College Football Saturday: Wisconsin, Okie State, Clemson Earn BCS Bids

The Wisconsin Badgers are the winners of the 2011 Big Ten Championship following a thrilling contest against the Michigan St. Spartans. The Badgers won, 42-39, but they had a bit of luck on their side in the final minutes of the game. The Badgers had to punt with around two minutes left in the game, and the Spartans had returned the ball to within five yards of the Badgers' end zone. That is, until a penalty flag was thrown for running into kicker. The Badgers got a first down and ran out the clock.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

The Badgers had opened up a 21-7 lead (on the strength of two Montee Ball touchdown runs) in the first quarter before entering halftime in a 29-21 deficit to the Spartans. In the third quarter, Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins had dueling 40-plus yard touchdown passes for the Badgers and the Spartans, respectively.

Still, the Badgers were down, 36-28, entering the fourth quarter. But that didn't deter Russell Wilson. He found Montee Ball for a touchdown pass before failing on the two-point conversion. Michigan State added a field goal for a five-point lead. And yet Wilson and the Badgers still didn't give up. Wilson found Jeff Duckworth for a 36-yard pass that set up Montee Ball for his third touchdown run (with four total TDs in the game, Ball now has 38 total TDs in the season.

The Badgers will now head to the Rose Bowl to face the Oregon Ducks.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

The inaugural Big Ten Championship has proven to be the most exciting game of the weekend. The Wisconsin Badgers lead the Michigan St. Spartans, 42-39, with 3:45 left on the clock.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

Russell Wilson and Montee Ball continue to be the cogs that power the Wisconsin offense. On a 4th-and-5 play at Michigan State's 43-yard line, Wilson escaped all kinds of trouble and threw across the field to Jeff Duckworth for a 36-yard first down catch, Montee Ball then rushed seven yards for the score, putting the Badgers in a 40-39 lead.

The Badgers went for the two-point conversion, which required more wriggling from Wilson to get the pass off. But that he did. Jacob Pedersen caught the ball for the 42-39 lead.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

Oklahoma State let up on the gas in the fourth quarter of its Bedlam blowout of Oklahoma. No matter: the Cowboys' 44-10 romp over the Sooners in Stillwater should still do wonders for their BCS stock.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden threw for just 217 yards, ceding the spotlight to a surprisingly strong running game. Joseph Randle rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys, while Jeremy Smith added 95 rushing yards and two touchdowns of his own.

But it was Oklahoma State's defense that stole the show with the opportunism that fans have come to expect and resistance to an excellent offense that came as a bit of a surprise. The Cowboys forced five turnovers in the game, and returned one fumble for a touchdown, while holding an Oklahoma offense that averages almost 550 yards per game to just 358 yards on the night.

Dominance on both sides of the ball in a rivalry game that had gone to the Sooners for the last eight years is probably very satisfying for the Cowboys. If this win vaults them over Alabama in the all-important polls prior to the final BCS rankings, it might become the most significant win in the program's history.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

All season long, Clemson fans have had to hear the pundits ask the same question: When will Clemson finally act like Clemson? And while the Tigers did indeed drop a few games along the way, they also secured their first ACC championship in 20 years.

The 38-10 annihilation of Virginia Tech means that the Tigers will be headed to the Orange Bowl, with West Virginia the likeliest opponent for Clemson. If they were watching Saturday night, the Mountaineers are probably aware of the challenge they face.

Click here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

After taking it easy for the last several minutes of the game, Clemson put up 456 yards of total offense, 239 through the air and 217 on the ground. Tajh Boyd (20-of-29, 239, 3 TDs) carved up Virginia Tech pretty well on the night, and Andre Ellington (20 carries, 125 yards, TD) led a ground attack that averaged 4.8 yards a carry.

Is Clemson still Clemson? If you mean the university based in upstate South Carolina, yes. If you mean the team that seems to choke every time it has a chance at glory, no. This time the Tigers had a chance, and they came through.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

The Wisconsin Badgers were so close to tying the game at 36 early in the fourth quarter, but they were unable to complete the two-point conversion. The Spartans then kicked a field goal on the next drive, moving the two-point lead to a five-point lead, 39-34.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

Wisconsin's Russell Wilson completed four straight passes to bring the team to Michigan State's 12-yard line. A pass interference call moved the team to the two-yard line, setting up a Montee Ball touchdown catch after he lost three yards on his first try.

The Spartans started the next drive at its own 40-yard line. Le'Veon Bell had several small runs, but it was B.J. Cunningham who wound up having the big 24-yard run. The drive stalled inside Wisconsin's 10-yard line, which led to Dan Conroy kicking a field goal.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

Michigan St. Spartans wide receiver B.J. Cunningham has had quite the Big Ten Championship Game. He caught a 30-yard touchdown pass to start the Spartans' second quarter dominance. Later, he was in the right place to receive a lateral from Keith Nichol, which he took into the end zone for a score.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

Cunningham's third touchdown catch of the game came late in the third quarter. Wisconsin had brought the game to within one, 29-28, on a Russell Wilson 42-yard throw to Jared Abbrederis. But Kirk Cousins answered that with a 44-yard strike to Cunningham on a 3rd-and-6 play. Cousins and Cunningham have hooked up for all three Spartans touchdown passes in the game.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

And the ACC Championship game has pretty much devolved into a laugher right now. All of you who said that Virginia Tech's schedule was a bit too soft to prove how good the Hokies were can go ahead and take your victory lap.

The latest Clemson touchdown? That came on a one-yard rush by Tajh Boyd to cap off a nine-play, 69-yard drive that extended Clemson's lead to 38-10.

Click here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

Clemson has now poured on 445 yards of total offense. Tajh Boyd is 20-of-28 for 239 yards and three touchdowns passing, adding 26 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. That's part of a ground attack that's churned out 207 yards, including Andre Ellington's 125 yards and a score on 20 carries.

