The Pac-12 Conference will try yet again in 2022 to finally land a team in the College Football Playoff. This league just continues to get left out of the biggest games of the year, and parity in the league doesn’t help.
This season is shaping up to be another interesting conference race as well, and there doesn’t really seem to be one big favorite. There are a couple of teams that are the betting favorite to win the Pac-12, but that doesn’t mean they are going to come out on top.
There are several new coaches set to lead Pac-12 Conference teams, and it should make for some interesting storylines in 2022.
Battle At the Top
The Oregon Ducks (+220) and the USC Trojans (+260) are the clear betting favorites to win the Pac-12 Conference this season. It’s not a shock to see these teams at the top of the conference, but each team does have some holes that will need to be filled in 2022.
Oregon looked like the best team in the Pac-12 Conference a season ago, but they were absolutely destroyed in the title game. The Ducks have a new head coach in Dan Lanning, and Auburn transfer Bo Nix could be ready to take that offense to a monster season.
Lincoln Riley comes to USC after having some terrific seasons at Oklahoma, and the Trojans are expected to take a big jump on offense. Quarterback Caleb Williams should be a star right away at USC, but the Trojans still have plenty of holes on the defensive side of the ball.
UCLA and Stanford Could Surprise
There are two teams to target if you are looking to bet on underdogs to win the Pac-12 Conference. Many people will focus on the Utah Utes as a solid underdog pick, but it’s two teams from the state of California to take a close look at.
UCLA (+800) returns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet, and that duo will give the Bruins a chance to win the title. There are some big concerns on the defense, but UCLA will have the offense to beat anyone.
The 2021 season was a mess for the Stanford Cardinal, and that was on both sides of the ball. Ten returning offensive starters will make the Cardinal hard to stop, and Stanford should also see improvements on the defensive end.
Ducks Win the Pac-12
2021 was supposed to be the year for the Oregon Ducks, but they came up a bit short when it mattered most. Oregon does have some key holes to fill in 2022, but so does the rest of the conference.
The Ducks are always going to be at the top of the Pac-12 Conference, but a new defensive identity will help solidify them at the top. Oregon won’t go undefeated in league play, but they will pick up a win in the championship game.
2022 Pac-12 Conference Futures Betting Lines
Oregon +220
USC +260
Utah +450
UCLA +800
Arizona State +900
Washington +1000
Oregon State +3300
Washington State +4000
Stanford +4000
California +5000
Colorado +15000
Arizona +50000
Read our 2022 Big Ten football conference preview and 2022 Big 12 football conference preview.
