopeful. Browning ranks fourth in passing efficiency and Washington is third nationally in scoring with 44.8 points per game. Colorado ranks 13th nationally in total defense (323.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (18.8 points) and has forced at least one turnover in every game this season.

SATURDAY GAMES

American Athletic Conference
Temple vs. Navy, noon ET

Here’s a fun fact: Navy led the country in scoring offense in November with 52.8 points per game while Temple led the country in scoring defense in November, allowing just 3.3 points per game. That stat alone should make this game a must-watch as both of these programs are trying to win their first AAC title. In fact, Navy is trying to win its first conference title in the 136-year history of the program. It’s also playing for a possible spot in the Cotton Bowl if it can leapfrog Western Michigan, which is ahead of the Midshipmen in the latest CFP rankings.

The Midshipmen’s best weapon has become quarterback Will Worth, who started the season as a backup, but was thrust into action after Tago Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury during the season opener. Worth has 2,544 yards of total offense — 1,181 rushing and 1,363 passing — and has the longest active scoring streak with a touchdown in 11 straight games.

Conference USA
Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky, noon ET

When these two teams met in October, it ended up being one of the most entertaining games of the season. Louisiana Tech had a 49-24 lead in the middle of the third quarter before Western Kentucky rallied. But a strip-sack by the Bulldogs late sealed the win for the Tech. That game featured 988 yards of total offense and 794 passing yards. Louisiana Tech quarterback Ryan Higgins completed 73.3 percent of his passes for 454 yards and five touchdowns. WKU’s Mike White threw for 340 yards and five touchdowns. The running games were just OK.

Western Kentucky has not lost a game since that contest, winning six straight. Louisiana Tech had been on a seven-game winning streak before losing to Southern Miss last weekend.

Big 12 Conference
No. 10 Oklahoma State at No. 9 Oklahoma, 12:30 p.m. ET

The Big 12 doesn’t have a championship game, but the winner of this contest will be able to claim the conference crown. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, neither of these teams is in the running for the College Football Playoff, but a spot in the Sugar Bowl is definitely up for grabs.

This is the second consecutive season the Bedlam game has determined the Big 12 champion. Last year, Oklahoma won 58-23 to claim the title. Oklahoma State will be trying for its first conference title since 2011.

Neither one of these teams plays exceptional defense, though the Oklahoma defense has gotten better as the season has trekked on. However, offense should be in abundance from both sides. For Oklahoma, quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Dede Westbrook will be in the spotlight as potential Heisman candidates. Mayfield leads the nation in passing efficiency and has thrown for 35 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Westbrook has a touchdown in every game during the Sooners’ eight-game winning streak and has caught for at least 100 yards in all but one game during the streak. The Sooners offense also is bolstered by one of the best rushing tandems in the country in Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon.

Oklahoma State has similarly great playmakers. Mason Rudolph ranks eighth nationally with 3,591 yards, 25 touchdowns and just four interceptions. James Washington has been the recipient of 1,159 of those yards and nine touchdown passes.

The road team has won each of the last three Bedlam games and the last two in Norman have gone to overtime. Oklahoma is looking for its first undefeated conference season in 12 years.

SEC
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 15 Florida, 4 p.m. ET

As noted above, Alabama is probably the only team that’s a lock for the College Football Playoff. That doesn’t mean Nick Saban is OK with his team losing this game. Quite the contrary. Saban went off on reporters who suggested the Tide didn’t have to win the game.

“That’s certainly not the mindset that we want,” Saban said. “This is a big game for us. It’s an opportunity to win the SEC championship, which to me is a very, very significant accomplishment. We hold that in very high esteem, having the opportunity to do that, having the ability to do it, having the ability to play for it.”

Even if the CFP spot is sewn up, the Tide still have a lot for which to play. They have a chance to become the first team to win three straight SEC championships since Florida won four from 1993 to 1996. The Tide are also riding a nation-leading 24-game winning streak.

As usual, the Alabama defense has been stout. It leads the nation in total defense (246.8 yards per game), rushing defense (68.7 yards per game) and scoring defense (11.4 points per game). And that’s bad news for a Florida offense that ranks 13th out of 14 teams in the SEC and averages 352.7 total yards per game. The Gators have scored just 29 points during their last two games and didn’t score an offensive touchdown last week in a 31-13 loss to Florida State.

This game is a rematch of last year’s SEC title game, which Alabama won 29-15.

Big Ten Conference
No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 7 Penn State, 8 p.m. ET

This game is a matchup of the third and fourth-best teams in the Big Ten, but the winner might have an opportunity to slip in the College Football Playoff depending on the results of other games and the CFP committee’s view of the Big Ten champion.

Both Penn State and Wisconsin have been on rolls as of late. The Badgers have won six consecutive games while the Nittany Lions have won eight straight. On paper, Wisconsin is the more defense-oriented squad allowing just 13.7 points per game and 292 yards per game, but the Badgers have scored an average of 42.7 points over their last three games.

Penn State has been strong offensively all season averaging 40.4 points per game during their eight-game winning streak. However, much of the offense has come from running back Saquon Barkley, who has rushed for 1,219 yards and 15 touchdowns. But Barkley suffered a right foot injury in last Saturday’s win against Michigan State and his status for Saturday is unknown.

ACC
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 23 Virginia Tech, 8 ET

This is a big game from Clemson because a win likely means the Tigers will earn a spot in the College Football Playoff despite what looked like a devastating loss to Pitt three weeks ago. Since that time, the Tigers have romped over Wake Forest and South Carolina and now take aim at a Virginia Tech team that nearly lost the ACC Coastal Division thanks to losses to Syracuse and Georgia Tech.

If Virginia Tech wants to pull off this upset, it will need a big game from quarterback Jerod Evans, who set Tech’s single-season record for touchdown passes (26) and total offense (3,752). He’s also passed for 3,039 yards, the second most in a single season at Tech. Evans’ numbers are similar to that of Clemson quarterback and Heisman candidate Deshaun Watson, who has passed for 3,626 yards and 34 touchdowns. Watson is making a furious late push for the Heisman after completing 74 percent of his passes for 1,129 yards and 10 touchdowns in his last three games.

While the passing games should be the star of this contest, Clemson running back Wayne Gallman could ultimately be the difference-maker. In the last two games, Gallman has rushed for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Virginia Tech rushing defense is allowing 145.8 yards per game.

Mountain West Conference
San Diego State vs. Wyoming, 9:45 ET

This game is a rematch from two weeks ago when Wyoming stopped a San Diego State two-point conversion with no time remaining to capture a 34-33 win. The Cowboys have two wins against Top 25 competition at home this season. However, SDSU will have to find a way to pull out a victory in the championship game in Laramie if it wants to retain its conference title.

San Diego State was supposed to be in this game, Wyoming was not. The Cowboys were picked to finish last in the Mountain Division, but stunned everyone with a 6-2 conference record, which included a win against Boise State.

SDSU running back Donnel Pumphrey is the big offensive name in this game, but keep an eye on Wyoming running back Brian Hill, who has 1,674 yards and 21 touchdowns this season.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday