2014 College Football Picks: SEC Championship Game, ACC Championship Game and Big Ten Championship Game Odds and Predictions – Free College Football Picks 12/06/14

2014 College Football Picks: SEC Championship Game, ACC Championship Game and Big Ten Championship Game Odds and Predictions – Free College Football Picks 12/06/14: Three of the power five conferences will be decided Saturday when the ACC, Big Ten and SEC all hold their respective conference championship games. While the winners will secure automatic bids to one of the big six bowl games, there is actually a lot more at stake for some of the teams involved. Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State are all in the mix for a spot in the college football playoff, and their performances Saturday will ultimately decide whether or not they play for a national title. Here is a closer look at the matchups.

No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 16 Missouri Tigers

Alabama rolls into the SEC title game on the heels of a thrilling Iron Bowl victory, and the Crimson Tide are one win away from punching their ticket to the college football playoff. Standing in Alabama’s way are the upstart Missouri Tigers, who have defied the experts to reach the conference title game for the second year in a row. Both sides boast stout defenses with Alabama ranking sixth in points allowed and Missouri ranking 13th. However, Alabama also boasts a top-20 scoring offense that is headlined by receiver Amari Cooper, while the Tigers rank just 70th in points per game.

Granted, Missouri deserves credit for reaching the SEC Championship Game, but there is no denying that the Tigers benefited from an easy schedule as they dodged the top five teams in the SEC West during the regular season. Meanwhile, Missouri lost to Big Ten doormat Indiana, and the Tigers were smacked 34-0 by division rival Georgia in their toughest contest to date. Missouri couldn’t hang with the Bulldogs, and the Tigers aren’t going to hang with a Crimson Tide team eyeing a national title.

Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide (-14.5) Cover the Spread

No. 4 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

It hasn’t been pretty at times, but despite plenty of close games and plenty of turnovers from reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, the defending national champion Florida State Seminoles head into the ACC title game undefeated and looking for a chance to defend their crown. Standing in their way is a red hot Georgia Tech team that is fresh off of victories over ranked opponents Clemson and Georgia the last two weeks. The surging Yellow Jackets boast the fourth-best rushing attack in the country, and quarterback Justin Thomas leads a triple-option attack that is can confuse even the best opponents.

The last time these two teams met was two years ago in the ACC title game when Florida State defeated Georgia Tech. Few would argue that the Seminoles are the more talented team in this year’s matchup, but the Yellow Jackets are definitely playing better heading into Saturday’s game, and the triple-option is undoubtedly tough to prepare for. That being said, no team has been able to derail the Seminoles to this point, and Georgia Tech’s secondary has been exposed at times this season. Expect Winston and company to find a way to pull out another victory, even if it isn’t in convincing fashion.

Prediction: Florida State Seminoles (-4) Cover the Spread

No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes

Yes, football is a team game, but when Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett went down with a broken ankle last weekend, the Buckeyes’ Big Ten title hopes and national title hopes likely went down with him. Granted, Barrett himself had been stellar after being thrust under center following an injury to Braxton Miller just before the season began, but don’t forget that Barrett looked lost in a shocking home loss to a bad Virginia Tech team in his second start. Now, third-string quarterback Cardale Jones is being forced to make his first start in the conference title game with a week to prepare for the third-stingiest defense in the country. It is hard to imagine Ohio State’s fifth-ranked scoring offense performing up to its typical standards under the circumstances.

Meanwhile, it is hard to imagine Ohio State winning this game without putting up plenty of points. After all, the Buckeyes run defense has struggled, allowing more than four yards per carry to opponents this year. A shaky run defense is the last thing any team needs with Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon coming to town. The Heisman contender leads the country with 2,260 rushing yards, and he could end up breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season record when all is said and done. While Gordon does the damage on offense, look for the Badgers’ defense to slow down the Barrett-less Buckeyes as Ohio State has its national title hopes dashed in the Big Ten title game for the second year in a row.

Prediction: Wisconsin Badgers (-4) Cover the Spread