In the thrilling lead-up to the revelation of the College Football Playoff field, the conference championship games took center stage. These games were not just about showcasing the best teams but also about securing a coveted spot or improving a team's seeding. The Allstate Playoff Predictor emerged as a crucial tool, providing answers to questions like how Saturday's top games would impact the playoff chase and what the current odds for the top four teams were. Check back regularly as the odds are updated following each week's games.

Conference Championship Showdowns

The Big 12 champion Arizona State Sun Devils demonstrated their dominance by rolling past the Iowa State Cyclones. Boise State Broncos also left their mark, with Ashton Jeanty's 209-yard performance leading them to victory over the UNLV Rebels and securing the Mountain West crown and the Group of 5's CFP spot. In the SEC and ACC, the drama was palpable. The Georgia Bulldogs faced a setback when QB Carson Beck got injured but were revived by backup Gunner Stockton. Texas and Georgia went into overtime, with Trevor Etienne emerging as the hero for Georgia. The Clemson Tigers shocked the SMU Mustangs with a big lead and a crucial upset. This left many wondering if a two-loss SMU would make it over a three-loss team that didn't play in its conference title game. In the Big Ten, the Oregon Ducks piled up big plays to defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions and claim the top spot.

Expert Picks for the Playoff

Andrea Adelson firmly believes that 1. Oregon will lead the way, followed by 2. Georgia, 3. Arizona State, 4. Boise State, 5. Texas, 6. Penn State, 7. Notre Dame, 8. Tennessee, 9. Ohio State, 10. Indiana, 11. Clemson, and 12. SMU. Kyle Bonagura shares a similar top 12, with 1. Oregon at the top, followed by 2. Georgia, 3. Boise State, 4. Arizona State, 5. Notre Dame, 6. Ohio State, 7. Texas, 8. Penn State, 9. Tennessee, 10. Indiana, 11. Alabama, and 12. Clemson. Bill Connelly also has 1. Oregon as the top pick, followed by 2. Georgia, 3. Arizona State, 4. Boise State, 5. Notre Dame, 6. Texas, 7. Penn State, 8. Tennessee, 9. Indiana, 10. Ohio State, 11. SMU, and 12. Clemson. David Hale is in agreement, with 1. Oregon, 2. Georgia, 3. Boise State, 4. Arizona State, 5. Notre Dame, 6. Tennessee, 7. Ohio State, 8. Texas, 9. Penn State, 10. Indiana, 11. Clemson, and 12. SMU. Eli Lederman, Chris Low, Harry Lyles Jr., Max Olson, Adam Rittenberg, Mark Schlabach, Jake Trotter, Paolo Uggetti, and Dave Wilson all have similar top 12 picks, with Oregon at the top and the rest of the teams in a similar order.