SALT LAKE CITY — It’s conference championship weekend, and for many teams, this will be the last games they play before bowl season. Not only are prestigious bowl games on the line, but so are playoff spots as well. Each conference championship will shape what happens next month, even if they don’t shape the playoffs.

Power 5 Conferences:

Pac-12: No. 4 Washington (11-1) vs. No. 8 Colorado (10-2)

Colorado: The Buffaloes are in their fourth season in the Pac-12, and in their first three seasons they went a combined 2-25 against Pac-12 opponents while this season they went 8-1 in the Pac-12. No one in the preseason had Colorado even close to this point, yet here the Buffaloes are. If the Buffaloes win, there’s still a chance, albeit small, that they could enter the playoffs, but it’s more likely they would go to the Rose Bowl. The last time Colorado took a conference crown was when it was in the Big 12 Conference in 2001.

Washington: The Huskies are currently in the playoff picture with the No. 4 seed, but if they want any chance at all to stay in the playoffs they need to win this game. If the Huskies were undefeated they would have nothing to worry about, but with how well the Big Ten has been playing, even with this win Washington may be shut out in favor of a Big Ten team.

Big 12: No. 10 Oklahoma State (9-2) vs No. 9 Oklahoma (9-2)

This is not officially a conference championship but it will decide the conference champion. The Big 12 does not have a conference championship game since it only has 10 members, but it will have a bona fide championship game after the 2017 season.

Oklahoma: The Sooners had early hiccups against Houston, which has been ranked most of the season, and Ohio State, which is one of the best teams in the country. Since then, Oklahoma has been playing great football and quarterback Baker Mayfield has quietly put together a very good season after a rough start.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys lost to Central Michigan on a fluke where the refs incorrectly awarded Central Michigan a free play. It was messed up so bad, the refs involved were suspended. The other loss was against a Baylor team that started a roaring 6-0 before internal struggles ruined the Bears' season.

It’s unlikely that either team will make the playoffs. For one of these teams to make it in, chaos has to ensue, such as both Clemson and Washington losing.

ACC: No. 3 Clemson (11-1) vs No. 23 Virginia Tech (9-3)

Clemson: If the Tigers win this game, it's all but a lock for them to go to the playoffs. There’s no reason for Clemson to lose this game. Clemson has beaten several teams that have been nationally ranked throughout the season, including Louisville, Florida State, Auburn and Troy. The Tigers have a playoff appearance on the line, and they’re here to win. If they don’t, then the ACC will be shut out from the playoffs and likely open the door for two Big Ten teams.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies did what they needed to do to get to this game. They beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and they beat a desperate Notre Dame team in a thriller that went down to the wire. They got a gift when North Carolina inexplicably dropped its last game against NC State, but that doesn’t take away from what the Hokies have done.

Virginia Tech cannot afford to drop this game, while the playoffs are an impossibility for them, an appearance in the Orange Bowl isn’t. Losing this game would take them out of that, as the next highest-ranked ACC team is Louisville, which has gotten a lot of national love this year. Not to mention Florida State is right ahead of Louisville, and the Seminoles are ranked significantly higher than the Hokies. Virginia Tech has done well with their backs against the wall this season, but Clemson is clearly the better team.

SEC: No. 1 Alabama (12-0) vs. No. 15 Florida (8-4)

Alabama: This game doesn’t mean much to the Crimson Tide. They’re playing for seeding right now, and even with this loss, they would still arguably be the No. 1 seed, who else would you give it to? Everyone else has at least one loss, and no one has done what Alabama has done this season when it comes to putting away top teams with ease.

Florida: The Gators have much more to play for, first off, the Sugar Bowl. While the Orange Bowl takes the No. 2 SEC team, Auburn is currently ranked higher. If Florida gets blown out badly enough the Gators could drop down in the rankings and clean out of a New Year’s Six bowl. Florida should be pushing to win this game, and if the Gators can’t beat the Crimson Tide they’ll be no different than anyone else. They just need to make it close to get a good bowl game.

