Ranking conference championships by upset potential

Christmas is here early, as conference championship weekend has finally arrived. With a bevy of tremendous matchups on tap, upsets galore could be the theme of the day.

Goliaths like the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide are readying for an SEC Championship Game showdown. Additionally, programs like Cincinnati, Oklahoma State and Michigan are battling for their College Football Playoff lives.

When looking at the odds for championship weekend, the most shocking revelation may be the Crimson Tide as an underdog. However, could a victory by Nick Saban and company ever be considered a shocking result?

Earlier this week, CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah ranked the biggest potential upsets among the conferences championship matchups. After much deliberation, here are his top choices for a potential underdog victory.

Ranking conference championships by upset potential, via CBS Sports:

4) No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 13 Iowa. Iowa’s been a tough team to figure out, but it looks like Michigan has finally turned a corner. As Jeyarajah mentions, the Wolverines are by-far the toughest opponent the Hawkeyes have gone up against. The CBS Sports analyst isn’t picking Iowa to win outright, but he believes the Hawkeyes will cover the eleven-point spread.

3) No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Baylor. As Oklahoma State needs some help to get into the College Football Playoff, a victory is paramount for the Cowboys. “Without the friendly confines of Boone Pickens Stadium, there’s certainly a chance the game could swing the other direction,” wrote Jeyarajah on the importance of home-field advantage.

However, he wouldn’t go as far as picking Baylor — but he believes the Bears cover the six-point spread.

2) No. 15 Pitt vs. No. 16 Wake Forest. The ACC Championship Game features some new blood, as Pittsburgh and Wake Forest are looking to make history. The Panthers may be favorites, but Jeyarajah won’t pick them to win. He’s on the Demon Deacons to cover the 3.5 point spread, and win the game.

1) Appalachian State at No. 24 Louisiana. While Louisiana is ranked, Appalachian State is favored in their showdown. However, Jeyarajah believes Louisiana will be just fine, even after the hiring of Billy Napier at Florida.

“Louisiana is the more talented team and shouldn’t be a dog,” wrote Jeyarajah, picking the Ragin Cajuns to win and cover the three-point spread.