As the 2022 college football season nears its dramatic conclusion, the College Football Playoff picture still has plenty of drama, especially if some of the key contenders stumble down the stretch.
While most of the SEC has its traditional cupcake weekend, conference title races are coming down to the wire in the Big 12 and Pac-12, treating us to some of the most high-profile and nationally relevant games those conferences have seen in years.
We’re down to the final two weeks of the regular season, and it’s been a wild one. Make sure you get the most out of your college football viewing experience this weekend by checking out our top-5 most watchable games.
Arkansas vs. No. 14 Ole Miss (7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network)
Favorite: Ole Miss (-2.5)
Two teams coming off brutally disappointing losses meet in a game that now holds a tinge of desperation to it. Ole Miss was right in the thick of the SEC West race but now faces the prospect of a potentially disappointing season if it drops another game (not to mention the minor distraction of those Lane Kiffin rumors flying around the internet). Meanwhile, Arkansas hopes to salvage something positive from a season that once looked so promising but now has it struggling to become bowl eligible.
Oklahoma vs. No. 22 Oklahoma State (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC)
Favorite: Oklahoma (-7.5)
This season has not been what Oklahoma fans are used to seeing from their program. One of the most consistent programs in college football over the last two decades, Oklahoma has struggled to deal with the unexpected transition that took place last offseason. While Sooners fans are never going to look back fondly on 2022, a Bedlam victory over an Oklahoma State team reeling from injuries would certainly leave them with a better taste in their mouths heading into the offseason.
No. 12 Oregon vs. No. 10 Utah (10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Favorite: Oregon (-3)
The Pac-12 race is one of the most dramatic and potentially complicated in college football right now, but it could all get a lot simpler this weekend. A win for Oregon likely places it in the conference championship game, but the Ducks are bruised and battered after a brutal game last week against Washington, including quarterback Bo Nix. It’s unclear just how injured Nix is, but whatever shape he’s in, he’s not likely to have an easy day against the famously physical Utah defense.
No. 16 UCLA vs. No. 7 USC (8 p.m. ET on FOX)
Favorite: USC (-1.5)
Lincoln Riley can lead the Trojans back to the Pac-12 championship game in his first season with a win over rival UCLA. If the Bruins pull off the upset… well, it gets a little more complicated. OK, a lot more complicated, as it could create a five-way tie at the top of the Pac-12 standings that could require a team of lawyers to figure out the complicated tiebreaker rules.
Baylor vs. No. 4 TCU (Noon ET on FOX)
Favorite: TCU (-2.5)
The most important game in college football this weekend by a long shot. TCU is in position for its first trip to the College Football Playoff, but doubts about its strength of schedule leaves no margin for error. Winning on the road at Baylor is no easy feat, and despite the remarkable achievement of a 9-0 start to the season for the Horned Frogs, it could all go down the drain if they slip up against the Bears.
