On Sunday, Fox aired the “College Football Championship Special” to drum up interest for conference championship weekend, especially the Pac-12 and Big Ten title games, which Fox will broadcast. This remained unsaid: The conference title games have never been so inconsequential. None is likely to alter the expected title game: LSU vs. Alabama. We rank the stakes of the title games. 5. Oregon-UCLA (Pac-12) » What a dreadful matchup — no title game ramifications and UCLA is 6-6 after a 50-0 loss to USC.
4. Wisconsin-Michigan State (Big Ten) » Neither of these teams will sniff the BCS title game. But reaching the Rose Bowl is still big stuff in the Midwest.
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3. LSU-Georgia (SEC) » Even if LSU were to lose to Georgia, its resume — with wins over No. 2 Alabama, No. 6 Arkansas and No. 8 Oregon — would trump that of any one-loss team. Little drama here.
2. Virginia Tech-Clemson (ACC) » If No. 5 Virginia Tech (11-1) wins and avenges its lone loss, the Hokies would have a claim to the title game as a one-loss conference champion that has yet to get a shot at LSU.
1. Oklahoma State-Oklahoma (Big 12) » This de facto conference championship game holds the most weight but only if Alabama can be jumped in the BCS standings. If Oklahoma State wins at home, it would be its fourth victory over a ranked team, twice as many as Virginia Tech.
– Kevin Dunleavy
