2024 College Football: Conference Championship Takeaways

Welcome to the conference championships! For most of these teams, this is the big goal. A select few have CFP dreams. I’ll be covering each of the 9 FBS title games (no Pac-12 this year), so expect a long article. Therefore, I’m not going to do specific CFP and draft sections here. I’m writing a separate article with my final CFP picks before the official announcement on 12/8 at noon EST, and the draft will be the main focus of the months ahead. The games below are sorted in order of occurrence (soonest first). All we have left are the playoffs and the bowls, and I’ll be analyzing those too! Below are my conference championship takeaways.

Conference USA: Jacksonville State 52, Western Kentucky 12

If you’re reading this and thinking “wait, didn’t these two teams just play each other”, you’d be right! It took a 50-yard FG with just 5 seconds remaining for the Hilltoppers to win and even make this conference title game, this time on the road. That last bit is key, as the 34-degree weather made this game the coldest ever played in Jacksonville, Alabama. When we last talked about WKU QB Caden Veltkamp, he was seeing his first major action in a bowl game, and he starred. He started off well in this game too, leading an opening FG drive. Unfortunately for his team, that would be their only lead of the entire game.

Last week, the Gamecocks did not play well. QB Tyler Huff was a 2000-yard passer and 1100-yard rusher this season, but he didn’t throw the ball well against WKU and left injured to boot. Showing no ill effects, Huff rectified the situation in the championship game. He started right away with a 48-yard scamper and racked up over 100 rushing yards in the first half. Huff would go on to complete 11 of 15 passes for 176 yards and 2 first-quarter TDs along with 23 carries for 167 yards and a TD on the ground. Sandwiched between those 2 scores, WKU went on 4th and 1 stop at their own 42 and failed. The game devolved from there.

Jacksonville State did whatever they wanted. WR Cam Vaughn had 4 catches for 91 yards and a TD in the first half but didn’t have to do anything more because the offense was so dominant. As well as Huff played, he wasn’t even the team’s leading rusher. That honor went to RB Tre Stewart (27/201, 3 TDs; 3/54 receiving), who made Hilltoppers look foolish on almost every carry. The defense held Veltkamp to 18/30 passing for 141 yards, a TD, and a lost fumble. Most of the yardage came in garbage time; he had under 60 passing yards for most of the game. From start to finish, this was a true demolition.

I can’t say enough about the job coach Rich Rodriguez has done with the Gamecocks. Last year, JVST made their FBS debut and finished with a winning record. One year later, they’re conference champions. In college football, you’re in great shape if you hire a big-name coach, and that’s what happened here. This team has staying power in C-USA and will be a force to be reckoned with. Western Kentucky faded a bit down the stretch this season, but they’re usually a fun offense to watch. I suspect they’ll be right in the mix next year, but things don’t typically go the Hilltoppers’ way when their scoring unit gets shut down.

Mountain West: (10) Boise State 21, (20) UNLV 7

Our second consecutive rematch, this game had huge CFP implications. A Boise State win would secure a first-round bye, whereas a UNLV win would see the Rebels supplant the Broncos in the CFP but without that bye. These teams played back in week 9, and it was a highly compelling game. Relatively speaking, UNLV defended Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty better than just about anyone else this season. However, that didn’t lead to a win. Could they slow the nation’s best RB this time around? No, they could not. At least not for very long. On his first 12 carries, Jeanty had under 4 yards per attempt.

In fact, it was QB Maddux Madsen (18/27, 158 yards, TD; 3/9/1 rushing) who got the ball rolling. Facing 3rd and 17, he fired a pinpoint laser to WR Latrell Caples (2/37/1) for a 22-yard score. Madsen then ran for a TD, and Jeanty finally broke loose with a 75-yard TD sprint before halftime. By that point, Boise State had a 21-0 lead and had firm control of the game. An INT by UNLV QB Hajj-Malik Williams (13/28, 110 yards; 21/56 rushing) gave the Broncos a first-half shutout, which was good because the Rebel defense figured things out. Boise State would not score again in the game despite another huge game from Jeanty (32/209/1).

UNLV found something in the second half but couldn’t convert their opportunities into points. An 86-yard run by RB Kylin James led to nothing, and the Rebels didn’t score until the 4th quarter. RB Greg Burrell (5/47/1) punched in a 31-yard TD on 4th and 1. With the way the backs were playing, I’m surprised they only got 13 combined carries all game. The credit should probably go to the BSU defense for wrecking UNLV’s game plan. That unit was awesome. Williams, who is known for his escape skills, suffered 6 sacks, part of 11 total TFLs for the Broncos. The Rebels also turned the ball over twice on downs.

