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The 2021 Pac-12 football schedule is out: Our full breakdown (raw deals, greased paths, double whammies, November wallops and more)

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The 2021 Pac-12 football schedule is out: Our full breakdown (raw deals, greased paths, double whammies, November wallops and more)

It took longer than expected and was made public later than ever, but the Pac-12 football schedule is here.

(Hopefully, this will be the only version necessary.)

Was it worth the wait?

That’s for each fan base to decide, but we give the overall schedule high marks.

There are just two egregious assignments (to our way of thinking); the bye weeks are mostly packed into the middle of the season; and the conference schedule is mercifully devoid of Thursday games.

A few nuggets before we delve into each team’s lineup …

Biggest day: Sept. 11. With Texas A&M, TCU, Ohio State and Michigan lined up, Week Two stands as the most important Saturday in what just might be the most important season in conference history.

Four teams play two Friday games: Stanford, Washington State, Arizona and Utah

Three teams don’t play Friday games: Oregon State, USC and UCLA

One team does not play back-to-back road games: Oregon

Road games vs. teams off a bye: Washington, Washington State, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and UCLA (two)

Toughest September: Stanford

Toughest October: UCLA

Toughest November: Arizona

Most manageable schedule overall: Utah, followed by Arizona State

Toughest schedule overall: Stanford, followed by Colorado.

Let’s dive in …

Note I: We’re using ‘bye’ to describe an open week in order to mirror the wording on the official schedule. Merriam-Webster would undoubtedly prefer that ‘idle’ or ‘open date’ be used.

Note II: Kickoff times for early-season games will be released in the spring.

Note III: Our strength-of-schedule rankings can be found here.


ARIZONA

Sept. 4: vs. Brigham Young (in Las Vegas)
Sept. 11: vs. San Diego State
Sept. 18: vs. NAU
Sept. 25: at Oregon
Oct. 2: bye
Oct. 9: vs. UCLA
Oct. 16: at Colorado
Oct. 22: vs. Washington (Friday)
Oct. 30: at USC
Nov. 6: vs. Cal
Nov. 13: vs. Utah
Nov. 19: at Washington State (Friday)
Nov. 27: at Arizona State

Comment: An unforgiving lineup for first-year coach Jedd Fisch starts with two high-end Group of Five opponents in back-to-back fashion … The bye is two weeks earlier than Arizona would prefer, if not three, and it creates an eight-game stretch without a break … The Wildcats open in Eugene, with Oregon coming off a cupcake (Stony Brook), and the trip to Boulder comes after CU’s bye … Oh, and that finish, starting with Utah? Yikes. The Cats make the long trip to Pullman on a short week in (likely) bad weather, then turn around and head to Tempe. Yes, they have an extra day to prepare for the Territorial Cup, but that’s little consolation … If Cal is halfway decent, the second-half schedule stacks up as a gauntlet.


Arizona State

Sept. 2: vs. Southern Utah (Thursday)
Sept. 11: vs. UNLV
Sept. 18: at Brigham Young
Sept. 25: vs. Colorado
Oct. 2: at UCLA
Oct. 8: vs. Stanford (Friday)
Oct. 16: at Utah
Oct. 23: bye
Oct. 30: vs. WSU
Nov. 6: vs. USC
Nov. 13: at Washington
Nov. 20: at Oregon State
Nov. 27: vs. Arizona

Comment: The non-conference schedule is greased for success (not shamefully soft, but close), as ASU gets BYU immediately after the Holy War … With two of their first three conference games at home, the Sun Devils should be in excellent shape at the midseason turn … The second half features two huge games against opponents that will have just played big ones themselves: The Devils head to Salt Lake City after Utah visits USC, and they play in Seattle the week  after UW faces Oregon … There are no Friday road games and no games against teams coming off byes … The most challenging component, the back-to-back November dates in the Pacific Northwest, is hardly a red-alert situation.


CAL

Sept. 4: vs. Nevada
Sept. 11: at TCU
Sept. 18: vs. Sacramento State
Sept. 25: at Washington
Oct. 2: vs. WSU
Oct. 9: bye
Oct. 15: at Oregon (Friday)
Oct. 23: vs. Colorado
Oct. 30: vs. Oregon State
Nov. 6: at Arizona
Nov. 13: vs. USC
Nov. 20: at Stanford
Nov. 27: at UCLA

Comment: The early conference schedule is plenty manageable. (We like the Cal-UW series in September, especially if there are no lightning delays.) … The Bears host WSU on the second leg of its back-to-back roadies, and the bye before a short-week trip to Eugene works well. (Oregon is also off ahead of Cal’s visit, so neither team has a competitive edge.) … The USC showdown is ideally positioned, with the Trojans coming off what could be a huge game for the South title at ASU … The back-to-back trips to end the season are hardly rigorous given that one is a short bus ride and the other a short flight … Of note: The Bears are the only California team that finishes against the other three.


