College Football Expert Picks: Best Bets and Predictions for Conference Championship Week

It all comes down to this.

Teams have one last chance to impress the College Football Playoff Committee, jockeying for seeding or -- in some instances -- playing a win-and-in game.

Some of those key matchups present betting value, according to FanDuel Research's college football writers.

Below, they lay out their favorite spreads and totals across this week's conference championship games in FanDuel Sportsbook's college football odds. Let's dig in to see what they're targeting with everything to play for.

College Football Conference Championships Expert Betting Picks

Austin Swaim, Senior Editor

Spread/Moneyline: Arizona State -2.5 (-102)

The Arizona State Sun Devils went from a last-place forecast in the Big 12 to 10-1 record in games quarterback Sam Leavitt was active.

Third in scrimmage yards across FBS, Cam Skattebo should have his way with the Iowa State Cyclones' 112th-ranked rush defense (5.1 YPA allowed), and ASU's defense has held five of their last six opponents at or below 23 points.

Total: Clemson-SMU Under 55.5 Points (-115)

Clemson and the SMU Mustangs are both top-12 schools in opponent yards per play (YPP) allowed, but tempo (top 45 in seconds per play) is the reason this total is encroaching 60.

I'm just not sure the former isn't more important when the Tigers have averaged just 12.7 points per game (PPG) this year against ranked schools. The Mustangs are at 29.0 PPG in that situation, and we saw them shift down in second-half tempo to protect freshman quarterback Kevin Jennings last week in a crucial game.

Dabo Swinney's defensive group rose to the occasion last week, and they'll probably have most of the fan support in Charlotte on Saturday.

Riley Thomas, Writer

Spread/Moneyline: Arizona State -2.5 (-102)

The Arizona State Sun Devils are in the top 10% of rush play rate, and the Iowa State Cyclones rank 112th in yards allowed per carry (5.1). When facing teams 89th or worse in this category, the Sun Devils' running back Cam Skattebo logs 187.5 rushing yards per game.

Total: Penn State-Oregon Under 49.5 Points (-105)

The Penn State Nittany Lions are in the top five of points allowed per game and yards allowed per play. Paired with sitting in the top 22% of rush play rate and top 18% for the slowest tempos in college football (seconds per play), Penn State will likely look to slow Saturday's game against the Oregon Ducks.

The Nittany Lions' offense likely doesn't have the horses to run with the Ducks' offense. Thanks to edge rusher Abdul Carter, I like Penn State's chances of generating pressure on Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, who's 89.0 Pro Football Focus passing grade drops to 58.9 when under pressure. Look for the Lions to turn in a good defensive performance, keeping this a low-scoring bout.

Skyler Carlin, Writer

Spread/Moneyline: Texas -2.5 (-120)

The No. 2 Texas Longhorns have leaned on their ground game with positive results amid their current five-game winning streak, rushing for 200-plus yards in three of those victories. Meanwhile, the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs have struggled to stop the run, allowing 200-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games despite facing the Massachusetts Minutemen and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in that span.

Total: Arizona State Over 25.5 Points (-114)

Even though the No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones deploy a defense that is 18th in defensive expected points added margin (-0.075), they are 84th in defensive rushing success rate (43.1%), which is not ideal ahead of a matchup versus Cameron Skattebo and the No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils. Besides averaging the 32nd-most points per game (32.1), Arizona State is 14th in offensive expected points added per rush (0.074) and 15th in expected points added per drop back (0.088).

You can also check out our latest 2024-25 College Football Playoff printable bracket, which is based on the most recent committee rankings.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $150 in Bonus Bets if your first bet of $5+ wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which bets stand out to you across this week's conference championship games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college football betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.