Jack Follman’s Top 2022 Pac-12 Conference Football Games

Duck and Utes fans should be looking forward to a lot of tense matchups next season

Posted on February 5, 2022


  By Jack Follman, SuperWest Sports

We talked about the best nonconference games on the schedule in 2022, but the most important games each year always end up being the conference games, especially later in the year.

It’s always fun to look at when the biggest Pac-12 showdowns will be and there are plenty that should all but be guaranteed to determine how the conference shakes out in 2022.

Duck and Utes fans should be looking forward to a lot of tense matchups throughout 2022.


1. Utah at Oregon – November 19

Oregon Ducks Logo Pac-12No question here.

The 2021 division winners playing in Eugene in the second-to-last weekend of the regular season?

I think we are all in. This will go beyond just division standings, too, since Utah’s pulverizing of Oregon twice in the final three weeks of 2021 was a colossal power statement in the Conference last season.


2. USC at Utah – October 15

Expectations are going to be sky-high for Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams in LA.

If they’re going to take the South and the Pac-12, they’re going to have to go through Utah, in Utah.

That won’t be easy and it should be fun to watch.


3. Oregon at Oregon State – November 25

Oregon Ducks Logo Pac-12The North looks to clearly be Oregon’s going into 2022 until proven otherwise.

If anyone is going to knock off the Ducks their cross-state rival might have the best chance, especially with the game in Corvallis.


4. Utah at UCLA – October 8

This one is on major upset watch.

The Utes have to go to LA after a tough September the week before their big game with USC and play what should be a solid UCLA team.

The Bruins will think it can win the South and know this is a game they probably have to steal to do it.


5. USC at UCLA – November 19

usc logoI think this rivalry is going to pick up again and this one might have South implications if one of these programs can step up a little more.

The Trojans should be better under Riley immediately and the Bruins will likely be pushing hard to stay in their way under Chip Kelly as much as they can.


6. Washington at Oregon – November 12

Washington football pac-12This rival has fallen off a bit with Oregon winning the past three and Washington falling off a cliff yet again.

It will be a big game for both new coaches as Washington really needs to start winning this game sometimes for program momentum and to compete in the North this year.

Meanwhile, the Ducks are likely to get a big effort from Kalen Deboer’s team in his first year, even if they aren’t in a position to win the North.


7. Oregon at Cal – October 29

Justin Wilcox has played the Ducks really tough since he got to Berkeley and this one gets extra interesting with Wilcox reportedly having turned down the Oregon job.

This is also probably Oregon’s toughest conference road game, which is generally where you see a conference champion or division winner losing the game they will probably lose in-conference.


8. UCLA at Oregon – October 22

Chip Kelly playing Oregon has generally been fun and he’s almost beaten the Ducks the past two years.

This is another upset watch contender as Kelly and the Bruins should be a tough out, even in Eugene.


9. Utah at Arizona State – September 24

Utah has a really tough schedule in 2022 and this is one that could really sneak up on them, especially after having played at Florida in their opener and San Diego State the week before a road test in Tempe.

This is a big chance for Arizona State to put a stake in fighting through their issues and being a contender in the South in 2022.


10. Washington at Washington State – November 26

Washington football pac-12This probably won’t have Pac-12 championship implications.

It’s just a fun game between rivals, which will have new coaches and which saw some intensity last year with Washington State getting a blowout and ending a tough losing streak.

Big game here for both programs’ momentum.


Other Games to Watch

Oregon at Washington State – September 24

Arizona State at USC – October 1

Oregon State at Utah – October 1

Stanford at Oregon – October 1

Utah at Washington State – October 29




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