Le Journal

With one week remaining, almost every conference title game spot is still up for grabs across the FBS. Whether the scenarios are complicated (looking at you, ACC, MAC and Mountain West) or simple (thank you, Sun Belt and Conference USA), there’s a lot left to play for. Here’s a look at where each league stands. (All records are in-conference records.) ACC Standings: Virginia (6-1), SMU (6-1), Pitt (6-1), Georgia Tech (6-2), Duke (5-2), Miami (5-2). Significant games this week: Virginia Tech at Virginia, SMU at California, Miami at Pitt, Wake Forest at Duke. Scenarios: — Virginia and SMU can each wrap up a spot in the ACC championship game with a win this week. Pitt can make it with a win and a loss by either Virginia or SMU. — The two-loss teams have to hope to get into a tiebreaker of some sort — which could be decided by strength of schedule within the conference. Betting favorite: SMU (+130 according to BetMGM Sportsbook) Title game: Dec. 6 in Charlotte. American Athletic Standings: North Texas (6-1), Tulane (6-1), Navy (6-1), South Florida (5-2), East Carolina (5-2). Significant games this week: Navy at Memphis, Temple at North Texas, East Carolina at Florida Atlantic, Rice at South Florida, Charlotte at Tulane. Outlook: — North Texas has a head-to-head tiebreaker over Navy after beating the Midshipmen during the regular season. But in a multiway tie, head to head might not apply if all teams involved didn’t face each other. — After head to head, the first tiebreaker is CFP ranking, and only Tulane (No. 24) was in it last week. So keep an eye on the committee’s next release Tuesday night. However, any team that loses this week cannot benefit from the CFP ranking tiebreaker. — The next tiebreaker after CFP ranking is a composite of various computer rankings. With one week still to go, that composite currently puts the teams in the following pecking order: North Texas, South Florida, Tulane, Navy, East Carolina. Betting favorite: North Texas (-125 according to BetMGM Sportsbook) Title game: Dec. 5 at the home of the higher seed. Big 12 Standings: Texas Tech (7-1), BYU (7-1), Utah (6-2), Arizona State (6-2). Significant games this week: Utah at Kansas, Arizona at Arizona State, UCF at BYU, Texas Tech at West Virginia. Outlook: — Texas Tech and BYU can each clinch a spot in the title game by winning this week. They would also both be in if Arizona State loses. — Utah can make it with a win, a loss by Texas Tech and wins by BYU and Arizona State. That would create a three-way tie for the second spot in which Utah would prevail. — Arizona State can make it with a win and a loss by BYU, or a win and losses by Texas Tech and Utah. Betting favorite: Texas Tech (-400 according to BetMGM Sportsbook) Title game: Dec. 6 in Arlington, Texas. Big Ten Standings: Ohio State (8-0), Indiana (8-0), Oregon (7-1), Michigan (7-1). Significant games this week: Indiana at Purdue, Oregon at Washington, Ohio State at Michigan. Outlook: — If Ohio State beats Michigan, the Buckeyes face Indiana in the title game. This is true even if the Hoosiers lose to Washington because Indiana would win a tiebreaker with Oregon for the second slot if need be. — If Michigan beats Ohio State and Indiana and Oregon both win, the title game would be Indiana vs. Oregon. — If Michigan beats Ohio State, Indiana wins and Oregon loses, the title game would be Indiana vs. Michigan. — If Michigan beats Ohio State, Oregon wins and Indiana loses, the title game would be Michigan vs. Oregon. — If Michigan beats Ohio State and Oregon and Indiana both lose, the title game would be Michigan vs. Ohio State. Betting favorite: Ohio State (-145 according to BetMGM Sportsbook) Title game: Dec. 6 in Indianapolis. Conference USA Standings: Kennesaw State (6-1), Western Kentucky (6-1), Jacksonville State (6-1). Missouri State (5-2) is not yet eligible to play in the Conference USA title game after joining the league this season. Significant games this week: Western Kentucky at…

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge in Florida wants civil rights attorneys and lawyers for the U.S. and for Florida to meet next month to hammer out a settlement in a lawsuit over whether detainees at an immigration center in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz” are getting adequate access to legal representatives. During a Monday status hearing, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell set a conference for Dec. 16-17 in her Fort Myers courtroom. “I think we’re closer on a lot of issues than we were before,” Polster Chappell said. “And I would think that the parties can come to the table and reasonably come to some agreements that aren’t going to be overly burdensome on the defendants but also will allow the plaintiffs to have the rights that they deserve.” Attorneys representing detainees at the facility are seeking a preliminary injunction to make it easier for their clients to meet and communicate with them. The detention center was built last summer at a remote airstrip in the Everglades by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Eunice Cho, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said Monday that detainees’ attorneys must make an appointment to visit three days in advance, unlike at other detention facilities where lawyers can just show up during visiting hours. She pointed out that detainees often are transferred to other facilities after their attorneys have made an appointment to see them and that scheduling delays have been so lengthy that detainees are unable to meet with attorneys before key deadlines. Nicholas J.P. Meros, an attorney for the state, said most of the concerns initially raised by the detainees and their attorneys have been addressed and that previous delays were due to trying to construct a facility for thousands of detainees in a remote area with little infrastructure. The lawsuit is one of three federal cases. In an environmental lawsuit, a federal appellate court panel in September allowed the center to continue operating by putting on hold a lower court’s preliminary injunction ordering it to wind down by the end of October. A third lawsuit claims immigration is a federal issue and that Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state have no authority to operate the facility. President Donald Trump toured the facility in July and suggested it could be a model for future lockups nationwide as his administration pushes to expand the infrastructure needed to increase deportations. While the facility was built and operated by the state and its private contractors, federal officials have approved reimbursing Florida for $608 million. Source