Around the Pac-12: Weekend fun meter; ‘biggest Oregon State-Washington game ever;’ Deion Sanders’ ‘absolute p - OregonLive

With two weeks left in the college football regular season, the Pac-12 championship game pairing remains a mystery.

The Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks are the driver’s seat to play for the title in Las Vegas. The Oregon State Beavers and Arizona Wildcats still have decent chances to unseat the favorites.

Even the Utah Utes are clinging to long-shot hopes of reaching a third consecutive conference final.

As Lloyd Christmas famously said in “Dumb and Dumber” all those years ago: “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”

And what are the chances? The favorites can clinch title game berths this weekend, while the three other contenders have opportunities to stay in contention. Here are this week’s scenarios, courtesy of the Pac-12:

• Washington can clinch a spot in the conference championship game with a win this week at Oregon State OR a Utah win over Arizona.

• Oregon can clinch a spot with a win over Arizona State AND a Washington win over Oregon State AND a Utah win over Arizona.

• Oregon State can stay in contention with a win over Washington OR wins by BOTH Utah over Arizona AND Arizona State over Oregon.

• Arizona has to beat Utah to stay in contention.

• Utah has to beat Arizona AND have BOTH Washington beat Oregon State AND Arizona State beat Oregon to stay in contention.

Two weeks. Five teams. One championship game.

That registers high in Freeman fun. Let’s get to this week’s games.

Here’s a look at the schedule, courtesy of the Freeman Fun Meter, from most to least fun:

1. No. 5 Washington at No. 10 Oregon State (4:30 p.m. PT, Saturday, ABC): The Beavers open a ridiculously challenging — and amazingly fun — season-ending two-game stretch with a must-see matchup against the Huskies. Washington is two wins away from an undefeated season and is oh-so close to a playoff berth. Oregon State is two wins away from a possible shot at playing for a Pac-12 title. The outcome will have ramifications on the AP Top 10, the Pac-12 championship game and the College Football Playoff rankings. Can the Beavers spoil the Huskies’ undefeated season and national championship hopes before they defect to the Big Ten? Can the Huskies dash the Beavers’ dreams of winning a conference championship in the final season of the Pac-12 as we know it? It’s the best game on the college football schedule this weekend and it’s all kinds of fun.

2. No. 16 Utah at No. 19 Arizona (11:30 a.m. PT, Saturday, Pac-12 Networks): The Utes’ championship hopes suffered a massive blow last weekend, likely ending their two-year reign atop the Pac-12. But they’re not dead yet. And, even if they were, this game has extra juice because the Utes can crush the Wildcats’ title chances. Arizona, which is riding a four-game winning streak, has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the Pac-12 this season. The Wildcats already own a pair of home wins over ranked teams this season. Can they make it three?

3. UCLA at USC (12:30 p.m. PT, Saturday, ABC): Bruins coach Chip Kelly is reportedly on the verge of losing his job, perhaps as early as next week. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is facing all kinds of heat for a disappointing season that has seen USC lose four of its last five games to tumble out of the national rankings. We shall see if the final Pac-12 meeting between these rivals provides any fun on the field, but it sure is delivering the goods off of it. Tune in to enjoy one of Caleb Williams’ final college games, stay after to watch the drama in the postgame news conferences.

4. Colorado at Washington State (7:30 p.m. PT, Friday, FS1): If we could hop in a time machine, travel back to September and schedule this game for the fourth or fifth week, we’d have ourselves a doozy. Colorado was the talk of college football and Deion Sanders was the greatest coach since the adoption of the forward pass. And Washington State was seemingly invincible, riding the incredible play of quarterback Cameron Ward and the us-against-the-world momentum spawned from its college football realignment exclusion. But last I checked, time machines don’t exist. Losing streaks do. And these teams are sputtering to the finish line of the final Pac-12 season. The Cougars have lost six in a row. The Buffaloes have lost four in a row and six of seven. They enter the game tied for last in the conference. Well ... someone has to win this one! I expect lots of offense and a dogfight to avoid the conference cellar.

5. No. 6 Oregon at Arizona State (1 p.m. PT, Saturday, FOX): I have been impressed with the job coach Kenny Dillingham has done in his first season in Tempe, Arizona. The one-time Ducks (and Florida State!) offensive coordinator has his team punching above its weight, playing hard every week and gaining momentum as the season winds to a close. The Sun Devils have won two of their last three games and lost three others by just one score, even though they’ve battled a rash of injuries to an already-thin roster. But the mojo ends this week. While some inevitably will view this as “trap game,” I just don’t see it. The Ducks are too talented and too focused on the big picture to overlook this one, especially with their old OC on the opposite sideline. I expect a decisive victory, setting up a riveting rivalry matchup against Oregon State next week.