Yes, Clemson fans, you can start eating oranges. This one is pretty much in the books.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Oklahoma State needed a dominant win over Oklahoma to sway some voters if it was to have any chance of breaking into the top two of the BCS rankings and playing LSU for a national title. The Cowboys are almost certainly going to secure that win against Oklahoma tonight, and lead 44-3 heading into the fourth quarter.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

The Cowboys, who have lost eight straight to Oklahoma in their Bedlam rivalry, are trying hard to leave no doubt about their credentials. The opportunistic Oklahoma State defense has forced four turnovers to increase their nation-leading tally to 41 on the season, and the Cowboys' offense has been efficient and dominant, scoring points on seven drives, just one of them longer than three minutes.

The Cowboys have just five wins in the Bedlam series since the end of World War II. Tonight's devastation of the Sooners might make up for that lopsided rivalry history for some Oklahoma State fans.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

The Michigan St. Spartans lead the Wisconsin Badgers by just one point in the third quarter, 29-28. Quarterback Russell Wilson led the charge for the Badgers. He went 4-of-5 on the drive, but it was his last pass that proved to be the decisive play of the drive. Wilson dropped back and had his face mask pulled by Johnny Adams, but he was able to stay up (it wasn't a big grab) and throw a deep pass to Jared Abbrederis. Unfortunately for the Spartans, Abbrederis was 42 yards down the field and in the end zone for the score.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

The Spartans looked poised to score on the ensuing drive since Kirk Cousins had completed three passes of 10-plus yards each. However, the drive stalled once it entered Wisconsin territory. Edwin Baker did break off a 10-yard run, but that left the team three yards short of a first down. An incomplete pass and a Spartans delay of game penalty gave way to a downed punt at Wisconsin's one-yard line.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

Oklahoma's comeback bid against Oklahoma State? It's not going so well, thanks to Landry Jones. His second fumble of the night was returned for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Sooners' Bedlam game against the Cowboys, and the Sooners now trail 34-3 in Stillwater.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

While Jones was stripped in the first half, this fumble looked more like Jones' own error: the ball slipped out of his hand and behind him as he attempted to throw a screen pass, and Oklahoma State's Richetti Jones scooped up the ball for six points.

The turnover was the 40th forced by Oklahoma State's defense on the season; the Cowboys, perhaps unsurprisingly, lead the nation in that category. And if their offense and defense can keep dominating this game, they just might have a chance to meet LSU with a national championship on the line.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

The 2011 Big Ten Championship Game has gone through three phases in the first half, though the Michigan St. Spartans lead the Wisconsin Badgers, 29-21, at halftime. It began with both teams scoring on their opening drives of the game, potentially a great back and forth battle. The remainder of the first quarter, though, turned into Wisconsin dominance. The second quarter was the opposite side of the coin, as the Spartans showed true dominance.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Montee Ball headlined the offense in the first quarter. The play of the quarter was Ball's 32-yard pass to Wilson, which set up Ball's first touchdown run. Ball had his second one just a few plays later after Michigan State coughed up the ball on the kick return. That 21-7 lead wasn't going to last long, however.

Michigan State scored 22 unanswered points in the second quarter. The first came on a 30-yard pass by Kirk Cousins in the first five second of the frame. On the team's next drive, a Cousins completion turned into a lateral on the sideline and then a touchdown. The extra point attempt turned into a two-point conversion. Running back Le'Veon Bell added a touchdown midway through the quarter.

Wisconsin will need Ball to regain his ability to run the ball. He had 105 yard through the first quarter and has 107 at halftime.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

No one saw the ACC Championship Game as an offensive slugfest that would light up the scoreboard. Pretty much everyone was right.

Neither offense was exactly terrible -- Clemson had 195 total yards and Virginia Tech got to 158 -- but both teams have also managed to put up just 10 points in the first half. Clemson's running game has been the difference so far, with Andre Ellington running for 63 yards on 13 carries -- more than the 36 yards Tech squeezed out on the ground.

Click here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

The Hokies did manage to put together an 11-play, 59-yard drive right before the half to knot the score at 10.

Fortunately, for Clemson, Virginia Tech used some -- we'll call it novel -- clock management on that final series of the half. (Okay, Frank Beamer just forgot that the clock continues to run on an offensive penalty. Really.) The Hokies had to call a timeout and go for a field goal for the tie.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Oklahoma State is looking to make a statement supporting its BCS National Championship Game credentials in the 2011 edition of the Bedlam rivalry. The Cowboys did a wonderful job of that in the first half against Oklahoma, and carry a 24-3 lead into halftime as a result.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

Brandon Weeden threw for 156 yards in the half, and Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith, who combined for 98 rushing yards, each ran for a touchdown as Oklahoma State opened up a 24-0 lead. Only a hurry-up drive from the Sooners and a Michael Hunnicutt field goal that deflected off an upright and in prevented Oklahoma's first first half shutout of 2011.

The Cowboys are looking to win convincingly enough to persuade voters to move them past Alabama in the polls that factor into the BCS formula, but they're also attempting to end a period of rivalry dominance by Oklahoma. The Sooners have won the last eight match-ups against their in-state rivals.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

Over the first two minutes of the second quarter, the Michigan St. Spartans told the Wisconsin Badgers that they weren't out of this game, even though the Badgers had a 21-7 lead before the clock started ticking again. On consecutive drives, the Spartans found the end zone on several gutsy plays and now lead, 22-21.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

The Spartans had 4th-and-1 when the first quarter ended, but when the second quarter began quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped out onto the field. All he did was throw an 30-yard touchdown pass to B.J. Cunningham. The Spartans defense kept the Badgers to a three-and-out in the ensuing drive.

