The most consistent knock on college football is that the sport has no playoff, no system that ends with only one team standing. But it does have Championship Week.
Fledgling title games in the Atlantic Coast Conference and Conference USA join a lineup of those in the Southeastern and Big 12.
Toss in indelible Army-Navy during wartime and a season-ending Pac-10 rivalry that could affect the national championship picture and, well, set the TiVo and pass the remote.
The first C-USA title game in Orlando pits Tulsa at Central Florida. The Big 12 championship in Houston has Colorado vs. Texas, the SEC championship in Atlanta has Georgia vs. LSU and the inaugural ACC title game in Jacksonville pits Florida State and Virginia Tech.
Top-ranked USC (11-0) already has locked up the Pac-10’s Bowl Championship Series bid but could be out of the BCS title game if it loses to UCLA (9-1).
“Anytime you get a chance to play for a championship, no matter what level of football you’re in, that’s pretty special,” Central Florida defensive end Chris Welsh said. “No one around here has ever played for a football championship before, so just to have the chance is meaningful. We just want to make the most of it.”
The Golden Knights (8-3) won the right to host C-USA’s championship game by having the fewest conference losses, one, of any team in the league. They didn’t learn their opponent until SMU upset UTEP and delivered the West Division title to Tulsa (7-4).
They joined a handful of teams that gained title-game slots with some unlikely scenarios playing out:
LSU (10-1) looks back at its SEC road to see its only blemish as an overtime loss to Tennessee that becomes more unbelievable with time. The Vols were nationally ranked at the time, and the Tigers were still coping with the emotional and personal effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Had South Carolina not upset Florida on Nov. 12, Georgia (9-2) already would be preparing for a bowl game. The Bulldogs lost to Auburn that night but kept their perch in the SEC East thanks to South Carolina.
Colorado (7-4) surrendered the Big 12 North crown in a 30-3 home loss to Nebraska, then got it back the next day when Iowa State lost in overtime to Kansas. The Buffaloes lost at Texas this season, but they also remember upending the heavily favored Longhorns 39-37 in the 2001 Big 12 championship.
Florida State (7-4) has lost three in row yet serves as in-state host to Virginia Tech (10-1) in the ACC title game in Jacksonville.
“We played the last two ballgames [against Clemson and Florida] knowing we were going to play in the playoff game and have lost both of them,” FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. “We’re a little bit low right now.”
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The Hokies, meanwhile, seemingly were out of the title game mix after a 27-7 loss to Miami on Nov. 5. They got their slot back when the Hurricanes tripped at home Nov. 19 against Georgia Tech.