Utah gamers run onto the sector forward of recreation in opposition to USC at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. After a bye week, the Utes take their present on the highway to Pullman, Washington, the place they are going to face Washington State on Thursday evening. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Over the subsequent two weeks, an advanced internet of eventualities to fill the 2 spots within the Pac-12 championship recreation will probably be sorted out.
For now, although, 5 league groups — Utah, Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington — all have one or two convention losses and will play within the recreation on Dec. 2.
Not solely is it tough to find out the sport’s individuals — KSL’s Josh Furlong and Twitter consumer Doug Scott have contextualized this race — however the newest bowl projections additionally illustrate simply how unpredictable the league’s title race and subsequent postseason might be.
May a Pac-12 crew qualify for the Faculty Soccer Playoff?
The most recent CFP rankings got here out Tuesday, and the one crew with any severe hopes of snapping the Pac-12’s six-year playoff drought is USC, which is ranked No. 7.
The Trojans’ loss to Utah earlier this 12 months is their solely defeat, although they must surpass groups like TCU at No. 4, Tennessee at No. 5 and LSU at No. 6 to have an opportunity.
What number of Pac-12 groups may qualify for a New Yr’s Six bowl?
There are 4 different Pac-12 groups within the prime 17 of the most recent CFP rankings: Utah at No. 10, Oregon at No. 12, UCLA at No. 16 and Washington at No. 17.
The convention is assured one NY6 spot with its tie-in to the Rose Bowl. The query will probably be if one other college may qualify for both the playoff or an at-large bid within the New Yr’s Six (this 12 months, that may be within the Cotton Bowl).
In a roundup of the most recent bowl projections from 10 totally different nationwide consultants (see beneath), 4 of the highest 5 Pac-12 colleges had at the least one vote to make a New Yr’s Six recreation, and two had USC making the playoff.
This all comes earlier than an important weekend for the convention: Oregon hosts Utah on Saturday, and USC visits UCLA.
These two outcomes will deliver a great quantity of readability to the Pac-12 championship race heading into the ultimate week.
What bowl locations do nationwide consultants predict for the Pac-12’s prime groups?
Earlier this week, Pac-12 insider John Canzano shared the bowl lineup for the Pac-12 this season, which included the choice place for every bowl tie-in.
Oregon-Utah goes to be a heavyweight combat.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) November 15, 2022
Additionally, I obtained the Pac-12's inner bowl recreation stream chart. It might be useful within the coming weeks.
Extra: https://t.co/WGIyKswcFCpic.twitter.com/4UR3Dp7oUZ
The Deseret Information has compiled an inventory of bowl projections from 10 nationwide consultants following Week 11 of the school soccer season, which helps illustrate how a lot posturing can occur within the closing two weeks of the common season.
This contains bowl projections from ESPN (from each Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach), Motion Community, CBS Sports activities, USA At present, Faculty Soccer Information, Athlon Sports activities, 247 Sports activities, The Athletic and Sporting Information.
Utah soccer bowl projections after Week 11
| Publication | Bowl projection |
|---|---|
| ESPN (Bonagura) | Alamo Bowl, vs. Texas |
| ESPN (Schlabach) | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| Motion Community | Vacation Bowl, vs. Florida State |
| CBS Sports activities | Vacation Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
| USA At present | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Kentucky |
| Faculty Soccer Information | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Michigan State |
| Athlon Sports activities | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Mississippi State |
| 247 Sports activities | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Arkansas |
| The Athletic | Solar Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
| Sporting Information | Cotton Bowl, vs. UCF |
Remaining video games: at Oregon (Saturday), at Colorado (Nov. 26).
The Utes (8-2, 6-1 Pac 12), who jumped three spots to No. 10 within the newest CFP rankings, presently have the very best odds to win the Pac-12 convention title, in response to ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index.
Regardless of this, no nationwide knowledgeable presently tasks Utah to return to the Rose Bowl.
As a substitute, just one knowledgeable has the defending Pac-12 champion Utes reaching a New Yr’s Six recreation, and their hottest projection is the Las Vegas Bowl.
That might all change, although, with a win at Oregon. If the Utes beat the Geese, their chance of taking part in within the Pac-12 championship recreation for the fourth time in 5 seasons is just about ensured, particularly contemplating Utah finishes the 12 months at 1-win Colorado.
Oregon soccer bowl projections after Week 11
| Publication | Bowl projection |
|---|---|
| ESPN (Bonagura) | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. South Carolina |
| ESPN (Schlabach) | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| Motion Community | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| CBS Sports activities | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| USA At present | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| Faculty Soccer Information | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| Athlon Sports activities | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| 247 Sports activities | Alamo Bowl, vs. Texas |
| The Athletic | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Arkansas |
| Sporting Information | Solar Bowl, vs. Syracuse |
Remaining video games: vs. Utah (Saturday), at Oregon State (Nov. 26).
