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The first conference championship celebration in Army history was taking place at midfield, and Bryson Daily made it clear that it wouldn’t last long. The Black Knights had their sights set on another trophy next week.

“Beat Navy,” Daily said.

He and Army should be a tough opponent for Navy — or anyone else they face.

Daily rushed for four touchdowns, tying the American Athletic Conference championship game record, and No. 24 Army completed a perfect first season in the league with a 35-14 victory over Tulane on Friday night.

Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards, including a 72-yard run that set up a Daily touchdown, and added a score of his own. Daily also ran for 126 yards, leading the Black Knights (11-1) to dominate AAC opponents with their powerful, clock-controlling rushing attack throughout the season, then using it perfectly in the championship game.

Army claimed its first conference title in its 134-year history.

Army’s regular season isn’t over, though, as they have one more game to play: a highly anticipated matchup against Navy next Saturday for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

“Now we’ve got the biggest game of the year coming up in eight days and we’re looking forward to that,” said Army coach Jeff Monken.

Daily had touchdown runs of 5, 3, 4, and 7 yards. The 221-pound quarterback’s four rushing scores brought his total to 29 for the season, breaking the AAC record of 25 set by Navy QB Will Worth in 2016. Daily, the conference player of the year, has scored multiple touchdowns in 10 straight games.

Before joining the AAC, Army had been an independent team since 1890, except for a brief stint in Conference USA from 1998 to 2004. Coach Monken had said earlier this week that Army needed to be in a conference to have a chance at the expanded college football postseason.

As cadets poured onto the field to celebrate with the players, it seemed clear that Army was happy with that decision.

Darian Mensah threw two touchdown passes for Tulane (9-4), which was playing in its third straight AAC championship game and had lost the last two.

The Green Wave had hopes of hosting the championship but lost to Memphis at home on Thanksgiving night, ending their 17-game winning streak in conference play.

Tulane struggled from the start on Friday, missing field goal attempts on their first two drives, fumbling a kickoff, and having a pass intercepted in their own territory on the next two possessions.

In the second half, Tulane barely touched the ball as Army controlled the clock with touchdown drives of 11 and 16 plays.

“When you start slow the way we did, missing two field goals early, you don’t do yourselves any favors,” said Tulane coach Jon Sumrall. “Because once they get a lead, a couple scores, it’s really, really hard to overcome.”

The temperature was 29 degrees at the start of the game, just the third December game in the 101-year history of Michie Stadium, and the cold weather called for a strong running game, which Army excelled at. Army came into the game leading the nation with 312.5 rushing yards per game.

The Black Knights gained 335 yards on the ground and converted 4 of 5 fourth downs.

Daily didn’t attempt a pass until the second half when he kept a scoring drive alive with a 9-yard completion on fourth-and-5.

The Green Wave had been asked about playing in the cold conditions along the Hudson River, and the weather may have played a role in their struggles. On their first drive, they attempted a field goal, but holder Brice Busch dropped the snap on the Army 27-yard line.

Army took advantage, going 72 yards in 11 plays to set up Daily’s 5-yard touchdown. Tulane moved inside the Army 20 on their second drive but missed another field goal attempt, this time from 38 yards.

Daily’s 4-yard run made the score 21-0 before Tulane finally got on the board with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Mensah to Mario Williams with 44 seconds left in the first half.

Army regained control in the second half, opening the third quarter with a 6 and a half-minute drive.

Bryson Daily was named the American Athletic Conference’s offensive player of the year, and he was also the MVP of the conference’s championship game.

Army coach Jeff Monken believes his quarterback deserves even more — the biggest award in college football. After the No. 24 Black Knights’ 35-14 win over Tulane on Friday night, Monken said Daily should be in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony next Saturday.

“I don’t know that there’s anybody in the country that would balk at the idea of the starting quarterback of the Army Black Knights, who’s rushed for 100 yards in a game 10 games in a row on an 11-1 team that just won the conference championship, why doesn’t that guy belong down?” Monken said.

“There’s a lot of great football players in the country but there’s not one who means more to his team than that guy sitting right down there,” he added, pointing to Daily. “And so it’s the MVP of college football. Who’s most valuable to their team? I’d argue there’s not a guy in America more valuable to their team than Bryson Daily.”

