Pac-12 Football Game Picks: The Big Game Will Live On But Other Rivalries in Jeopardy

There was a time when all the Pac-12 rivalry games happened on the same day, or at least the same weekend. That’s not the case these days and starting next year, of course, all bets are off as teams scatter to different conferences.

The Big Game, which will be played for the 126th time on Saturday at Stanford, will remain intact with Cal and Stanford heading off together to the Atlantic Coast Conference. The game will continue to be played every season in the ACC.

California’s other Pac-12 rivalry, USC vs. UCLA, will be played Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Trojans and Bruins will continue to square off in the future as members of the Big Ten Conference.

Arizona and Arizona State, whose rivalry game this season is set for a week from Saturday in Tempe, will live on when both schools move next fall to the Big 12.

But two other traditional rivalries — Oregon vs. Oregon State and Washington vs. Washington State — are very much in jeopardy. Oregon and Washington will join the L.A. schools in the Big Ten while OSU and WSU are the only two schools currently planning to remain what’s left of the Pac-12.

The Beavers and Ducks will play each other for the last time as Pac-12 opponents at Eugene the day after Thanksgiving. The Cougars and Huskies will do the same at Seattle a week from Saturday.

Here are our picks for this week’s games:

Last week: Jeff 2-4, Jake 1-5

Season: Jake 40-38, Jeff 40-38

All picks against the spread

Betting line from sisportsbook.com

Friday

-- Colorado (plus-5.5) at Washington State, 7:30 p.m., FS1

Jake: Temperatures expected to dip below freezing Friday night in Pullman, and the Cougars should be prepared for that. Pick: Washington State

Jeff: This is not an easy call. The Cougars have lost six in a row and maybe they’re about ready to throw in the towel. But they’re at home and I don’t trust the Buffaloes. Pick: Washington State

Saturday

-- No. 16 Utah (plus-1.5) at No. 19 Arizona, 11:30 a.m., Pac-12 Networks

Jake: I am riding the Noah Fifita band wagon until he shows me I shouldn’t. Pick: Arizona

Jeff: Yep, Arizona is the most-improved team in the Pac-12. And Utah is much better at home than on the road. Even so, the Utes are getting 1.5 points? Pick: Utah

-- UCLA (plus-5.5) at USC, 12:30 p.m., ABC

Jake: Caleb Williams should have a big day with dismissal hanging over Chip Kelly’s head. Pick USC

Jeff: Sounds like Chip Kelly’s job could be on the line here. The guy is 23-12 the past three years. College sports in the modern world are a little nuts. Pick: USC

-- No. 6 Oregon (minus-22.5) at Arizona State, 1 p.m., FOX

Jake: Arizona State looked pretty good last week; Oregon didn’t. Ducks will change that with College Football Playoff on the horizon. Pick: Oregon

Jeff: In the college football world we once knew, 22.5 points is just too many in almost any matchup. But not these days, and not with these Ducks. Pick: Oregon

-- Cal (minus-6) at Stanford, 3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network

Jake: Stanford QB Ashton Daniels is questionable for the game, and the Cardinal’s defense is worse than Cal’s – if that’s possible. Pick: Cal

Jeff: Stanford is winless at home and its fanbase doesn’t seem to care enough. Average home attendance this season: 29,732. The 126th renewal of the Big Game is sold out, but how many of them will be Stanford fans? Pick: Cal

-- No. 5 Washington (plus-1.5) at No. 10 Oregon State, 4:30 p.m., ABC

Jake: If the Beavers get ahead and can control the pace of the game, they have a good chance to ruin Washington’s CFP hopes. Pick: Oregon State.

Jeff: This should be a great game. OSU coach Jonathan Smith has been a miracle worker in Corvallis. Both Cal and Stanford know how good the Beavers are. But the Huskies are better, even on the road, and they have something huge to play for. Pick: Washington

Cover photo of USC and UCLA squaring off by Gary A. Vasquez, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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