The PAC-12 2023 college football schedule is set. Most of the recruiting and transfers are complete.
There is still plenty that can change, but we took a close look at each team’s key additions, losses, and returning players, along with the schedules they’ll be facing, and have placed our early predictions for what should be an exciting PAC-12 race this fall.
A lot can and will change following spring ball, summer camps, and the weeks leading up to the regular season, but as of right now, this is how we see things shaking out:
Utah Utes (11-1)
Key Additions: LB Levani Damuni, DE Logan Fano, CB Miles Battle, OT Spencer Fano, RB Michael Mitchell, ATH Dijon Stanley, K Cole Becker, WR Mikey Matthews
Key Losses: TE Dalton Kincaid, CB Clark Phillips III, LB Mohamoud Diabate, OT Braeden Daniels, RB Micah Bernard, RB Tavion Thomas, DE Gabe Reid
Key Returning Players: QB Cam Rising, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, WR DeVaughn Vele, TE Brant Kuithe, OL Sataoa Laumea, DL Junior Tafuna, LB Karene Reid, LB Lander Barton, S Cole Bishop, DL Jonah Elliss, DL Van Fillinger
Summary: The Utes have now been to four of the last five Pac-12 Championship games, and have won the last two. They are currently the kings of the conference, and with many key players returning in 2023, Utah should once again finish at the top of the Pac-12.
Last season, Utah averaged 38.6 points per game, and with Rising, Jackson, Vele, Kuithe, and Yassmin all set to return, along with several new playmaking freshmen, the Utes should once again finish in the top 15 nationally on offense.
Where Utah should be even more potent is on the defensive side of the ball. They lost Phillips, an All-American at cornerback, but replaced him with Ole Miss cornerback Miles Battle, who was one of the best in the country at stopping the deep ball. On top of that, the Utes also brought in Stanford’s 2022 top tackler linebacker Damuni to fill the hole left behind by Diabate. Outside of those players’ departures, Utah is bringing just about everyone else back from last year’s team that was #19 in the nation in points allowed (20.4).
The Utes will have a tough schedule, taking on Florida and Baylor in the first two games, and will have to face Oregon State, USC, and Washington on the road. However, with another reload of a season, Utah will be the team to beat in the Pac-12.
USC Trojans (9-3)
Key Additions: DL Jack Sullivan, RB Marshawn Lloyd, OL Michael Tarquin , LB Mason Cobb, WR Dorian Singer, CB Christian Roland-Wallace, DL Kyon Barrs , WR Zachariah Branch, WR Makai Lemon, OL Jarrett Kingston
Key Losses: DL Brandon Pili, WR Jordan Addison, CB Mekhi Blackmon, RB Travis Dye, DL Tuli Tuipulotu, OL Andrew Vorhees, RB Travis Dye, OL Brett Neilon, OL Bobby Haskins, S Xavion Alford, LB Ralen Goforth, WR Gary Bryant Jr., WR CJ Williams, DE Nick Figueroa, WR Kyle Ford
Key Returning Players: QB Caleb Williams, WR Mario Williams, RB Austin Jones, LB Shane Lee, WR Brenden Rice, WR Tahj Washington, FS Max Williams, SS Calen Bullock, DL Tyrone Taleni, LB Eric Gentry
Summary: In Lincoln Riley’s inaugural season with the Trojans in 2022, he took a team that finished 4-8 the year before and went on to go 11-3, only losing one regular season game. He did it by bringing in a slew of talent through the transfer portal, and the plan almost worked well enough to get USC into the College Football Playoff.
Despite having the nation’s #3 scoring offense, led by 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, it was the Trojans defense that led to their fall. In the two losses to Utah, USC surrendered 90 total points, or 45 points per game, and also gave up 46 points in its Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane.
Once again in 2023, the Trojans have been working the transfer portal hard. They’ve brought in three of Arizona’s top players (Singer, Roland-Wallace, and Barrs) as well as a pair of much-needed offensive linemen.
Despite these additions, it’s hard to believe that the 2023 version of USC will be better than 2022. While they’ll bring back most of their offensive skill players, the loss of three offensive linemen, Vorhees, Neilon, and Haskins, will make life harder for Caleb Williams.
Defensively, the Trojans will also struggle to replace three solid defensive linemen, especially Tuipulotu, who was an All-American and a bright spot on a weak defense. Sullivan and Barrs will help, but they won’t be as good as the players they’ll replace.
With games on the road against Notre Dame and Oregon, as well as tough home matchups against Utah and Washington, expect to see a few more regular season losses for USC in 2023.
Oregon Ducks (9-3)
Key Additions: WR Traeshon Holden, WR Tez Johnson, LB Jestin Jacobs, OL Junior Angilau, OT Ajani Cornelius, CB Khyree Jackson, DE Matayo Uiagalelei, CB Daylen Austin, S Evan Williams, LB Jordan Burch
Key Losses: OT T.J. Bass, G Ryan Walk, C Alex Forsyth, OT Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, LB Noah Sewell, CB Christian Gonzalez, DE DJ Johnson, WR Chase Cota, CB Bennett Williams, RB Byron Cardwell, WR Dont’e Thornton, OL Dawson Jaramillo
Key Returning Players: QB Bo Nix, RB Bucky Irving, RB Noah Whittington, WR Troy Franklin, CB Trikweze Bridges, LB Jeffrey Bassa, DE Brandon Dorlus
Summary: How can the Ducks lose three games in 2023, especially with the return of Nix, Irving, and Franklin? Much like USC, while the Ducks are bringing back several talented skill players on offense, they will be replacing nearly the entire offensive line, and several key defensive players.