Daily ran for four touchdowns on Friday, tying the AAC Championship game record. That gave him 29 touchdowns for the season, breaking the league’s record and tying No. 10 Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty — a Heisman contender — for the most touchdowns in the nation.

The 221-pound Texan rushed for 126 yards on 25 carries and has scored multiple touchdowns in 10 straight games. Army converted 4 of 5 fourth downs, and Daily had touchdown runs of 5, 3, 4, and 7 yards.

“The Bryson Daily guy is like a linebacker carrying the football,” said Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.

Daily gave credit to his offensive line, saying they played their best game of the season despite hearing that Tulane — the No. 2 seed and 4 1/2-point favorite — had the defensive strategy to stop Army’s top-ranked rushing offense.

“The line of scrimmage was getting moved 2-to-3 yards and by the fourth quarter 4-to-5 yards,” Daily said. “They played awesome just like they have all year.”

Army’s offense may be simple to predict but hard to stop, mostly because of Daily. The senior has rushed for 1,480 yards this season, despite missing one game due to injury and with one more game to play in the regular season.

That game will be next Saturday against Navy in Landover, Maryland. If Monken had his way, Daily would then head to New York with hopes of joining Army legends Felix “Doc” Blanchard, Glenn Davis, and Pete Dawkins as Heisman winners.

“I don’t have a vote in it and they’re not going to listen to me, but he belongs down there,” Monken said. “And I know that the college football world would be thrilled to see that, and how many times in history is there going to be an academy player that legitimately could go down there and everybody feels like that guy belongs? You know what, this is that time in history. That guy belongs down there, that’s what I think.”

After Ashton Jeanty dashed through UNLV’s defense for a 75-yard touchdown run in the Mountain West Conference title game Friday night, he didn’t do the Heisman pose. He didn’t even mention it afterward, choosing instead to let his performance speak for itself.

“I think the same thing week after week,” Jeanty said about the Heisman Trophy talk after No. 10 Boise State’s 21-7 win over No. 19 UNLV, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff. “Not only is this one of the best teams in the nation, but they’ve got one of the best players in the nation.”

Jeanty added another 209 yards, marking his sixth game over 200 yards this season. His total now stands at 2,497 yards, just 132 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ FBS season rushing record.

Boise State coach Spencer Danielson, who ran down the sideline for a few yards with Jeanty on his long run — the final game for Jeanty in Boise — wasn’t quiet at all after the game.

“In regards to the Heisman, I ask all voters to please just watch the film, watch the stats,” Danielson said. “That will show you that he’s the best football player in the country. … If you’re a Heisman candidate, you should play in a championship game. And to see what he did in a championship game for his team also speaks volumes.”

This comment seemed to be aimed at Heisman frontrunner Travis Hunter of Colorado, whose team missed out on the Big 12 championship game and won’t be making a playoff appearance.

But Jeanty will be in the playoffs too, even though the Heisman voting will have already been completed by then. He’ll have the chance to finish off one of the greatest rushing seasons in FBS history.

“He showcases week in and week out that he’s the best football player in the country and I don’t even think it’s close,” Danielson said.

The fact that Jeanty is even at Boise State this season, especially with the rise of NIL deals and transfer portals, is almost as impressive as his remarkable stats — 2,497 yards rushing, 29 touchdowns, and five runs of 70 or more yards.

Jeanty, who turned down several NIL offers from Power 4 schools last year, chose to stay at Boise State to do something special.

He took it all in on Friday.

“As soon as I woke up, that was all that was on my mind,” Jeanty said about his time at Boise State. “I was just so grateful for the program, the coaches, the community, and everybody that believes in me. I took it all in the whole game. It was just an amazing experience. I wouldn’t want to go out any other way.”

The playoffs begin Friday night for No. 10 Boise State and No. 19 UNLV with a winner-takes-all game for the Mountain West championship.

With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams this year, the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion automatically gets a spot. The playoff committee’s latest rankings, released Tuesday, confirmed that the Mountain West champion will be in.

Boise State (11-1, 7-0, No. 10 CFP) could even earn a first-round bye if the Broncos beat UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the second time this season.

