The end of the regular season is here in college football and conference title games are getting ramped up with a few exceptions. This week, the 11-1 USC Trojans are slated to square off with the surging 9-3 Utah Utes in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Back in October, the Utes were able to knock off the Trojans in a thrilling 43-42 classic in Salt Lake City. While most of the games this week will be conference championship contests, the Buffalo Bulls and Akron Zips are playing a rescheduled contest from earlier this season. The Zips travel to Buffalo as the Bulls are looking to lock down a bowl berth on Friday.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each team, predictions for each contest, and also more thoughts about NCAA football wagering.
Team Spotlight: USC
The Trojans have looked excellent this season at times and are potentially looking to secure a berth in the College Football Playoff with a win in the Pac-12 Championship game. Though it will be interesting to see how the CFP shakes out past this weekend, USC must first get past the Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams has been marvelous this season under center with 3,712 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. With their offense humming, the USC defense has been scorched at times, allowing an average of 26.3 points per game. Since their loss to Utah, the Trojans have ripped off five consecutive wins, including victories over ranked rivals UCLA and Notre Dame.
Team Spotlight: Utah
Similar to USC, the Utes feature a solid quarterback, but with a better defense. Utah’s Cameron Rising has paced the squad with 22 passing scores and has been a steady presence for the Utah offense. Utes receiver Dalton Kincaid has been Rising’s favorite target this season with 850 receiving yards and eight scores. The Utah defense has also been a strong part of their success this season, allowing only 317.5 yards per game and 20.1 ppg. While Utah did fall short against Oregon a couple of weeks ago in Eugene, the Utes have been spectacular against other Pac-12 teams and have blown out more squads than the Trojans at times.
Prediction: In one of the marquee matchups of the weekend, the Trojans will have the edge here playing on a neutral site as opposed to the ominous home of the Utes.
Team Spotlight: Buffalo
The Bulls are riding a three-game losing streak, but are still in contention for a bowl berth if they can knock off the Zips at home. Justin Marshall, the Bulls’ leading receiver has been dynamic for the Buffalo offense with 627 receiving yards and six scores. While the Bulls have struggled in their last three games, they have been able to knock off a couple of different foes, establishing a record of 4-3 in conference play. Buffalo quarterback Cole Snyder has been the key to their offense with over 2,500 passing yards. If their passing offense gets going, the Zips will be in trouble.
Team Spotlight: Akron
The 2022 football season has been a tough one for Akron, as the Zips are limping into this game with a 2-9 record. Running back Cam Wiley has paced the Zips’ rushing attack with nearly 500 yards on the season along with five scores. However, he has not produced at a consistent level and Akron has missed out on opportunities to exploit vulnerable rushing defenses, only accounting for an average of 93 rushing yards per game this season. However, the Zips are coming off a triumphant win over Northern Illinois on the road, 44-12, so there could be more of a spark for them here.
Prediction: While the Bulls seem to have a clear advantage here, this game will be closer given the unusual timing of the game. Nonetheless, take Buffalo to win here.
After you are all done getting up to speed on the latest NCAA football games, make sure to check back in with the latest resources that SBS has put together for you. Of course, this includes our NCAAF betting sites guide which details the latest betting markets related to college football and also news covering the sport. Moreover, if you are looking for ways to maximize your bets (like we all are), the SBS best bonus betting sites breakdown is an excellent catalog of the best welcome bonus promotions out there. Finally, once you are all set getting your latest bets in place, maybe take some time to peruse our VIP sports betting rundown. Here you can find out all the benefits of VIP online sports betting and if it is the right fit for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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