Posted on November 15, 2022
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Washington looked as good as any team in the Conference, if not the nation; Arizona looked like a bowl-bound team nobody wants to play; Utah looked like, well, last year’s champs.
But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.
November projections may be more solid than those in September and October, but there’s still a good chance what we think will happen won’t happen come December.
Here are my latest predictions on where Conference teams will land in the postseason.
Rose Bowl – Utah vs. Michigan
2:00 p.m., PT, ESPN, Jan. 2, 2023, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
I like the Utes to sneak back and win the Pac-12 now, getting back to Pasadena.
Step one is winning at Oregon on Saturday.
Cotton Bowl – USC vs. UCF
10:00 a.m., PT, ESPN, January 2, 2023, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
The Trojans are attractive to an NY6 bowl, even if they have two losses, which they will from either losing to UCLA or in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Alamo Bowl – Washington vs. Oklahoma State
6:00 p.m., PT, ESPN, December 29, 2022, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
The Huskies are set up to go 10-2 and not make the Pac-12 Championship Game, which should put them high in the bowl pecking order to grab the Conference’s top non-NY6 bowl.
Holiday Bowl – Oregon vs. Syracuse
5:00 p.m., PT, FOX, December 28, 2022, Petco Park, San Diego, CA
I’m shaky on Oregon now with Bo Nix at least banged up.
The Ducks easily still get to the Rose Bowl but I want to see how they, and Nix, look Saturday against a surging Utah team.
Las Vegas Bowl – UCLAÂ vs. Missouri
4:30 p.m., PT, ABC, December 17, 2022, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
The Bruins took a huge dive losing to Arizona.
Losing to USC this weekend drops them down the Pac-12 bowl hierarchy real fast.
Sun Bowl – Oregon State vs. Florida State
11:00 a.m., PT, CBS, December 30, 2022, Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
The Beavers have a hold of the top middle of the Pac slot in the Conference with their win over Washington State, and it gets them to El Paso.
Los Angeles Bowl – Washington State vs. Boise State
12:30 p.m., PT, ABC, December 17, 2022, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
The Cougars’ real bowl game might be the Apple Cup, trying to take down a now well-ranked Washington team.
No matter what way that game goes, I think this is where they land.
—More from Jack Follman—
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Jack Follman’s 2023 Preseason Top 50 Pac-12 Players (50-41)
The transfer portal is making the Conference deeper with talent,and a little harder to rank - June 8, 2023 -
Jack Follman’s 2023 Preseason Pac-12 WR/TE Unit Rankings
The top hands groups are some of the best you’ll ever see and there’s tons of depth - June 7, 2023 -
Jack Follman’s Top Pac-12 Tight Ends for 2023
There are plenty of good candidates to step up and have a big season at the position - June 6, 2023