Pac-12 Rundown: Can’t-Miss Games Could Shake Up Title Chase
This could be a fun weekend to be a Pac-12 Conference fan as there are four games nationally between ranked squads and two of them are in the Pac-12.
USC can wrap up at least a share of the regular-season title in the conference with a win since the Trojans’ regular-season finale is against Notre Dame. The winner of the Oregon-Utah game will also remain in first place.
If UCLA can take down USC, that could leave a logjam of teams with two conference losses.
Southern California moved up one spot in both national polls. The Trojans are now sixth in the American Football Coaches Association poll and seventh in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
Utah went from 13th to 10th in both polls. Oregon fell six spots to 12th in the AP poll and seven positions to No. 13 in the coaches’ poll. Washington was one of the big movers and the Huskies are now 15th in both rankings.
According to the college football playoff odds, USC (+4000) is sixth in the odds to win the national title. Oregon and Utah are both priced at +15000.
Here’s a look at the Week 12 matchups in the Pac-12.
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 vs Oregon
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Oregon -3
Oregon’s loss to Washington made this game all the more interesting as the Ducks are tied with Utah and Southern California on top of the conference standings and only two of them will play for the Pac-12 championship.
Oregon (8-2, 6-1 Pac-12) has the top offense in the conference, averaging 527.7 yards per game, while Utah (8-2, 6-1) has the top defense, giving up only 328 yards per contest. A key for Utah is that the Utes defense has been on the field less than any other conference team.
Third-leading receiver Chase Cota is questionable for Oregon. Utah’s Tavion Thomas had 180 rushing yards against Stanford and now he will face the No. 2-rated rushing defense in the Pac-12.
Yards gained:@thiagoothomas9 – 180
Stanford offense – 177Game ball: Tavion Thomas pic.twitter.com/9eragIjV1I
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 13, 2022
The college football odds total has gone in seven of the last 10 games in the series.
Rest of the Schedule
Washington State vs Arizona
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Washington State -4
This game will feature both the past and present Washington State quarterbacks.
The move from Washington State to Arizona has agreed with Jayden de Laura, who is second in the Pac-12 with 3,128 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes. The Cougars are pretty happy with Cameron Ward as he has thrown for 2,579 yards with 20 touchdown passes and has also run for three more touchdowns.
Washington State (6-4, 3-4) is plus-5 in turnover margin over the last two games to become bowl eligible. Daiyan Henley is second in the Pac-12 with 12 tackles for loss.
Jacob Cowing leads the Pac-12 with 74 catches and 964 receiving yards while Dorian Singer has 54 receptions and 838 yards for Arizona (4-6, 2-4).
Fourth-leading receiver Renard Bell is out indefinitely for Washington State.
Washington State has covered against the Las Vegas odds in four of the last five games against Arizona but is just 2-5 against the spread on the road in the series.
Oregon State vs Arizona State
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 2:15 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Line: Oregon State -8
Oregon State (7-3, 4-3) has been one of the best-kept secrets in the nation as the Beavers go after their eighth win of the season.
Freshman running back Damien Martinez has four straight games with more than 100 rushing yards after being featured more in the Oregon State offense. Oregon State quarterback Chance Nolan, who has missed the last five games, is questionable.
Xazavian Valladay is coming off a season-best 134 yards in a loss to Washington State. He has seven touchdown runs over the last four games.
Something to consider for those who bet online: Oregon State has covered in eight of the last 11 games against Arizona State.
Stanford vs California
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Cal -5
It’s been 40 years since one of the most memorable endings in college football history, when an improbable game-winning touchdown was scored by Cal while the Stanford band was on the field and in the end zone. This matchup might need some help from the bands to garner attention outside of California.
The loser of the game between Cal (3-7, 1-6) and Stanford (3-7, 1-7) will almost certainly finish in last place in the conference standings.
The teams are 10th and 11th in total offense and ninth and 10th in total defense.
Stanford has won the last six times it played at Cal.
USC vs UCLA
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. (FOX)
- Line: USC -2½
This game lost a little of its shine when UCLA lost to Arizona. It likely would have been a top-10 showdown if the Bruins had taken care of business.
With two of the other teams with one conference loss are playing this weekend, UCLA can still find a way into the Pac-12 title game. However, UCLA (8-2, 5-2) needs to win on Saturday.
The quarterback matchup should be a rather entertaining showdown as USC’s Caleb Williams and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson are second and third in the Pac-12 in passing efficiency.
Williams is given more freedom to make plays down the field than Thompson-Robinson, as the UCLA passer has averaged less than seven yards per pass in three of the last four games.
Tuli Tuipulotu is the national leader with 11½ sacks and is third with 17½ tackles for loss for USC (9-1, 7-1).
The total has gone over in four of the last five games between the Bruins and Trojans.
Colorado vs Washington
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
- Line: Washington -31
This will be a test of the maturity for the Washington team as the Huskies are coming off an upset of Oregon and now face a team that has allowed the most points in the Pac-12.
Colorado (1-9, 1-6) has allowed 25 touchdown passes, the most in the conference, and now faces Michael Penix Jr., the national leader with 3,640 yards.
The Buffaloes have allowed 104 points over the last two games and have given up more pass plays of at least 20 yards.
Colorado is 2-8 against the spread, one of the worst marks in the nation.
Washington has covered in eight of the last 11 games against Colorado.
“The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.”