Both teams had a CFP spot and a conference title on the line here, but only one of them played like it. Boise State, led by their star back, is a guaranteed playoff team with this win. Their only loss was a week-1 squeaker to (1) Oregon, so they have very few blemishes. Playing against the big boys will be very tough, but I think the Broncos can be competitive at the very worse. UNLV won’t be happy with how their regular season ended, but remember that this team started the year with their QB abandoning them over an NIL deal. That they came this far anyway speaks to how formidable the Rebel program has become.

AAC: (24) Army 35, Tulane 14

A week ago, this game could’ve been a major topic in the CFP discussion. Alas, Tulane lost to Memphis, costing the AAC any chance of nabbing a playoff bid. Why Army, a 10-1 team whose sole defeat came to (4) Notre Dame, never had a real chance at the top 12 is a mystery to me. They aren’t CFP-quality, but they’re close. The formerly independent team proved they belong in their new conference by winning its title in a blowout. I’m sorry, but we didn’t have a single competitive game on Friday night. Tulane let us know what kind of game we were about to watch on their very first couple of drives, both of which ended in FG attempts.

On the first one, the hold was slightly bobbled but I thought the ball got down in time. However, K Patrick Durkin was too thrown off to attempt the kick and basically froze, blowing the play up. Army took their momentum and scored on a punishing 11-play drive. Tulane’s second FG attempt was simply a miss from 38 yards out. The Black Knights scored 3 plays later, with a 72-yard run by RB Kanye Udoh (20/158/1) headlining the drive. Tulane fumbled the subsequent kick return, but their defense held and forced a turnover on downs. However, QB Darien Mensah (17/25, 210 yards, 2 TDs, INT; 10/40 rushing) threw an ugly INT a short time later.

Army scored again off the turnover, and although WR Mario Williams (6/109/1) had a critical 42-yard TD before the half, the Green Wave still trailed 21-7 at the break. The Black Knights held this lead despite having 0 pass attempts in the first half. As is typical of the service academies, Army utilized the ground game to punish Tulane. QB Bryson Daily (2/2, 17 yards; 25/126/4 rushing) ran for each Army’s first 4 TDs to bring his total to 29 rushing TDs on the season. That’s the most in AAC history, and his running allowed Army to score on both of their second-half drives (excluding kneel downs), taking more than 17 minutes off the clock.

I want to say something positive about Tulane despite how poorly this game went. The job new coach Jon Sumrall has done this year after taking over for Willie Fritz has been excellent. Tulane did not miss a beat despite losing QB Michael Pratt to the NFL. Maybe this is why UNC wants Sumrall to perhaps be their next coach. Army showed us the most though. They became first service academy to win a conference title since Air Force won the WAC in 1998. As an 11-1 team, the Black Knights got none of their deserved credit from the CFP committee. It may not mean much, but I’m giving them their full due right here.

Big XII: (15) Arizona State 45, (16) Iowa State 19

To some, this was an unfathomable matchup. Few had big expectations for Iowa State, and most picked Arizona State to finish last in the Big XII. Instead, the Cyclones spent time in the top 10 before fading and then rebounding, while the Sun Devils are conference champions in their debut season. As with the other noncompetitive title games we’ve had, this contest’s first play set the tone. Arizona’s big star, RB Cam Skattebo, had to be the focal point for ISU’s defense. Without injured WR Jordyn Tyson, by far the Sun Devils’ leading receiver, you know Skattebo would get the ball a ton, yet he earned 28 yards on his very first carry.

Iowa State did not do a better job containing him at any later point in this game. After an early FG drive, the first ever for K Carston Kieffer after some well-documented kicking issues, the Sun Devils never kicked again. Iowa State took a momentary lead on a TD drive powered by RB Carson Hansen (8/47; 3/5/1 receiving), but that was their only bright spot of the day. Skattebo took over, showing superior will upon taking contact. He broke countless tackles and demonstrated deceptive speed, racking up 170 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries while adding 2 receptions for 38 yards and another score through the air.

