CFB Championship week: Players to watch

Conference championship weekend is here as we peer over the horizon at the new 12-team College Football Playoff, which was supposed to quell complaints during the four-team setup.

Now the field of complainers broadens with the five highest-ranked conference champions receiving automatic bids to the CFP; there has never been more at stake during one of the most exciting weekends on the college football calendar.

The action begins on Friday when No. 10 Boise State unleashes running back phenom Ashton Jeantry against visiting No. 20 UNLV in the Mountain West Championship Game. The winner is guaranteed an invitation to the CFP, and the Broncos could potentially secure a first-round bye with a win.

No. 5 Georgia faces No. 2 Texas in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta in a highly anticipated rematch of a showdown earlier this season. Georgia handed Texas its first and only loss this season with a 30-15 win over the Longhorns in Austin.

No. 3 Penn State plays No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. The Ducks enter as the only undefeated FBS team remaining and would certainly lock up the No. 1 seed with a win over the Nittany Lions. If Penn State upsets Oregon, the winner of the SEC title could receive consideration for the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP -- or the Nittany Lions themselves.

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YOUR CFB GUIDE FOR THE WEEKEND

Before we drill in deeper, here is you Guide to this weekend’s games complete with times, broadcasts and LIVE scoring and stats. So keep these links handy as a one-stop lookup

Week 15

Friday, Dec. 6

7 p.m. | Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State | Conference USA Championship Game | CBSSN
8 p.m. | Tulane at No. 24 Army | AAC Championship Game | ABC
8 p.m. | No. 20 UNLV at No. 10 Boise State | Mountain West Championship Game | FOX

Saturday, Dec. 7

12 p.m. | No. 15 Arizona State vs. No. 16 Iowa State | Big 12 Championship Game (Arlington, Texas) | ABC
12 p.m. | Miami (Ohio) vs. Ohio University | MAC Championship Game (Detroit, Michigan) | ESPN
2 p.m. | Southern at Jackson State (SWAC Championship) | ESPN2
2 p.m. | Montana at South Dakota State (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
2 p.m. | Rhode Island at Mercer (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
2 p.m. | Villanova at UIW (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
3 p.m. | UT Martin at Montana State (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Abilene Christian at North Dakota State (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Tarleton State at South Dakota (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
4 p.m. | No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia | SEC Championship Game (Atlanta) | ABC
4 p.m. | Illinois State at UC Davis (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+
7:30 p.m. | Louisiana vs. Marshall | Sun Belt Championship Game | ESPN
8 p.m. | No. 8 SMU vs. No. 17 Clemson| ACC Championship Game (Charlotte, North Carolina) | ABC
8 p.m. | No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State | Big Ten Championship Game (Indianapolis) | CBS
9 p.m. | Lehigh at Idaho (FCS playoffs second round) | ESPN+

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Top games and why:

Viewing tips from CBS/247

No. 20 UNLV at No. 10 Boise State (Friday) -- 8:00 p.m. on FOX, fuboTV .

What's on the line, you may ask? Well, for starters, the winner of this game is practically assured an automatic bid to the CFP. After Tulane lost to Memphis last month, it opened the door for the winner of this game to get into the CFP without headache. Boise State would be in the CFP with a win and could also receive the final first-round bye. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and UNLV wide receiver Ricky White lll are the players to watch.

No. 16 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Arizona State -- noon on ABC, fuboTV

Raise your hand if you had Arizona State playing for the Big 12 title four months ago. If you did, you're either a huge ASU fan or someone from the future. The Sun Devils, picked last in the preseason Big 12 poll, have been one of the best stories in college football, led by second-year coach Kenny Dillingham. Iowa State will be making its second appearance in a conference championship game in program history after losing to Oklahoma 27-21 in the Big 12 Championship Game in 2020. The Big 12 title game winner could be playing on the road in the first round of the CFP, depending on the results elsewhere.

No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 2 Texas -- 4 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV

Calling the first meeting between Texas and Georgia eventful would be an understatement. Between fans throwing trash on the field, Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning entering the game, and Georgia escaping with a win over the top-ranked team in the country, the sequel will have a lot to live up to. Texas is making its first appearance in the SEC title game after its debut season, while Georgia is seeking its third conference crown since 2017. The No. 2 seed (at minimum) is on the line for the winner of this one.

No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 1 Oregon -- 8 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com,

Oregon is one of five FBS teams that reached the conference title game in Year 1 as a new member. The Ducks are seeking their first 13-0 start in program history, while Penn State can reach the 12-win mark for the first time since 1994. Oregon is on the verge of securing the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP with a win over the Nittany Lions this weekend. Penn State coach James Franklin hasn't beaten a top-five team while ranked in 11 tries.

No. 17 Clemson vs. No. 8 SMU -- 8 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV

In college basketball, when a team not projected to win the conference title wins the conference tournament and receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, they're considered a "bid stealer." Clemson can do just that with a win this weekend and cause chaos throughout the rest of the bracket. Clemson's only path to reaching the CFP is upsetting SMU. The Mustangs are on the cusp of reaching the CFP in their first season as a member of the ACC and have a strong case for a first-round bye with a win.

Others worth mentioning

• Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State (Friday) -- 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com,

• Tulane at Army (Friday) -- 8 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV

• Ohio vs. Miami (OH) -- noon on ESPN, fuboTV

• Marshall at Louisiana -- 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV