Pac-12 Football 

Vilardo: Week 1 Pac-12 Previews By the Numbers

, 9 min read
Avery Roberts led the Beavers and was sixth nationally last season with 11.5 tackles per game. | Mark Ylen/Mid-Valley Media

Posted on September 2, 2021


  By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
The 2021 Pac-12 football season kicks off in earnest this weekend with a full slate of 12 games for the Conference.

Pac-12Eight of the 12 members are opening the home portion of their schedules this weekend, and four of those teams are riding long win streaks in their home openers while the others are looking to bounce back from losses in home lid-lifters last season.

Oregon has won their last 16 first games of the season at Autzen Stadium, the longest such streak in the Pac-12, and tied with Air Force for the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. The Ducks have averaged 57.0 points per game in those 16 contests.

Washington has won their last 11 home openers, tied for the 14th-longest streak in America. USC has won their home opener in each of the last seven seasons the 22nd-longest active run.

Colorado has won their last six home openers, 26th longest active streak nationally. UCLA won their second straight home opener last week.

Active Streaks among Pac-12 Teams in Home Openers

ProgramW/L Streak
Oregon+16
Washington+11
USC+7
Colorado+6
UCLA+2
Arizona-1
ASU-1
Cal-1
Stanford-1
Utah-1
WSU-1
OSU-2

Speaking of streaks, Washington has not allowed an opponent to score over 35 points in their last 74 games played, the longest active streak in the nation and the second longest in Husky history trailing only the team’s 83-game streak from 1975-82.

Three Pac-12 teams will face opponents from another Power 5 conference this week with Oregon State traveling to Purdue, Stanford heading to Arlington, TX, to face Kansas State, and UCLA playing host to LSU.

That will be a familiar theme for the Pac-12 this season as 119 of the 144 games played in 2021 will involve two teams from a Power 5 conference (including conference games and games vs Notre Dame).

That figure equals 82.6% of games, the second highest of any conference this season. Only the Big Ten and their 83.3% is higher. (For what it’s worth the SEC has the lowest total with 75.6% of games involving a pair of Power-5 teams).

Circumstances allowing, Stanford will play an entire 12-game schedule against Power-5 opponents, becoming the first team since USC in 2011 to play an entire schedule of Power-5 opponents.

Jayden Daniels and Arizona State will look to reverse their season-opening loss last year. For his career, the junior QB has committed a turnover on just 0.8% of his career plays, the fewest of QB in the nation.

Altogether, he has logged just five total turnovers on 618 plays, and has yet to throw an interception on 105 third-down attempts in his career.

Record-Chasers
Verdell
Slovis

• CJ Verdell has rushed for 2,523 yards in his career. That’s 529 yards from cracking the top 50 all-time in Pac-12 history. His total currently ranks ninth-most in Oregon history, leaving him just 369 ground yards from cracking the Ducks Top 5 all-time.

• Kedon Slovis has accumulated 5,423 passing yards at USC, the ninth-most in Trojan history and 1,923 yards away from the conference’s top-50. Slovis has thrown 47 TD passes in his career, also ninth most of any Trojan.

Here’s this week’s quick-hits statistical previews.

Weber State Wildcats at Utah Utes

• The Utes are unbeaten in five meetings with Weber State

• Utah is 26-1 in regular-season nonconference games since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.

• Britain Covey is fourth in Utah history with 665 career punt return yards, 31 away from third and 227 from the all-time Utah record

• Rashid Shaheed has amassed 3,975 all-purpose yards in his career, the sixth most in Weber State history

• Josh Davis is 116 yards on the ground away from 3,000 for his career

So. Utah Thunderbirds at Arizona State Sun Devils

• This is the first meeting between the two teams.

• Arizona State has averaged a 24.1-point victory all-time in season openers, and has  outscored opponents 38.5-14.4 all-time in season lid lifters.

• Last year the Sun Devils allowed just one pass play of 40+ yards (out of 158 passes attempted).

• Chase Lucas has 22 passes defended in his career, eight most among active players nationally.

• Southern Utah has lost 11-straight against FBS opponents including a 45-14 loss last week at San José State.

Northern Colorado Bears at Colorado Buffaloes

• The Buffs hold a 10-2 edge in the 12 all-time meeting between the State schools.