“When you play in a championship game, you want to play the best,” said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson. “UNLV … is one of the best teams around. They’ve got a bunch of talent. They play well together. They’re very motivated and driven to win this game, just like us.”

If the title game is anything like the teams’ previous matchup this season — a 29-24 Boise State win — it will be a hard-fought battle. It will likely be much closer than last year’s title game when the Broncos easily won 44-20 over the Rebels.

BetMGM Sportsbook has Boise State as 4-point favorites.

“We’re thankful to have an opportunity for the second year in a row to be playing in the Mountain West championship game,” said UNLV coach Barry Odom.

“The guys that were here last year can use those experiences to maybe put us in a better situation this year on how we prepare, how we play and the understanding that we’ve been in a lot of big games this year already. We know a lot about our opponent, and on the other side, they know a lot about us.”

Everyone knows about Boise State’s star running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful, Ashton Jeanty.

The powerful back leads the nation in rushing with 2,288 yards this season, just 340 yards away from Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. But in the teams’ first matchup this year, UNLV’s defense held Jeanty to 128 yards on 33 carries, his lowest yards-per-carry average of 3.9.

“(Jeanty) is a tremendous player,” Odom said. “I think he is the best player in college football. He’s got all the great traits you want to see in a running back — unless you’re trying to tackle him. We know it’s going to take all 11 guys. We need to try to eliminate as many one-on-one tackles with him as we can in that situation.”

The new 12-team College Football Playoff will be a different experience for many teams that have never been part of the four-team version. With the possibility of multiple postseason games, there will be more planning, travel, and activity involved.

For teams in the Championship Subdivision, this is something they are used to.

Travel, fatigue, and playing against unfamiliar opponents create busy weeks of preparation, and long travel times—sometimes crossing three time zones—can take away from the time needed to get ready to play.

“We have cut back. This is week 14 for us – 12 games, one playoff, and one open week,” said UT Martin coach Jason Simpson, whose team won 41-10 at 16th-seeded New Hampshire on Saturday. The Skyhawks will travel on Friday to Bozeman to play top-seeded Montana State the next day.

“It’s hard. These aren’t professional players,” Simpson said.

While the College Football Playoff may feel like a new concept for major college football, teams in the FCS have been dealing with this for the past 46 years, since Division I split. Like the CFP, the FCS playoffs started with just four teams in 1978, but expanded to eight in 1981 and to 12 teams in 1982, with the top four teams receiving byes.

Since 2013, 24 teams have competed in the FCS playoffs (except during the pandemic), with 16 teams seeded and eight teams getting a bye week before the competition begins.

Simpson’s team is appearing in the playoffs for only the third time. Playing on the road against the top seed, which is making its 14th appearance, comes with both advantages and challenges, according to Simpson.

“Our kids are excited,” Simpson said. “One of the things I use at practice every day is, ‘Is this practice good enough to beat the Montana States or North Dakota States of the world?’”

“Well, guess what? You get to find out on Saturday,” he added. “The scoreboard will tell you.”

This Saturday’s schedule also includes Montana, which is making its 28th playoff appearance, playing at South Dakota State, which beat the Grizzlies 23-3 in last year’s national championship game.

Taking things easier during practice is almost necessary, said Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck.

“These seasons are getting longer and longer,” he said. “We’re starting earlier and earlier, recruiting is getting crammed into the summer more and more, and then you jump into the season and you’re looking at how many games.”

“It used to be that you played an 11-game schedule and that was it,” Hauck added, mentioning that the season can extend another month if a team keeps winning in the playoffs.

Montana has won national championships in 1995 and 2001 and will head to Brookings, South Dakota, as the 14th seed to face the third-seeded and two-time defending national champions.

“There’s a lot of pressure,” Hauck said, referring to the program’s history. “However, that’s good pressure. You don’t want to be in a place where that’s not a realistic goal.”

Villanova is another team that has a long trip ahead. The 11th-seeded Wildcats are traveling to San Antonio to play the sixth-seeded Incarnate Word.

Coach Mark Ferrante said practices may be shorter this week to help ease the fatigue from a long season, and he believes the loud, hostile environment will actually be beneficial for the Wildcats.

“I think sometimes our guys like playing away, especially if it’s a crowded stadium because there’s just a little more excitement in the air whether they’re cheering for you or against you,” Ferrante said.

