Record: 11-2 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: Stanford 27, UCLA 24 Ranked wins: No. In other words, the Trojans were one of several elite teams in the Pac-12 era kneecapped by inane conference scheduling policies. The loss at WSU came on a Friday night after a road game at Cal. 11 Notre Dame, Washington State Pac-12 point differential: +121 Quarterback: Sam Darnold Top players: TB Ronald Jones, LB Uchenna Nwosu Comment: USC’s only Pac-12 champion - who would have guessed that would be the case when the conference first split into divisions - had Darnold in the lineup all season and a defense that knew how to tackle. Record: 11-2 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: USC 31, Stanford 28 Ranked wins: No. This Stanford team wasn’t as dominant defensively as the 2012-13 conference champions, but McCaffrey and tight end Austin Hooper supercharged the offense. Pacific), the Cardinal would have made the playoff. 23 Northwestern Pac-12 point differential: +168 Quarterback: Kevin Hogan Top players: TB Christian McCaffrey, LB Blake Martinez Comment: If not for a season-opening loss at Northwestern (kickoff: 9 a.m. Record: 11-2 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: Stanford 41, USC 22 Ranked wins: No. The 2012 Ducks were fabulous, as well, but didn’t win the North because of a head-to-head loss to Stanford. This was arguably the best of Chip Kelly’s powerhouse teams with a top-five offense (nationally) and top-35 defense, plus a playmaking tandem - James and De’Anthony Thomas - rarely matched in recent conference history. 6 USC Pac-12 point differential: +208 Quarterback: Darron Thomas Top players: TB LaMichael James, DL Dion Jordan Comment: The loss total is a tad misleading in that the Ducks dropped their opener to an LSU team that went on the play for the BCS championship. Record: 11-2 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: Oregon 49, UCLA 31 Ranked wins: No. But if we’re betting on a team to win the mythical tournament, these Huskies wouldn’t be our first (or second) choice. Their resourcefulness was off the charts, and the defense improved immensely over the course of the season. 20 Oregon State Losses: None Pac-12 point differential: +79 Comment: The undefeated Huskies produced the best regular season of the era but struggled with three sub-.500 teams (Arizona State, Stanford and WSU) and won seven games by a touchdown or less. Record: 13-0 overall/9-0 conference Champ game result: Washington 34, Oregon 31 Ranked wins (current): No. The early-October loss to Arizona, on a Thursday night, came without three starting offensive linemen. The Ducks had an opportunistic defense (34 turnovers forced) and ended with five consecutive blowout wins. 19 Arizona Pac-12 point differential: +208 Quarterback: Marcus Mariota Top players: TB Royce Freeman, DL DeForest Buckner Comment: The best Oregon team of the era featured the Heisman Trophy winner (Mariota) and an offense that averaged 45 points per game. Record: 12-1 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: Oregon 51, Arizona 13 Ranked wins: No. The Huskies bludgeoned all but three opponents, and their lone loss came to a USC team that was as good as any in the country once Sam Darnold took over at quarterback. (Vita Vea was merely the unit’s fifth- or sixth-best player.) The offense wasn’t as powerful as the teams listed immediately below, but it was plenty good enough with Ross and tailback Myles Gaskin, plus a terrific line. 3 USC Pac-12 point differential: +236 Quarterback: Jake Browning Top players: WR John Ross, DB Budda Baker Comment: The best defense of the Pac-12 era with a dominant line and sensational secondary. Record: 12-1 overall/8-1 conference Champ game result: Washington 41, Colorado 10 Ranked wins: No. (Thanks in advance for your complete agreement.) 1. Rankings are taken from the end-of-season AP polls, except for 2023 Washington, where the current AP poll has been used. The point differentials are for conference play only (and include the championship game).
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