Pac-12 Football Game Picks: Three Duels Matching Top-25 Foes on Tap

Cal opens Pac-12 play as a 21.5-point underdog on the road vs. No. 8 Washington.

When was the last time the Pac-12 schedule featured three games on the same day involving Top-25 teams on both sides of the equation?

We’re guessing it’s never happened . . . until now.

The craziest Pac-12 Conference season in a long time — and the last — gets under way in full swing Saturday with six games, three of them pitting ranked teams against one another.

Colorado’s trip to Oregon will get much of the national attention, but it’s hard to resist Oregon State at Washington, a matchup of the Pac-2 — the two sole survivors of the league’s mass defection.

And then there is Cal, which heads north to face explosive No. 8 Washington in Seattle. The Bears and Huskies have dueled in a series of epic games over recent seasons — few fans can forget 2019, when a lightning storm over Husky Stadium delayed the action for more than 2 1/2 hours before Cal escaped with a 20-19 victory in the early-morning hours.

So buckle up for what should be a fun Saturday of college football, starting with a pair of Top-25 matchups at 12:30 p.m., on FOX and ABC, all the way through the late evening hours with Cal and UW.

Last week: Jake 8-3, Jeff 7-4

Season: Jake 24-11, Jeff 23-12

All picks against the spread

Betting line from sisportsbook.com

SATURDAY

-- No. 24 UCLA (plus-4.5) at No. 12 Utah, 12:30 p.m., FOX

Jake: I’m guessing Cam Rising might return, and the Utes are good at home. (Reports late in the week indicate Rising won't play and freshman Nate Johnson will be the Utes' starting quarterback against UCLA. I might like to change my pick, but I can't now.). Pick: Utah

Jeff: The Utes rarely lose at home and they have beaten UCLA three times in a row at Salt Lake City, averaging more than 47 points in those games. Pick: Utah

-- No. 18 Colorado (plus-20.5) at No. 13 Oregon, 12:30 p.m., ABC

Jake: Oregon seldom loses at Autzen Stadium, but I can’t see the Buffaloes losing by three touchdowns. Pick: Colorado

Jeff: I have no doubt the Ducks will prevail at home. But Colorado is averaging 41 points so this spread seems excessive. Pick: Colorado

-- No. 16 Oregon State (minus-2.5) at No. 23 Washington State, 4 p.m., FOX

Jake: The Beavers will shorten the game with their strong offensive line, which may frustrate Cameron Ward. Pick Oregon State

Jeff: Both of these teams can score. One of them also plays elite defense. Pick: Oregon State

-- Arizona (minus-12.5) at Stanford, 4 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Jake: Stanford is in bad shape, and Wildcats QB Jayden de Laura will capitalize on it. Pick: Arizona

Jeff: For now, at least, Stanford is worse than many of us expected. Perhaps even Troy Taylor. Pick: Arizona

-- No. 5 USC (minus-34.5) at Arizona State, 6:30 p.m., FOX

Jake: Caleb Williams will probably only play the first half, but the Sun Devils may not score considering its quarterback problems. Pick: USC

Jeff: The point spread here is crazy . . . and probably still not big enough. USC’s quarterback is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. ASU is hoping to avoid having to play a fourth-stringer. Jeff: USC

-- Cal (plus-21.5) at No. 8 Washington, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Jake: The Bears have played the Huskies close in recent years and should stay within three touchdowns despite a big game by Michael Penix Jr. Pick: Cal

Jeff: Will this be a fifth straight Cal-UW matchup settled by seven points or fewer? The Bears hope so, but they haven’t faced a Husky offense nearly this prolific. Pick: Cal

Cover photo of Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward by James Snook, USA Today

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