Down 17-10, on a 3rd and 8 pass, ASU appeared to commit PI in the end zone, but it went uncalled. The Cyclones missed the subsequent 46-yard FG and completely imploded. Their Big XII-best defense had no answer for redshirt freshman QB Sam Leavitt (12/17, 219 yards, 3 TDs; 7/33/1 rushing). His legs gave ISU major problems, particularly on 3rd and 4th-downs. Offensively, Iowa State turned the ball over on 3 straight drives to start the second half, with an INT by QB Rocco Becht (21/35, 214 yards, 2 TDs, INT) and 2 fumbles by RB Abu Sama (5/23). Arizona State scored TDs on all three takeaways to completely put this game to bed.

ASU was the more aggressive and physical team throughout. At one point, they went on 4th and 1 at their own 34 and hit a 66-yard deep shot. Only one negative came from this game: DB Shamari Simmons was ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter, so he’ll miss the 1st half of the Sun Devils’ inaugural CFP game, which they’ve now clinched a spot in. I still despise that rule. These Sun Devils have become remarkably consistent, so they shouldn’t be discounted. Iowa State came up way short, but they won a school-record 10 games and had a great season overall. The Big XII can survive without Texas and Oklahoma.

MAC: Ohio 38, Miami OH 3

As much as we love MACtion on this site, even I have to admit that this wasn’t the best game. When these two teams met earlier in the season, the RedHawks dominated (final score notwithstanding). Beating the same team twice in the same year as hard, even for the defending MAC champions. Miami’s repeat bid never had much of a chance, as their opening-drive FG proved to be their only points of the entire game. Ohio scored 38 unanswered points from there, completely overwhelming the RedHawks on both sides of the ball. The Bobcats scored on every single drive except one (excluding the end-of-game clock-burning effort).

QB Parker Navarro (20/27, 235 yards, 2 TDs; 13/67/2 rushing) had the best game of his career. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing since Kurtis Rourke went to Indiana, but Navarro has led his team to a 10-win season and a MAC championship. The Bobcats’ most impressive drive to me was their second one, when they went 82 yards in 18 plays and took over 10 minutes of game time. It was emblematic of their consistent execution and 15-minute total time of possession advantage. Ohio’s offensive engine was RB Anthony Tyus III, who took 27 carries for 151 yards and a TD. He added 22 receiving yards as well.

Miami simply never had a chance to get in rhythm, though running for 2.7 yards per carry warrants some of the blame. Their one-dimensional attack did not serve QB Brett Gabbert (14/25, 127 yards, INT) well, and the credit belongs to the Ohio defense. After figuring out how the RedHawks were going to attack on the first drive, they instantly solved the puzzle and pitched a shutout thereafter. That’s how you win a conference title and finish a season on a 6-game win streak. Miami is a good MAC team too, as their record mainly suffered from a 3-game losing streak against FBS opponents. However, they’re no longer the league’s best.

SEC: (5) Georgia 22, (2) Texas 19

I know exactly what happened in this game. Texas couldn’t play to their normal standard without their real-life longhorn in tow. I’m kidding, but something clearly affected them. That “something” is the Georgia defense. We saw it the last time these two played, and it happened again. However, the Texas defense played much better this time around. Georgia essentially had a home game with the contest being played in Atlanta. They also enjoyed the return of RB Trevor Etienne, who missed the last 3 games with a rib injury. All of that had the Bulldogs feeling good, and that joy only continued after the game’s first drive.

The Longhorns had no LT Kelvin Banks, who struggled in the first game. This was the first missed game by any member of the starting 5 along the line all season. Thus, QB Quinn Ewers (27/46, 358 yards, TD, 2 INTs) faced pressure all game. He managed it well on that first possession, but he threw a ball to WR Isaiah Bond, who dropped it. Making matters worse, he showed no effort in tracking the batted pass, and CB Daylen Everette picked it off. Georgia’s offense went 3 and out though, wasting the turnover. The Bulldogs struggled offensively the entire half. Texas had a yardage advantage of nearly 200 and held the ball nonstop.

Still, the Longhorns only led 6-3 at the half because of their own miscues. Penalties were the big issue, as Texas was called for 11 infractions, costing the a total of 94 yards. They short-circuited drives and prevented TDs. One flag moved a 37-yard FG, which K Burt Auburn made, to a 42-yard attempt, which he promptly hooked left. Pass protection woes hurt as well, with one sack in particular pushing back another Auburn FG. He pushed this one left as well. The Longhorns were also victimized by numerous drops, although Georgia (the FBS leader in dropped passes) had plenty of their own.