The No. 12 Geese (8-2, 6-1 Pac-12) misplaced their grip on the lead within the convention standings after falling at dwelling to Washington final week dropped them from Faculty Soccer Playoff consideration.
Even so, the Geese nonetheless are projected to make one of many Pac-12’s highest-profile bowls by most publications. 4 projections have them taking part in within the Rose Bowl, whereas three extra predict they are going to play within the Alamo Bowl.
USC soccer bowl projections after Week 11
| Publication | Bowl projection |
|---|---|
| ESPN (Bonagura) | Rose Bowl, vs. Ohio State |
| ESPN (Schlabach) | CFP semifinal (Peach Bowl), vs. Georgia |
| Motion Community | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Florida |
| CBS Sports activities | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| USA At present | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| Faculty Soccer Information | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| Athlon Sports activities | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| 247 Sports activities | CFP semifinal (Peach Bowl), vs. Georgia |
| The Athletic | Rose Bowl, vs. Ohio State |
| Sporting Information | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
Remaining video games: at UCLA (Saturday), vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 26).
The No. 7 Trojans (9-1, 8-1 Pac-12) will clinch a spot within the Pac-12 championship recreation in the event that they beat the Bruins this weekend.
USC additionally represents the convention’s lone remaining hope to doubtlessly attain the Faculty Soccer Playoff — and two publications presently have the Trojans making the playoff. At No. 7 within the CFP rankings, USC wants a robust end to get in place to interrupt the Pac-12’s playoff drought.
The most well-liked postseason projection for USC, although, is the Rose Bowl — 5 of the projections used for this roundup have the Trojans headed to the “Granddaddy of Them All.”
UCLA soccer bowl projections after Week 11
| Publication | Bowl projection |
|---|---|
| ESPN (Bonagura) | Solar Bowl, vs. Louisville |
| ESPN (Schlabach) | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Mississippi State |
| Motion Community | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
| CBS Sports activities | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. South Carolina |
| USA At present | Vacation Bowl, vs. Notre Dame |
| Faculty Soccer Information | Vacation Bowl, vs. Notre Dame |
| Athlon Sports activities | Solar Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
| 247 Sports activities | Vacation Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
| The Athletic | Vacation Bowl, vs. Notre Dame |
| Sporting Information | Vacation Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
Remaining video games: vs. USC (Saturday), at California (Nov. 25).
The No. 16 Bruins (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) had their postseason aspirations take a giant hit with their dwelling loss to Arizona final week, placing extra strain on them for his or her dwelling recreation this weekend in opposition to USC.
The Bruins’ present bowl projections replicate how devastating that loss was, as no nationwide knowledgeable has UCLA making an look in a New Yr’s Six bowl.
UCLA’s most projected vacation spot now's the Vacation Bowl, with Notre Dame a well-liked opponent.
Washington soccer bowl projections after Week 11
| Publication | Bowl projection |
|---|---|
| ESPN (Bonagura) | Vacation Bowl, vs. NC State |
| ESPN (Schlabach) | Vacation Bowl, vs. Notre Dame |
| Motion Community | Solar Bowl, vs. Wake Forest |
| CBS Sports activities | Cotton Bowl, vs. UCF |
| USA At present | LA Bowl, vs. Fresno State |
| Faculty Soccer Information | LA Bowl, vs. Boise State |
| Athlon Sports activities | Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Florida State |
| 247 Sports activities | Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan |
| The Athletic | Alamo Bowl, vs. Texas |
| Sporting Information | Alamo Bowl, vs. Oklahoma State |
Remaining video games: vs. Colorado (Saturday), at Washington State (Nov. 26).
The No. 17 Huskies (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) saved their Pac-12 title hopes alive with a formidable highway win final week at Oregon.
Whereas Washington has the slimmest hopes of incomes a spot within the Pac-12 championship recreation of the 5 groups — Twitter consumer Doug Scott lays out the mind-numbing quantity of eventualities there are in figuring out the title recreation’s two individuals — the Huskies are nonetheless technically within the race and have arguably the best remaining schedule.
The Huskies even have the widest vary of predictions for his or her bowl vacation spot: 247 Sports activities has them within the Rose Bowl and CBS Sports activities additionally making a New Yr’s Six bowl, whereas two different publications — USA At present and Faculty Soccer Information — peg them within the LA Bowl.