LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Pac-12 pushed for legislation to allow conference title games to be played without the need for divisions, and it was the first conference to take advantage of this, having won the two with the best record this season. Decided to play teams. With each other in Las Vegas on December 2.
However, it has yet to outline the exact rules that will determine what happens if multiple teams have the same record. Merton Hanks, senior associate commissioner for the Pac-12 that oversees football, said the upcoming criteria will be based exclusively on conference results, a boon for teams like Utah and Oregon that play notable non-conference games.
“It was very important for our coaches, our administrators, our work unit that the conference decide who is the best team, other factors are not, so they would show up in the tiebreaker,” Hanks said.
Keeping up the rivalry?
While Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy went out of his way to bury the rivalry with Oklahoma, Big 12 media announced in the days that “Bedlam’s history” as soon as the Sooners and Texas depart for the SEC, Stanford’s Coach David Shaw voiced a more optimistic note that the Cardinals’ long-running series with Southern California and UCLA could continue.
“Being selfishly a Stanford alum, a lot of great games between Stanford and UCLA and USC. As I said earlier, my hope is that we continue to play those two events, even if they are games outside the conference. ,” said Shaw.
Stanford and USC have played 100 times, with the gridiron clash between the two private schools interrupted only once since 1923. The Cardinals and Bruins have played 93 times.
rising tide
Utah QB Cam Rising spent all his time battling for a starting spot in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. After taking the Utes off the bench for their first Pac-12 title and Rose Bowl appearance last season, Rising didn’t have to worry about turning anything off this year, though it never changed his mindset. revenge.
“No, I still feel like I have to go out there and improve myself every day,” Rising said. “It doesn’t really matter if it’s my job. It simply means I’ll probably get another rep, and that’s just the way it is.”
Rising threw as a sophomore against five interceptions in 13 games for 2,493 yards and 20 touchdowns. He expects the nearly two years removed from shoulder surgery after a season-ending injury at the start of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign to be even better.
“Bringing back the power of my arm so that I can make the deep ball more efficient and effective for us and that was my main focus,” he said.
missing man
The Ducks are still grappling with the death of tight end Spencer Webb, who this month fell on a rock slide and hit his head at a popular swimming lake near Eugene, Oregon. Offensive lineman Alex Forsyth said the team hopes to use the memory of a popular teammate from Webb, whose outgoing personality led to widespread popularity on social media, to inspire them.
“Spencer’s enthusiasm in life and in football was unlike anything I had ever seen,” Forsyth said. “He was friends with everyone on the team. He didn’t care who you were, where you were from, what year you were, he would arrive and learn your story and make sure you knew him. He was just a was a special child and the best way we can during this season is to find a way to honor him, dedicating everything we do for him. And wishing all of us a chance to live like Spencer and live every day One has to try to live to the fullest.”
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