The College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams next season, ending the era of conference title games at the sport’s highest level. Until then, each conference’s race to the championship game remains a crucial step toward a playoff berth.
ACC
Miami (6-0) stays atop the ACC despite a loss to independent Notre Dame. Wake Forest (5-1) is second, followed by Louisville (5-2), SMU (5-2), Duke (4-2) and Clemson (4-2). The league recently revised its tiebreaker formula, inserting an analytics ranking after head‑to‑head results. Only Clemson plays eight conference games this year; the rest play nine. Wake Forest already beat Louisville and will face SMU Saturday in Dallas. Betting odds favor Miami.
American Athletic Conference
North Texas (5-0) leads the AAC after UTSA (4-1) fell to Florida Atlantic (3-2). Memphis (4-1) shares second place, while Army (4-2) is among four teams with two losses. CFP committee rankings may influence the conference’s tiebreaker. UTSA hosts North Texas on Nov. 14; neither team meets Memphis this stretch. North Texas is the betting favorite.
Big 12
Utah (6-0) holds a one‑game lead over Texas Tech (5-1), which earned a 53‑48 win at West Virginia. Arizona, BYU, Houston, Baylor and Oklahoma State are all 4‑2. After head‑to‑head results, the Big 12 looks at record against common opponents, strength of schedule, overall record, then an analytics ranking, and finally a coin toss. Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma State and Baylor in the coming weeks. Utah leads the betting market.
Big Ten
Quarterback injuries have shuffled the Big Ten standings. UCLA (6-0) sits alone in first place, with Indiana (5-1) close behind. Seven teams sit at 4‑2, including Iowa, which jumped five spots to No. 16 in the AP Top 25 after beating Northwestern. Southern California (4-2) holds a win over Ohio State (4-2) and could add another against Indiana next week. If Indiana defeats USC, they remain in strong contention. Indiana is the betting favorite.
Conference USA
Liberty (5-0) and Jacksonville State (5-0) dominate C‑USA, while all other teams have at least two losses. The two unbeaten squads do not meet this season; a computer ranking could decide the title‑game host if both stay perfect. Liberty is the betting favorite.
Mid‑American Conference
Ohio (5-0) fights to stay ahead of Western Michigan (4-1), Toledo (4-1) and Buffalo (4-1). A circular set of wins—Toledo over WMU, WMU over Buffalo, Buffalo over Toledo—creates a complex tiebreaker scenario. Ohio hosts Toledo on Nov. 27. Toledo is the betting favorite.
Mountain West
New Mexico (5-0) leads the Mountain West, followed by Wyoming (5-1). North Dakota State (4-2), Air Force (3-2) and UNLV (3-2) round out the top five. The league’s “CFP‑Ranked Team Tiebreaker Immunity” protects the highest‑ranked team from certain tiebreakers. UNLV visits New Mexico on Nov. 14; New Mexico travels to Wyoming on Nov. 20. New Mexico is the betting favorite.
Pac‑12
The revived Pac‑12 now fields eight teams. Boise State (5-0) leads, two games ahead of Oregon State (3-2). Texas State, San Diego State and Utah State are also 3‑2. A chain of victories—Texas State over Oregon State, Oregon State over SDSU, SDSU over Texas State, Texas State over Utah State—creates a multi‑team tiebreaker. Oregon State visits Boise State on Nov. 14. Boise State is the betting favorite.
SEC
Georgia (6-1) tops the SEC, with Alabama (5-2), Kentucky (5-2), Tennessee (4-2) and Texas (4-2) close behind. After head‑to‑head results, the conference examines games against common opponents and overall conference strength. No top‑five team faces another in the final weeks. Georgia remains the betting favorite.
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt is the only FBS league still using divisions. In the East, Georgia Southern (4-1) and James Madison (5-2) lead; in the West, Louisiana Tech (5-0) sits two games ahead of the rest. James Madison’s win over Georgia Southern could prove decisive. Louisiana Tech can clinch a Sun Belt title‑game spot by beating Southern Mississippi on Saturday. Louisiana Tech is the betting favorite.
With conference titles on the line, every game matters as teams vie for a spot in the expanded 24‑team playoff. Fans should keep an eye on CFP rankings, head‑to‑head outcomes and the new analytics tiebreakers that could shape the postseason picture.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
