2025 NFL Draft: Conference championship week preview & live chat

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Iowa State v Iowa
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Multiple massive matchups to keep your eye on

Conference championship Saturday is a consolidation of games to watch this weekend, but at least four of the contests will have major implications for the stakes regarding the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Saturday starts with the Big 12 title game between No. 16 Iowa State and No. 15 Arizona State. The winner of this contest is headed to the College Football Playoff while the loser is assuredly out of that running. The Cyclones have one of the more explosive passing games in college football with one of the better wideout duos in the college game between Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. The Sun Devils are slim favorites in this game. They will need to find production from other wideouts as star receiver Jordyn Tyson, a 1,000 yard contributor in 2024, was recently ruled out for the season due to injury.

Fifth-ranked Georgia squeezed into the title game after an eight-overtime survival against Georgia Tech last weekend. The Bulldogs crushed Texas on the road during the regular season 30-15, but the ‘Dawgs have been as volatile as any of the top teams in the sport throughout the season. No. 2 Texas will hope to rebound from their loss earlier in the year with improved play from the offensive line. Even with a loss, both teams are highly likely College Football Playoff bound. Although, Georgia losing sure does make it a bit more interesting in the decision that would be coming on Sunday. Something seems off with both of these offenses. If Georgia’s defensive line shows up like they did earlier in the year, it could be another long day for the Longhorns.

Third-ranked Penn State squeaked into the Big 10 conference title game after Ohio State’s shocking defeat at the hands of Michigan. They’ll get a chance to matchup with No. 1 Oregon for the first time in 2024. The Nittany Lions have plenty of talent to make this one interesting — especially if their defense shows up in a big way. Oregon, on the other hand, has useful players seemingly at every turn on offense and defense. They’re as complete of a team as you’ll see in college football (hence the No. 1 overall ranking for multiple weeks).

The ACC title game could also be a play-in game where whoever the winner is turns into a lock to make the Playoff. If Clemson wins, they will likely not be ranked 1-4 to receive a first round bye. However, if SMU wins, they’d very likely receive the bye and allotted an extra week of rest. There is a realistic path for a two loss SMU to be left out of the College Football Playoff even if that loss comes in the conference championship. Both teams have everything to play for.

The most important contests have the stage set with plenty of implications and talking points soon come. Let’s discuss a few prospect matchups you need to know going into conference championship Saturday.

Redemption Game? — Texas OTs Kelvin Banks & Cameron Williams vs. Georgia EDGE rushers Mykel Williams & Jalon Walker

It wasn’t a pretty showing for either of Banks or Williams — both of which have been projected out to be borderline first-round NFL Draft picks in the coming 2025 class. They were both beaten badly throughout the course of the game in their meeting this year by both Georgia rushers Williams and Walker. This is an important draft stock game for both to show they have the chops to create resistance against two sure fire NFL players. It should be noted that Banks is a game-time decision on whether he plays or not in this contest.

Williams has three sacks total on the season. Two of those came in the Texas game back in October. While production may not be there this year in the stat sheet, he’s still heavily likely to go in the top half of the first round due to the mixture of traits he possesses. Walker has been fairly quiet in recent weeks in his own right. He owns 5.5 sacks on the year and three of those came in the contest against Texas. You show anyone the Texas film for these two without any context of other games, they would have both been slam dunk top-10 picks. But the inconsistencies show themselves a bit too often and is the case for Walker and Williams. Another strong performance against Texas’ formidable tackle duo will ease the minds of NFL front offices and decision makers on these two.

Another Edge matchup — Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. vs. Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter

Josh Conerly Jr. and Abdul Carter are two of the more athletic prospects at their respective positions in college football. Both prospects are former five-stars who have come into their own in 2024 as they make a stamp on their 2025 NFL Draft stock. Conerly Jr has come on as the season has worn on while Carter has had dominant moments and stretches of “wow” plays all year. This is the first time these two would have matched up in 2024 and it brings plenty of intrigue. These prospects both have raw aspects of their game with Conerly needing to continue to improve on overall technique and power aspects of his game. Carter is making the transition from off-ball linebacker to full-time edge rusher. There’s been some growing pains in that department, but he’s reached the double digit sack mark with plenty of more pressures created in 2024. This is must-see television for anyone who loves watching line play between two of the higher ceiling prospects in the class.

1,000-yard duo you need to see — Iowa St WRs Jayden Higgins & Jaylin Noel

Iowa State doesn’t hide who they are throwing the ball to in any way, shape, or form in this offense. Senior receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are both 1,000-yard wideouts in 2024 and likely on their way to fruitful NFL careers. Higgins may be considered the better prospect of the two, but Noel offers plenty of juice in his own right. While both pass catchers are up over 1,000 yards, the next closest on the team has accounted for 208 yards (tight end Gabe Burkle). 147 of the team’s 234 total completions have gone to one of these two in 2024.

The body types are very different on these two athletes. Part of what makes the receiver position such a fun one to evaluate is the incredible variety of different physiques and body types you’ll see at that spot. That is evident in Higgins (6’4” 215-pounds) and Noel (5’11” 200-pounds). They win in different ways — Higgins with a smoothness and the ability to be a ball winner at the catch point. Noel has the goods from a speed perspective coupled with the look of a running back physically. These two are must-see television and often have the ball in their hands in the biggest moments for the Cyclones.

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