Pac-12 Football in Week 1: TV info, betting odds, and predictions for opening slate
Pac-12 football begins en masse this weekend.
USC played Week 0. Utah and Arizona State scored wins on Thursday. Stanford opened the Troy Taylor era with a Friday night win in Hawaii. Now, the rest of the league gets going. And what a season it promises to be.
Last fall, the Pac-12 had eight different quarterbacks throw for at least 3,000 yards. That tied a record (set by the Pac-12 in 2014) for the most ever by a conference in college football history. Six of those eight quarterbacks return to the league in 2023.
As does plenty of talent around them. The Pac-12 returns 25 of the 51 players (49%) who were named to the conference’s all-conference 1st and 2nd team in 2022. It’s the only Power 5 conference returning better than 40% of its all-conference teamers from last fall.
Here’s the full schedule for the debut weekend, with all the info you need to know in each game.
Colorado vs. No. 17 TCU
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 9 a.m. PT
Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Forth Worth, Texas
TV Network: FOX, streaming on FOXSports.com
Betting odds
Line: TCU -20.5
Total: 63.5
Money line: TCU -1400, Colorado +800
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives Colorado an 8.3% chance of beating the Horned Frogs.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 41-15 TCU victory.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a loss for Colorado.
Oregon vs. Portland State
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 12 p.m. PT
Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
TV Network: Pac-12 Network
Betting odds
Line: N/A
Total: N/A
Money line: N/A
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives Oregon a 99.0% chance of beating the Vikings.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 56-9 victory for the Ducks.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a smashing Oregon win.
No. 10 Washington vs. Boise State
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 12:30 p.m. PT
Location: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington
TV Network: ABC, streaming on WatchESPN
Betting odds
Line: Washington -14.5
Total: 58.5
Money line: Washington -670, Boise State +470
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives UW a 74.7% chance of beating the Broncos.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 35-21 victory for the Huskies
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a UW win:
The Broncos are favorites to win the Mountain West, but an upset over the Huskies would put them in the Top 25. (They received votes in the preseason poll, ranking 31st.) However, I doubt that’s going to happen with Washington set to average 40 points per game. As Heisman campaign kickoffs go, this is a good one for Penix.
California vs. North Texas
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 1 p.m. PT
Location: DATCU Stadium, Denton, Texas
TV Network: ESPNU, streaming on WatchESPN
Betting odds
Line: Cal -6.5
Total: 54.5
Money line: Cal -245, North Texas +198
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives Cal a 75.3% chance of beating Mean Green.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 32-24 Cal win.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a close Cal win.
The Mean Green have gone bowling in 6 of the past 7 seasons, yet the Bears are favored almost double-digits. Feels like a trap, especially with Cal’s passing game a question mark. I’m going with Cal, but I don’t feel good about it.
No. 6 USC vs. Nevada
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m. PT
Location: L.A. Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
TV Network: Pac-12 Network
Betting odds
Line: USC -38.5
Total: 66.5
Money line: USC -100000, Nevada +8000
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives USC a 96.8% chance of beating the Wolf Pack.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 48-10 USC win.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a Trojan victory.
The Wolf Pack, like the Spartans a week prior, have only 53% of their production returning. They are not a threat in any way to the Trojans, but again a solid enough early season test before conference play begins in Week 2. Unlike Cordeiro and SJSU in Week 0, Nevada is not going to test the USC defense. If it does, Grinch’s collar will get tight.
Washington State vs. Colorado State
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 4 p.m. PT
Location: Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins, Colorado
TV Network: CBS Sports Network
Betting odds
Line: Washington State -9.5
Total: 54.5
Money line: Washington State -375, Colorado State +290
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives the Cougs a 69.3% chance of beating the Rams.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 32-13 victory for Wazzu.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a WSU win.
Colorado State was putrid on offense in head coach Jay Norvell’s debut season, scoring just 13.2 points a game last year. But the defense? Not bad, after allowing just 19.9 points per game. If the offense turns it on a bit this year, the Rams could be the most improved Mountain West team. Washington State should get a little test early but will prevail. Ward probably won’t light it up, however.
Arizona vs. Northern Arizona
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 7 p.m. PT
Location: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
TV Network: Pac-12 Network
Betting odds
Line: N/A
Total: N/A
Money line: N/A
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives the Wildcats a 96.1% chance of beating the Lumberjacks.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 44-18 Arizona win.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts an Arizona win as well.
For the handful of Wildcats who remain from Fisch’s first season in 2021, a miserable 1-11 campaign, the sting of suffering the first loss to in-state “rival” Northern Arizona in almost 90 years still lingers. That 21-19 defeat was shocking at the time and still is. A Lumberjacks win this year is beyond belief, as evidenced by Arizona’s 96.3% chances according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
UCLA vs. Coastal Carolina
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.
TV Network: ESPN, streaming on WatchESPN
Betting odds
Line: UCLA -14.5
Total: 66.5
Money line: UCLA -720, Coastal Carolina +500
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives the Bruins an 85.8% chance of beating the Chanticleers.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 38-22 UCLA win.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a UCLA win.
Oregon State vs. San Jose State
TV and Kickoff Time
Kickoff time: 12:30 p.m. PT, Sunday
Location: CEFCU Stadium, San Jose, California
TV Network: CBS, streaming on Paramount+
Betting odds
Line: Oregon State -16.5
Total: 54.5
Money line: Oregon State -720, San Jose State +500
Score predictions
ESPN’s FPI gives Oregon State an 82.3% chance of beating the Spartans.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a 38-16 win for the Beavs.
Saturday Out West’s Jon Gold predicts a Beaver win as well.
The Spartans boast a talented quarterback in former Hawaii starter Chevan Cordeiro, the Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Cordeiro was terrific with San Jose State last year, setting career highs and leading the Mountain West with 3,251 passing yards and a career-high 23 touchdowns, along with 9 rushing touchdowns. His performance against Eastern Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was fantastic, as he passed for 366 yards with 3 touchdowns and an additional rushing score. But Uiagalelei proves in a hurry why his transfer ranked among the most important in the country.
