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HE13MAN: USC quarterback Caleb Williams was selected as the 88th winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, becoming the first Pac-12 player to receive the award since Oregon’s Marcus Mariota in 2014.  Williams becomes the sixth sophomore to earn this honor and received 77.37% of total possible points, the 12th highest in the history of the Heisman.  Finishing first in all six regions, Williams becomes the 7th Pac-12 quarterback to win the award.  The USC QB also took home both the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards while also being named player of the year by both the Associated Press and CBS Sports.

UNANIMOUS: Of the 14 unanimous All-Americans this year, 3 of them come from the Pac-12 which is the most from the conference since 2016.  USC had a pair of unanimous selections for the first time since 2005 in QB Caleb Williams and DL Tuli Tuipulotu.  CB Clark Phillips III becomes Utah’s first unanimous selection since 2016 and their first defensive player to earn these honors.

PRIME TIME COMES TO BOULDER: Deion Sanders aka “Coach Prime” was named the 28th head coach in Colorado history on December 3.  Sanders has led Jackson State to a 27-5 record over the last 3 seasons including a 12-0 record this year heading into the Celebration Bowl.  The 1988 Thorpe Award winner becomes the 3rd straight black head coach at Colorado (Karl Dorrell, Mel Tucker) and becomes the first FBS school to have hired 4 black head coaches (Dorrell, Tucker, Jon Embree).

TAYLOR MADE FOR STANFORD: Stanford named Troy Taylor their 35th head coach in program history on December 10.  The former Cal quarterback and Utah offensive coordinator has led Sacramento State to a 30-8 record over the last 4 years including a berth in the FCS Quarterfinals, their first in program history.  Under Taylor, Sacramento State was the only FCS team this year to average at least 240 yards passing and 240 yards rushing per game.

COR VALUES: Taking a 9-3 record into the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith has been extended through the 2028 season.  With a win in the bowl game, the Beavers will reach 10 wins in a season for just the 3rd time in program history.

BIG FISCH: Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch also received an extension, taking in through the 2027 season.  The 4-win improvement over 2021 included the Wildcats win over #9 UCLA, which was their first over a Top 10 team since 2015.

JACK OF ALL TRADES: Oregon State LB Jack Colletto was named the 2022 Paul Hornung Award winner as the most versatile player in college football.  Colletto becomes thee 4th Pac-12 player to win since the award was created in 2010 and first since Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey in 2015.

IN THE TRENCHES: The Morris Trophy, an award selected by their peers, was awarded to pair of USC Trojans.  Tuli Tuipulotu, a unanimous All-American, was selected as the Pac-12’s top defensive lineman while Andrew Vorhees, a 3rd team AP All-American, was chosen as the top offensive lineman.  The league’s defensive lineman vote for the top offensive lineman while the Pac-12’s offensive lineman select the defensive winner.

AROUND THE PAC-12

SRS DISTRIBUTION LAS VEGAS BOWL

FLORIDA (6-6) vs #14 OREGON STATE (9-3)

Sat., Dec. 17 • 11:30 am PT • ESPN

OREGON STATE: Looking to win 10 games in a season for just the 3rd time in program history and first time since 2006.  Making their 3rd appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl and first since 2009.  Playing in a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for first time since 2012-13.  Won 6 of their last 7 games, allowing just 17.3 PPG over that span.  First game against an SEC opponent since 2004, losing at #4 LSU 22-21.  RB Damien Martinez, the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman Player of the Year, rushed for 100+ yards in each of last 6 games which is the longest streak by OSU player since 2003 (Steven Jackson) and needs 100+ yards in bowl game to match school record of 7 (Ken Simonton, 1998-99).

FLORIDA:  First ever meeting with Oregon State.  Opened the season with Utah and will face two Pac-12 teams in a season for first time in school history.  Playing their 7th opponent this season ranked in the final CFP Top 25.  213.7 rush YPG this season, 16th best in FBS this season.

JIMMY KIMMEL LA BOWL presented by STIFEL

WASHINGTON STATE (7-5) vs FRESNO STATE (9-4)

Sat., Dec. 17 • 12:30 pm PT • ABC

WASHINGTON STATE:  Making their 7th straight bowl appearance (not including the COVID shortened 2020 season).  Looking for first bowl win since the 2018 Alamo Bowl over Iowa State.  All 5 of their losses this season are to teams currently ranked in the CFP Top 15.  RB Nakia Watson is only 2nd WSU RB in Pac-12 era to rush for 700+ yards in a season and the Cougars are 7-3 in games he played.  QB Cam Ward 4 games this season with 300+ pass yards, giving WSU a 3,000-yard passer in 8 of the last 10 seasons.

FRESNO STATE:  1-3 all-time against Washington State with their only win in 1991 in Pullman, but this is the first meeting since 1994.  Looking to win 10 games in back-to-back seasons after going 10-3 under Kalen DeBoer last season.  Have won 8 straight games, the 5th longest active streak in FBS.  6 players that are transfers from Pac-12 schools including QB Jake Haener who is 7-2 this season with both losses to Pac-12 teams (Oregon State, USC).

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION HOLIDAY BOWL

#15 OREGON (9-3) vs NORTH CAROLINA (9-4)

Wed., Dec. 28 • 5:00 pm PT • FOX

OREGON: Looking to win 10 games in back-to-back seasons for first time since doing it in 7 straight from 2008-14.  Making their 4th appearance in the Holiday Bowl and first since 2008 (2-1).  Have won last 3 games against ACC opponents including their last bowl match-up with Florida State in the 2014 College Football Playoff semifinals.  QB Bo Nix 14 rush TD this season, needs 1 to tie Marcus Mariota for most ever in a season by a Pac-12 QB.  Their last 3 games were all decided by 4 points or less.