On the final play of the half, Texas seemingly had their break. Georgia QB Carson Beck (7/13, 56 yards) went to throw a Hail Mary but was strip sacked, and he hurt his elbow. The report quickly came in that he would not return. I and many others immediately saw shades of FSU from 2023. When their QB went down, the CFP committee kicked them out of the playoff entirely despite being a 13-0 ACC champion. I worried that if Georgia had lost this game, the same fate might befall them. For the record, I would have kept the Bulldogs firmly in, just as my personal rankings included FSU last year.

That brought sophomore Gunner Stockton (12/16, 71 yards, INT) in to start the 3rd quarter…and he immediately led a go-ahead TD drive. He helped the Bulldogs add a field goal, which finally woke Texas up. Ewers hit WRs Matthew Golden (8/162) and DeAndre Moore Jr (9/114/1) in succession, with the latter earning Texas’ only TD of the game. By that point, Stockton’s magic had run out. Preparing to punt, HC Kirby Smart called a fake on 4th and 5 at his own 30. The play worked, and Georgia went down to score a field goal. Luck was on their side, as the Bulldogs fumbled twice on the drive but recovered both on fortunate bounces.

With under 5 minutes left, Ewers threw a bad pass to give Everette his second INT of the game. Looking to salt the game away, all Stockton had to do was take care of the ball. Instead, he threw an INT at the Texas 31, costing his team 3 likely points. More importantly, the Longhorns got one more chance, which they converted into an FG. That sent an SEC championship game to OT for the first time. Texas got the ball first and could only score an FG after a couple of low-percentage throws went incomplete. On Georgia’s drive, Stockton ran to the Texas 4 but took a huge hit and lost his helmet, forcing his exit for a play.

Amazingly, Beck came back in. We all knew that he could only hand the ball off, which he did. Still, Etienne (16/94/2) notched his second TD of the game. This one sealed an SEC championship and a first-round playoff bye. I don’t know what Beck’s status going forward or how Stockton, a former 5-star recruit, will look if forced into action with actual preparation. Regardless, the Bulldogs proved a lot in winning the toughest conference in the land. I’m not too worried about Texas though. They seem to have an unfortunate weakness to Georgia, but they’re good against everyone else. If they can avoid UGA, they’ll be alright.

Sun Belt: Marshall 31, Louisiana 3

When we got word that Louisiana QB Ben Wooldridge would remain out with a shoulder injury, I knew that this game was Marshall’s to lose. The Thundering Herd came in on a 6-game win streak, so they were rolling. The Ragin’ Cajuns were forced to start Chandler Fields (4/8, 104 yards), a 6th-year senior (all 6 years with ULL). That actually went well enough, and Fields led Louisiana to a 3-0 lead. However, after Marshall took a 7-3 lead, Fields ran for a 10-yard gain and was tackled hard. He left with a shoulder injury and did not return, bringing true freshman Daniel Beale into action. That went about as well as you’d expect.

Beale struggled mightily, completing just 9 of 24 passes for 95 yards and an INT. He didn’t lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a single point, though it’s hard to really blame a kid who never expected to play and has no experience. Still, one drive was emblematic of his day. In the 4th quarter, he actually did a few good things and led the team on a 20-play, 66-yard march that took 8:22 off the clock. Upon reaching first and goal, their next four plays produced the following results: incomplete pass, incomplete pass, incomplete pass, 1-yard run with an illegal forward pass. Zero points and a turnover on downs. Ouch.

It’s much easier to find good things to say about Marshall. QB Braylon Braxton (18/26, 193 yards, 2 TDs; 16/66 rushing) is now 7-0 since taking over as the starter. RBs Jordan Houston (17/117/1) and Ethan Payne (9/39/1) also found success on the ground, while WR Tychaun Chapman (8/86/1) excelled through the air. The defense played lights out even when considering their hamstrung opponent. It was a great win for a worthy conference champion. I expect Louisiana to rebound next year. Despite all of their injury troubles, they still earned 10 wins. That’s a remarkable achievement that they can use to build toward next season.

Big Ten: (1) Oregon 45, (3) Penn State 37

I have to confess: I didn’t expect Penn State to put up this much of a fight. Then again, I also didn’t think Oregon’s run defense was this putrid. What we did know is that the Ducks can score. A lot. They reached the end zone on each of their first 3 drives, with WR Kenyon Sadiq (2/30/2) scoring twice in the first quarter. Conversely, Penn State could muster “only” 10 points on their first 3 possessions. Things finally seemed to be turning toward the Nittany Lions when they forced a punt on Oregon’s 4th drive. However, PSU QB Drew Allar (20/39, 226 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs; 5/54/1 rushing) threw an INT, and the Ducks scored 1 play later.

