College Football

Washington vs. Oregon State highlights Week 12 slate in Pac-12

Updated Nov. 16, 2023 2:52 p.m. ET

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The stakes are ramping up as the end of the final regular season of Pac-12 football as we know it nears. 

No. 11 Oregon State gets set to host No. 5 Washington, No. 22 Utah travels to Arizona to take on the 17th-ranked Wildcats, and UCLA  battles USC in the last regular-season meeting before the longtime Pac-12 rivals both move to the Big Ten. 

Here's a look at what to watch for in the Pac-12 in Week 12.

Game of the week

No. 5 Washington (10-0, 7-0, No. 5 CFP) at No. 11 Oregon State (8-2, 5-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET 

A win over the Beavers and the Huskies clinch a spot in the Pac-12 title game. The Huskies can falter and still earn a spot by beating rival Washington State next week, but a loss would also impact their hopes for a College Football Playoff berth. The Huskies renew acquaintances with an Oregon State team they know well. This will be the 108th game between the two programs and first with both ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. Washington leads the series 68-35-4. Oregon State has not beaten an AP top five team since 2008.

Will Washington’s undefeated season end against Oregon State?

Best matchup

No. 22 Utah (7-3, 4-3) at No. 17 Arizona (7-3, 5-2), Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET 

The Wildcats have won four straight, including three over ranked teams. They will try to break a six-game skid against the Utes. The last time Arizona beat Utah was a 37-30 double-OT thriller on Nov. 14, 2015, in Tucson. Arizona is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2017.

Long shot

UCLA (6-4, 3-4) at USC (7-4, 5-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET. 

It's the last regular-season meeting before the longtime Pac-12 rivals both move to the Big Ten. The teams have squared off at least once each year since 1936, with UCLA winning only six of the last 24 games. But the Bruins won 62-33 the last time the game was played at the Coliseum in 2021. Expect points galore, too, because the winner of this game has scored at least 34 points in 11 of the last 12 games. The Trojans are favored by 6.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. USC is 10-0 at home against unranked teams in the Lincoln Riley era.

Will UCLA or USC win the cross-town rivalry?

Player to watch

Cal LB Cade Uluave. The freshman preserved a 42-39 win over Washington State by intercepting a pass at the Cal 3-yard line on the final play of the game. He also had two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a 51-yard score. He was named the league's defensive and freshman player of the week. Uluave has at least nine tackles in each of his last four games. Cal (4-6, 2-5) plays at Stanford (3-7, 2-6) on Saturday.

Inside the numbers

No. 6 Oregon (9-1, 6-1) can earn a spot in the Pac-12 title game this weekend by beating Arizona State (3-7, 2-5) along with Utah and Washington both winning, according to Pac-12 research. Oregon QB Bo Nix leads the nation by completing 77.7% of his passes. 

Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. has five of the school's top-10 single-game passing yards marks over just 23 games. The Beavers have won nine straight at home, their longest streak since 1999-2000. 

UCLA has a 6-0 mark this season when scoring 25 or more points. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is second in the nation in yards passing (3,249). 

Washington State(4-6, 1-6) has won three straight over Colorado (4-6, 1-6) heading into the game Friday in Pullman. Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders has 26 passing TDs this season, three shy of breaking the school record (Sefo Liufau, 2014). 

Stanford hasn't scored more than 24 points in the "Big Game" against Cal since 2016. Stanford leads the all-time series 65-49-11. The Cardinal are one of two FBS teams without a home win this season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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