PAC-12 Conf Championship Oregon vs USC
When I think about college football this year that old saying, “practice makes perfect,” comes to mind. If I had to sum up the entire shortened season for the PAC-12 in one word, it would be mistakes. On average this year each team played five games. Collectively over the course of those five games they lost 47 fumbles. That’s not how many times they fumbled, which is far greater, that’s the number they lost which is lower than the number of interceptions thrown which was 56.
The PAC-12 Conference Championship game was no exception with four interceptions and three fumbles. USC Sophomore QB Kedon Slovis, who had only thrown a total of two interceptions in their four previous games, tossed up three in this one and two within the Trojans first three possessions—both leading to Oregon TD’s. The game was basically over before it even got a chance to start with USC loosing to Oregon 31-24.
Slovis ended up completing 28-of-52 for 320 yards, 2 TD’s and those 3 picks while his Sophomore counterpart, Tyler Shough, connected on 8-of-15 for 91 yards, 2 TD’s and 1 interception. Ducks Senior QB Anthony Brown also came in for very limited but highly productive duty connecting on 3-of-4 for just 17 yards but 2 TD’s as well and no interceptions.
Oregon controlled the line of scrimmage on defense and man-handled USC all game long leading not only to three sacks and those mistakes by Slovis but also to an almost non-existent ground game for the Trojans who rushed 28 times for a mere 38 yards and mercifuly one TD by Markese Stepp. Slovis, rushed three times for minus 27 yards. On the other side Oregon rushed 41 times for 135 yards.
USC had nine more first downs, 100+ more yards of total offense, a 75% fourth down completion percentage, but provided too much help to their opponent to win this one. They have a problem with their offensive line which needs fixing as they’ve allowed their QB to get sacked 12 times in the last four games. Oregon got into the championship by default and had already lost two games coming in. Regardless of the wins and losses overall all the entire conference, other than Colorado, underperformed. So, in a way it’s fitting that the Buffaloes will be the only other team, along with Oregon, from the PAC-12 that will represent the conference in a bowl game.
According to 24/7 Sports; “All teams, despite their records, are eligible to play in a bowl game this season, but the Pac-12 set an internal qualification requiring all teams to have a record at or above .500 to be considered for a spot in a bowl game. Part of the reason? Five bowl games with ties to the Pac-12 have been canceled, leaving only three available. Two teams (Colorado and Oregon) are eligible out of the Pac-12. Seven Pac-12 programs have opted out of the postseason along with six from the ACC.”
Other PAC-12 Results
Utah 45-28 over Washington State
Stanford 48-47 over UCLA in overtime
Arizona State 46-33 over Oregon State
Arizona vs Cal cancelled
Other FBS Conference Championships
Conference USA Championship
UAB 22-13 over Marshall
MAC Championship
Ball State 38-28 over Buffalo
SEC Championship
No. 1 Alabama 52-46 over No. 7 Florida
ACC Championship
No. 3 Clemson 34-10 over No. 2 Notre Dame
Big 10 Champioship
No. 4 Ohio State 22-10 over No. 14 Northwestern
Big 12 Champsionship
No. 10 Oklahoma 27-21 over No. 6 Iowa State
American Atlantic Conference Championship
No. 9 Cincinnati 27-24 over No. 23 Tulsa
Mountain West Championship
San Jose State 34-20 over Boise State
Sunbelt Conference Championship
Louisiana vs Coastal Carolina was cancelled