Under the new Commissioner George Kliavkoff, the Pac-12 conference puts renewed emphasis on earning a place in the college football playoffs and playing for a national championship.
“I want to make it 100% clear that the Pac-12 conference will make all of our football-related decisions in the future, with the common goals of optimizing college football playoffs and winning national championships,” said Kliavkoff last Tuesday during the Pac- 12th Football Media Day.
Of course, one of the most important factors in determining the position of the Pac-12 for a CFP berth is its success in non-conference gaming.
Here’s a look at the biggest non-league games for the Pac-12 in 2021.
September 4th
LSU at UCLA – Former USC assistant Ed Orgeron, who led the Tigers to the 2019 national title, returns to Los Angeles to face Chip Kelly and the Bruins.
Arizona vs. BYU – This is Jedd Fisch’s debut as the new Wildcats coach against a Cougars team that ended 11-1 a year ago. The game will be played at the Raiders’ new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
September 11
Utah at BYU – The Utes will try to win their 10th game in a row against their arch-rivals. The last time Utah lost to the Cougars was in Provo in 2009.
Oregon in the state of Ohio – Could this be a playoff elimination game? Oregon is chosen to win the Pac-12 while the Buckeyes are preferred to win the Big Ten.
Colorado vs. Texas A&M – The Buffaloes will try to disrupt an SEC program in Denver.
Washington in Michigan – The huskies could make a statement in the heart of the Big Ten country.
23 Oct
USC in Notre Dame – The longtime rivals resume their rivalry, which was put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic, for the first time since 1945. Depending on the season, this could be a game with playoff implications for both Blue Blood programs.
November 27th
BYU at USC – The Trojans want to avenge a 2019 defeat against the Cougars in Provo in 2019.
Notre Dame in Stanford – The cardinal hopes to return to national importance. A win over the Fighting Irish could help with that.
Comments are closed.