Ranking the Pac-12 Out of Conference Schedules and Other OOC Observations.

[Jon Joseph]

The following is my ranking of the Pac-12, 2022, OOC schedules. I have ranked the schedules by degree of difficulty, as I see it, from 12 being the easiest 1 being the most difficult. I also have made some observations regarding the 36 OOC games the Pac-12 will play. Next to each teams OOC schedule is the number of conference away games, 4 or 5, said team will play in 2022. 

 

This is one person's WAG; many of you I am certain will have a different take on these rankings and it would be great to see where you may disagree with me.

 

12. UCLA - Bowling Green State University (MAC), Alabama State (FCS), South Alabama (Sun Belt) - 4 - OK, I know THIS is the result of Michigan canceling a home and home (H+H) series with the Bruins and MAC member Central Michigan did defeat WAZZU in the Sun Bowl 24 - 21, but this OOC schedule puts the Cup on the Cake. Plus, the Bruins are one of 6 Pac-12 teams to play 4 conference road games.

 

11. OREGON STATE - Boise State (MW), at Fresno State (MW), Montana State (FCS) - 4 - The two Mountain West opponents are far from easy outs but nevertheless, no P5 opponents OOC.

 

10. CAL - UC Davis (FCS), UNLV (MW), at Notre Dame - 4 - At Notre Dame (IND) is a one-off payday game for the Bears. I do not like to see these 1 off games on any Pac-12 schedule.

 

9. WASHINGTON - Kent State (MAC), Portland State (FCS), Michigan State (B1G - 1st of H+H) - 5 - Sparty is a B1G time opponent but UW does play Sparty in Seattle.

 

9. WASHINGTON STATE - Idaho (FCS), at Wisconsin (B1G - 1st of H+H), Colorado State (MW) -4 - How did the Cougs manage to schedule a H+H with the Badgers? I think playing in Madison is probably tougher than playing Sparty in Seattle.

 

9. ASU - Northern Arizona (FCS), at Oklahoma State (B12 - 1st of H+H), Eastern Michigan (MAC) - 5 -  I see playing OK ST in Stillwater as a tougher test than UW getting MI ST at home and equal to the Cougs playing in Madison.

 

Across the board, I see little to differentiate the three OOC schedules above that I have tied at 9.

 

6. USC - Rice (CUSA), Fresno State (MW), Notre Dame (IND) -5- In Lincoln Riley's 1st season this is far easier than some of the OOC slates Helton faced including playing Bama and Notre Dame in the same season. Also it is nice for Troy to be playing all 3 OOC games at home.

 

5. STANFORD - Colgate (FCS), at Notre Dame (IND), BYU (IND) - 5 - I consider BYU to be a P5 opponent. BYU will be ranked in every preseason Top 25 poll, including the AP preseason poll. 

 

4. ARIZONA - at San Diego State (MW), Mississippi State (SEC - 1st of H+H), North Dakota State (FCS) - 4 - If you are going to schedule an FCS team, why schedule the best FCS team? At San Diego State is far from the easiest game to start the season. 

 

3. UTAH - at Florida (SEC - 1st of H+H), Southern Utah (FCS), San Diego State (MW) - 5 - Great scheduling to gat a H+H with historically reluctant to travel Florida. UF comes to SLC in 2023. Utah wins in The Swamp, TCBs vs SDS and a Final 4 birth may be doable?

 

2. COLORADO - TCU (B12 - 1st of H+H), at Air Force Academy (MW), at MInnesota (B1G 2nd of a H+H) - 4 - The Buffs need an OOC schedule like this we all need more visits to the dentist. 2 good P5 opponents and one of the best teams in the MW for a team leaking portal transfer oil. Brutal! 

 

1. OREGON - Georgia (SEC in Atlanta), Eastern Washington (FCS), BYU (IND) - 5 - Welcome to head coaching Mister Lanning, and have a really nice day. WOW! You open against the defending national champion 90 miles away from its campus in Athens, Georgia, play a tough FCS opponent, followed by a game against a top 20 BYU squad. Then Sir, you get to go on a 5 game tour of the Pac-12.

 

Has any head coach of a team that plays 3 games OOC ever had a more difficult OOC schedule than Dan Lanning and the Ducks face in 2022?

 

Counting BYU as P5, that's 13 of 36 OOC games vs P5 schools. 3 vs the B1G, SEC and Notre Dame. 2 vs the B12 and BYU. 0 vs Alliance 'buddy' ACC. 8 games vs the Mountain West. Last season, including the bowl games, the Pac-12 had a losing record vs the MW. 10, a large number for the Pac-12, games vs FCS schools. 

 

Notwithstanding 10 FCS games this is a tough OOC slate. Hopefully, The Conference of Champions will finish .500 or better OOC in 2022, but I have significant doubts that this will be the case.