Cousins took control of things for the Spartans on his second drive of the quarter. On 1st-and-goal on the Wisconsin 10-yard line, Cousins threw a three-yard pass to Keith Nichol, who then lateraled the ball to B.J. Cunnigham while the two were near the sidelines. Cunningham took the ball into the end zone. With momentum on their side, the Spartans had Brad Sonntag run the ball in on the fake for the two-point conversion.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

Oklahoma looked likely to score and cut Oklahoma State's Bedlam lead to one possession. Then Oklahoma State's defense did what it has done all year, forcing a turnover and setting up the Cowboys' offense in great position for an easy touchdown to extend the lead to 17-0 in Stillwater.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

Oklahoma State's Alex Elkins stripped Landry Jones on a blitz, and Jamie Blatnick scooped up the ball and took it to the Oklahoma 1. Joseph Randle punched in the one-yard touchdown run on the first play of that drive to stretch the Cowboys' lead to three possessions.

That's nothing new at all for Oklahoma State's defense in 2011. While the Cowboys have been known to hemorrhage yardage, they lead the nation in turnovers forced and turnover margin.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

Kellen Moore threw for over 300 yards before exiting stage left in the third quarter as the Boise State Broncos manhandled the New Mexico Lobos, 45-0. Moore's services were no longer needed with the Broncos up 38-0 midway through the third quarter as he rode off into the sunset in what was likely his last home game. But before he headed to the sidelines, Moore put on one more show, completing 28-of-33 passes for 313 yards.

Moore threw for three touchdowns, spreading the weather between three different receivers in the win. Doug Martin rushed for 110 yards and two touchdown, with Drew Wright adding another touchdown on the ground. Tyler Shoemaker, Gabe Linehan and Kyle Efaw each caught touchdown passes from Moore.

The win pushed Boise State's record to 11-1 on the year, and the Broncos may still have at a BCS bid. For now, Boise State awaits its fight, wondering what could have been.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Boise State blog One Bronco Nation Under God. Here’s the complete Week 14 college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.

The ACC Championship Game is shaping up much like the ACC season itself: Mercurial swings with little or no explanation. Take Clemson's latest drive.

The Tigers and Virginia Tech swapped punts to start the second quarter, setting up Clemson with the ball at the 27. The Clemson offense then went to work with a series highlighted by a handful of plays covering more than 10 yards a pop, including:

• A 17-yard pass from Tajh Boyd to Charone Peake
• A 13-yard pass from Boyd to Sammy Watkins
• A 20-yard pass from Boyd to DeAndre Hopkins
  

Click here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

And then something happened once the Tigers got to 1st-and-Goal: Nothing. Three running plays netted a total of four yards for Clemson, leaving them at the Virginia Tech 2 and settling for the three-point lead with a field goal.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

The Wisconsin Badgers don't know the meaning of "let up." At the end of the first quarter, the Badgers have a 21-7 lead over the Michigan St. Spartans in the 2011 Big Ten Championship Game. After the two teams struck on their opening drives, the Badgers used some trickery and had running back Montee Ball throw a pass to quarterback Russell Wilson, who advanced the ball to Michigan State's nine-yard line.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

With the Badgers ready to score again, Ball ran nine yards over the next two plays to score his first touchdown of the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Michigan State lost control of the ball and allowed Ball to score a couple of plays later. Ball broke off rushes of 18 and 6 yards.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

The Wisconsin Badgers and the Michigan St. Spartans wasted no time in scoring on their opening drives of the game, tying the game at seven. Russell Wilson connected with Jeff Duckworth for a three-yard touchdown pass and the 7-0 Badgers lead. But the Spartans then answered with an Edwin Baker touchdown run to tie the game after eight-plus minutes came off the clock.

Go here for more Big Ten Championship Game updates and conversation.

Wilson was 3-of-3 on that drive for 28 yards, including a 22-yard pass to Nick Toon. Wilson set a new NCAA record with that touchdown pass by having one in 37 straight games. Running back Montee Ball pounded the ball on the ground by picking up 53 yards. He had a key 26-yard run on the drive and is averaging 8.8 yards per carry.

For the Spartans, Le'Veon Bell had a 26-yard rush from his own 41-yard line that brought him to Wisconsin's 33-yard line. After Kirk Cousin connected with Keshawn Martin for a 13-yard reception, Bell and Baker hit the ground running, Baker scoring the touchdown to tie the game at seven.

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

In five quarters of football, the Virginia Tech Hokies have scored one touchdown on the Clemson Tigers. Hey, it was just now! Logan Thomas struck a wide open D.J. Coles for a 45-yard score to tie up the ACC Championship Game at the end of the first quarter.

Stay tuned here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

Thomas is now six-of-eight for 68 yards, which is good because VT still has yet to get a ground game up to speed against the Tigers. David Wilson has three yards on two attempts.

A spirited crowd in Charlotte, with two nearby fan bases hoping for a trip to the Orange Bowl to play the (probably) West Virginia Mountaineers, who boast a likewise spirited crowd. Lots of spirit on the line.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Oklahoma State's prolific offense wasted little time in making its presence known in Saturday night's Bedlam game. After the Sooners and Cowboys traded punts in the first quarter, Oklahoma State put together a four-play, 68-yard drive capped by a nine-yard touchdown run by Joseph Smith to take a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter in Stillwater.

Go here for Bedlam score updates and conversation.

Brandon Weeden has completed two of his three passes for 59 yards for Oklahoma State so far; that is a rather robust yards-per-attempt number. Weeden's counterpart, Landry Jones, has had less success, completing just six of 14 throws for 52 yards and an interception.

The Cowboys are playing for more than just the Big 12 Championship that the winner of this game will come away with; they have an outside chance at sneaking into the BCS National Championship Game if their win over the Sooners is convincing enough for voters to elevate them past Alabama before the final BCS rankings for 2011 are released.

For more on this game, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Oklahoma State blog Cowboys Ride for Free.

