Pac-12 Rundown: Title Contenders Look to Take Care of Business

With Week 12 matchups between Utah and Oregon as well as USC and UCLA, this weekend’s action will be about setting the stage for what is around the corner.

Oregon (even money) has the best odds to win the Pac-12 title according to the college football betting lines. USC (+250), Utah (+400) and UCLA (+450) aren’t far behind.

Oregon (+2500) and USC (+5000) have the best odds to win the national championship among Pac-12 teams.

Oregon moved up two spots to No. 6 in both national polls while USC and UCLA are in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association polls. Utah checks in at No. 13 in both rankings.

Here’s a look at the Week 11 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

Washington Huskies vs Oregon Ducks

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Line: Oregon -13½

Washington hasn’t received the attention of the teams ahead of them in the Pac-12 standings. However, the Huskies (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) could still be a factor in the conference race.

The Huskies already own two wins over ranked teams and can pull within a game of the first-place Ducks (8-1, 8-0) with a victory.

Both teams have benefited greatly from the arrival of transfer quarterbacks.

Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. leads the conference with 3,232 passing yards while Oregon’s Bo Nix has the best passer rating (172.96) in the Pac-12.

Since a tough test against Washington State, Oregon has won its last five games by an average of 23.4 points. After beating Oregon State 24-21, Washington has won three games in a row to remain in contention.

𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐠𝐬 from yesterdays dub 🍽#NoLimits #PurpleReign pic.twitter.com/LoVIBRr7fh

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 5, 2022

Oregon has covered against the college football odds in each of its four games at home while Washington has failed to cover in all three road games this season.

Rest of the Schedule

Colorado vs USC

• Date, time (TV): Friday, Nov. 11, 9:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Line: Southern California -34

This one might get ugly.

Colorado (1-8, 1-5) has allowed the most yards in the Pac-12 and the Buffaloes will be going against a Southern California team that has averaged 42.7 points and 564 yards over the last three games.

USC (8-1, 6-1) has been living dangerously, beating unranked Arizona and California teams by eight and six points. The issue has been on defense. The Trojans have allowed 1,210 passing yards over the last three games.

USC has won the last 10 games against Colorado, with four of the last six meetings going under the Las Vegas odds total.

Arizona State vs Washington State

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
• Line: Washington State -7½

Arizona State (3-6, 2-4) needs to win this game to have a chance to become bowl eligible while Washington State (5-4, 2-4) looks to build on last week’s win over Stanford.

Cameron Ward has thrown for 2,360 yards with 19 touchdowns in his first season at Washington State (5-4, 2-4). He has 13 TD passes in the five wins compared to six in the four losses.

Trenton Bourguet has completed 76% of his passes for 784 yards in the last two games for the Sun Devils.

ASU’s Kyle Soelle leads the conference with 98 tackles. The fact that the Sun Devils have three of the top seven tacklers in the Pac-12 speaks volumes about how much they have been on the field in 2022.

California vs Oregon State

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 9 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
• Line: Oregon State -13½

This game will feature the two most productive freshman running backs in the Pac-12.

Cal’s Jaydn Ott has rushed for 725 yards while Oregon State’s Damien Martinez has 624 yards. Martinez has three straight 100-yard games while Ott has been held under 60 rushing yards in each of the last four contests for Cal (3-6, 1-5).

Oregon State (6-3, 3-3) has allowed 106 rushing yards per game in conference play, the best mark in the Pac-12. Cal is third with 125.5 yards given up per game.

Freshman quarterback Ben Gulbranson is expected to start for the Beavers, who have covered in seven of the last eight games.

Six of the last eight meetings between Cal and Oregon State finished over the total.

Stanford vs Utah

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
• Line: Utah -24

Utah has the top defense in the Pac-12, allowing 344.7 yards per game. The Utes’ defense has been on the field for the fewest plays in the conference and those numbers could improve against a struggling Stanford team.

Stanford (3-6, 1-6) ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in total offense so it could be a struggle for the Cardinal to move the ball on Saturday.

Utah’s Clark Phillips leads the Pac-12 with five interceptions and he has returned two of them for touchdowns.

Utah (7-2, 5-1) is third in the Pac-12 in rushing yards without having any player in the top 10.

Stanford’s Tanner McKee has completed less than 60% of his passes in each of the last three games.

Utah has won five of the last six games against Stanford and has gone 5-0-1 against the spread in those contests.

Those who bet online will want to keep an eye on the status of Utah running back Tavion Thomas and tight end Dalton Kincaid, who are both questionable.

Arizona vs UCLA

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 10:30 p.m. (FOX)
• Line: UCLA -19½

Arizona has allowed more than 500 yards of offense in four of the last six conference games. It won’t get any easier facing a UCLA team featuring the Pac-12’s leader rusher, Zach Charbonnet, and one of the top quarterbacks in the country.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson has completed 72% of his passes for 2,140 yards to go with 19 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He has also run for seven touchdowns. Charbonnet missed last week’s game, but head coach Chip Kelly said he was feeling better.

Arizona’s Jayden de Laura has also been putting up some gaudy numbers with 2,813 passing yards, 22 TD passes, and eight interceptions. Jacob Cowing leads the Pac-12 with 65 catches.

UCLA has covered in eight of its last nine conference games.