NCAA Conference Championship Live Blog

by Brett Edgerton 12/7/2014 4:11:47 AM

3rd & 7 37yd

OK ... before you guys take off, you calling for any upsets today?

by Joe Wojciechowski via ESPN 12/6/2014 3:59:27 PM
Ditto what Kevin said. I think Alabama would be the biggest matchup issue and I like the prospect of that game in the "styles make fights" sense as Kevin alluded to.

by Sam Khan Jr. via ESPN 12/6/2014 3:59:47 PM
Good morning, y'all. Surprised to see an LSU chat going on on championship Saturday.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 3:59:51 PM
I think Georgia Tech is going to make it interesting ... not sure if it's going to be an upset ... but I think that could be the most exciting game of the day.

by Kevin Gemmell via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:01:19 PM
I'll take the obvious one and say Georgia Tech over Florida State. If the Noles play like they did a week ago, it spells trouble, (I know, I know, it seems like we've said that a lot this season).

by Sam Khan Jr. via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:01:23 PM
People love Les ... at least, they like talking about him.

by Joe Wojciechowski via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:01:27 PM
David, you came just in time.

by Sam Khan Jr. via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:01:47 PM
Les is an interesting dude. That's for sure.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:02:03 PM
Hey everybody! Can't believe Championship Saturday is already here. Hoping for some entertaining battles today.

by Austin Ward via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:02:15 PM
Enjoy the day folks! I hope your team wins. You're in good hands with Dave and Austin.

by Kevin Gemmell via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:02:40 PM
Enjoyed the time this morning fellas. With the new blood in I'll take off. Happy championship Saturday folks.

by Sam Khan Jr. via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:03:08 PM
So since we've been talking some coaching stuff a little, David and Austin, what do you think of the hires in your conferences -- Riley at Nebraska and McElwain at Florida?

by Joe Wojciechowski via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:03:20 PM
I thought Riley was the more surprising hire. His name had been thrown around seemingly forever -- including at Alabama in at least one or two of their searches -- and never went anywhere. I figured he was at an age where he was staying put.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:04:44 PM
I was certainly surprised by Nebraska's hire, Woj. I thought our colleague Adam Rittenberg wrote a great piece on Tuesday about the opportunity the Huskers and Michigan had to make home-run hires and prove the commitment to winning championships, and I'm just not sure Riley fits that bill. He may be a sensible hire, he may fit in culturally and he may get along with the administration, so perhaps it will work out for Nebraska in the long run. My initial reaction, though, was that it wasn't really an improvement over what it already had.

by Austin Ward via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:05:53 PM
I think McElwain is a great choice. He's done well at Colorado State and knows the lay of the land down this way. Not a splashy hire, but they need a solid offensive guy who can take advantage of the skill talent in Florida. They've been a mess on offense since probably the last two years under Urban.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:06:08 PM
If Baylor and TCU have the same record and Baylor has head-to-head over TCU doesn't that make Baylor the better team? There is no getting around it- if you beat a team- any team, then you are better than them. Or is there?

by wildcat22 via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:09:33 PM
I find it difficult to argue with head-to-head results, as a general rule. But the committee is arguing that there's a difference between being the better team on one given day and being the better team over the course of the season. If they end up sticking with the latter, I think they're right with TCU. Maybe after adding Kansas State to Baylor's resume, the season-long body of work will be close enough that it does have to go back and apply one specific game as the deciding factor.

by Austin Ward via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:11:42 PM
Making the drive to Indianapolis from Columbus today. What's the Buckeyes best hope for slowing down Gordon and the run game?

by Ricky via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:12:46 PM
Ricky, I would expect to see a similar approach to the one Luke Fickell and Ohio State's defensive staff used effectively against the Badgers last season. The Buckeyes loaded up the box and forced Joel Stave to throw the ball, and he did that pretty well actually. But Wisconsin wasn't able to put up enough points to keep pace with Ohio State's offense, though the game got close when Meyer went super conservative late. Guys like Darron Lee and Joshua Perry at linebacker are going to have to be sure-handed tacklers against Gordon, first and foremost, or it will be a long day for the Buckeyes.

by Austin Ward via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:15:43 PM
Fell offline for a few minutes there. My wireless is down, but I'll try to make do on chat from my phone.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:15:55 PM
FSU fan here. Will Florida ever be as good as the nobles are ? It's lonely up here.

by Amber via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:16:07 PM
How good are the nobles? I think we're all kinda curious about that. Florida will be fine.

by David Ching via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:17:27 PM
How quickly those two national championships under Urban Meyer have been forgotten!

by Austin Ward via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:17:47 PM
what chances does mizzou has to beating bama?

by yancy via ESPN 12/6/2014 4:18:03 PM
8 team playoff. No auto bids bids for any conference. Just the eight best teams.

by Since. via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:10:20 AM
How is there an argument on who wins the Big 12? Same conference record -> Baylor won head-to-head. That's the way it has always worked in every conference. Don't let politics get in the way of reality.

by Damien via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:10:21 AM
God speed to the committee trying to figure out who gets that final spot. Bama, Oregon and FSU are in. My guess is Ohio State.

by Chris Low via twitter 12/7/2014 4:10:27 AM
All you've gotta do, Andrew, is look at Sept. 6. Unfortunately for the Big Ten, it counts just as much as any other day in the season. Doesn't matter how long ago it was. That goes for Ohio State, too.

by Mitch Sherman via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:10:49 AM
For how much we're saying how a team "can't" be left out, we're acting like we actually have experience with a playoff committee before.

by Jordan via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:10:57 AM
You sad, bro? http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4OZVYICMAETwXa.jpg

by Travis Haney via twitter 12/7/2014 4:11:56 AM
FSU gets possesion back with 3:22 to play. Looks like three teams have locked in their spots.

by Dan Murphy via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:11:58 AM
Decent punt by GT.

by Mitch Sherman via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:11:58 AM
Now I know why Georgia Tech never passes

by Brett McMurphy via twitter 12/7/2014 4:11:59 AM
So Florida State is going to win, and it doesn't look like it's going to be controversial.

by David Lombardi via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:12:06 AM
Your third-string QB can't catch a pass in double coverage? No wonder you weren't coach of the year, Urban.

by Brian Bennett via twitter 12/7/2014 4:12:08 AM
Big12 getting all cutesy trying to get two teams in (co-champions) should be their undoing

by Michael via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:12:46 AM
No Big 12 Championship game, no playoff. Not fair for other teams to play an extra game.

by Jon via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:12:54 AM
Virginia Tech. ... oh. RT @tyduffy : Quick. Best win of an Ohio State opponent...

by Travis Haney via twitter 12/7/2014 4:13:07 AM
Does ANYONE remember that Baylor lost by 14 to five-loss West Virginia?

by Connie via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:13:10 AM
Jon, they play 9 conference games unlike the BIG 10 and SEC that plays 8.

by Eric via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:14:06 AM
Baylor crowd is now chanting "BIG 12 CHAMPS.” One minute to go.

by Max Olson via twitter 12/7/2014 4:14:12 AM
Jon, why have a big12 playoff? They all play each other!

by Chad via ESPN 12/7/2014 4:14:22 AM
Brutus kills the Buckeyes RT @osfsu : Lamarcus Brutus interception. That should do it as FSU takes over w/ 3:22 left. Ga Tech has 3 timeouts.

by Matt Fortuna via twitter 12/7/2014 4:14:35 AM
Was clear from start of season 1 of conf champs was going to get left out. Now the immediacy of two deserving teams getting left out - rough

by Chris Fallica via twitter 12/7/2014 4:14:40 AM