ABC must know something we don't, as they've put their No. 1 announcing team on the ACC Championship Game. Well, all right. The Clemson Tigers have announced themselves (HELLO) first, with Tajh Boyd finding Dwayne Allen for a 24-yard touchdown to make it 7-0, Tigers.

Stay tuned here for ACC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

The Clemson defense also forced a Logan Thomas fumble back to get the ball again in their own territory, and so far Clemson has outscored VPI 30-3 on the year. This may not continue, but the Tigers are already driving again in Charlotte.

Minus the suspended Mike Bellamy, the Tigers will lean on Andre Ellington in the running game. He's got seven carries so far, one of which went for a short-yardage first down.

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Imagine if the LSU Tigers had played in the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs. Despite mustering zero first downs and about a dozen offensive yards in the opening two quarters, the final score of the 2011 SEC Championship Game is 42-10 in favor of the No. 1 Tigers, who'll next play in the BCS National Championship Game.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

The only question left, which isn't even much of a question at this point: will voters decide to elevate the Oklahoma St. Cowboys over the Alabama Crimson Tide, should the Pokes secure a Bedlam victory? Probably not, but we've got a long month to wait until New Orleans.

LSU's second half involved 226 yards of offense to Georgia's handful. Five yards of rushing became 208. Morris Claiborne added a defensive touchdown, meaning each of LSU's three units scored as many touchdowns as did UGA's entire team.

Five straight SEC national titles, and likely a sixth on the way.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

Clemson's drive to the ACC Championship Game was basically a dramatic rise to the top of a hill followed by a frantic effort to head in reverse and run themselves off the road late in the regular season. With the announcement that Clemson has suspended freshman running back Mike Bellamy for the ACC Championship Game for a violation of team rules, it seems that Clemson's bandwagon is, indeed, capable of losing a few more wheels.

Bellamy is Clemson's second-leading rusher despite being the Tigers' change of pace back, and has rushed for 343 yards and three touchdowns in 2011. But while starter Andre Ellington, who began the season on a hot streak until getting hurt against North Carolina in October, has lagged of late, with just 182 yards in his three games since returning from his injury, Bellamy has not exactly stepped up. The freshman had just 38 yards on the ground in Clemson's three games in November.

For more on the Tigers, visit Clemson blog Shakin the Southland.

We're pretty sure Robert Griffin III scored three more touchdowns on the way to the locker room following Baylor's 48-24 win over Texas on Saturday. A week after suffering an apparent concussion and sitting out the second half in a win over Texas Tech, Griffin was back and explosive as always. By the time it was all over, Griffin account for four of the Bears touchdown in the route.

Griffin III did it on the ground and through the air, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for two more. He finished with 291 yards through the air, on 13-of-19 passes, and two touchdowns to just one interception. Griffin III's efforts through the air were supplemented by Terrance Ganaway's 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Kendall Wright and Terrance Williams each caught touchdown passes, as well.

Perhaps lost in the shuffle is the day Case McCoy had. The yardage was there -- 24-of-39 for 353 yards and three touchdowns -- but so were the mistakes. McCoy finished with four interceptions, balancing out the positives in his performance.

For more on the Longhorns, check out Texas blog Burnt Orange Nation. Bears fans should head over to Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.

After running back a punt that was ruled a touchdown to give the LSU Tigers their first score, Tyrann Mathieu has since recovered a fumble that led to another and run back another punt that set up a third. He is fine at sports. The score is 21-10, LSU over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Video of the latter, via @cjzero:

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

Kenny Hilliard scored his second touchdown of the game, driving in from four yards out. LSU has three first downs on the day and 50 total offensive yards. Special teams are important.

Aaron Murray, who started the game hot and should've had three early touchdowns, has been battered since about midway through the second quarter. He doesn't have enough time in the pocket to get much accomplished, and you'd have to think UGA can't allow any more scores if it wants to stay alive. Maybe just roll the ball down the field on fourth down instead of punting.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

The LSU Tigers moved the ball past an imaginary line 30 feet in front of their starting field position, and were thus afforded another chance to execute an offensive play. On a subsequent play, Kenny Hilliard ran into the dead area beyond the one-yard line. His team was awarded points for this event. I'm not sure what this was all about. The score is suddenly 14-10, LSU.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

That's the first first down of the game for LSU, and yes, it's early in the third quarter. The Georgia Bulldogs had a chance to extend its lead, but Barkevious Mingo forced an Aaron Murray fumble, and you'll never guess which Honey Badger picked up the ball.

LSU has essentially made two big plays this entire game, and that's enough to give them the lead. Football is amazing!

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

If this isn't Les Miles' sort of game, I don't know what is. The LSU Tigers trail the Georgia Bulldogs by only three points at the break in the Georgia Dome despite picking up zero first downs all half. It's 10-7, UGA, but it could be so, so much more lopsided if not for a pair of dropped Georgia touchdowns.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

LSU has 12 total yards*. Six Georgia players have more than that from scrimmage. Aaron Murray has thrown for 114. Tyrann Mathieu has 62 yards on a single punt return touchdown (though a replay showed, about 30 minutes too late, that he never actually crossed the goal line with the ball).

To CBS' Tracy Wolfson, Miles said it was "very possible" Jarrett Lee could make an appearance in the second half. Well, I should say so.

* Adjusted for penalties, that's negative 29.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

TCU came into Week 14 with little to play for, having wrapped up a Mountain West title by beating Boise State earlier in the season and fallen far enough in most pollsters' estimation to be seemingly out of the BCS race. Now, after thumping UNLV 56-9, the Horned Frogs might yet go to a BCS bowl for the third straight year.

TCU running backs combined for six touchdowns on the ground, Casey Pachall threw for 183 yards in the win, and touchdowns on a kick return and an interception return over a 14-second stretch in the second quarter put the game way out of reach for the Rebels.

