Utah’s nationally-televised loss to Florida in Week 1 certainly didn’t do the Pac-12’s reputation any favors, but in the last couple of weeks the Conference of Champions has picked up some significant victories.

Now with four teams in the top 25 and two more knocking on the door, the Pac-12 could be set up for a highly competitive and entertaining conference schedule in 2022.

Have teams raised their profiles so much that the Pac-12 North is now stronger than the South?

On today’s episode of Locked On Pac-12, I assess how much stronger the conference is looking across the board heading into league play.

Divisions are dead in the Pac-12 but it remains interesting to compare the relative strength of the teams that once comprised those two groups.

The South may have the top two teams in the Pac-12 in USC and Utah, but the depth in the North is unquestionably better with teams like Washington, Oregon State, and Washington State seemingly haven taken significant leaps forward from 2021.

With the next Fall Saturday looming, this week features all 12 teams taking on a Pac-12 foe.

Headlined by USC at Oregon State, the conference games have some fascinating storylines to follow with big opportunities for some mid-tier programs to take a leap forward.

Cal and Arizona could both finish under .500 in 2022, but if either is going to get bowl-eligible their upcoming matchup presents a huge momentum chance to get to 3-1.

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—More from Spencer McLaughlin—

• McLaughlin: CU to Test Transfer Rebuild in Spring Game

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• McLaughlin: Spring Game a Big Recruiting Day for Ducks

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• McLaughlin: Sooners Looking to Make a Splash in SEC

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Loss of Autonomous Status a Problem?

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• McLaughlin: Colorado Transfer Exodus Cause for Concern?

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• McLaughlin: Where Will Ex-ASU QB Jaden Rashada Land?

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• McLaughlin: Oregon State Making Future Big 12 Moves?

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• McLaughlin: Colorado at Epicenter of Transfer Portal

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• McLaughlin: Does Ohio State Now Have QB Questions?

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• McLaughlin: UW, Others Poised to Make Big Portal Moves?

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• McLaughlin: Scouting Kalen DeBoer’s First Spring Game

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• McLaughlin: Should ACC Move on from FSU and Clemson?

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• McLaughlin: Has the Portal Destroyed Player Loyalty?

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• McLaughlin: Could ACC Fallout Lead to a New Conference?

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• McLaughlin: Would Big Ten and SEC Go for Super League?

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