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2022-23 Pac-12 Bowl Season

Following Pac-12 teams competing
in postseason bowl games

What you should know when Oregon, Washington and UCLA resume Pac-12 bowl season this week

Dec 28, 2022

Pac-12 bowl season resumes this week with three more teams in action, beginning Wednesday with No. 15 Oregon in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl.

So far the Pac-12 is 1-1 in the postseason, highlighted by No. 14 Oregon State's 30-3 rout of Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl that secured the Beavers' first 10-win season since 2006.

Here's a look at what's ahead this week. (Pac-12.com will preview the Jan. 2 New Year's Six bowl games featuring No. 10 USC and No. 8 Utah closer to game time.)

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

No. 15 Oregon (9-3) vs. North Carolina (9-4)

  • When: Wed., Dec. 28, 5:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. MT
  • Where: San Diego, CA (Petco Park)
  • How to watch: FOX

Oregon season brief: The Ducks put their season-opening loss to top-ranked Georgia behind them and went on an eight-game winning streak. Quarterback Bo Nix and the Oregon offense was a scoring machine, putting up 40-plus points every game during that stretch. The Ducks had CFP and Pac-12 Championship aspirations but two tough losses to Washington and Oregon State ended those hopes. However, Dan Lanning can put an exclamation point on his first season in Eugene by reaching 10 wins. 

North Carolina season brief: The Tar Heels represented the Coastal division in the ACC Championship Game before falling to Clemson. On their way to the ACC title game, quarterback Drake Maye turned into a star. Only Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Western Kentucky's Austin Reed have more passing yards than Maye's 4,115. North Carolina started the season 9-1 with the lone blemish being a loss to Notre Dame. Since then, the Tar Heels have lost three straight to Georgia Tech, NC State and Clemson while being held to under 30 points in all three matchups. 

Why you should tune in: Nix and Maye should be enough to make you watch. The two have combined for 7,504 passing yards, 62 passing touchdowns, 21 rushing touchdowns and 1,157 rushing yards. If you like good quarterbacks, this is the matchup for you. 

Why Oregon could win: In a matchup of two top-25 scoring offenses, it'll be about which team can get more defensive stops. While Oregon will be without cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Noah Sewell, who opted out to enter the NFL Draft, the Ducks have had the more consistent scoring defense and have forced 21 turnovers this season. Meanwhile, when facing other top-25 scoring offenses, North Carolina allowed 136 points in three games. That favors the Ducks. 

Valero Alamo Bowl

No. 12 Washington (10-2) vs. No. 20 Texas (8-4)

  • When: Thurs., Dec. 29, 6:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. MT
  • Where: San Antonio, TX (Alamodome)
  • How to Watch: ESPN

Washington season brief: The Huskies got a healthy Michael Penix Jr. and it paid off. Washington won 10 games this season and, without a loss to Arizona State early in the season, would have been playing for the Pac-12 Championship and potentially a College Football Playoff spot. Nevertheless, Penix Jr. led the nation in passing yards for most of the season and currently ranks second in the country heading into the Alamo Bowl. He has already committed to returning next year as the Kalen DeBoer era is off to a great start in Seattle. 

Texas season brief: No sport fan likes going through the "what if" scenarios, but the Longhorns had four one-score losses and only lost those games by 18 combined points. Texas lost by a point to Alabama and, despite holding TCU to a season-low 17 points, still fell to the Horned Frogs, who managed to reach the CFP. Nevertheless, there was still good moments from the season. Any Longhorn fan will take a 49-0 win over Oklahoma and they beat a very good Kansas State team. Everyone got a good look at quarterback Quinn Ewers, who showed promise throughout the year.

Why you should tune in: This should be one of the best bowl games outside the College Football Playoff. As mentioned about Texas in close losses, the same can be said for the Huskies. Both of their losses were by one score. 

Why Washington could win: The Huskies will have to overcome a geographic disadvantage — the Alamodome is less than 100 miles from Texas's campus — but they have been in every game for a reason. Penix Jr. has been prolific all season and Texas yields 239 passing yards per game, which ranks in the bottom half of the country. With the quarterback returning for next season, why not show off for the country against a storied program?

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

No. 18 UCLA (9-3) vs. Pittsburgh (8-4)

  • When: Fri., Dec. 30, 11:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. MT
  • Where: El Paso, TX (Sun Bowl)
  • How to Watch: CBS

UCLA season brief: Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins put together one of the nation's best offenses. Their 39.6 points per game helped them win nine games this season, the most since the program went 10-3 in 2014. Even in UCLA's three losses to Oregon, Arizona and USC, it scored 30, 28, 45 points respectively. The Bruins' best moment of the season was winning back-to-back games against Washington and Utah. Chip Kelly's team also gave USC all it could handle in the Crosstown Showdown.  

Pittsburgh season brief: Going back to the preseason poll, Pitt likely wanted more from its season. After having so much success on offense with Kenny Pickett last season, the offense lacked consistency with former USC signal caller Kedon Slovis, who has entered the transfer portal again. The Panthers did find a star in running back Israel Abanikanda, who rushed for 320 yards and six touchdowns in a single game against Virginia Tech. Pitt ended the season on a four-game winning but a poor four-game stretch with losses to Georgia Tech, Louisville and North Carolina prevented the reigning ACC champs from returning to the conference title game. 

Why you should tune in: It will be the last game of Thompson-Robinson's historic Bruin career. He has the most starts of any UCLA quarterback ever and saved his best season for last, leading one of the best offenses in the nation. He's fun to watch as one of just two FBS players who has thrown for at least 25 touchdowns and run for at least 11. (Oregon's Bo Nix being the other.) The Bruins are also searching for their first bowl win since 2015. 

Why UCLA could win: UCLA was the better team this season compared to Pitt. And unlike the Panthers, the Bruins will have their quarterback and mostly be at full strength. Pitt's primary starting quarterback this season, Kedon Slovis, transferred to BYU. ACC Defensive Player of the Year Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey will not play due to injury. Abanikanda, offensive lineman Gabe Houy, defensive end Deslin Alexandre, linebacker SirVocea Dennis, and safety Brandon Hill have opted out of the game. UCLA should have the advantage from a talent standpoint.