With TCU headed upward in the rankings and Houston no longer eligible for an automatic BCS bowl game berth after a loss in the Conference USA Championship Game, the Horned Frogs might yet play in one of college football's premier postseason games once again.

For more, visit TCU blog Frogs O' War. SB Nation also has all the Week 14 college football scores and news in one convenient StoryStream.

Momentum had started to move the way of the LSU Tigers even before Tyrann Mathieu ran back a long, long Drew Butler punt for a 62-yard touchdown. The score is now 10-7, Georgia Bulldogs, an astounding figure considering LSU has gained only 16 yards worth of offense. 

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

This is Mathieu's second straight game with a punt return touchdown, and both times his effort couldn't have come at a more welcome time. Georgia's gained an advantage on both sides of the ball, but a missed field goal and now this have shown why LSU was given the clear edge on special teams coming in.

There are murmurings about seeing what Jarrett Lee could do at quarterback for LSU. There are also murmurings about seeing what Mathieu could do. Why not? It's only the SEC Championship.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

The Kansas State Wildcats finished one of the more remarkable campaigns of the 2011 college football season in typical fashion: with a win in a nail-biter. Josh Hubert ran for the game-winning touchdown with just over three minutes to go, and the Wildcats' defense snagged a fumble on a fourth down attempt by Iowa State to preserve a 30-23 win.

Collin Klein threw for 158 yards and a touchdown in the win, and ran for another 86 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Iowa State's running game, headed by Jeff Woody and Duran Hollis, rolled up 219 yards on the ground.

Neither team led by more than seven points in the game, which featured three ties at 7-7, 20-20, and 23-23. The Wildcats' victory is their 10th on the season.

For visit Kansas State blog Bring On the Cats and Iowa State blog Wide Right & Natty Lite. SB Nation also has all the Week 14 college football scores and news in one convenient StoryStream.

It hasn't been a perfect Heisman closing statement by Robert Griffin III, but he's still trying to make the case as best he can as the first half of Baylor's game against Texas comes to a close. RG3 is 5-of-10 passing for 132 yards and a touchdown, though he's also thrown an interception in the end zone that could have given the Bears a lead.

But Griffin bounced back from that and plowed into the end zone from the Texas 2 on Baylor's next "drive," which started on that yard line after an interception thrown by Texas' Case McCoy. Back on the negative side, Griffin only has eight yards rushing on seven attempts. Oh, and there's a score in this game, which is currently 24-21 in the Bears' favor.

If Griffin's had trouble making room on the ground against the Texas defense, Terrance Ganaway has not, picking up 71 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Aside from the turnovers, McCoy has actually had a pretty decent half, going 11-of-18 for 232 yards and all three of Texas' touchdowns. And six Longhorns have run for 107 yards on 27 carries.

For more on the Longhorns, check out Texas blog Burnt Orange Nation. Bears fans should head over to Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.

The score of the 2011 SEC Championship Game likely won't shock you. The LSU Tigers trail the Georgia Bulldogs, 10-0, near the end of the first quarter. This is a SEC game, and one pitting especially SEC defenses, so points will be earned. And LSU let Arkansas score some points before taking charge.

But it should probably be 21-0, Dawgs.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

UGA has gained 134 yards to LSU's seven. Two dropped touchdown catches, a missed field goal, a dropped first down catch, and two critical penalties have made quite a difference. The Tigers don't really need that kind of assistance, but they'll accept it if you're offering.

The touchdown strike came from Aaron Murray to Aron White, a 12-yarder over the middle.

Jordan Jefferson has overthrown receivers on his few chances, with at least two near-interceptions along the way. Murray has completed only seven of his 17 passes, but that's a lot better than going zero-for-four.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

The Cyclones have just fallen behind Kansas State, but Iowa State is looking to spoil one more Big 12 team's season before it goes to a bowl. Right now, the Wildcats are holding onto a three-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Collin Klein is only 6-of-14, but the K State quarterback has made the most of those throws to put up 137 yards and a touchdown. Klein has also run for 87 yards and a score on 25 carries. And Anthony Cantele has connected on three field goals, including one in the opening moments of the fourth quarter to give the 'Cats their 23-20 lead.

Jared Barnett is 11-of-18 for the Cyclones for 131 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jeff Woody has 12 runs for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but a missed extra point could end up playing a major role in the game if the Cyclones are forced to settle for a kick at some point.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and Iowa State blog Wide Right & Natty Lite.

The Georgia Bulldogs came into the SEC Championship Game with one clear disadvantage: special teams. It's been an issue for UGA at times, and the LSU Tigers likely have the best kicking units in the country. So, yep, a surprise first quarter onside kick went exactly how you wouldn't think.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

The Dawgs one-hopped the ball into Alec Ogletree's hands, giving them their second possession of the young game. Top back Isaiah Crowell entered the contest, but it was still Aaron Murray's receiving corps that moved the chains. Malcolm Mitchell and Orson Charles made big catches along the way to another field goal try, but this one veered right.

For the second drive, the Dawgs dropped a sure touchdown catch. This time, it was Mitchell.

Crowell left the field a few plays into the day after being stampeded while pass blocking. By an especially tiny cornerback, Tyrann Mathieu.

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

Robert Griffin III has one last chance to make a Heisman case this weekend, and so far he's making the most of it. The question is whether that effort will be enough to get the Bears a win against Texas.

Griffin is 3-of-4 for 109 yards and a touchdown early -- including a 59-yard throw for the score -- and Baylor has a 14-7 lead early. But Texas has also missed a field goal on the afternoon, meaning that the Longhorns are right with the Bears for the time being.

Speaking of: Case McCoy is 6-of-10 for 54 yards and a touchdown, part of Texas' 139 yard of total offense -- a mirror image of Baylor's offensive output so far. The difference is the 85 yards rushing that Texas' ground game has generated.

