Game Week: What You Need to Know for Friday’s Pac-12 Championship Game
SALT LAKE CITY – A season of high expectations and memorable moments reaches its apex Friday night in Las Vegas when the 11th-ranked Utah Utes face fourth-ranked USC in the 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship Game.
The Utes capped the regular season with a 63-21 win over Colorado last Saturday to complete a 7-2 Pac-12 slate and a 9-3 overall record, and earned a trip back to the Pac-12 Championship for the fourth consecutive full season of football. The defending champion Utes face a USC team with a record of 11-1 (8-1), with its only loss coming in an epic showdown with Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium, 43-42, on Oct. 15.
The title game will take place in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year, and will kick off at 5 p.m. PT at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. Watch on FOX and listen on the Home of the Utes, KALL ESPN 700. Utah has won five of its last six games. For more information on the matchup, read Utah's game notes here.
In 12 seasons as members of the Pac-12—all under 18th-year head coach Kyle Whittingham—Utah has reached the championship game four times, including three times when winning the South Division outright (2018, '19, and '21), and in 2022 in the first year without divisions. The Utes shared the South title in 2015 but did not play in the title game. Utah is the designated visiting team based on conference record. USC owns one Pac-12 Championship game victory, in 2017.
THURSDAY, DEC. 1
MEET AT MANDALAY
Meet up with other Utah fans and alumni at Rhythm & Riffs Lounge at Mandalay Bay, the "official, unofficial" Utah bar, on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. PT.
FRIDAY, DEC. 2
PREGAME PEP RALLY
U Alumni will host a pep rally for Utes fans on Friday at 3:30 p.m. PT in Lot C at Allegiant Stadium. Utah fans are encouraged to meet at 2:45 p.m. at Mandalay Bay to walk across the Hacienda Bridge, creating a sea of red on the way to the stadium. The meeting spot to begin the walk-over to the stadium will be at the intersection of Mandalay Bay Road and Luxor Drive (map can be found at the bottom of this page). The Utah Marching Band, cheer and Utah Spirit Team will perform at the pep rally, and fans will hear from President Taylor Randall and Athletics Director Mark Harlan. Space is limited to 1,200 fans. More information can be found here.
GET YOUR UTES GEAR
Fans looking to purchase Utah Utes gear for the game may stop by the Campus Store pop-up shop at Park MGM Hotel, the Utes' Las Vegas headquarters. The store will be set up in the Greenwich and St. James rooms in the Conference Center on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. Pac-12 Championship Game t-shirts may be ordered online here.
PARKING LOTS
All parking lots for Allegiant Stadium will open at 2 p.m. PT.
STADIUM GATES
All public gates for Allegiant Stadium will open at 3 p.m. PT. No re-entry will be permitted.
TRAFFIC CONSIDERATIONS
Road Closure – Mandalay Bay Road will close at 1:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Dec. 2 between Allegiant Stadium and Las Vegas Blvd.
CLEAR BAG POLICY
All bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and must not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" for Allegiant Stadium.
Small clutch bags, 4.5" x 6.5" x 2" can be taken into the stadium in addition to one of the approved clear bags described above. An exception will be made for any necessary medical items, but all such items are subject to inspection prior to entry into Allegiant Stadium. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, seat cushions, luggage of any kind, computer bags, and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.
For more information please visit the the Pac-12 Championship Game page here, or the Allegiant Stadium Pac-12 Championship Game event page here.
A full list of events, and pregame and in-game entertainment from the Pac-12 can be found here.
TICKET OFFICE AND WILL-CALL
Ticket windows at Allegiant Stadium will open at 1 p.m. PT. All Utah Tickets will be digital, and the Utah customer service window will open at 3 p.m. PT. The location is next to the Ticketmaster box office.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Utes fans can join the conversation on social media, as always, by using the hashtag #GoUtes, and can also add the Pac-12's #Pac12FCG for the championship game.