COLORADO

Sept. 3: vs. Northern Colorado (Friday)
Sept. 11: vs. Texas A&M (Denver)
Sept. 18: vs. Minnesota
Sept. 25: at ASU
Oct. 2: vs. USC
Oct. 9: bye
Oct. 16: vs. Arizona
Oct. 23: at Cal
Oct. 30: at Oregon
Nov. 6: vs. Oregon State
Nov. 13: at UCLA
Nov. 20: vs. Washington
Nov. 27: at Utah (Friday)

Comment: We’ll find out immediately if the 2020 success was a fluke with those two daunting non-conference dates — Minnesota won 11 games the last time there was no pandemic — followed by a brutal opening to league play with ASU and USC in double-whammy fashion … The bye is well placed and will undoubtedly be desperately needed … Consecutive trips to the North division in late October begin a grueling stretch run for CU in both location and opponent. (The visit to UCLA comes with the Bruins fresh off a bye.) … One slight positive: Colorado could catch Oregon in a look-ahead situation with its rivalry game in Seattle the following week … Four of the last six are on the road — good luck, Buffs.


OREGON

Sept. 4: vs. Fresno State
Sept. 11: at Ohio State
Sept. 18: vs. Stony Brook
Sept. 25: vs. Arizona
Oct. 2: at Stanford
Oct. 9: bye
Oct. 15: vs. Cal (Friday)
Oct. 23: at UCLA
Oct. 30: vs. Colorado
Nov. 6: at Washington
Nov. 13: vs. Washington State
Nov. 20: at Utah
Nov. 27: vs. Oregon State

Comment: Worth noting immediately: Ohio State plays a conference game in Week One (Minnesota), although it’s on a Thursday … The Ducks caught a break as the only team in the conference that doesn’t play back-to-back road games, but there aren’t many other favorables … Like Oregon, Cal will have a bye before the Friday game in Eugene … November is equal parts daunting and riveting, with the teams and locations. There’s no bye before UW this year, and the visit from WSU is one giant trap game, sandwiched between Seattle and Salt Lake City and with the Cougars coming off a bye … Quirky note: Three teams (UW, UCLA and Utah) play Oregon at home in potentially vulnerable spots, following back-to-back road trips.


OREGON STATE

Sept. 4: at Purdue
Sept. 11: vs. Hawaii
Sept. 18: vs. Idaho
Sept. 25: at USC
Oct. 2: vs. Washington
Oct. 9: at Washington State
Oct. 16: bye
Oct. 23: Utah
Oct. 30: at Cal
Nov. 6: at Colorado
Nov. 13: vs. Stanford
Nov. 20: vs. Arizona State
Nov. 27: at Oregon

Comment: In theory, the majority of OSU’s most winnable games are on the road, which naturally makes them less winnable … It doesn’t help that the Beavers play five road games in odd years. Or that they miss Arizona in the South. Or that the USC-Washington double-whammy opening to conference play could very well put OSU in an 0-2 hole … On the other hand: no Friday games and no games against teams coming off a bye … The Beavers draw Utah in a friendly spot, with two weeks to prepare and the Utes fresh off a showdown with ASU … If you have back-to-back road games, the task could be a lot worse than Berkeley and Boulder … ASU’s visit to Corvallis comes a week after the Devils play in Seattle.


STANFORD

Sept. 4: vs. Kansas State (in Arlington)
Sept. 11: at USC
Sept. 18: at Vanderbilt
Sept. 25: vs. UCLA
Oct. 2: vs. Oregon
Oct. 8: at ASU (Friday)
Oct. 16: at WSU
Oct. 23: bye
Oct. 30: vs. Washington
Nov. 5: vs Utah (Friday)
Nov. 13: at Oregon State
Nov. 20: vs. Cal
Nov. 27: vs. Notre Dame

Comment: We won’t call this murderer’s row, but let’s just say the ’27 Yankees would want no part of it … The Cardinal opens with three consecutive road/neutral site games against Power Five opponents (who does that?) and plays five of its first seven on the road (with a new quarterback, by the way) … Stanford is one of just two teams (with Arizona) that plays two Friday dates, neither of which is a season-ending rivalry game … There’s also that mid-October back-to-back to Tempe and Pullman, which starts with the short-week date at ASU … And who wouldn’t want to play Utah on short rest, especially after facing Washington. (Goodness, gracious.) … Stanford brought some of this on itself (with the non-conference schedule), but not all of it.


UCLA

Aug. 28: vs. Hawaii
Sept. 4: vs. LSU
Sept. 11: bye
Sept. 18: vs. Fresno State
Sept. 25: at Stanford
Oct. 2: vs. ASU
Oct. 9: at Arizona
Oct. 16: at Washington
Oct. 23: vs. Oregon
Oct. 30: at Utah
Nov. 6: bye
Nov. 13: vs. Colorado
Nov. 20: at USC
Nov. 27: vs. Cal

Comment: A difficult schedule overall, in part because the Bruins miss Oregon State and Washington State in the North and have five conference road games … The most notable piece comes early: The Week Zero date with Hawaii gives UCLA a game to prepare for LSU, whereas the Tigers will be playing their opener in the Rose Bowl — a significant competitive advantage for the Bruins … Then again, UCLA plays back-to-back road games against teams (Arizona and Washington) that will each have two weeks to prep for the Bruins. (The Huskies will be off a bye — brutal for UCLA) … The second bye means UCLA should be well rested for USC, which will have finished a difficult stretch prior to the crosstown showdown.