For more on the Longhorns, check out Texas blog Burnt Orange Nation. Bears fans should head over to Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.

The Georgia Bulldogs opened the 2011 SEC Championship Game with star freshman Isaiah Crowell on the sidelines and backup Richard Samuel out hurt. Diminutive tailback Carlton Thomas got the start, meaning the LSU Tigers should've expected Aaron Murray to whip the ball around a little.

Click here for SEC Championship Game score updates and conversation.

Whip it around he did, finding Tavarres King for a 44-yard gain over the middle. On the next third and long, he bounced the ball off King's fingers in the end zone, nearly achieving the first opening-drive touchdown LSU has allowed all year. Blair Walsh stepped in to produce a field goal and make it 3-0.

Still, that's the first score of any sort LSU has given up on an opening drive.

* Field goals count as blood in the SEC, right?

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.

A good day for Southern Miss (and Michigan, TCU, and Kansas State) is a bad day for Houston (and all of Conference USA), as the Golden Eagles take the 2011 Conference USA crown. Two-touchdown underdogs coming in, the Golden Eagles mustered a 49-28 victory over the otherwise unbeaten Houston Cougars. 

That's UH's lowest point total of the year by more than a touchdown, by the way, and the last seven came in the closing seconds.

Case Keenum was far from his usual perfect self, throwing an end zone interception, while under harassment from Cordarro Law and friends. Austin Davis threw for 279 yards and kept chains moving with his legs, while Tracy Lampley was good for 196 total yards from scrimmage.

The loss costs Conference USA something like $11 million in BCS money and opens up a spot for those teams in the teens without a spot. Highly ranked outcasts Boise State and Houston aren't promised anything, as they failed to win their conferences. But TCU did, as did Southern Miss.

For more on this game, visit SB Nation Houston.

The West Virginia Mountaineers should send the Cincinnati Bearcats some sort of Florida-themed Christmas cards. After Cincy downed the Connecticut Huskies, we have a three-way tie for the Big East championship. The conference's BCS bid will come down to Sunday night's BCS standings, which should favor the 'Eers.

Last week's standings saw WVU ranked No. 23 and the Bearcats and Louisville Cardinals unranked. Nothing happened this weekend that should hurdle either of those teams ahead of West Virginia. It's not 100 percent certain yet, but it appears very, very likely that the Mountaineers will advance to play either the Virginia Tech Hokies or Clemson Tigers. Winner gets to join the SEC! That's a joke from like August, 2011.

Game date, time: 8 p.m. ET, Jan. 4

Location: Miami, Florida

TV channel: ESPN

2010 winner and loser: Stanford, Virginia Tech

For more on each bowl game as it's announced, stay tuned to SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.

The Cincinnati Bearcats improved to 9-3, finishing their season tied for first in the jumbled Big East standings. Their 35-27 win over the Connecticut Huskies almost certainly sends West Virginia to the Orange Bowl as the Big East's representative in the BCS.

A comeback effort by the Huskies, featuring two fourth quarter touchdowns, was simply not enough as the Bearcats had built a 23 point lead in the second half. Two UConn turnovers for touchdowns opened the game, spotting Cincinnati's offense a quick 14 points. On their first touchdown, the Bearcats' Walter Stewart simply ripped the ball out of UConn quarterback Johnny McEntee's hands. McEntee rolled to his left and Stewart closed on him, grabbing the ball with little effort for the score. Later in the first quater, Cincinnati would pick off McEntee and return it for the 14-0 lead.

On top of the two defensive TDs, Munchie Legaux finished the day for the Bearcats throwing for three touchdowns. The big lead gave Cincy the cushion to withstand two fourth quarter Connecticut touchdowns, and seal the 35-27 win.

For more on this game, visit Cincinnati blog Down the Drive and UConn blog The UConn Blog, which is our UConn blog.

The Pitt Panthers finished their season with a home win over Syracuse on Saturday afternoon, bringing their record to a bowl eligible 6-6. With Syracuse down six and looking to take the lead, a late fourth quarter defensive touchdown would ice the game for the Panthers. 'Cuse quarterback Ryan Nassib was sacked by Brandon Lindsey. The ball was jarred loose by Lindsey and Antwuan Reed scooped it up and took it 20 yards for the 33-20 lead.

Pitt struggled to get much going on the ground, but Tino Sunseri bounced back from an awful game against West Virginia, completing 25 passes for 259 yards. Kicker Kevin Harper added four field goals to help secure the win.

Under Doug Marrone, the Orange needed a win to head to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in over a decade. Instead, it was first year Pitt coach Todd Graham and the Panthers who secured their sixth win of the season and will head to a bowl.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and Pittsburgh blog Cardiac Hill. Here’s the complete Week 14 college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.

With undefeated Houston struggling in the Conference USA title game, Kansas State's hopes of getting an at-large BCS bowl bid are still alive. The Wildcats are looking to finish their season on a high note against upset-minded Iowa State. The game was initially delayed due to inclement weather and lightning in the Manhattan area.

Paul Rhoads and the Cyclones, just two weeks removed from their big upset over Oklahoma State, are challenging K-State in the first half, taking a 13-10 lead into the second quarter. Jared Barnett opened the scoring for ISU, hitting Darius Darks on a 30 yard strike for the game's first touchdown. The Wildcats would respond on the very next play to tie it with a 68 yard touchdown pass from Collin Klein to Tramaine Thompson.

The tie wouldn't last long, however, as the Cylcones went right back down the field in five plays to take a 13-7 lead, Jeff Woody rumbled in from one yard out for the go-ahead score. K-State would add a field goal to cut the lead to three mid way through the second quarter.

For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and Iowa State blog Wide Right & Natty Lite. Here's the complete Week 14 college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub for more.

