The college football season will have kicked off by this time next week with week zero opening the season on Saturday. That means some final predictions and projections are coming in, including tonight with conference title picks by Josh Pate. Pate selected his championship matchups in the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 during […]
The college football season will have kicked off by this time next week with week zero opening the season on Saturday. That means some final predictions and projections are coming in, including tonight with conference title picks by Josh Pate.
Pate selected his championship matchups in the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 during ‘Josh Pate’s College Football Show’ on Sunday. His picks included several favorites across those leagues, but also featured some surprises, namely in the ACC and Big 12.
Here’s how Pate projected the conference championships to set up come the postseason around the Power Four:
Big Ten Championship
Starting with the Big Ten, Pate didn’t just pick a rematch of a game that’ll be played this season but of this conference’s title game a year ago with Oregon vs. Penn State. However, in a difference from last season, it’ll be Penn State who wins in Indy to send themselves into a bye for the CFP.
“I’ve got, as a rematch of the regular season – this game, I believe, is going to happen in week five in Happy Valley. Oregon goes to Penn State, and Penn State will be favored in that game and it’ll be a whiteout,” said Pate. “I think we’re going to get a rematch of that game in Indianapolis and I’ve got Penn State vs. Oregon for the Big Ten Championship, and I’ve got Penn State over Oregon for the Big Ten Championship.”
“So, James Franklin, taking home the Big Ten crown. That gets them easily a top-four seed in the playoffs, so they’ll have a first-round bye and the runway will be set up for him. Oregon is probably in the playoff too – just, you know, not in that one-seed, which didn’t do them any favors last year anyways so whatever. But I’ve got Penn State over Oregon,” Pate said. “Ohio State is very much in this. I’m not down on them. I think it may actually come down to a tiebreaker to decide who goes.”
SEC Championship
Then, next in the SEC, Pate predicted there to be chaos again with several teams in contention, going on to name half the league during the segment, for the two spots that will earn the right to go to Atlanta. However, he, in the end, had Alabama vs. Texas, two teams he sees as very multifaceted, with the Crimson Tide winning it all again in the Southeastern Conference.
“I have been to every one of these places just about, either in the spring or throughout fall camp. So, I feel good about my read on the league, which of course means that all of these predictions could flame out fantastically,” said Pate. “Give me teams that don’t play in the regular season – Alabama vs. Texas in the conference title game, and I’ve got Kalen DeBoer vs. Steve Sarkisian here…Both of these teams, I think, when the dust settles, will be the best teams in the league.”
“Give me Alabama over Texas for the SEC Championship,” Pate continued. “I’m not saying they’ve been slept on. I have just been a little caught off guard by, relative to some of these other teams here, how little they’ve been talked about. Again, they’ve been talked about. I’m not quite sure people understand how complimentary that team can be. I’m not quite sure people understand how dynamic the team is, meaning they can win in a lot of different ways. Texas can do that as well. That’s why I have them facing off.”
ACC Championship
Pate didn’t have as positive things to say as a whole about the Atlantic Coast Conference. That’s why he didn’t overthink it too much as he went with Clemson, the league’s large favorite coming in again, to repeat in winning it, but this year over Georgia Tech, who he predicted to be as much as a playoff sleeper just a week ago as a team he’s incredibly high on.
“I thought about this and thought about this and thought about this, and there’s no reason to be a contrarian. I think Clemson is going to win this conference, but I think the team they beat will surprise some people because it’s going to be a rematch of week three. I’ve got Clemson vs. Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game,” said Pate. “I feel surprisingly good about it. And I’ve got Clemson beating Georgia Tech.”
“(Georgia Tech) will round into form. It’ll be a very good team. I think they may be the talk of the ACC, if not the country,” Pate added. “Give me Clemson over Georgia Tech, though. (Clemson) has got to get the job done this year. Well, I mean, they’ve been getting the job done in the ACC. They’ve got to do more than just that. That’s pressure, but I think they’re equipped for it.”
Big 12 Championship
Finally, speaking of chaos earlier, there may be even more disorder when it comes to the Big 12. Still, Pate was confident in his picks of Arizona State vs. Texas Tech, with the Sun Devils going on to win the Big 12 Championship and, therefore, repeat as conference champions and a playoff team.
“My conference championship prediction in the Big 12 is a rematch of a regular season game…Texas Tech vs. Arizona State in the league championship game,” stated Pate.
“Kenny Dillingham may have peaking at the right time figured out. I’m taking Arizona State to repeat as the conference champ here, which will be the first time in half a decade that that’s happened,” Pate said. “Arizona State-Texas Tech? I think it’s going to be one of the games of the year in-season and, unlike the conference championship game out there last year, I think the Big 12 Championship Game will revert back to being an evergreen, instant classic because it’s the Big 12. I expect nothing less.”
Category: General Sports
