The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten Conference might dominate the headlines. However, five teams from the Pac-12 are ranked in the latest national polls. With so many quality teams, there will be some can’t-miss matchups on a weekly basis.
In Week 6, it is hard to top the showdown between Utah and UCLA, while the Washington State-Southern California matchup could also be worth checking out.
There are four teams yet to lose in Pac-12 play and four others seeking their first conference win. Both of those numbers will shrink by at least one with UCLA and Utah meeting and both looking to improve to 3-0 in the Pac-12, while either Stanford or Oregon State will pick up its first conference win this week.
According to the college football odds, Utah (+150) and Southern California (+185) have the best odds to win the Pac-12 title, followed by Oregon (+300) and UCLA (+800).
USC remained at No. 6 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association polls. Utah moved up one spot in the AP ranking and two positions in the coaches’ poll and came in at No. 11, with Oregon right behind at 12th. UCLA broke into both polls this week at No. 18 in the Associated Press poll and 19th in the AFCA ranking. Washington fell six spots in each of the rankings but did remain in the top 25.
Here is a look at Pac-12 matchups and some information that might interest those who bet online.
Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF predictions. We’ve plenty of NCAAF expert picks for you to consider.
Game of the Week
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins
- Date, time, TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Line: Utah -4
There could be plenty of points in this one as Utah ranks second in the Pac-12 with an average of 42 points per game, while UCLA is fourth at 41.4 points per contest.
Utah’s offensive numbers are all the more impressive considering that the Utes (4-1, 2-0 in the Pac-12) have just one play from scrimmage of at least 40 yards. UCLA (5-0, 2-0) has been able to come up with more big plays. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is at the forefront of most of those explosive plays. He has the best passer rating in the Pac-12 and is completing 74.3% of his passes.
The Week 5 #RoseBowl Game @pac12 Player of the Week, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, @UCLAFootball!
🐻 315 passing yards
🐻 4 total touchdowns
🐻 Pac-12 leader in passing efficiency and completion %
🐻 Third career Player of the Week honor pic.twitter.com/CCaEx4zRxz— Rose Bowl Game (@rosebowlgame) October 3, 2022
The teams rank first and second in the conference in total defense, so it will be worth watching to see what happens when explosive offenses square off with stifling defenses. Utah’s Clark Phillips already has four interceptions, while Laiatu Latu is the conference leader with six sacks.
Utah has won the last five meetings against UCLA and covered against the college football betting lines in each of them. The Utes averaged 46.8 points in those contests.
Washington Huskies vs Arizona State Sun Devils
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, 4 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Washington -14
It has been a tough start for Arizona State as the Sun Devils have moved on from head coach Herm Edwards. A bright spot is running back Xazavian Valladay, the second-leading rusher in the Pac-12 with 455 yards.
Washington’s Wayne Taulapapa was held to 48 yards in last week’s loss to UCLA.
It won’t be all about the offense as Washington’s Bralen Trice is second in the conference with 4½ sacks and fourth with seven tackles for loss.
One of the major differences between the two teams is that Washington (4-1, 1-1) has made 11 more trips to the red zone through five games than Arizona State (3-2, 1-1) has.
The Sun Devils had won 10 straight against Washington. However, the teams have split the last four meetings. Arizona State has covered in 13 consecutive games in the series before last year’s 35-30 win as a six-point favorite on the road.
Washington State Cougars vs Southern California Trojans
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Line: Southern California -12½
This is a matchup that doesn’t lack for defensive playmakers.
Washington State’s Daiyan Henley and Brennan Jackson are first and third in the Pac-12 with 9½ and 7½ tackles for loss, while Tuli Tuipulotu of USC is second with 8½ stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Quarterbacks Cameron Ward and Caleb Williams are in their first seasons in the Pac-12 after transferring. Williams’ move from Oklahoma to USC made significantly more news than Ward’s transfer from Incarnate Word to Washington State. Ward has a better completion percentage, more passing yards, and touchdown passes than Williams, although Williams has only one interception compared to seven for Ward.
USC (5-0, 3-0) has won 12 of the last 14 meetings with Washington State (4-1, 1-1), including the last three.
Oregon Ducks vs Arizona Wildcats
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, 9 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Oregon -13½
Arizona has made quite the jump offensively, going from putting up 355 yards per game a season ago to 476 in 2022. However, Oregon is once again in the middle of the pack in many defensive stats.
Former Washington State quarterback Jayden De Laura leads Arizona as he is second in the conference with 1,633 passing yards. Bo Nix, who transferred to Oregon from Auburn, is completing 69% of his passes with 12 TD passes and just three interceptions.
Arizona’s Jacob Cowing and Dorian Singer are first and second in the Pac-12 with 566 and 450 receiving yards. This series has been surprisingly competitive in recent years, with the Ducks (4-1, 2-0) winning four of the last seven matchups and Arizona (3-2, 1-1) covering against the college football odds in nine of the last 15 contests.
Oregon State Beavers vs Stanford Cardinal
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Line: Oregon State -7
Oregon State is one of the top pass defenses in the Pac-12 as the Beavers are allowing opponents to complete 59.6% of their passes and are one of three Pac-12 teams with more interceptions than touchdown passes allowed.
Quarterbacks Tanner McKee of Stanford and Chance Nolan of Oregon State have combined for 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.
Stanford (1-3, 0-3) has won 11 games in a row against Oregon State (3-2 0-2) before the Beavers won 35-14 as a 12½-point favorite in 2021. It has been 15 years since Oregon State has won back-to-back games against the Cardinal.