The Houston Cougars looked set to close it up in the third quarter against Southern Miss, but Case Keenum threw an interception into the end zone. It's been that sort of afternoon in Houston. The ball moved up and down the field, and now it's 35-21, Golden Eagles, with 18 minutes to go. A Desmond Johnson touchdown countered a Michael Hayes rush, and here we are.

If Southern Miss can knock the Cougars out of a BCS bowl game, it will cost each Conference USA school approximately $1.4 million. SMU coach Larry Fedora, on the other hand, stands to make about that much for himself in raises, wherever it is he may end up at some point, so you'll forgive his lack of sympathy, Rice Owls.

It could be good news for the TCU Horned Frogs, who would be the highest-ranked non-AQ conference champion. There's still no guarantee they'd be able to sneak into a BCS game of their own, but let's just say this game is a big deal throughout Texas right now.

For more on this game, visit SB Nation Houston.

The Cincinnati Bearcats dominated the Connecticut Huskies in the first half at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, finishing with a 22 point lead. UConn turnovers gave the Bearcats a nice cushion in the first quarter, as Huskies quarterback Johnny McEntee turned it over twice for touchdowns. The first was a fumble on a sack by Walter Stewart, who simply ripped the ball out of the hands of McEntee in the end zone. The second turnover was a bad pick-six, with Drew Frey taking it in from 15 yards out for the two touchdown lead.

With the defense spotting them 14 points, the Bearcat offense added to the lead in the second quarter when Munchie Legaux hit Alex Chisum for a 22 yard touchdown. Legaux, who had 167 yards passing in the first half, hit Anthony McClung for a his second touchdown and a 28-3 lead. UConn would manage another field goal before the end of the half, but the Bearcats are in control up 28-6.

All of this is comforting news for West Virginia fans, as the Mountaineers will almost certainly head to the Orange Bowl with a Cincinnati win.

For more on this game, visit Cincinnati blog Down the Drive and UConn blog The UConn Blog, which is our UConn blog.

The Houston Cougars' path to the BCS won't be quite as easy as certain corners of Vegas had predicted -- the Coogs were favored over Southern Miss by two touchdowns -- but UH is still in respectable shape. The score at halftime of the 2011 Conference USA Championship Game is 21-14, Golden Eagles.

Wind-afflicted Case Keenum has only 152 yards on 22 attempts, though SMU's D deserves plenty of credit in keeping the nation's top offense contained for 30 minutes. With the ball to start the third quarter, the Eagles boast the momentum in addition to the lead.

Austin Davis has 39 yards rushing and 164 through the air, along with all three touchdowns. Dominique Sullivan is the box score star so far, having produced 85 yards worth of catches.

Very interested to see whether the SMU defense can keep holding on.

For more on this game, visit SB Nation Houston.

Halfway through the second quarter, Case Keenum and the undefeated Houston Cougars finally got on the board in the Conference USA title game. Keenum hit Justin Johnson for a nine yard touchdown, capping an 11 play, 65 yard drive that got the Cougar crowd back into the game. The Cougars' quarterback hit Johnson in the middle of the field, and he fought through the defense to just break the plane. He bobbled the ball going to the ground but recovered the rock for the score.

Just two minutes later after a Southern Miss three-and-out, the Cougars evened it up at 14. The quick strike drive was highlighted by another big play to Justin Johnson. Keenum hit Johnson in stride in the middle of the field, and the Cougar wideout raced down the middle of the field to the one yard line. Just one play later, Michael Hayes would go over the top to tie the game.

Keenum is now 15 of 21 for 152 yards, and has hit on his last 11 throws as the Cougars look to get their high powered offense rolling after a silent first quarter. The Golden Eagles have managed to put pressure on Keenum for much of the afternoon, but the Cougars look like their back on track in the second quarter. 

The Golden Eagles, however, quickly responded to re-take the lead at 21-14. Quarterback Austin Davis hit Dominique Sullivan for a 75 yard touchdown. It was a career-long catch for Sullivan, and a quick response to quiet the Cougar crowd.

The Pittsburgh Panthers and Syracuse Orange have something to play for in the Big East undercard, and not just dibs on which school gets to join the ACC Whichever or The Other division next year. The winner earns bowl eligibility and a trip to sunny Memphis perhaps, while the loser gets to enjoy basketball season.

So far, Pitt appears more Memphis-inclined, leading 20-10 at the break. Tino Sunseri and Anthony Gonzalez have touchdowns for the Panthers, while Ryan Nassib threw an interception that hurt Cuse's chances. The penalty tally, to Syracuse's detriment: nine to one.

Neither team has gotten much going on the ground -- we're averaging 2.6 yards per carry here -- so let's say it'll be up to Sunseri and Nassib from here on out.

For more on this game, head to Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and Pitt blog Cardiac Hill, plus SB Nation Pittsburgh.

Did you expect the Houston Cougars and Southern Miss Golden Eagles to combine for eleventy points in the first quarter of the 2011 Conference USA Championship Game? The two top-15 offenses have combined for seven points through the first quarter, a 14-yard touchdown pass from Austin Davis to Ryan Balentine.

Weather has been an issue, with a stern breeze disrupting UH's electric passing game somewhat. It's also rendered Houston's special teams useless -- Richie Leone is averaging 22.2 yards per punt.

Southern Miss' No. 25 defense could give Case Keenum and company its toughest task of the year, but don't expect the Cougars to be held out of the end zone for much longer. Houston has started out slow before, even trailing for much of the first half in Keenum's nine-touchdown game.

Still! We've got ourselves a competition here in Texas.

For more on this game, visit SB Nation Houston.

It's not the Big East championship game, but it's the best facsimile we've got. The setup: if the Connecticut Huskies win, the Louisville Cardinals stumble into a BCS bowl bid. If the Cincinnati Bearcats win, the West Virginia Mountaineers almost certainly take the Big East's BCS ticket.

