Conference Championship Saturday: Big Ten. SEC. Everything at Stake

by Jake Lax, December 04, 2025

Source: AP Photo

Conference Championship Weekend is here, and while some teams are in familiar territory, some have made it to this weekend for the first time. This weekend’s conference titles can have a big impact on how the CFP selection committee will choose the 12-team field for the playoff. The 5 highest-ranked conference champions by the committee will automatically make the bracket, even if they’re not included in the top 25.

Big Ten Championship No. 1 Ohio State vs No.2 Indiana

The Big Ten Championship will take place Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, roughly an hour from Bloomington, home of the Hoosiers. Expect both teams’ fans to be prepared as Ohio State and Indiana come in at 12-0. The Indiana Hoosiers will play in their first-ever conference championship game this weekend, and it comes with historic stakes. This year’s matchup marks the first time the Big Ten Championship features the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation. The only other instances of a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in a conference title game occurred in the SEC Championship, when Florida and Alabama met twice under those rankings (2008 & 2009).

The winner of the Big Ten Championship will earn the top seed for the CFP, while the loser should remain in the top four spots, earning a first-round bye into the playoff. This game comes with massive implications: a Big Ten championship, the top playoff seed, and, likely, the Heisman Trophy. The two frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy are the quarterbacks: Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. Both are having tremendous seasons, and it’ll all come down to who can make the plays to put their team in position to win this one.

Regular Season Stats

• Fernando Mendoza: 2,758 Passing Yards, 243 Rushing Yards, 38 Total TDs
• Julian Sayin: 2,832 Passing Yards, 79.4% Completion, 27 TDs

Outside of the quarterbacks are two tremendous receiving corps. The Hoosiers are led by Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt, both with 11 touchdowns in the regular season. Cooper Jr led the team with 804 yards receiving and quite possibly the catch of the year against Penn State to seal a victory in November. Elijah Sarratt appears to be back to full strength after missing two games, returning against Purdue last week and hauling in a touchdown during the 56–3 win.

The Buckeyes have two of the best wide receivers in all of college football in Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith. With 44 receptions, 793 yards, and 8 touchdowns this season, Tate has positioned himself as a likely first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. This season, sophomore Jeremiah Smith put up 72 receptions for 942 yards and 11 touchdowns, numbers that have him firmly in the conversation as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Saturday’s game is likely to be decided by two factors: who wins the turnover battle and which defense generates the most pressure on the quarterback. Indiana enters the matchup leading the nation in turnover margin at +17, compared to Ohio State’s +5. The Hoosiers have excelled at disrupting opposing quarterbacks all season, recording 34 sacks, including six in their signature win over Oregon. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s defense has been the nation’s best, leading the Big Ten with just 203 yards allowed per game.

Final Prediction: Indiana 27, Ohio State 24

SEC Championship No. 3 Georgia vs No. 9 Alabama

The SEC Championship will be played on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. These two teams faced off in late September, when the Crimson Tide took a 24-21 victory on the road. That would end up being the only loss the Bulldogs faced all season long, finishing with an 11-1 record. Alabama finished the season at 10-2, getting a much-needed win in the Iron Bowl. A loss in the SEC Championship could put the Tide’s playoff hopes in doubt.

Both quarterbacks have been on teams that’ve won the conference championship in the past. However, this year they’ll both be the starters. Last season, Georgia’s quarterback Gunner Stockton got his first start in the SEC Championship due to Carson Beck going down with an injury. This time, Stockton has a full season under his belt and will look to redeem himself after the loss to Alabama earlier in the season. As for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, he sat on the bench behind Jalen Milroe last year before becoming the Tide’s starter this season.

Regular Season Stats

• Ty Simpson: 3,056 Passing Yards, 27 Total TDs
• Gunner Stockton: 2,535 Passing Yards, 28 Total TDs

When these two giants meet again, the deciding factor will be which team wants it more. Each side has elite, pro-ready talent, but Alabama has more to lose in this matchup.

Final Prediction: Alabama 38, Georgia 31