It is week 14 of the 2014 College football season, which brings a number of do or die games with it. We breakdown several games from each conference that will have an effect on a team’s participation in a conference championship or bowl game. *Please Note: Rankings are compiled from the LWOS Staff Poll.
College Football: Do or Die Week
Atlantic Coast Conference
Week 14: Virginia @ Virginia Tech (Friday – 8:00pm ET ESPN/WatchESPN)
Both the Hokies and the Cavaliers come into the game with a 5-6 record and a trip to a bowl game on the line. Virginia Tech has stepped up in the big games beating #7 Ohio State and previously ranked, Duke. Although, the Hokies only compiled a 2-5 record in the ACC this season, with their most recent loss coming to last place, Wake Forest.
Week 15 (ACC Championship): #15 Georgia Tech vs. #1 Florida State (Saturday – TBA at Bank of America Stadium)
Georgia Tech and Florida State have already clinched a trip to the ACC Title Game next week at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Both teams will have their annual rivalries this week, with Georgia Tech taking on Georgia and Florida State against Florida. It will be interesting to see whether each team looks past their rivals, or perhaps spends too much time on their rivalries.
American Athletic Conference
The AAC standings are as complicated as it gets, with two weeks left, three teams top the standings with 1-loss along with two 2-loss teams in 4th and 5th. In the only game of the season to be played within the top three teams, Memphis beat Cincinatti 41-14.
| AAC Conference Championship Contenders | |||||||
| Position | Team | AAC Record | Remaining Schedule | ||||
| 1 | Memphis | 6-1 | vs. Connecticut | ||||
| 2 | Central Florida | 5-1 | @ South Fla. @ East Carolina | ||||
| 3 | Cincinatti | 5-1 | @ Temple, vs. Houston | ||||
| 4 | East Carolina | 4-2 | @ Tulsa, vs. Central Florida | ||||
| 5 | Houston | 4-2 | @ SMU, @ Cincinatti | ||||
Big 12
Week 14: #4 TCU @ Texas (Thursday – 7:30pm ET Fox Sports 1)
Tied for first in the Big 12, are #5 Baylor, #4 TCU, and #11 Kansas State all have 6-1 records. TCU comes into week 14 looking directly at a trap game on Thanksgiving Day @ Texas. In order for the Horned Frogs to capture the title, they will need to win this game and see Kansas State beat Baylor next week.
Week 15: #11 Kansas State @ #5 Baylor (Saturday – TBD)
If TCU does indeed lose their game against Texas, it will set up a Big 12 Championship between the Wildcats and Bears next Saturday in what is presumed to be prime time. However, if TCU beats Texas, than Kansas State will need not only a win against Baylor, but also a TCU loss to Iowa State (whom have played spoiler in the past.)
Big Ten
Week 14: Illinois @ Northwestern (Saturday – 12:00pm ET ESPNU)
Illinois and Northwestern will play in a Windy City Rivalry for a bowl game this Saturday. Both teams are 5-6 and only made it to that record because of a signature upset this year (Northwestern over Wisconsin and Illinois over Minnesota.)
Week 14 (“Big Ten West Division Championship”): #20 Minnesota @ #14 Wisconsin (3:30pm ET BTN)
Ohio State has clinched their spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, which leaves Wisconsin and Minnesota atop the Big Ten West. Jerry Kill has taken the Gophers to new heights, and with this “play-in” game to the Big Ten Championship, there’s a good possibility we could see the Gophers in Indianapolis.
Week 15 (Big Ten Championship): #7 Ohio State vs. TBA (Saturday – TBA @ Lucas Oil Stadium)
Next week’s Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis is sure to be a great game. The winner of the Minnesota/Wisconsin game as said, will earn a spot against the Buckeyes.
Conference USA
Week 14 (“CUSA West Division Championship”): Rice @ Louisiana Tech (Saturday – 12:00pm ET CBSSN)
Rice and Louisiana Tech will play for a spot in the CUSA Championship this Saturday when they battle in Ruston. Both teams are 7-4 coming into the game, each with a one or two questionable losses. The winner gets a shot at breaking the streak of undefeated Marshall, the only undefeated team outside the power five.
Week 15 (CUSA Championship): #24 Marshall vs. TBA (Saturday – TBA ESPN/ESPN2)
No matter which team Marshall faces in the CUSA Championship Game next week, it won’t help their resume much. The marketing firm they hired to help them get to the CFB Playoff hasn’t helped produce much. It was the perfect storm for such a good team to not make the playoff, however that’s going to be saved for another article on a different day.
FBS Independents
Week 14: Navy @ South Alabama (Friday – 3:00pm ET ESPN3)
Navy has five wins on the season and comes into Alabama this week trying to get a sixth. If they can’t do it here, it will have to wait two weeks for the Army-Navy Rivalry.