Lehigh, coming off a 20-18 win at ninth-seeded Richmond, will travel to Idaho to play the eighth-seeded Vandals. Coach Kevin Cahill said practices will be less physical this week. The NCAA-provided charter plane will be a helpful perk, and Cahill is just happy to have another game to play.

“To play this time of year, you’re okay with it. You figure it out,” Cahill said.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a standout on both offense and defense, was named the Big 12 defensive player of the year, while Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was chosen as the top offensive player, based on a vote by the league’s coaches released Thursday.

Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, in his second season as head coach at his alma mater, was named coach of the year. The Sun Devils (10-2) made their Big 12 debut this season and will compete in the Big 12 championship game against Iowa State on Saturday. They have already set a school-record improvement, winning seven more games than last year.

Hunter, who is also a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, is the first player in Big 12 history to record both an interception and an offensive touchdown in multiple games.

As a defensive back, Hunter has four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. On offense, he leads the Big 12 with 92 catches and 14 touchdowns, totaling 1,152 receiving yards and ranking third in the league with 96.0 yards per game.

Sanders is the Big 12’s leading passer, averaging 327.2 yards per game. He has completed 337 of 454 passes (74.2%) for 3,926 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns for the Buffs (10-2).

Arizona State sophomore receiver Jordyn Tyson, who has 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns but will miss the Big 12 championship game due to injury, was named the offensive newcomer of the year. Colorado defensive end BJ Green II, who has 7 1/2 sacks, was named the top defensive newcomer.

South Carolina has chosen Jeremiah Donati from TCU as its new athletic director. The university’s board of trustees approved the decision, and Donati will begin on January 2, with his contract running through June 30, 2031.

In his first year, Donati will earn $1.9 million, with a $100,000 increase each following year of his contract.

“We’re going to have fun. We’re going to work hard,” Donati said to the board. “I will not disappoint you.”

Donati, 47, replaces Ray Tanner, who has been the athletic director since 2012. Tanner will now serve as a special advisor to university President Michael Amiridis.

Amiridis said Donati’s “principles and personality made him the perfect candidate.”

This is the second time since 2005 that South Carolina has hired someone from TCU to lead its athletic department. Eric Hyman was hired from TCU in 2005, and after Hyman left for Texas A&M in 2012, Tanner was named the athletic director.

Donati takes over an athletic department that seems to be improving. The women’s basketball team, coached by Dawn Staley, won its third national title last year, with two of those wins coming since 2017.

Under third-year coach Lamont Paris, the men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament last March for the first time in seven years.

South Carolina’s football program, led by coach Shane Beamer, finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, winning six straight games, including four wins against ranked teams.

Donati faces some challenges, including improving the area around Williams-Brice Stadium, which is mostly industrial and could be developed to look better.

The university has already planned upgrades to the stadium, including adding more premium seating and luxury boxes to make it more like other stadiums in the Southeastern Conference.

Donati has worked at TCU since 2011 and became the athletic director in 2017. During the 2022-23 season, TCU athletics had one of its best years. The football team made it to the College Football Playoff title game, the men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament, and the baseball team played in the College World Series.

In that season, 10 of TCU’s 21 sports were ranked in the national top 25.

Before TCU, Donati worked at Leigh Steinberg Sports and Entertainment as general counsel and director of player representation. He has also held college fundraising roles at Arizona, Washington State, and Cal Poly.

Eric Bieniemy’s time at UCLA lasted just one season. The Bruins decided to part ways with Bieniemy on Thursday after struggling with one of the worst offenses in the country this year.

Head coach DeShaun Foster quickly found a replacement. Tino Sunseri, who was the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at Indiana, will become the new offensive coordinator for UCLA, according to a source familiar with the decision. The person spoke anonymously since the announcement had not yet been made.

Sunseri spent only one season at Indiana after following Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Cignetti and Sunseri worked together for four years, including three years at James Madison, where the Dukes made a successful transition from FCS to FBS.

Bieniemy was hired as UCLA’s associate head coach and offensive coordinator in February after Foster became head coach. Bieniemy had also worked at UCLA as a running backs coach from 2003-2005.

