Championship Weekend got off to a bang last night, and Western Michigan and Washington claimed the second and third FBS conference championships of 2016. (Appalachian State won the Sun Belt last weekend.) But now it’s time for the main event, as everything — except possibly the Group of Five representative in the Cotton Bowl — will get settled today.
Our attention here will of course be occupied with other matters early in the day, as K-State visits TCU to wrap up the regular season and try to ensure a trip to the Texas Bowl. At the same time, the American and Conference USA will be deciding matters; a Navy win in the AAC Championship Game might muddle the bowl picture considerably.
A half-hour later, it’s Bedlam, as the Big 12 title is decided. Obviously, that’s going to be option two for most folks.
In the afternoon window, it’s all SEC as Alabama takes on Florida, but the SWAC Championship will also be underway. Grambling shouldn’t have any issue there claiming their spot opposite North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl, but in HBCU football you just never know.
In the evening, the final three titles are decided. It starts with Wyoming trying to fend off San Diego State in the Mountain West, and fifteen minutes later it’s Clemson-Virginia Tech in the ACC and Penn State-Wisconsin in the anti-climactic Big Ten title game.
Saturday, December 3, 2016 | ||||
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Annapolis MD) | ||||
Temple 9-3, 7-1 AAC |
vs | Navy 9-2, 7-1 AAC |
11am | ABC ESPN3 |
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Bowling Green KY) | ||||
Louisiana Tech 8-4, 6-2 CUSA |
vs | Western Kentucky 9-3, 7-1 CUSA |
11am | ESPN WatchESPN |
Kansas State 7-4, 5-3 B12 |
at | Texas Christian 6-5, 4-4 B12 |
11am | FS1 FS Go |
Troy 9-2, 6-1 SBC |
at | Georgia Southern 4-7, 3-4 SBC |
11am | ESPN2 WatchESPN |
Oklahoma State 9-2, 7-1 B12 |
at | Oklahoma 9-2, 8-0 B12 |
11:30am | FOX FS Go |
Baylor 6-5, 3-5 B12 |
at | West Virginia 9-2, 6-2 B12 |
2:30pm | FS1 FS Go |
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Atlanta GA) | ||||
Alabama 12-0, 8-0 SEC |
vs | Florida 8-3, 6-2 SEC |
3pm | CBS CBSSports.com |
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Houston TX) | ||||
Alcorn State 5-5, 5-4 SWAC |
vs | (16) Grambling State 10-1, 9-0 SWAC |
3pm | ESPNU WatchESPN |
Arkansas State 6-5, 6-1 SBC |
at | Texas State 2-9, 0-7 SBC |
6:30pm | ESPN2 WatchESPN |
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Laramie WY) | ||||
San Diego State 9-3, 6-2 MWC |
vs | Wyoming 8-4, 6-2 MWC |
6:45pm | ESPN WatchESPN |
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Orlando FL) | ||||
Clemson 11-1, 7-1 ACC |
vs | Virginia Tech 9-3, 6-2 ACC |
7pm | ABC ESPN3 |
BIG TEN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Indianapolis IN) | ||||
Penn State 10-2, 8-1 B1G |
vs | Wisconsin 10-2, 7-2 B1G |
7pm | FOX FS Go |
Of course, that’s not all that’s going on tomorrow. The second round of the FCS playoffs will be on tap, with a lot of honestly intriguing games. They’re all available on ESPN3, so maybe you can play channel-flip on another device while you’re glued to your TV watching the big boys.
NCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP | |||||
Second Round | |||||
(22) New Hampshire 8-4, 6-2 CAA |
at | 4 | (5) James Madison 10-1, 8-0 CAA |
1pm | ESPN3 |
(13) Youngstown State 9-3, 6-2 MVC |
at | 3 | (2) Jacksonville State 10-2, 7-0 OVC |
1pm | ESPN3 |
(11) UT-Chattanooga 9-3, 6-2 SoCon |
at | 5 | (1) Sam Houston State 11-0, 9-0 SLC |
2pm | ESPN3 |
(9) Villanova 9-3, 6-2 CAA |
at | 8 | (7) South Dakota State 8-3, 7-1 MVC |
2pm | ESPN3 |
(24) San Diego 10-1, 8-0 PFL |
at | 1 | (4) North Dakota State 10-1, 7-1 MVC |
2:30pm | ESPN3 |
(14) Central Arkansas 10-2, 8-1 SLC |
at | 2 | (3) Eastern Washington 10-1, 8-0 BSky |
3pm | ESPN3 |
(12) Richmond 9-3, 5-3 CAA |
at | 7 | (8) North Dakota 9-2, 8-0 BSky |
5pm | ESPN3 |
(19) Wofford 9-3, 6-2 SoCon |
at | 6 | (6) The Citadel 10-1, 8-0 SoCon |
5pm | ESPN3 |
It’s regional finals day in Division II, with the Bearcats of Northwest Missouri trying to get one step closer to Sporting Park as they face Great American champions Harding.
NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS | ||||||
SUPER REGION 1 | ||||||
3 | (4) Shepherd 12-0, 10-0 MEC |
at | 1 | (8) California (PA) 11-0, 7-0 PSAC |
noon | Vulcan All-Access |
SUPER REGION 2 | ||||||
6 | North Greenville 10-2 IND |
at | 1 | (3) North Alabama 9-1, 7-0 GSC |
noon | Stretch |
SUPER REGION 3 | ||||||
3 | (9) Harding 13-0, 11-0 GAC |
at | 1 | (1) NW Missouri State 12-0, 11-0 MIAA |
1pm | Stretch |
SUPER REGION 4 | ||||||
2 | (14) Ferris State 11-2, 9-2 GLIAC |
at | 1 | (2) Grand Valley State 12-0, 10-0 GLIAC |
noon | ESPN3 |
There are also three Division II bowl games today, two of which feature local squads. Both Washburn and Fort Hays State are in action today, wrapping up their 2016 campaigns.
DIVISION II BOWL GAMES | ||||
LIVE UNITED BOWL (Texarkana AR) | ||||
Southern Arkansas 9-2, 9-2 GAC |
vs | Texas A&M-Kingsville 8-3, 4-3 LSC |
noon | no video |
MINERAL WATER BOWL (Excelsior Springs MO) | ||||
Bemidji State 8-3, 8-3 NSIC |
vs | Washburn 7-4, 7-4 MIAA |
noon | Stretch |
HEART OF TEXAS BOWL (Copperas Cove TX) | ||||
Eastern New Mexico 7-4, 4-3 LSC |
vs | Fort Hays State 7-4, 7-4 MIAA |
6pm | ESPN3 |
In Division III, we’ve reached the quarterfinals as well, although they don’t use the strict regional bracketing system Division II uses. Every one of these games features a pretty titanic tussle by Division III standards; Mount Union extending their absurd two-decade true road game winning streak seems the safest bet among the four contests.
NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP | ||||
Quarterfinals | ||||
(7) Mount Union 11-1, 8-1 Ohio |
at | (14) Alfred 11-0, 8-0 E8 |
11am | Stretch |
(4) Wisconsin-Oshkosh 11-1, 6-1 WIAC |
at | (3) Saint Thomas (MN) 12-0, 8-0 MIAC |
noon | Tommie Sports |
(13) Wheaton (IL) 11-1, 7-0 CCIW |
at | (1) Mary Hardin-Baylor 12-0, 6-0 ASC |
noon | Stretch |
(6) John Carroll 11-1, 9-0 Ohio |
at | (2) Wisconsin-Whitewater 12-0, 7-0 WIAC |
noon | UWW Live |
Finally, it’s the NAIA semifinals. Again, there’s a local flavor, as Baker attempts to become the first Kansas team to reach the NAIA Football National Championship Game since Emporia State back in 1989. And if they get there, they’ll try to be the first Kansas team to win an NAIA title since Pittsburg State in 1961.
NAIA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES | ||||
Semifinals | ||||
(4) Saint Francis (IN) 11-1, 5-1 MSFA |
at | (3) Reinhardt 13-0, 5-0 MSC |
12:30pm | Reinhardt |
(9) Eastern Oregon 10-2, 8-2 Frontier |
at | (2) Baker 13-0, 6-0 HAAC |
1pm | ESPN3 |
Whew. Lots of football to keep an eye on today. Sit back and enjoy, folks, and we’ll see you on the other side!