USC

Sept. 4: vs. San Jose State
Sept. 11: vs. Stanford
Sept. 18: at Washington State
Sept. 25: vs. Oregon State
Oct. 2: at Colorado
Oct. 9: vs. Utah
Oct. 16: bye
Oct. 23: at Notre Dame
Oct. 30: vs. Arizona
Nov. 6: at Arizona State
Nov. 13: at Cal
Nov. 20: vs. UCLA
Nov. 27: vs. Brigham Young

Comment: An entirely fair, manageable and balanced lineup — and in that regard, a contrast to many USC schedules of the recent past … There are no cold-weather dates, no Friday games, no conference roadies against teams coming off a bye and no insanely long stretches without a break … The extra rest before Notre Dame is significant, and the post-South Bend assignment comes at home. (Of note: The Irish also have a bye prior to facing USC) … The Trojans do catch Utah coming off extra rest, but at least the game is in the Coliseum … If you’re curious, BYU plays Georgia Southern the week before visiting USC … And if it wasn’t apparent, we’ll mention the most significant element here: The Trojans miss Washington and Oregon


UTAH

Sept. 2: vs Weber State (Thursday)
Sept. 11: at Brigham Young
Sept. 18: at San Diego State
Sept. 25: vs. Washington State
Oct. 2: bye
Oct. 9: at USC
Oct. 16: vs. Arizona State
Oct. 23: at Oregon State
Oct. 30: vs. UCLA
Nov. 5: at Stanford (Friday)
Nov. 13: at Arizona
Nov. 20: vs Oregon
Nov. 26: vs Colorado (Friday)

Comment: Lots to chew on here … The bye is a tad early but nonetheless well positioned, coming in front of the USC-ASU double whammy that will likely decide Utah’s fate within the division … That those games come in early October natural opens November for dates with North opponents … Oregon’s late visit could have major postseason implications for both (and could be a candidate for ‘Big Noon Kickoff’). That will be Utah’s seventh consecutive game, by the way … The trip to Corvallis is sneaky tough, coming after a major division game for the Utes (ASU) and with the Beavers fresh off a bye … If Arizona isn’t a trap game for the Utes, we don’t know what is … Of note: Both BYU and SDSU play Arizona the week before facing Utah.


WASHINGTON

Sept. 4: vs. Montana
Sept. 11: at Michigan
Sept. 18: vs. Arkansas State
Sept. 25: vs. Cal
Oct. 2: at Oregon State
Oct. 9: bye
Oct. 16: vs. UCLA
Oct. 22: at Arizona (Friday)
Oct. 30: at Stanford
Nov. 6: vs. Oregon
Nov. 13: vs. Arizona State
Nov. 20: at Colorado
Nov. 26: vs. Washington State (Friday)

Comment: Washington’s long nightmare is over: Oregon does not have a bye the week before it plays UW (In fact, the Ducks and Huskies have a bye at the same time: Week Six) … All eyes on the trip to Ann Arbor, of course, but Washington’s season likely hinges on the late-season doubleheader against two of the top teams, Oregon and ASU, and both are in Husky Stadium … Slight break with the road back-to-back in that the first one (Tucson) is a Friday, providing a slight bit of extra rest before the second (Stanford). However, the Cardinal will be coming off a bye, creating a clear competitive disadvantage for UW. (If the Huskies are in CFP contention and lose that game: Oh, boy) … The duel with ASU comes the week after Oregon but also the week after the Sun Devils play USC.


WASHINGTON STATE

Sept. 4: vs. Utah State
Sept. 11: vs. Portland Stae
Sept. 18: vs. USC
Sept. 25: at Utah
Oct. 2: at Cal
Oct. 9: vs. Oregon State
Oct. 16: vs. Stanford
Oct. 23: vs. BYU
Oct. 30: at Arizona State
Nov. 6: bye
Nov. 12: at Oregon (Friday)
Nov. 20: vs. Arizona
Nov. 26: at Washington (Friday)

Comment: The mid-season matchup with BYU opens the early window for USC and lends a nice balance to the schedule … No team has a later bye, except UCLA (which has two), although it does come before the trip to Eugene … Contrary to speculation on social media, USC’s visit is not on a Friday … As if the the trip to Arizona State isn’t difficult enough, the Sun Devils will have two weeks to prepare … The early road back-to-back is daunting, but Cal will be coming off a game in Seattle … Speaking of: WSU plays three teams (Cal, OSU and Oregon) the week after those teams play Washington. The level of physicality shown by the Huskies could have a positive impact on WSU, wearing teams down in advance.


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