NORTH CAROLINA:  First ever meeting with Oregon.  Have lost last 4 meetings with Pac-12 schools and are 0-3 in bowl games against current members.  Looking for first 10-win season since 2015.  0-3 against teams in current CFP Top 25, 9-1 in all other games.  Redshirt freshman Drake Maye, who finished 10th in the Heisman voting, is the first North Carolina QB to pass for 4,000 yards in a season.

VALERO ALAMO BOWL

#20 TEXAS (8-4) vs #12 WASHINGTON (10-2)

Thurs., Dec. 29 • 8:00 pm CT • ESPN

WASHINGTON: Looking to win 11+ games for just the 2nd time in the last 20 years (12-2 in 2016).  In their only previous trip to Alamo Bowl, played the 2nd highest scoring bowl game in history, losing to Baylor 67-56.  Have lost 4 straight bowl games to current Big 12 schools with last win coming over #2 Oklahoma in the 1985 Orange Bowl.  Have won their last 6 games, the 6th longest active streak in FBS.   3-0 this season against teams ranked in AP Top 25 at time of game.  Michael Penix Jr., who finished 8th in the Heisman voting, is the 2nd Washington QB to pass for 4,000 yards in a season and needs 104 yards to tie Cody Pickett’s school record (4,458).

TEXAS:  4th ever meeting with Washington and first since the 2001 Holiday Bowl.  Have won their last 2 bowl gams against Pac-12 schools and 6 of their last 7.  1-3 this season against AP Top 25 teams.  Head coach Steve Sarkisian was Washington’s head coach from 2009-13, leading them to the Alamo Bowl in 2011.  RB Bijan Robinson, who finished 9th in the Heisman voting, was 5th in FBS with 1,580 rush yards and tied for 4th with 18 rushing TD.

TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL

PITTSBURGH (8-4) vs #18 UCLA (9-3)

Fri., Dec. 30 • 1:00 pm CT • CBS

UCLA: Looking to match their school record with 10 wins in a season, the first time since 2014.  Bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for first time since making 5 straight bowl games from 2011-15.  Making their 5th appearance in the Sun Bowl (3-1) and their first since beating Virginia Tech 42-12 in 2013.  QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson 10,424 career pass yards, the 2nd most in UCLA history (Cade McNown - 10,708).  RB Zach Charbonnet 1,359 rush yards this season, 7th most in a season in UCLA history.

PITTSBURGH:  15th all-time meeting with UCLA (Bruins lead 9-5) but the first since 1972 and first ever in a bowl game.  First game against a Pac-12 opponent since losing to Stanford 14-13 in the 2018 Sun Bowl.  USC transfer QB Kedon Slovis, who had 10 pass TD and 9 INT this season, is in the transfer portal and will not play.  RB Israel Abanikanda leads FBS with 20 rushing TD this season.

GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL

#16 TULANE (11-2) vs #10 USC (11-2)

Mon., Jan. 2 • 12:00 pm CT • ESPN

USC: Looking to win 12 games in a season for the first time since 2008.  A victory  would give them 8 more wins than they had in 2021, the largest improvement in school history.  Making their first appearance in a NY6 bowl since the 2017 Cotton Bowl and 3rd appearance in the Cotton Bowl overall.  Scored 41+ points in 9 of 13 games this season.  Heisman winner Caleb Williams leads FBS with 37 passing TD (2 short of school record) and 47 total TD (USC single-season record).  Williams is the 2nd USC QB to pass for 4,000 yards in a season and and needs 68 yards to tie the school record held by Sam Darnold (4,143 in 2017).  DL Tuli Tuipulotu, the Pac-12 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year, leads FBS with 12.5 sacks and is 2nd with 21.0 TFL this season.

TULANE:  1-2 all-time against USC, including a loss to the national champion Trojans in the 1932 Rose Bowl.  Facing a Pac-12 team for the first time since losing to Washington 24-12 in the 1987 Independence Bowl.  11 wins in a season for just the 3rd time in school history, and first since going 12-0 in 1998 under Tommy Bowden.  Defense allows only 188.5 passing yards per game, 18th best in FBS.

ROSE BOWL GAME

#11 PENN STATE (10-2) vs #8 UTAH (10-3)

Mon., Jan. 2 • 2:00 pm PT • ESPN

UTAH: First Pac-12 team to play in back-to-back Rose Bowl games since Stanford in 2013-14.  3rd Pac-12 team to win the Pac-12 Football Championship Game in consecutive seasons.  Consecutive seasons with 10+ wins for just the 3rd time in school history.  8 of their 10 wins this season are by 21 points or more, including a 23-point victory over USC in the Pac-12 title game.  Cameron Rising needs just 61 passing yards to become just the 4th QB in school history to reach 3,000 yards in a season (Tyler Huntley, Scott Mitchell x2, Mike McCoy x2).  With leading rusher Tavion Thomas out for the season, converted QB Ja’Quinden Jackson had 100+ rush yards in each of the last 2 games, combining for 222 yards and 5 TD on just 23 carries.

PENN STATE:  First ever meeting between Penn State and Utah.  4th appearance in the Rose Bowl and first time since losing to USC in 2017 (2016 season).  Last faced a Pac-12 school in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl against Washington.  Looking for their 4th season with 11 wins in the last 7 years.  0-2 against teams in the final CFP Top 25, losing to Ohio State and Michigan.  QB Sean Clifford is the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (10,382), passing touchdowns (84), completions (817), pass attempts (1,335) and completion percentage (.612) and is tied for the most wins as a starting quarterback (31).