The television networks for the American Athletic Conference and Sun Belt Conference football championship games have been set, according to announcements on Monday.
For the ninth consecutive season, the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game will be broadcast by ABC. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4:00pm ET / 3:00pm CT at the home stadium of the team with the highest winning percentage in conference play.
Three American teams remain in contention for the two spots in the American championship game. Tulane and UTSA, both undefeated at 7-0, will battle this weekend with the victor claiming a spot in the championship. SMU also carries a 7-0 record into its home contest with Navy this weekend and can also clinch a spot with a win.
The 2023 Hercules Tire Sun Belt Football Championship, which is also set for Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4:00pm / 3:00pm CT, will be televised by ESPN. The game will be feature the East Division champion versus the West Division champion at the home stadium of the team with the best record in conference play.
The Troy Trojans, currently 6-1 in Sun Belt play, have already clinched the West Division and their spot in the conference championship game. Troy can clinch hosting duties this weekend with a win at Southern Miss.
The East Division is currently led by James Madison at 6-1, but the Dukes are ineligible to compete in the championship game due to NCAA bylaws for teams transitioning from the FCS to the FBS. James Madison is in its second and final year of reclassification.
With JMU ineligible, the East will be represented by either Appalachian State (5-2; lost to CCU earlier this season) or Coastal Carolina (5-2; defeated App State earlier this season). App State gets in with a win over Georgia Southern and a Coastal Carolina loss to James Madison, while Coastal will advance with either a win over JMU or an App State loss.
College Football Conference Championship Games
The 2015 AAC championship game between Temple and Houston was played in Houston at TDECU Stadium.
I know because I went to the game.
So why does the AAC, the 9th ranked conference according to ESPN’s second favorite computer model, S&P+, get ABC? Tickets for Tulane’s game against UTSA are going for a whopping $3 on the secondary market while App State v. Georgia Southern has tickets for $150 at minimum right now, and 35,000 fans will be there.
The city bias is real. The Sun Belt is the best G5 conference right now and it’s not even close.