Conference race update: Western Michigan punches its ticket to the MAC title game

Western Michigan beat Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night to wrap up a spot in the Mid-American Conference title game. The Broncos are the second team to clinch a spot in an FBS league championship game, along with James Madison in the Sun Belt.

Here’s a look at where each league stands. (All records are in-conference records.)

Standings: Virginia (6-1), SMU (6-1), Pitt (6-1), Georgia Tech (6-2), Duke (5-2), Miami (5-2).

Significant games this week: Virginia Tech at Virginia, SMU at California, Miami at Pitt, Wake Forest at Duke.

Scenarios:

– Virginia and SMU can each wrap up a spot in the ACC championship game with a win this week. Pitt can make it with a win and a loss by either Virginia or SMU.

– The two-loss teams have to hope to get into a tiebreaker of some sort – which could be decided by strength of schedule within the conference.

Betting favorite: SMU (-115 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 6 in Charlotte.

Standings: North Texas (6-1), Tulane (6-1), Navy (6-1), South Florida (5-2), East Carolina (5-2).

Significant games this week: Navy at Memphis, Temple at North Texas, East Carolina at Florida Atlantic, Rice at South Florida, Charlotte at Tulane.

Outlook:

– North Texas has a head-to-head tiebreaker over Navy after beating the Midshipmen during the regular season. But in a multiway tie, head to head might not apply if all teams involved didn’t face each other.

– After head to head, the first tiebreaker is CFP ranking, and only Tulane (No. 24) is in the committee’s latest top 25. However, the Green Wave aren’t allowed to benefit from that tiebreaker unless they win this week. A victory over Charlotte would ensure that Tulane host the AAC title game.

– The next tiebreaker after CFP ranking is a composite of various computer rankings. With one week still to go, that composite currently puts the teams in the following pecking order: North Texas, South Florida, Tulane, Navy, East Carolina.

Betting favorite: North Texas (-125 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 5 at the home of the higher seed.

Standings: Texas Tech (7-1), BYU (7-1), Utah (6-2), Arizona State (6-2).

Significant games this week: Utah at Kansas, Arizona at Arizona State, UCF at BYU, Texas Tech at West Virginia.

Outlook:

– Texas Tech and BYU can each clinch a spot in the title game by winning this week. They would also both be in if Arizona State loses.

– Utah can make it with a win, a loss by Texas Tech and wins by BYU and Arizona State. That would create a three-way tie for the second spot in which Utah would prevail.

– Arizona State can make it with a win and a loss by BYU, or a win and losses by Texas Tech and Utah.

Betting favorite: Texas Tech (-400 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 6 in Arlington, Texas.

Standings: Ohio State (8-0), Indiana (8-0), Oregon (7-1), Michigan (7-1).

Significant games this week: Indiana at Purdue, Oregon at Washington, Ohio State at Michigan.

Outlook:

– If Ohio State beats Michigan, the Buckeyes face Indiana in the title game. This is true even if the Hoosiers lose to Washington because Indiana would win a tiebreaker with Oregon for the second slot if need be.

– If Michigan beats Ohio State and Indiana and Oregon both win, the title game would be Indiana vs. Oregon.

– If Michigan beats Ohio State, Indiana wins and Oregon loses, the title game would be Indiana vs. Michigan.

– If Michigan beats Ohio State, Oregon wins and Indiana loses, the title game would be Michigan vs. Oregon.

– If Michigan beats Ohio State and Oregon and Indiana both lose, the title game would be Michigan vs. Ohio State.

Betting favorite: Ohio State (-145 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 6 in Indianapolis.

Standings: Kennesaw State (6-1), Western Kentucky (6-1), Jacksonville State (6-1). Missouri State (5-2) is not yet eligible to play in the Conference USA title game after joining the league this season.

Significant games this week: Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State at Liberty.

Outlook:

– The WKU-Jacksonville State winner clinches a spot in the title game and will host it.

– Kennesaw State clinches a spot with a win.

– If Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State both lose, Jacksonville State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title game. If Kennesaw State and WKU both lose, Kennesaw State would win the tiebreaker and reach the title game.

Betting favorite: Western Kentucky (+100 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 5 at the home of the higher seed.

Standings: Western Michigan (7-1), Central Michigan (5-2), Ohio (5-2), Toledo (5-2), Miami of Ohio (5-2).

Significant games this week: Ohio at Buffalo, Ball State at Miami, Toledo at CMU.

Outlook:

– The Toledo-CMU loser is out. That’s the easy part.

– Aside from that, the tiebreakers are plentiful and complicated. If the favorites the rest of the week (Ohio, Miami and Toledo) all win, that would create a three-way tie for the second title game spot, and Miami would prevail based on record vs. common opponents.

Title game: Dec. 6 in Detroit.

Standings: San Diego State (6-1), Boise State (5-2), UNLV (5-2), New Mexico (5-2), Hawaii (4-3), Fresno State (4-3), Utah State (4-3).

Significant games this week: San Diego State at New Mexico, Boise State at Utah State, Fresno State at San José State, UNLV at Nevada, Wyoming at Hawaii.

Outlook:

– Don’t ask. This could end in a four-way tie for first or even a six-way tie for second. If San Diego State, Boise State and UNLV all win, SDSU would face Boise State for the title thanks to Boise State’s head-to-head win over UNLV.

– If ties aren’t broken by head-to-head results, get ready to learn about some computer metrics.

Betting favorite: San Diego State (+145 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 5 at the home of the higher seed.

Standings: Texas A&M (7-0), Georgia (7-1), Mississippi (6-1), Alabama (6-1).

Significant games this week: Mississippi at Mississippi State, Texas A&M at Texas, Alabama at Auburn.

Outlook:

– Texas A&M is in the SEC championship game with a win, but the Aggies are vulnerable if they lose because they’ve played a weak in-conference schedule, and that tiebreaker would come into play here if there’s a three-way or four-way tie.

– If Texas A&M loses, it would still make the title game if both Alabama and Mississippi lose.

– Alabama is in with a win and out with a loss.

– Georgia is in if either Alabama or Texas A&M loses.

– Mississippi is in if it wins and both Alabama and Texas A&M lose.

Betting favorite: Texas A&M (+140 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 6 in Atlanta.

Standings: James Madison (7-0) has already clinched the East Division. Southern Mississippi (5-2) and Troy (5-2) are tied atop the West.

Significant game this week: Troy at Southern Miss.

Outlook:

– At last, an obvious one: The Troy-Southern Miss winner goes on to the title game.

Betting favorite: James Madison (-750 according to BetMGM Sportsbook)

Title game: Dec. 5 at James Madison.

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