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2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Pac-12
BCS Know How is taking you through the six automatic-qualifying BCS conferences in preparation for the 2012 season. Our easy-to-digest previews continue with the Pac-12, a conference experiencing a true renaissance. Scroll down to see our profiles of the other conferences.
Conference: Pacific 12 Conference (Pac-12)
Active Since: 1915
Current Member Schools:
North Division: California Golden Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars
South Division: Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, UCLA Bruins, Southern California (USC) Trojans, Colorado Buffaloes, Utah Utes (12)
Bowl Affiliations: Rose Bowl (BCS), New Mexico Bowl, MAACO Las Vegas Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Fight Hunger Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Sun Bowl (7)
2011 Results:
Conference Champion — Oregon
Conference Runner-up — UCLA
BCS Bowl Results: Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma State 41 vs. Stanford 38; Rose Bowl – Oregon 45 vs. Wisconsin 38
Overall Bowl Record: 2-5
Heisman Vote Recipients: Andrew Luck (Second Overall); Matt Barkley (Sixth Overall), LaMichael James (10th Overall)
2012 Outlook: There’s a simple reason the SEC has been the conference everyone has associated with the BCS in the last decade. The south expects to dominate the bowl series, and especially the national title game. But in recent years, and in the years leading up to the six-title SEC streak, the Pacific had a lot to say about the BCS.
Most notably, USC had plenty to say in those mid-2000s, before a non-BCS season and then NCAA sanctions kept them quiet for a while. But with the expected return of the Trojans to national prominence, so too has the Pac-12 become relevant once again in a national title discussion.
Oregon and Stanford have spent the last two bowl seasons representing the conference of champions on the BCS stage, and this year, bowl-eligible-again USC looks to head there as well. The Trojans expect to vie for a national title, but so too do the Ducks have title aspirations. Stanford could be out of the national title conversation, but there’s no denying a renaissance in Palo Alto is at hand.
Washington, under the guidance of Steve Sarkisian and leadership of quarterback Keith Price seems ready to make some noise as well.
The conference is stacked, that’s for sure. Can it compete with the SEC? That remains to be seen.
Heisman Hopefuls: USC QB Matt Barkley, USC WR Robert Woods, Oregon RB De’Anthony Thomas, Oregon RB Kenjon Barner, Washington QB Keith Price, Washington State QB Jeff Tuel, California WR Keenen Allen
BCS Know How’s 2012 Predictions:
Conference Champion — USC Trojans
Conference Runner-up — Oregon Ducks
BCS bids: USC Trojans — BCS National Title Game; Oregon Ducks — Rose Bowl
Heisman Finalists — USC QB Matt Barkley
Read More:
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: SEC
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Pac-12 (This post)
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Big 12
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Big Ten
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Big East
- 2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Atlantic Coast Conference
←2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: Atlantic Coast Conference
2012 BCS AQ Conference Profile: SEC →
