Ranking the 18 most important games in the Pac-12 conference for the 2022 season

Washington State may not be one of the biggest names in the Pac-12, but they fought for the Northern Division title last year and are just a few games away from quietly going into the Pac-12 clash against the United States. Their big game came without a conference this year against Wisconsin, who play in the Top 10 but have struggled against the best dogs in Ohio and Michigan to date. If the Cougars can find a way to keep them close to the Badgers and maybe even win, that would be a great opening statement about the depth and power of the Pac-12.

Notre Dame has featured prominently on the Pac-12 schedule, with three games against West Coast teams on the non-conference roster. This game against California will be a game worth watching, even if it's hard to believe that the Golden Bears will have a big kick on the other side. The Irish Warriors enter the season finishing in the top ten of the most pre-season rankings and will be fighting for a playoff spot at College Football under new manager Marcus Freeman. However, if Cal can stay competitive, it will show that Mid-Pac-12 is growing strong.

If you're looking for two teams that are gearing up for the jump this season, I'd be setting up circuits in Oregon and California. The two competed for the Pac-12 North League title last season, but were ultimately unable to do it alone. However, both have arrows pointing up under a new and ambitious coaching staff. A match between the two is likely to go a long way in establishing the balance of power in the Northern Division, and if Oregon battles it out a bit in the first year under Dan Lanning, either of these two teams could really take on one of them. The seat on the money. -12 address games in Las Vegas.

This rivalry has been going on for a long time. When it comes to history schools in college football, Notre Dame and Stanford are definitely created. While there haven't been many fireworks from the series in recent years, it will still carry some weight, especially if Stanford's early season proves worth committing to the Pac-12. As has been the subject of many of these great games, the Pac-12 had to find some success in non-conference games to earn the respect of Power-5. A close match between Stanford and a potential Top 10 team from Notre Dame would be impressive.

Let's stick to the Stanford Cardinal theme for a moment. They have one of the most respected coaches in the NCAA with David Shaw at the helm. Nonetheless, they have behaved badly in recent years and have struggled to regain national interest. Can it go back to 2022? They are well recruited to compete at a high level, and a no-conference win over BYU - one of the top 15 teams of 2021 - is sure to attract attention.

When the Ducks play against a top team at Pac-12 South, it will be fun to watch. There aren't many teams that we think will cause as much trouble in Oregon in the Northern Division, and with USC and Arizona missing out on the Ducks program this year, we don't have much chance of seeing them take on the best of the conference. show. However, watching the home game against UCLA is sure to be fun, especially after last year's final game.

We've said it before, but we're waiting to see if Oregon can take that step this year to become a team that deserves to be taken seriously. They might be able to hang on to the Pac-12 North and maybe push the ducks for a spot in the Pac-12 Championship game, but it will be interesting to see how hot they emerge early in the season. With an early game against Boise State, you get a valuable non-conference team, which may not be a strong point, but it does get you a respectable win on your resume.

Even though they have struggled in recent years, the Washington Huskies are still one of the brand teams in the Pac-12, like it or not. Their success is important to the conference and their distraction is bad for other teams (as much as Oregon fans can enjoy themselves. If they find early success under new manager Calin Deborre, it could make the game interesting without a conference. Against the state of Michigan for Pac's health). -12, needed Many competitive games between the Huskies and Spartans, interest in Washington will be a big boost to the conference as a whole.

Did you know when older brother comes back from college and finds that little brother has grown 4 inches and is exercising regularly? This is what appears to be happening to the Oregon Duck and Oregon State Otter. We're not at all saying that the Beavers are the biggest and best team, but they're definitely improving with Jonathan Smith and moving in the right direction. Gone are the days of the duck boom and non-competitive civil war (or platypus mug). This rivalry is likely to get very interesting in the next few years, and there is no doubt that it will have a huge impact on Pac-12 North.

While the Pac-12 North may not be grouped with teams that deserve to be in the top 25, it looks like there are 3-4 Pac-12 North teams that could make it to the conference game in Las Vegas. Both Utah and UCLA are located, where Utes first looked at the possibility of a college football playoff. They still have to keep the team in their schedule and the Bruins will be a big hurdle. This game will have a lot of weight in the Southern Division and will likely have an impact on the CFP as well.

After all the drama surrounding Herm Edwards and the Arizona State Sun Devils in the off-season, it's hard to know what to expect in Tempe this fall. However, they had a great game without conference against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who have consistently been in the top 10 or 15 for the past few years. We've said it before and we'll say it again: Any Pac-12 win over the Power 5 school is sorely needed.

For the first time in years, Battle for LA seems to have a bit of juice in 2022. USC has been revamped with Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams, and UCLA continues to improve under Chip Kelly. With another year of leading Dorian Thompson Robinson and Zach Charbonnet to attack, the Bruins could become one of the top 15 or 10 teams. If the Trojans manage to reach their roofs, they are a potential CFP team. It's like fireworks in Southern California.

Playing at Pac-12 North is generally great for the Ducks, but a lack of star power can sometimes hurt them due to their poor track record. This means that out-of-conference matches – and potential conference leagues – become important to the ducks. Look no further than the BYU Cougars in Week 3. Who knows if Oregon can hold on or beat the Georgia Bulldogs, but if they end up losing in Week 1, they probably won't be fighting back in a big way. A win over BYU, one of the top 15 teams in 2021, would look well into the plans and will likely prompt Oregon's resumption when it comes to cup season.

One of the most popular rivalries in college football finally has some real juice again. As we said with USC vs. UCLA, adding Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams puts the Trojans back on the map and you can guarantee that the world of college football will adapt to see a potential fight in the top ten later in the year. 'public. USC's success is Pac-12's success, so competitive play and potential wins will work wonders for the conference.

There's no way out... He humiliated the Utah Ducks not once, but twice at the end of the 2021 season. This led to Mario Cristobal leaving for Miami, although some believe his decision to leave came well before the end of the year. . - And get rid of the ducks as the best team in the conference. You can guarantee that it's a title that Dan Lanning and his team want to return.

Does winning over Georgia or Utah mean more to the Oregon ducks?

This game will arrive at the end of the year and could be followed by a second match just a few weeks later in the title race for the Pac-12. Two of the top conference teams will be held in November with potential expectations for online CFP. There's nothing better than that.

If it was an Oregon vs. Utah is great, USC vs. Utah is more fluid. Taking on the Pac-12 South might very well determine who will play in the conference championship game and it will largely determine who will be the best in the charged Southern Division. If Trojans are really as good as we thought this year, then Utah vs. USC is probably one of the best games of the year not only in conference, but college football as a whole.

After winning the Pac-12 Championship and crossing the distance with the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl Heavyweight Celebration on New Year's Day, Utah Utes are truly respected among today's college football fans. This will continue until the start of the 2022 season, when they take on the Florida Gators, who are currently one of the top 25 teams according to ESPN. Every Pac-12 win over the SEC is significant, but it will also put Utah in the spotlight, which would be a great start to the season.

Oregon vs national champions. Dan Lanning against his former team. Dan Lanning's first game as manager. The story of this match is endless and will be one of the most awaited games of the year, especially for ducks. While many people didn't give Oregon a chance early on, it's hard to put into words how big of a season-opening win it was. After the momentum Lanning has built on Eugene, saving his claim early would have been a big win for the Pac-12. Even competitive play for the State of Oregon will pay off for the conference as a whole as they try to stay on par with the best teams in the nation.

Last year's win over Ohio State was arguably the largest in Oregon Ducks history. Victory over Georgia will be even greater.