6. Cal at Stanford (3:30 p.m. PT, Saturday, Pac-12 Networks): I had to stop myself from typing BOOOOOOORING as a way to relay my level of enthusiasm for this one. I’m just not feeling it. Stanford is coming off a 62-17 embarrassment in Corvallis and the only thing preventing Cal from entering The Big Game with a five-game losing streak is a three-point win over Washington State ... which owns a six-game losing streak. I can think of a million other things to do Saturday afternoon than watch this one. So can you. (Since I said all of that, this is totally going to end up being a four-overtime thriller isn’t it?)

Now, let’s take a spin Around the Pac-12:

• BIll Connelly takes a look at the “biggest Oregon State-Washington game ever,” as part of his look at Week 12. “Considering both the rankings and the stakes involved, this is almost by default the biggest Huskies-Beavers game ever. And that’s before you take into account the whole “Washington was part of the Pac-12′s disintegration, which has currently left OSU without a home or a schedule for next year” thing. A Beavers victory would serve some comeuppance, severely damage Washington’s CFP hopes and keep OSU’s Pac-12 title hopes alive, and it appears bettors think it’s going to happen: The ESPN BET line opened at Washington -1; it’s now OSU -2.5. Reser Stadium will be at “2008 vs. USC” levels of intensity. ... Oregon State has overachieved against SP+ projections by 12.4 points per game at home in 2023. All signs point to the Beavers giving the Huskies their stiffest test of the season on Saturday night in Corvallis.”

• Oregon State and Washington State are moving forward with scheduling plans in the wake of their court victory, according to Yahoo Sports. “The schools have re-engaged with Mountain West officials over a two-year football scheduling alliance with the league in an agreement that may serve as a first step in a long-term partnership or even merger, sources tell Yahoo Sports.”

• The Athletic has more details on the scheduling plans. “According to three sources involved in the discussions, the most imminent possibility is for the two schools to remain “Pac-12″ members, but form a football scheduling alliance with the Mountain West. The Beavers and Cougars would not be eligible for the championship of that conference but would play the majority of their games against each other and various MWC schools for either one or two years. While the schools would operate under the Pac-12 “umbrella,” they would not attempt to stage a conference championship for themselves. A source involved in the discussions said “dialogue has increased” recently between the “Pac-2″ and the Mountain West. The NCAA allows a two-year grace period for FBS conferences to get back to the eight-school requirement. Under the model being discussed, the schools’ other sports teams would compete as “affiliate members” in the MWC and other Division I conferences like the Big West or WCC. In those sports, they could play a full conference schedule and be eligible for those leagues’ championships as well as automatic berths to NCAA tournaments.”

• Why would Sanders stiff-arm Texas A&M football? Because Colorado gives him one thing the Aggies can’t: Absolute power, writes the Denver Post.

• Is Williams about to play his last game for USC? The Trojans’ star quarterback won’t say, according to the Los Angeles Times.

• In its look at Week 12, ESPN delves into Oregon State-Washington, and highlights OSU running back Damien Martinez, among other things.

• A look at the best of Bo Nix’s Heisman-worthy season, courtesy of ESPN.

• Here’s a little coaching buzz, courtesy of ESPN, which examines the best coaching vacancies and the latest on jobs that could be opening up.

• Week 12 will have implications on the College Football Playoff chase. Are the Huskies staring at a must-win Saturday?

• More than one Pac-12 game is featured in The Athletic’s look at the best games of the Week 12. The same goes for Yahoo Sports’ look at this week’s slate. Meanwhile, only one lands on the USA Today’s list.

• One national pundit is predicting an Oregon State victory among his picks for the week.

• Chip Kelly is on the hot seat at UCLA, writes CBS Sports.

• A couple Pac-12 assistant coaches are due for big raises, writes the USA Today.

• Most of the college football world outside Seattle will be rooting against the Huskies on Saturday, according to Matt Calkins.

• The Huskies are embracing this week’s underdog role, writes The Seattle Times, which is a surprising place to be considering they are undefeated and ranked No. 4 in the nation.

• Here’s a look at what to watch for — and a prediction — for the OSU-UW games, courtesy of The Seattle Times.

• Washington State is looking to end a six-game losing streak and keep its bowl hopes alive this weekend, writes The Spokesman-Review.

• What are the stakes for Lincoln Riley and Kelly heading into UCLA-USC game? The Los Angeles Times takes a look.

• Also from the Times: “The Curse of Cade? How one play may have led to 25 years of misery for UCLA football.”

• Kelly is calling for leniency for those involved in the Colorado locker-room thefts, writes the Los Angeles Times.

• Utah’s Ja’Quinden Jackson’s ankle has been bothering him all season. The Salt Lake Tribune wonders: Will the Utes shut him down now?

• As Arizona State sets its sights on the Ducks, the Arizona Republic writes, Dillingham will be facing his former team and old friend Dan Lanning.

• It’s a “huge deal” as Stanford and Cal gear up for the last Pac-12 meeting of The Big Game, writes the San Francisco Chronicle.

— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

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2023-11-17 20:27:00Z
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