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: Can Conference Relegation Save the Pac-2?

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• McLaughlin: Utah Needs Cam Rising to Return to Win Pac-12

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• McLaughlin: OSU vs. WSU Set to Make a Point on Saturday

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Moods, Week 3 Winners and Losers

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• McLaughlin: Week 3 Shows CFB has Scheduling Problem

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• McLaughlin: What Do We Know About These 2023 Beavers?

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• McLaughlin: Is Colorado a Serious Pac-12 Title Contender?

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• McLaughlin: OSU and WSU Seek to Control their Futures

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Showing Why Demise is Totally Insane

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Remains Best Conference in America

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• McLaughlin: Cal and Nebraska Upset Winners in Week 2?

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• McLaughlin: Why Utah Should be Pac-12 Favorite, but Isn’t

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• McLaughlin: Colorado Could Start 3-0 After Upset of TCU

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• McLaughlin: The Pac-12’s Path to the CFP Remains Daunting

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• McLaughlin: Reaction to Cal and Stanford Going to the ACC

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