• In Colorado’s last 15 season openers (2006-20); the Buffaloes are 49-of-53 in the red zone (34 TDs, 16 FGs).

• Colorado has won five-straight season openers by an average of 22.0 points per game.

• The Buffs are 29-2 the last 31 times they have scored the first points in a season opener.

• This will be the first game as head coach of the bears for Ed McCaffrey. Prior UNC HC’s are 3-10-1 in their debut at the school.

• UNC is 2-16 vs current Pac-12 members.

Stanford Cardinal vs Kansas State Wildcats

• Stanford holds a 1-0 series lead.

• Stanford has won eight of their last 10 season openers.

• Stanford’s four-game winning streak is currently tied for the seventh longest active streak in the country.

• Kansas State is 27-4 in season openers since 1990.

• Chris Klieman owns a career win percentage of .779, the fourth highest of any active FBS coach with at least 8 years as a head man.

Fresno State Bulldogs at Oregon DucksOregon Ducks Logo Pac-12

• Oregon leads -7 having won the last 7 meetings.

• Oregon has also won 26 straight nonconference games at home, the second longest streak in the nation.

• CJ Verdell and Travis Dye have the most combined career rushing yards of any returning FBS running back duo with 4,363

• Fresno State is looking to open 2-0 for the first time since 2013.

• The Bulldogs has not beaten a Top 11 opponent since defeating 10th ranked Oregon State in 2001.

San José State Spartans at USC Trojansusc logo

• USC leads the series 4-0.

• USC has posted a shutout in 37.9% of their season opening victories.

• The Trojans have scored at least 20 points in 86.4% of their last 243 games played.

• The Spartans have lost 14 in a row vs the Pac-12.

• San José State’s 45 points last week were their most in an opener since 1988.

Oregon State Beavers at Purdue Boilermakers

• The Beavers lead the series 1-0.

• Oregon State is 10-11 in their last 21 season openers.

• Last season Avery Roberts was sixth in the nation with 11.5 tackles per game.

• Eight of Purdue’s last 10 games have been decided by single digits.

• For his career, George Karlaftis is averaging 1.3 tackles for loss per game.

Montana Grizzlies at Washington HuskiesWashington football pac-12

• Washington leads the all-time series 17-1-1.

• Since 1989, Washington has posted an 19-12 record in season openers and 12-1 at home.

• Washington is 24-1 in their last 25 home openers.

• In Montana’s two games in the spring they outscored opponents 107-10.

LSU Tigers at UCLA Bruins

• This is the first meeting between the two teams.

• UCLA is 5-1 in their last six games vs SEC opponents.

• UCLA has played in a bowl game each of the last six times they have opened the season 1-0.

• LSU is 22-3 in their last 25 season openers.

• LSU is 16-2 vs non-conference opponents under Ed Orgeron and have won each of their last 11.

BYU Cougars vs Arizona WildcatsArizona football Pac-12

• Arizona holds a 12-11-1 all-time series edge.

• Arizona head coaches are 19-10-2 all-time when opening their tenure with the Wildcats.

• Last season, Arizona was outscored a combined 100-26 in the second and third quarters.

• BYU is 15-5 in their last 20 season openers including a 4-1 mark under Kalani Sitake.

• Tyler Allgeie averaged 7.53 yards per carry last season, the fourth-most in the nation.

Nevada Wolf Pack at California Golden Bears

• Cal leads the all-time series 32-6-1.

• Cal has won 13 of their last 17 season openers.

• The Bears are 18-3 in home openers since 2000.

• Dom Peterson is 10th all-time in Nevada history with 16.5 career sacks.

Utah State Aggies at Washington State Cougars

• Washington State leads the all-time series 2-1.

• The Cougars have won 18 of their last 21 played in Pullman.

• Jahad Woods has forced seven fumbles in his career, tied for the fourth most of any active player in the nation.

• Max Borghi has been named to both the Doak Walker (Top Running Back) and Biletnikoff Award (Outstanding Receiver) watch lists. He is the only player in the nation to be mentioned on both lists.

• Utah State has scored at least 30 points in nine of their last 18 road games while going 10-8 in those contests.

[Read Dane Miller’s Week One Pac-12 Football Previews]

Follow Stephen on Twitter @StephenVilardo and his organization @SERCenter.

Visit his website at sercstats.com.



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