Avast ye, mateys! The Pac-12 Championship be upon us! Washington and Oregon clash once more, vying for a chance at the coveted CFP treasure.
2023-12-01
Arrr, me hearties! The 5th Oregon and 3rd Washington be settlin' their scores on Friday, me mateys! 'Tis the second meetin' this season in the grand battle for the Pac-12 Championship Game, as our conference nears its final days. Yo ho ho!
The Pac-12 college football season began with the conference facing a major setback due to several teams leaving for other conferences. Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State all decided to jump ship to the Big 12 and Big Ten. Oregon and Washington also chose to join the Big Ten, while Cal and Stanford made the move to the ACC. Only Washington State and Oregon State remained in the once-storied conference. However, as the season progressed, it became evident that the Pac-12 was one of the deepest conferences in the country.At one point, the Pac-12 had a record eight teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Fox Sports analyst Brock Huard praised the depth of the conference, stating that while other conferences may have stronger top teams, none had the length of the lineup that the Pac-12 possessed. The conference's last stand came in the Pac-12 Championship Game between No. 3 Washington and No. 5 Oregon, with a College Football Playoff spot on the line.
The Ducks and Huskies had previously faced off in a thrilling Week 7 matchup, which Washington narrowly won. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning mentioned that the loss was still on their minds, and the team had been playing with a sense of urgency since then. Oregon had looked dominant, soundly defeating Utah and Oregon State, while their defense had been stellar all season.
Washington, on the other hand, had seen a drop in production since their Week 7 matchup with Oregon. However, they had gone undefeated in the regular season and defeated three top-25 teams in the past four weeks. The Huskies had faced immense pressure as they aimed for perfection in Pac-12 conference play. Despite not having as much depth as other top teams, they had battled through injuries and made it to the championship game.
The Pac-12 Championship Game promised to be a physical and challenging matchup. The decisions made by the head coaches and the officiating would play crucial roles in the outcome. Ultimately, the conference was hoping to have a team in the College Football Playoff, regardless of the result.
As the conference entered into the unknown, the final showdown between Oregon and Washington was set to be a memorable one. With some of the best players in the country, including Heisman Trophy finalists, representing the Pac-12, it was a bittersweet ending to an eventful season.