Pac-12 Conference releases 2014 football schedule

WALNUT CREEK, CALIF. – The Pac-12 Conference announced today its 2014 football schedule that pairs a competitive nine-game Conference schedule with a non-conference slate of 13 games versus teams that participated in bowl games following the 2013 season. Highlighting the non-conference schedule is five contests against Big Ten Conference opponents, including the reigning Rose Bowl champion, three games with Notre Dame and a neutral site matchup between UCLA and Texas. 

In addition, traditional rivalry games will be played over the last two weeks of the season, followed by the Pac-12 Football Championship Game on Friday, December 5.

"The depth of our Conference will be on display every week next season," said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. "Coming off a record nine teams competing in this year's bowl season, next season's nine-game Conference schedule will be the toughest in the nation."

The season gets under way with three games on Thursday, August 28, as Arizona State hosts Weber State, Utah hosts Idaho State, and Washington State hosts Rutgers in Seattle. The second week of the season will feature Oregon hosting Rose Bowl champion Michigan State, while USC visits Stanford to open Conference play.

Every football game played at Pac-12 sites will be televised. A combination of the ESPN channels, ABC, FOX and FOX Sports 1 will broadcast 44 games nationally and Pac-12 Networks will offer 35 games to a national audience. Exact broadcast schedules will be determined at a later date. 

"Pac-12 football will once again take center stage for a national audience next season on ESPN, FOX, and Pac-12 Networks," said Scott. "Fans are set to enjoy more coverage of their favorite teams as well as increased access to behind-the-scenes coverage and analysis on Pac-12 Networks."

The 2014 Conference schedule features four Thursday night dates that includes key league matchups between UCLA at Arizona State on September 25, Arizona at Oregon on October 2, Utah at Oregon State on October 16, and California at USC on November 13. In addition, the schedule’s four games on three Friday dates feature Washington State at Stanford on October 10, Oregon at California on October 24, Stanford at UCLA and Arizona State at Arizona in the Territorial Cup the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 28. 

The decision was made to schedule the cross-division Stanford at UCLA game on the final week of the 2014 season in keeping with the terms of future scheduling commitments approved by the Pac-12 Directors of Athletics to maintain the late-season games between Stanford/USC and Notre Dame.

Placing the Stanford at UCLA game on Friday, November 28, 2014, will allow Stanford and UCLA to play their 12 games over a 14-week period (two bye weeks; the same as the other Pac-12 institutions playing 12 regular-season games) and does not provide them a bye the week prior to the Pac-12 Championship Football Game. It also provides UCLA the opportunity to host a special date game on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The Pac-12 Football Championship Game will once again be played on the home field of the team with the best overall Conference record. For the third time in four years, the game will be played on a Friday and will be televised by FOX.

2014 PAC-12 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (subject to change)