Pac-12 Football Championship Game tiebreaker explanation
A series of tiebreakers are used to determine which two teams match up in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game. Final standings in each division are ordered top to bottom (with the top team in each division playing for the title) based on the following criteria:
- Conference winning percentage
- Number of conference wins
Two-team ties If two teams are tied for a division championship, head-to-head results between those two teams are used as a tiebreaker to decide who participates in the Football Championship Game.
Multiple-team ties If three or more teams are tied atop a division at the end of the season, the following criteria are used to eliminate teams until just two teams remain, at which point the two-team tiebreaking procedure is used.
- Head-to-head results (best record in games between tied teams)
- Record in intra-divisional games
- Record against the next highest placed team in the division (based on the record in all conference games), proceeding through the division
- Record in common conference games
- Highest ranking in SportSource Analytics poll following the final weekend of regular season games
[Related: Latest Pac-12 football standings]
Home team determination tiebreaker The division champion with the best conference record is designated as the home team in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game. If the two teams are tied, the following criteria are considered.
- Head-to-head results, if applicable
- Record against the next highest placed common opponent in the conference (based on the record in all conference games), proceeding through the conference
- Record in common conference games
- Highest ranking in the SportSource Analytics poll following the final weekend of regular season games
- Coin toss