At the moment, it looks like Morgantown is enjoying this game more than anybody. The Bearcats lead, 14-0, early in the second quarter. Huskies quarterback Johnny McEntee has already surrendered a pick six and a fumble returned for a touchdown, so just imagine how ugly this will get once UC's offense reaches the end zone. Cincy's on pace for almost 500 yards worth of offense.

All-name captain Munchie Legaux has thrown an interception of his own, and ... yeah, there's a trip to the Orange Bowl on the line here, guys.

For more on this game, visit Cincinnati blog Down the Drive and UConn blog The UConn Blog, which is our UConn blog.

The Clemson Tigers defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies in their first meeting this season, but currently appear to be in freefall. They meet again in the ACC Championship and the Hokies are slight favorites, but predicting a game with these sorts of circumstances surrounding it is nearly impossible. Then one remembers that, not only are these circumstances in place, but they are currently being applied to Clemson. All bets are off.

Can we make sense of this game? No, that's highly unlikely, but let's give it a shot anyway. Virginia Tech Hokies blog Gobbler Country thinks that it's likely we're going to see turnovers. Turnovers everywhere.

Expect turnovers and pressure to be the difference. Clemson has only forced two turnovers in its last four games and none in its last three. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech has committed four turnovers since its last meeting with Clemson and is +7 in those games. And as I mentioned before, Boyd has struggled the last four times with increased pressure while Clemson's front four caused hell for Logan Thomas in the first meeting.

Clemson Tigers blog Shakin The Southland acknowledges Virginia Tech's good season and right to be here, but points out that they've been less than convincing.

Va Tech scored 30 or more points five games since the Clemson game and 24 or more 6 of the last 7. The Hokies were impressive in most of the games since Clemson but did have two qty three point wins (UNC and Miami) and a four point victory at Duke. Va Tech's massacre of in-state rival Virginia last week was very impressive and I'll say that VTech took advantage of Georgia Tech's mistakes/stupidity to pull away impressively several Thursdays ago.  

Game date, time: 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 3

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

TV channel: ESPN/ESPN3

Spread: Virginia Tech favored by 6 1/2 points

Series history: Clemson leads 16-12-1

For more on this game, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

A Hail Mary was all that separated the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan State Spartans in their first meeting at Spartan Stadium. Both teams have had their ups and downs since then, though it's mostly been good times for both teams. They meet again at a neutral site on Saturday with a trip to a BCS bowl on the line, and neutral football fans can only hope that the rematch is nearly as good as the first game.

Wisconsin Badgers blog Bucky's 5th Quarter points out that Michigan State needed a lot to go their way to win the first matchup.

[T]he Badgers suffered a blocked punt, a blocked field goal, two of quarterback Russell Wilson's three interceptions on the season, a safety and the aforementioned Hail Mary, and were still tied with the Spartans as the game clock reached the single digits. A cleaner performance away from the raucous nighttime crowd at Spartan Stadium should lead to a Wisconsin victory.    

However, Michigan State blog The Only Colors doesn't think that MSU's performance was anything close to an aberration. Wisconsin has a highly-rated pass defense, but they haven't played anyone.

Wisconsin's pass defense has been ranked tops in the Big Ten by virtue of giving up only 144.5 yards through the air per game. This is my rebuttal. Quick: What do Edward Wright-Baker, Tre Robinson, Taylor Martinez, Braxton Miller, Caleb TerBush, Robert Marve, MarQueis Gray, Nathan Scheelhaase, and the Matt McGloin/Rob Bolden have in common? Those are the quarterbacks other than Kirk Cousins that Wisconsin's faced in conference this season. The Badger defense also faced Northern Illinois QB Chandler Harnish, who must be better than at least half the QBs I just listed. So even though Wisconsin might have the top pass defense in the Big Ten, the degree of difficulty in quarterbacks faced hasn't been too steep.    

Game date, time: 8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 3

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

TV channel: FOX

Spread: Wisconsin favored by 10 points

Series history: Michigan State leads, 30-20

For more on this game, head over to Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on Championship Weekend.

Regardless of what happens in the SEC Championship game, the LSU Tigers are probably going to the BCS Championship game. Unless they are well and truly embarrassed by the Georgia Bulldogs, it will be almost impossible for pollsters and the BCS computers to drop the Tigers below second spot. Georgia is hoping that LSU is a little too aware of that fact. They are double-digit underdogs, and they're going to need a spectacular performance to beat the Tigers and get to a BCS bowl.

Georgia Bulldogs blog Dawg Sports knows that a Dawgs victory is a longshot, but they believe in miracles.

It's been a while since UGA got to be Cinderalla, and I am all for taking her to the dance. Larry didn't repeat his lines, but I think, just this one time, if UGA wins, he would say, "Can you see the sugar falling from the sky?" Here's to you young Bulldogs, we believe.

LSU Tigers blog And The Valley Shook is confident of a win, but acknowledges that Georgia is going to come to play, and play hard with nothing to lose.

It goes without saying that Georgia's coming here to win a game, and it's not like they have anything to lose here. Lose, whatever, you go home 10-3, a season any fan base could (and should) be proud of, with Richt's job security settled for a while. Win, and you not only secure Georgia's 13th SEC title, but a spot in the Sugar Bowl, the undying admiration of the state of Alabama and of anybody rooting for complete chaos in the national title picture. Everything to gain, nothing to lose really.    

Game date, time: 4:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 3

Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

TV channel: CBS

Spread: LSU favored by 10 points

Series history: LSU leads, 15-12-1

For more on this game, keep up with our 2011 SEC Championship StoryStream and SB Nation Atlanta's LSU Vs. Georgia StoryStream. Also, be sure to check out our Georgia blog Dawg Sports and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Football and the 2011 Conference Championship Games section for more on Championship Weekend.