Who to watch in Friday night college title games … There are a trio of conference championship games on Friday evening including a key CFP play-in contest with #10 Boise State hosting #20 UNLV for the Mountain West title (8 PM ET; FOX). In fact, not only will Boise State make the playoffs with a win over UNLV, they’ll get a bye as well as home-field in the second round as one of the four top-ranked conference winners. UNLV will also make the national playoff with a win, although they’ll like only end up a very low seed. Of course, if its Boise State one gets to watch dynamic Broncos’ RB Ashton Jeanty (#2, 5-9, 215), arguably the only guy in the country who could deprive Colorado two-way star Travis Hunrer this year’s Heisman. For the record, Jeanty has already run for over 2,200 yards this fall and in fact has more yards after contact than every other back in the country has period. For good measure, BSU also has a rising ER in Ahmed Hassanein (#91, 6-3, 270) who among the national leaders with 8.5 sacks. Not to be outdone, UNLV also has several very good prospects in WR Ricky White (#11, 6-1, 190), who has 75 receptions for over 1,000 yards to date this fall; much-travelled veteran S Jalen Catalon (#1, 5-11, 205) who finally appears healthy this year as he’s picked off 5 passes; and underrated LB Jackson Woodard (#7, 6-2, 230) who leads the team with 114 tackles, including 17 for loss and 4 picks of his own.
Of course, 24th ranked Army (10-1) is still hopeful that a win in the American Athletic (8 PM ET; ABC) final over Tulane (9-3) could land them in the CFP playoff. Problem for the Cadets is that they are ranked behind both of the Mountain West championship game teams (above) and one of them isn’t going to lose on Friday and drop down. Even to win the AAC title is a pretty nice accomplishment for Army. And it should be an enteratining game, although there are no real draft prospects on either team. Army QB Bryson Daniels (#13, 6-0, 225) a dual-threat type who has run for for over 1,300 yards and 25 TDs this fall and could very well get a Heisman vote or two. Meanwhile, Tulane’s best players are underclassmen including redshirt freshman QB Darian Mensah (#10, 6-2, 200) and redshirt sophomore RB Makhi Hughes (#21, 5-9, 210) who has also run for over 1,300 yards this season. The other game Friday is for the C-USA title between a pair of 8-4 teams in Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State (7 PM ET; CBSSN.) And this game actually has at least one possible top 100 pick in JSU C/G Clay Webb (#74, 6-3, 310), a one-time big-time recruit at Georgia who made some All-America teams last fall.
