Conference championship predictions for 2019 college football season
No. 5 Utah Utes vs. No 13 Oregon Ducks
Pac-12 Championship Game
Line: Utah -6.5; Over/Under: 46; TV: ABC
Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET; Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif.
Here we go with our first attempt at a comeback. The Friday night Pac-12 title game is a conference championship matchup with one team hoping to break into the College Football Playoff rankings. And the Utah Utes could do it.
With the notable exception of an inexplicable loss to the USC Trojans, Utah is undefeated this year. Should they beat the Oregon Ducks convincingly, they will have gone toe to toe with a team that put up a fight at the beginning of the year with the Auburn Tigers. That’s not a bad look.
Oregon, meanwhile, blew its shot at the playoff by not just losing to Auburn but suffering a close loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils. However, they could still salvage Mario Cristobal’s second season by getting to the Rose Bowl with a win here.
Prediction
When Oregon faces defensive-minded teams like Utah, they are forced to play that team’s game. The weather will involve rain and wind Friday. As a result, take the Utes to win and the Under. Now, on the spread, it’s tricky. It’s moved from three to six and a half. That’s too much. The Ducks haven’t lost by more than six this year, and they won’t do it here. Utah wins but doesn’t cover.