To their credit, Penn State rebounded, ripping off 2 straight TD drives to cut their deficit to 4. They did so through the run game, where RBs Nick Singleton (10/105; 4/43/1 receiving) and Kaytron Allen (14/124/1; 3/15 receiving) both feasted. PSU racked up 292 yards on the ground at 8.3 yards per clip. This could be a serious weakness for Oregon. As it has all season though, the Ducks’ passing game bailed them out. QB Dillon Gabriel (22/32, 283 yards, 4 TDs) was excellent, and WR Tez Johnson (11/181/1) set the Big Ten title game record for receiving yards. RBs Jordan James (20/87) and Noah Whittington (15/82) provided balance.

Oregon jumped back out to a 38-24 lead, but Penn State led another charge. They went 97 yards in 6 plays—all runs—to hit 30 points. They stupidly went for 2 and failed, but that ended up not mattering. The teams traded another pair of scores, with Allar throwing his on 4th and 10 while being dragged down. Forcing a 3-and-out, the PSU defense gave Allar a chance to tie the game. However, he threw an interception, which I consider more of a great play by CB Nikko Reed than a QB mistake . The Ducks didn’t fail to run out the clock this time, sealing the #1 seed in the CFP to go with their Big Ten title.

I don’t think anyone found out here that Oregon is the best team. As the only squad with a 0 in its loss column, we already knew that. The Ducks are an offensive juggernaut with just one vulnerability (run defense), and they’ll be a tough out for anyone in the CFP. Those who thought they couldn’t compete in the Big Ten, especially so soon after switching from the Pac-12, have been proven wrong. We learned a lot more about Penn State. The competitiveness they displayed was a bit unexpected (at least for me). They confirmed their status as a CFP team, and they shouldn’t plummet in the rankings for this loss.

ACC: (17) Clemson 34, (8) SMU 31

Conference championship weekend saved the best for last. SMU came in on a 9-game winning streak and were conference champions last year (in the AAC). I still don’t think people gave them much of a chance against an experienced ACC blue blood like Clemson. If you only watched the first quarter and change, you’d think that this game was a complete blowout in favor of the Tigers. In all honesty, the Mustangs did indeed have a nightmarish start. Three plays into the game, Clemson DE TJ Parker (8 tackles, sack, 3.5 TFLs) strip sacked SMU QB Kevin Jennings, and the Tigers scored two plays later.

The Mustangs then went 3 and out and punted. They gave up a big return and also committed unnecessary roughness, giving Clemson the ball at the SMU 28. The Tigers went up 14-0 before SMU finally put a TD drive of their own together. At that point, I think Jennings settled down, but the defense didn’t. On the subsequent drive, a phantom roughing the passer call extended Clemson’s possession. That allowed QB Cade Klubnik to find WR Bryant Wesco Jr (8/143/2) for his second TD of the half. A Jennings INT added to the misery, and the Tigers added a field goal to take a 24-7 halftime lead.

Klubnik (24/41, 262 yards, 4 TDs) had one of the finest halves of his football career, and he committed 0 turnovers. However, the offense slowed down greatly in the second half, giving SMU a chance to regroup. Jennings (31/50, 304 yards, 3 TDs, INT, FUM; 10/35/1 rushing) was downright heroic in the final 30 minutes, helping the Mustangs outscore Clemson 24-7 to tie the game at 31 with just 16 seconds remaining. He got plenty of help from RB Brashard Smith (24/113; 6/34/1 receiving), TE Roderick Daniels Jr (8/97/1), and TE Matthew Hibner (5/69/1), but his play salvaged this title game. At least it should have.

With the game tied at 31, Clemson WR Adam Randall took the subsequent kickoff 41 yards to the 45-yard line. Klubnik fired a pass to WR Antonio Williams (5/50) with 3 seconds left, giving K Nolan Hauser a 56-yard FG attempt to atone for an earlier miss. He drilled it, and Clemson locked down the final CFP spot. This was a gusty effort for a team that had no way into the playoff other than this win. Experience matters, and that’s what makes the Tigers dangerous. Even with a loss, SMU had better be in the CFP. Clemson HC Dabo Swinney said so himself, and he is absolutely right. My other article will have more on that.