Big Ten: No. 6 Wisconsin (10-2) vs. No. 7 Penn State (10-2)

Penn State: This conference is messy. Many people think Ohio State or Michigan belongs in the playoffs over both of these teams. Still, here’s the championship game, and the winner is aiming for a playoff spot. The Nittany Lions have the better chance between the two. If they win then the committee is in an interesting spot, where Penn State won the Big Ten and beat Ohio State head to head. So how do you justify replacing them with Ohio State in the playoffs? There's a lot to consider here if Penn State wins.

Wisconsin: A Badger victory would likely result in Ohio State going to the playoffs and Wisconsin going to the Rose Bowl. Wisconsin lost head to head to Ohio State and Michigan, so the committee wouldn’t even sweat to put one of them in over Wisconsin.

Worst case scenario for the winner is going to the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten is crowding the top spots with Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State ranked in the top seven. Michigan and Ohio State are ranked higher than both of these teams, so the loser of this game doesn’t have a prayer at the Rose Bowl.

Group of 5 conferences:

MAC: No. 17 Western Michigan (12-0) vs Ohio (8-4)

Western Michigan: The Broncos just can’t get any love. Can you blame the committee though? This is the Broncos first season ever being ranked in the top 25. Despite being one of the two undefeated teams left (the other being Alabama), Western Michigan is still sitting at No. 17, only two spots ahead of other Group of 5 team competing for a New Year’s Six bowl in Navy. Boise State was pretty much handed a New Year’s Six bid over Western Michigan, despite a loss, until it dropped the ball last week against Air Force. Western Michigan has cruised through its schedule with its closest win coming in Week 1 against Northwestern 22-21. Ever since then, it has never had a game within two touchdowns, and the Broncos have arguably one of the greatest college receivers of all time.

Ohio: While Western Michigan is fighting for a New Year’s Six bid, the Bobcats are fighting for their first conference championship since 1968. This is the first conference championship game for them to play in since 2011, placing second the past two seasons.

Even if Western Michigan wins, it’ll need to watch out for being passed in the rankings by Navy. Speaking of Navy…

AAC: No. 19 Navy (9-2) vs. Temple (9-3)

Navy: The Midshipmen sit only two spots behind Western Michigan in the committee rankings, and they’re sitting that close despite two losses on their schedule. ESPN reported that a Navy win could really affect the bowl system. This is because Navy plays Army still, while Western Michigan is done. Putting 75 points up on SMU is what put Navy in this position. If they can come away with definite wins against Temple and Army the committee seems willing to put them in over Western Michigan.

Temple: The Owls are nearly in the same spot as Ohio, and they’ll be looking for their first conference championship since 1967. Last season, Temple won 10 games but lost to Houston in the conference championship game. While it's still bowl eligible, Temple will be desperately looking for a 10th win. Temple has never had back-to-back 10-win seasons.

C-USA: Louisiana Tech (8-4) vs. Western Kentucky (9-3)

Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers are looking to clinch its second consecutive C-USA title after winning 10 games and the conference last year. Another win would also give Western Kentucky its second consecutive 10-win season.

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs have never won the C-USA. It’s also only been in the C-USA since 2013 when the WAC dissolved its football program. Louisiana Tech won the WAC in 2011, but only have two WAC titles all-time to its name.

Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky seem set to go to the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl and the Boca Raton Bowl, respectively. It’s unlikely the outcome of the game will change either team’s bowl game.

Mountain West: San Diego State (9-3) vs Wyoming (8-4)

This game also won’t affect the New Year’s Six bowls, but it may very well be the most entertaining of the Group of 5 championship games. These teams played two weeks ago, and the game went to the last play when San Diego State completed a Hail Mary then failed on a two-point conversion to go ahead instead of tie.

San Diego State: The Aztecs are playing to get revenge on the team that beat them two weeks ago and took them out of New Year’s Six talks. San Diego State also has a shot at taking home its second consecutive conference championship. Donnel Pumphrey is set to become the NCAA all-time leading rusher. He's 100 yards away from becoming No. 2 in the all-time NCAA rushing list and 218 behind Ron Dayne.

Wyoming: The Cowboys, like Colorado, suffered four straight losing seasons, including an abysmal 2-10 season last year. This is only their fourth winning season since 2002, so there’s a lot of excitement about this team now. Wyoming has never been Mountain West Champions since being one of the founding schools in 1999.

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