SEC title race remains crowded as Power Four championship paths take shape

Conference championship berths remain unsettled across the Power Four entering Week 9, with nine SEC teams still in contention and several other races hinging on November matchups. Championship games offer winners automatic access to the College Football Playoff and could determine which teams secure places in the 12-team field.

In the SEC, Georgia and Kentucky would advance if every remaining game went to the projected favorite. That scenario would leave Georgia at 8-1 in conference play, with Kentucky and LSU both at 7-2. Kentucky's victory over LSU would settle the tie. Florida winning its remaining games, with all other favorites prevailing, would instead produce a three-way tie involving Florida, LSU and Georgia at 7-2. Florida and LSU would advance, with LSU benefiting from a victory over common opponent Auburn that Georgia would lack.

Georgia's route is to win three of its final four SEC games, including its matchup with Ole Miss. Kentucky is well positioned in most scenarios if it beats Missouri and splits its games against Tennessee and Florida. Other outcomes could bring Texas or Alabama into the championship game. A three-way tie involving Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss at 7-2 would send Ole Miss and Alabama through on common-opponent records. Alabama's Nov. 28 meeting with Auburn would carry significant title implications if the Crimson Tide first beats LSU.

UCLA and Ohio State are the Big Ten's only teams without a conference defeat, and both would reach Indianapolis by winning their remaining games. A loss by either would create opportunities for Indiana, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Minnesota. Indiana hosts Minnesota this weekend, while Ohio State visits USC with a quarterback making his first career start. Playoff Status gives UCLA a 71% chance of reaching the conference championship game, followed by Ohio State at 54%, Indiana at 34% and Wisconsin at 13%.

The Big 12 standings tightened after UCF defeated BYU and Cincinnati beat visiting Texas Tech last week. Unbeaten Utah leads a group that includes one-loss contenders BYU, Texas Tech, Arizona and Oklahoma State. Utah faces Cincinnati this weekend before playing BYU on Nov. 7. Texas Tech risks slipping effectively out of contention with a loss to Arizona on Saturday. Arizona has won five consecutive games since losing to BYU.

Oklahoma State also has a possible route to the Big 12 championship if it wins its remaining games, including the Nov. 14 matchup with Texas Tech. If BYU loses to Utah and the Utes stay unbeaten, Oklahoma State and BYU would each have one conference defeat. The Cowboys would benefit from beating UCF, a common opponent that defeated BYU.

In the ACC, top-ranked Miami can finish 9-0 in league play by winning its final four conference games. The Nov. 14 matchup between Wake Forest and SMU could then determine its championship opponent. Both teams are 4-1 in the conference, following earlier losses to Miami and Louisville, respectively. SMU and Miami also face Notre Dame in November, but those games do not affect ACC standings. Six other teams, including Virginia Tech, have two conference losses and lack the direct routes available to Miami, Wake Forest and SMU.