Bieniemy’s agent, Jason Fletcher, said in a statement that Bieniemy had planned to stay just one season at UCLA and described the parting as “mutual.” Despite signing a two-year contract, Bieniemy had a retention bonus if he stayed through the 2025 season.

Fletcher explained, “After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy, so he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA instead of sitting out a year.”

This season, UCLA ranked 117th in total offense (328.8 yards per game), 126th in scoring (18.4 points per game), and had the fifth-worst rushing attack in the country (86.6 yards per game). The Bruins finished 5-7 in their first year in the Big Ten, failing to qualify for a bowl game after three straight appearances. The team also became the sixth Power Five school since 2000 to fail to score 20 points in their first six games.

Players mentioned early in the season that Bieniemy’s playbook was difficult to understand and that his play calls were often too long.

Bieniemy was a two-time Super Bowl champion offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his recent coaching positions have not gone well. He served as the offensive coordinator for Washington in 2023 but was not kept after Ron Rivera’s firing.

Bieniemy stated in an email to ESPN that he wasn’t fired by Washington and received offers from the NFL to coach running backs or be a passing game coordinator. However, when asked about those offers during UCLA’s spring practice, he declined to give more details.

Bieniemy wasn’t kept by new Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who replaced Rivera.

Despite his success in Kansas City, Bieniemy has not landed a head coaching position, despite interviewing with more than half of the NFL teams. Fletcher said, “The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead.”

Sunseri’s immediate task will be to limit further transfers out of the program. Quarterback Justyn Martin and running back T.J. Harden have already entered the transfer portal.

At Indiana, Sunseri worked closely with Kurtis Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, who had a standout season. Rourke helped Indiana break single-season records for wins and conference victories. Indiana, ranked No. 9, is on track to make its first College Football Playoff appearance.

Sunseri, like Cignetti, has coaching experience at Alabama. He worked as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide in 2019 and 2020 after coaching at Florida State and Tennessee. The 35-year-old also spent three seasons with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning a Grey Cup title as a rookie in 2013 after playing college football at Pittsburgh.

Michigan extended athletic director Warde Manuel’s contract for five more years on Thursday, following the Wolverines’ surprise victory over Ohio State and a strong start to the basketball season. Manuel, who has been in his position since 2016, is now signed through June 30, 2030, according to the university.

Manuel also serves as the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

“During Warde’s time as director, Athletics has built a structure where our student-athletes compete for Big Ten and national titles, excel in academics, and proudly graduate with their University of Michigan degrees,” said university President Santa J. Ono.

Michigan’s football team had a disappointing season, finishing 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten), but the 13-10 victory over then-No. 2 Ohio State helped relieve some pressure on the program. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the largest point spread for the rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

The Wolverines won the national championship last year in their final season under coach Jim Harbaugh, whose tenure involved multiple NCAA investigations for recruiting and sign-stealing allegations. Manuel stood by Harbaugh during these investigations.

In basketball, the women’s team made its season debut at No. 23 in the AP Top 25 this week. The men’s team is 7-1, following the firing of coach Juwan Howard after a season where Michigan finished last in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967.

Since 2020, Michigan has won 52 Big Ten championships.

“Every day, I am thankful to work at this great institution and to represent Michigan Athletics,” Manuel said. “I especially want to thank the student-athletes, coaches, and staff who compete for each of our teams and who have helped us achieve unparalleled success athletically and academically.

I am excited to continue giving back to a university that has provided me with so much over my career.”

North Carolina has interviewed Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots and six-time Super Bowl champion, for its head coaching position, according to two people familiar with the situation. These individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not made a public statement about its search.

The interview with Belichick, first reported by Inside Carolina, comes one week after the school parted ways with its most successful coach, Mack Brown, who is a College Football Hall of Famer. The school announced on November 26 that Brown would not return for a seventh season in his second term. Brown remained with the team to coach during last weekend’s rivalry loss to N.C. State.

Freddie Kitchens, the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is currently serving as the interim coach for the upcoming bowl game as UNC continues its search for a new head coach.

Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick would be a significant change for UNC, as he has never coached at the college level but achieved tremendous success in the NFL, mostly working with quarterback Tom Brady during his 24 years with the Patriots, which ended last season.

