The 10 Marquee Pac-12 games in 2023

The Pac-12 will be home some of the most competitive football in all of college football in 2023

The Pac-12 has long been the little brother of the Power 5 programs thanks to its late night games, struggles to be nationally competitive, and most recently because of media rights and realignment issues. 

However, this past season and the 2023 season may be the strongest that the conference as a whole has ever been. The 2022 season saw four teams with legitimate chances at winning the conference towards the end of the season, and the 2023 season could feature at least five teams that all have a chance to win the conference and have playoff aspirations. Not to mention, programs like Stanford who hired one of the most innovative offensive minds in the country, and Colorado who hired the most polarizing coach in all of football will also be looking to return to relevance. 

The quarterback play around the conference will be as high as it's ever been with Heisman candidates and future stars galore, and the conference has a prime opportunity to end its playoff drought. With the sheer level of talent around the conference and this being the final year of the Pac-12 as we know it, there are 10 games that stand out next season for a plethora of reasons whether it be playoff implications, great matchups, or just some old fashioned rivalries.

Let's take a look at the 10 games I consider to be marquee matchups in 2023.

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10. Colorado vs. TCU

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When: Week 1 

The debut of Deion Sanders and his revamped Colorado football program will be must-see, and who better to open up against than a team that made it all the way to the National Championship this past season in TCU. While we really have no clue what to make of Colorado and their 45 new players, we do know that there will be excitement around a program who has become one of the most popular programs in the country. TCU lost a ton of talent from last year's roster but have still opened as big favorites over the Buffs, so we will get a taste of how Coach Prime and company deal with being underdogs while also seeing how good they can be. 

9. Washington vs. Michigan State

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

When: Week 3

This game put Washington on the map last season as the Huskies absolutely dismantled a ranked Michigan State team that turned out to be not so good. However, in order to achieve their goal of making it to the College Football Playoff this game will be a must-win for Washington in East Lansing. Even if the Spartans turn out to not be as good of a team as some might think, a true road win like that will only boost the credibility of Washington the rest of the season.  

8. Washinton vs. Oregon State

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When: Week 12 

The Huskies make yet another appearance, this time for one of the most underrated conference matchups of the season. This game was a ranked matchup this past season that was decided by a game-winning field goal with 12 seconds remaining. Next season, the two programs will feature a very intriguing quarterback battle between DJ Uiagalelei and  Michael Penix, both of whom will be looking to lead their team to the promise land they couldn't reach a year ago. This game coming in the final week of the regular season surely means that a win could send someone to the Pac-12 Championship and a loss could be the difference between someone else coming up short again. 

7. Oregon vs. Texas Tech

When: Week 2 

A game that many fans across the country are overlooking but certainly shouldn't be. Not only is Oregon a team that has major postseason aspirations, but Texas Tech is a program that is widely considered to be on the rise next season. Joey McGuire's bunch are garnering some preseason hype, even being ranked as high as No. 18 in one preseason ranking. Not to mention, the Red Raiders' starting quarterback is none other than former Oregon quarterback, Tyler Shough. 

6. Oregon vs. USC

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When: Week 11

This game features what will be the former biggest brand in the conference in USC who is off to the Big Ten, taking on the presumed face of the Pac-12 in years to come. It also features two of the sport's best quarterbacks in Bo Nix and Caleb Williams. Any game against USC will certainly have some extra added motive due to the fact they are leaving, so Oregon and maybe the rest of the Pac-12 are likely hoping to send USC out in the worst way possible.

5. Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

When: Week 12 

The game like the late Prince was at one point,  formerly known as something else, was one of the best games of the season a year ago. The Beavers trailed by as many as 21, but surged late in the game and came back without attempting a single pass in their final three possessions. This season finale is another game that could have implications for the Pac-12 Championship and beyond. The cherry on top is the fact that we will get to see highly touted defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei try to bring downhill brother DJ.

4. Florida vs. Utah

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

When: Week 1

This rematch of last year's classic is being severely overlooked due to Florida's quarterback situation. Obviously Graham Mertz or whoever they throw out there likely won't be as exciting as Anthony Richardson was, but this game will show us right away if Utah can finally stop losing games that they should win. Last year's matchup came down to a pick in the end zone, and the loss took the wind out of the sails of a Utah team that had a legitimate playoff chance. Anytime there is an matchup between two Power 5's it is intriguing, especially when they are as storied as these two programs.  

3. Oregon vs. Washington

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

When: Week 7

The best part about the Pac-12 is that we get to see all of the premier programs face off against one another. As fans that is always great to see, but obviously in terms of the conference making it to the playoff it's much tougher to get a team in when they all beat up one another. Oregon heading to Seattle gives the Ducks a shot at revenge X2. Not only did  Washington beat the Ducks in Eugene, but their Apple Cup win over Washington State knocked Oregon out of contention for the Pac-12 Championship due to tiebreakers.  

2. USC vs. Notre Dame

When: Week 7

One of the biggest rivalries in college football between two major brands, and will be the final time that USC isn't making routine trips to Notre Dame's neck of the woods. By Week 7 the expectation is that both programs will be in the top-10, with both of them also in the second year under their new coach hoping to take the next step. A win for either of these teams gives them immense respect in the eyes of the playoff committee. We also get to see if Marcus Freeman's defensive mind can slow down Caleb Williams. When it comes to the Fighting Irish, they have Sam Hartman at quarterback who could end up the program's best signal caller since Jimmy Clausen or Brady Quinn. 

1. Utah vs. USC

Photo by David Becker/Getty Images

When: Week 8 

The two collapses against Utah are the sole reasons that USC wasn't in the College Football Playoff last season. Both games saw the Trojans leading by double digits, but also saw Alex Grinch's defense fizzle and let the Utes back into the game. Utah is looking to three-peat as champions, while USC is looking to win one more Pac-12 Championship on their way out. Realistically this could be the preview of the Pac-12 Championship and these two teams could face off again, but with how tough the competition is next season you don't want to be the team waiting for tie breakers to go your way. Two teams with playoff chances and a lot of animosity towards one another are the main reasons why I have this as the top game.