Week 16: Navy @ Army (Saturday – 3:00pm ET CBS)>
Being the only game on week 16 of the season, this year’s Army-Navy game is sure to be a must-watch. If Navy enters the game with just five wins, it will just add another storyline to an already exciting rivalry.
Mid-American Conference
Week 14: Northern Illinois @ Western Michigan (Friday – 11:00am ET ESPNU)
With a three way tie atop the MAC West, the conference championship contenders won’t be determined until Friday. NIU, WMU, and Toledo are all 6-1 going into the weekend. The Huskies out of Northern Illinois are the only ones who control their own destiny and would win the title with a win. WMU would need Toledo to lose to 2-9 Eastern Michigan and to win itself. Toledo is cheering for a Western Michigan win as well, they would be in the title game with a NIU loss and a win themselves. You could say it’s going to be a MACtion Packed weekend.
Week 15 (MAC Championship): Bowling Green vs. TBA (Friday – 7:00pm ET ESPN2 @ Ford Field)
Bowling Green will await their opponent for the weekend in this three way competition, taking on Ball State in their senior day finale.
Mountain West Conference
Week 14: Colorado State @ Air Force (Friday – 3:30pm ET CBSSN)
Week 14: Utah State @ Boise State (Saturday – 10:15pm ET ESPN2)
Week 15: MWC Championship Game (Saturday – 10:00pm ET CBS)
Out of all the complicated scenarios seen above, the MWC tops them all. Four teams are competing for a spot in the West and three teams in the East. With all the confusion we decided to compile the combinations into a table.
| MWC Conference Championship Contenders | ||||||||
| 3 Teams from the Western Division | ||||||||
| Position | Team | MWC Record | Road to the conf. champ. | |||||
| 1 | Colorado State | 6-1 | beat Air Force, USU lose to Boise | |||||
| 1 | Boise State | 6-1 | beat USU, CSU lose to Air Force | |||||
| 1 | Utah State | 6-1 | beat Boise | |||||
| 4 Teams from the Eastern Division | ||||||||
| 1 | San Diego State | 4-3 | beat SJSU, Fresno loss, Nevada loss | |||||
| 1 | Fresno State | 4-3 | beat Hawaii | |||||
| 3 | Nevada | 3-4 | beat UNLV, SDSU loss, Fresno loss | |||||
| 3 | Hawaii | 3-4 | beat Fresno, SDSU loss, tiebreaker | |||||
Pac 12
Week 14: #12 Arizona State @ #13 Arizona (Friday – 3:30pm ET FOX)
Week 14: Stanford @ #8 UCLA (Friday – 3:30pm ET ABC)
With Oregon clinching the Pac 12 West, two Friday games will decide who travels to Levi’s Stadium for the Conference Championship Game. No matter which Arizona wins the Duel in the Desert, they will need a UCLA loss to earn a trip. The Bruins control their own destiny.
Week 15 (PAC-12 Championship Game (Saturday – 9pm ET FOX @ Levi’s Stadium)
Oregon awaits their opponent for the Conference Title Game and will end their season in a Civil War battle with Oregon State this Saturday Night.
SEC
Week 14: #6 Mississippi State @ #17 Ole Miss (Saturday – 3:30pm ET CBS)
Week 14: #16 Auburn @ #3 Alabama (Saturday – 7:45pm ET ESPN)
In the SEC West, MSU faces one of the biggest Egg Bowl Games ever and will need a win with an Alabama loss in the Iron Bowl. If either of these games are half as crazy as the Iron Bowl was last year, it will be a good day of SEC Football.
Week 14: Arkansas @ #21 Missouri
Finally, a simple tie breaker. Missouri needs a win to advance to the SEC Championship, but a loss eliminates them.
Week 15 (SEC Championship) MSU/BAMA vs. MISS/UGA (Saturday – 4:00pm ET CBS @ Georgia Dome)
Sun Belt
With a win, Georgia Southern would win sole position of the Sun Belt title with a win, and a share of it with a loss. However, since their transfer to D1 in recent years, they won’t be able to go to a bowl game. So, even without the title, Louisiana Lafayette will be going to the New Orleans Bowl over Georgia Southern.
FCS Playoffs Round 1
(All games on ESPN3)
12:00pm ET: Fordham vs. Sacred Heart (winner plays #1 UNH)
1:00pm ET: Eastern Kentucky vs. Indiana State (winner plays #8 Chattanooga)
8:00pm ET: UNI vs. Stephen F. Austin (winner plays #5 Illinois State)
4:00pm ET: Montana vs. San Diego (winner plays #4 Eastern Washington)
2:00pm ET: Sam Houston State vs. SE Louisiana (winner plays #3 Jacksonville State)
4:00pm ET: James Madison vs. Liberty (winner plays #6 Villanova)
1:00pm ET: Richmond vs. Morgan State (winner plays #7 Coastal Carolina)
4:00pm ET: Montana State vs. South Dakota State (winner plays #2 NDSU)
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