Since then, Belichick has been connected to various NFL coaching roles, including a potential position with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this year.

UNC’s coaching search comes at a time when college athletics is rapidly changing, with more player movement through the transfer portal and players able to earn money through endorsements.

Additionally, a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, which includes revenue sharing, is expected to be implemented soon. This settlement received preliminary approval from a judge in October.

After the loss to N.C. State, Brown mentioned, “I think it’s a great time for me to get out. This isn’t the game that I signed up for. It’s changed so much.”

In a podcast earlier this week, athletic director Bubba Cunningham said that all the coaches UNC is considering for the position are currently coaching, as college football is in the middle of its conference title games and preparing for the 12-team College Football Playoff and bowl assignments.

Cunningham emphasized that the most important factor in selecting a new coach is “fit.” He stated, “There’s a certain person that’s best suited at the right time, at the right place. And right now, that’s what we’re looking for: Where are we today, who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years?”

Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty confirmed on Thursday that this will be his final season at the university.

Jeanty, who leads the nation in rushing with 2,288 yards on 312 carries and 28 total touchdowns, has long been expected to enter the NFL Draft after his record-breaking season.

Jeanty, who is 341 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season rushing record, will have at least two more games to set the record.

Friday’s Mountain West title game will be Jeanty’s last chance to make a case for the Heisman Trophy.

“I feel like I’m the best player in the country,” Jeanty said at the Mountain West Conference championship press conference.

“I’ve put that on notice every single week, and it’s just the same thing. I take it week by week. If I’m picked to win (the Heisman), I win. But my focus right now is going out and playing my best football for my teammates and coaches and winning a championship.”

Jeanty and No. 10 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MW, No. 10 CFP) will have the spotlight in front of a nationally-televised audience on Friday when they host No. 19 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the Mountain West title and the Group of Five spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.

Jeanty, who is now No. 5 all-time in single-season rushing yards, only needs 55 yards to surpass USC legend and 1981 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen.

The Broncos, whose only loss was in September to No. 1 Oregon on a last-second field goal, defeated UNLV 29-24 on Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Jeanty was limited to his second-lowest rushing total of the season, with 128 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel arrived in Indianapolis in July with a goal in mind. He wanted to get a feel for what Lucas Oil Stadium was like before hopefully returning in December.

Now, on Saturday, he will be back on that same field.

A lot has changed for Gabriel and the Ducks since their first visit for the Big Ten media day months ago. No. 1 Oregon is leading the playoff rankings, remains the only undefeated team in major college football, and Gabriel has earned the title of Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.

It’s been an ideal season for the nearly 24-year-old Gabriel, especially as he leads the Ducks into the conference championship game he had hoped for.

“If we didn’t think we’d be there, I wouldn’t have attended,” Gabriel said. “But I just felt really good about it. I was glad we were able to go see it (Lucas Oil), feel it, smell it. It was a good experience. Now that we’re going back with the whole squad, everyone’s excited.”

Winning a conference title in his final season—and Oregon’s first season in its new league—would be a perfect ending for Gabriel, especially since both teams are almost guaranteed a spot in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.

The winner of the game will likely earn a first-round bye, while the loser will probably host a first-round game. There is a lot of money on the line: The Big Ten will get $4 million for each school that makes the CFP, with the payouts rising to $6 million per school starting with the semifinals. A school that makes it all the way to the title game could earn $20 million. The CFP also provides millions to cover expenses.

While Oregon (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) was expected to be back in Indianapolis this weekend, No. 3 Penn State wasn’t supposed to be there after losing to then-No. 4 Ohio State.

However, the Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1, No. 3 CFP) bounced back by winning their last four games and got some help when Michigan beat the Buckeyes last weekend. This is the first time Penn State has made it to the Big Ten championship since they won against Wisconsin in 2016, and they don’t plan to leave without the title this time.

“Being from Pennsylvania, seeing that game from 2016, like I always imagined being in these shoes, being in that moment, trying to win a Big Ten championship,” running back Nick Singleton said. “Being in that moment right now feels good, but we’ve got to go out there and win it.”

Gabriel agreed.

“When you walk in that building everyone is excited to do stuff and ready to go,” he said. “So it’s about execution, playing clean and being who we are.”