 

Hats off to a number of Pac-12 schools outside of LA getting H+H series with B1G and SEC teams.

 

 

 

[30Duck]

Thanks for organizing and breaking this all down. My first go at this has the Pac-12 going 20-16 overall. UCLA, USC and Utah go 3-0. Oregon, OSU, WSU, ASU, and UW 2-1. Stanford 1-2 and Arizona 0-3. Utah beating Florida in the Swamp could be a stretch, and I'm leaning Pac-12, and because it's at home over the Irish and new coach, Marcus Freeman, the Spartys will take out the Huskies, and the Ducks will make it feel like 1990 again when they beat the Cougars. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2022 at 3:58 PM, 30Duck said:

Thanks for organizing and breaking this all down. My first go at this has the Pac-12 going 20-16 overall. UCLA, USC and Utah go 3-0. Oregon, OSU, WSU, ASU, and UW 2-1. Stanford 1-2 and Arizona 0-3. Utah beating Florida in the Swamp could be a stretch, and I'm leaning Pac-12, and because it's at home over the Irish and new coach, Marcus Freeman, the Spartys will take out the Huskies, and the Ducks will make it feel like 1990 again when they beat the Cougars. 

Thank you for the kudos.

 

It's not easy for the Ducks to have to open Pac-12 play at WAZZU after playing BYU. I think with Ward at QB and his HC at Immaculate Word coming to WSU as the HC, WSU is being underrated coming into 2022.

 

I do believe that Utah has a very good chance of winning at Florida. Many the key player returns for Utah. Lloyd is a huge loss at LB. But picking up LB, Diabate, UF's leading tackler in 2021, was a great portal get. Both top RBs are back and Rising is the undisputed starting QB with 2 of 3 top Utah TEs returning. And 2 good TEs coming to SLC from the portal. I think UF will be surprised at how physical the Utah team will be. Can Utah fix the CB position? The position that cost it a Rose Bowl win?

 

USC has a very favorable OOC schedule but SC has to play at Utah. 

 

20-16? I love your enthusiasm. This has to happen, at least, for the conference to be nationally relevant post September. 

 

At the very least, the conference has to win more than 50% of the MW games and cannot lose the match-ups vs the MAC opponents.

[30Duck]

On 2/28/2022 at 2:53 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

It's not easy for the Ducks to have to open Pac-12 play at WAZZU after playing BYU

Wow, I hadn't taken the Double Cougar element into consideration!

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:59 PM, 30Duck said:

Wow, I hadn't taken the Double Cougar element into consideration!

Ward threw for close to 5000 yards last season and won the FCS 'Heisman' award. He could be Minshew on steroids?

[30Duck]

On 2/28/2022 at 3:02 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Ward threw for close to 5000 yards last season and won the FCS 'Heisman' award. He could be Minshew on steroids?

 Wazzui could be regarded as QBU. The Throwin' Samoan, Bledsoe, Leaf, Mark Rypien, Minshew 

[Duck 1972]

Just like Michigan canceling against UCLA u watch others do it also unless it's USC and maybe us although I believe TA&M did it to us several years ago.

 

Most of the B1G and the SEC are chicken sh*** when it comes to that. Look at how many away games they play outside of conference and the occasional marquee games against top competition. A decided advantage for W/L records.

 

I believe the PAC should do the same. No more away games with the MW. That would even things out with those other so called great leagues. Especially if we can match them in league games played at either 8 or 9. 

 

 

[Duck 1972]

Didn't Minshew came from Bama?

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2022 at 6:24 PM, Duck 1972 said:

Didn't Minshew came from Bama?

He came from E Carolina but chose to transfer to WAZZU over Bama. Great move, he would not have started at Bama.

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2022 at 6:23 PM, Duck 1972 said:

Just like Michigan canceling against UCLA u watch others do it also unless it's USC and maybe us although I believe TA&M did it to us several years ago.

 

Most of the B1G and the SEC are chicken sh*** when it comes to that. Look at how many away games they play outside of conference and the occasional marquee games against top competition. A decided advantage for W/L records.

 

I believe the PAC should do the same. No more away games with the MW. That would even things out with those other so called great leagues. Especially if we can match them in league games played at either 8 or 9. 

 

 

Great take. BTW, Georgia canceled a H+H with Oregon. The only reason to play a one-off in Georgia is so Rob can grab the money. H+H with the Dawgs? Bring it on. But a one-off in Atlanta? I don't see it; especially, when WAZZU has a H+H with Wisconsin and Utah has a H+H with Florida. 

 

And tripping to MW schools? How often do B1G teams trip to MAC opponents and SEC teams to Sun Belt opponents?

[geoquack]

No more P5 games against FCS opponents.  This isn't basketball.  Enough dumbing down of football schedules.  Feel free to weigh in with your overwhelming agreement!