In 2022, Oregon kept Nix clean, only allowing 5 sacks throughout the season. However, with Bass, Walk, Forsyth, and Jaramillo moving on, it’s not likely to go as smoothly in 2023 for Nix. Head coach Dan Lanning did bring in a solid pair of transfer portal replacements, but the lack of continuity could lead to a disruptive start to the season.
The Ducks also lost two of its leaders on defense in Gonzalez and Sewell, which were major pieces in a defense that gave up more points last season than what Oregon has been known to allow.
While the Ducks only have five road games in 2023, three of those games are at Texas Tech, Utah, and Washington. Coming into the new season with a revamped offensive line and a weaker secondary, expect a repeat of three regular season losses, despite having a more favorable overall schedule.
Washington Huskies (8-4)
Key Additions: WR Germie Bernard, DE Zach Durfee, LB Ralen Goforth, TE Josh Cuevas, DE Joe Moore, RB Daniyel Ngata, CB Jabar Muhammad, CB Caleb Presley, ATH Rashid Williams
Key Losses: G Jaxson Kirkland, C Corey Luciano, G Henry Bainivalu, RB Wayne Taulapapa, DE Jeremiah Martin, LB Cam Bright, S Alex Cook, K Peyton Henry, LB Kristopher Moll
Key Returning Players: QB Michael Penix Jr, WR Rome Odunze, WR Jalen McMillan, OL Troy Fautanu, DE Bralen Trice, DL Zion Tupuola-Fetui, LB Alphonzo Tuputala
Summary: Are you starting to notice a trend? Great quarterbacks are returning to several Pac-12 offenses, but those quarterbacks are losing several of their most important pieces – the offensive line. It’s no different for Penix Jr. While he’ll have his top receiving weapons again in 2023, he’ll be without three starters on the offensive line, and unlike USC and Oregon, the Huskies have not brought in immediate help for those crucial gaps through the transfer portal.
No offense threw it for more yards per game than Washington, but that will be hard to repeat in 2023 with a restructured offensive line. As it was with Nix, Penix Jr was only sacked 5 times in 2022. With increased pressure in 2023, it will be interesting to see how that impacts the Husky QB.
Washington will play at Michigan State, at Oregon State, and at USC in 2023. They’ll also add Utah this season, which they did not have to play the last two years.
Washington State Cougars (7-5)
Key Additions: OL Christy Nkanu, WR Kyle Williams, WR Josh Kelly, WR Isaiah Hamilton
Key Losses: LB Daiyan Henley, OL Jarrett Kingston, LB Francisco Mauigoa, WR De’Zhaun Stribling, WR Donovan Ollie, LB Travion Brown, WR Robert Ferrel, NB Armani Marsh, CB Derrick Langford, DL Antonio Pule, SS Jordan Lee, OL Grant Stephens
Key Returning Players: QB Cameron Ward, RB Nakia Watson, DE Brennan Jackson, DE Ron Stone Jr., DE Quinn Roff, S Jaden Hicks, CB Chau Smith-Wade, S Sam Lockett III
Summary: While it’s big news that Washington State will get to run it back with Ward and Watson on offense and Jackson, Stone, Roff, Hicks, and Lockett III on defense, the bigger news is that the Cougars have the most favorable schedule in the Pac-12, with 2023 being the year they get to skip both USC and Utah.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the outlook is completely rainbows and unicorns for Washington State in 2023. The losses of Stribling, Ollie, and Ferrel will make Ward’s job a lot more difficult this upcoming season, and the defense will likely take a step back after losing Henley and Mauigoa.
While they get to skip the Utes and Trojans, the Cougars will still have tough matchups against Wisconsin, at Oregon and Washington, and at home against Oregon State and Arizona.
Oregon State Beavers (6-6)
Key Additions: QB DJ Uiagalelei, OL Grant Starck, DE Oluwaseyi Omotosho, DE Kelze Howard, QB Aidan Chiles, WR Montrel Hatten, DE Nikko Taylor
Key Losses: G Brandon Kipper, WR Tre’Shaun Harrison, WR Tyjon Lindsey, LB Kyrei Fisher-Morris, S Jaydon Grant, CB Alex Austin, CB Rejzohn Wright, LB/FB Jack Colletto, LB Omar Speights
Key Returning Players: RB Damien Martinez, OL Taliese Fuaga, OL Joshua Gray, CB Alton Julian, WR/KR Anthony Gould, S Kitan Oladapo
Summary: Recently, things have been looking bright for Oregon State. They finished the 2022 season with a 10-3 record, including a bowl win over Florida, a rivalry comeback win against Oregon, and impressive non-conference victories over Boise State and Fresno State.
That success has been built on two things, a nasty defense and a tough rushing offense. The buzz around Corvalis only got louder once the season ended and Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei made the surprising announcement that he would be transferring to play for the Beavers.
With all of that momentum, why would they finish 6-6 in 2023?
For several reasons, but the most important cause for a slip after such a successful season will likely be due to one of those foundational pieces crumbling in 2023 – the defense.
Nearly the entire starting secondary will be gone next season, as well as two solid linebackers. Uiagalelei was significantly better last season than he was in 2021, but he was still replaced at the end of the season. However, he should be a major upgrade from the quarterbacks available to Oregon State last season. Martinez should also build on an impressive rookie campaign.
However, beyond Uiagalelei, the Beavers haven’t done much through the transfer portal. With a weaker pass defense, and a tough schedule against some of the best quarterbacks in the nation, it’s looking like Oregon State fans may be disappointed in 2023 after such a solid 2022 season.
Colorado Buffaloes (5-7)
Key Additions: QB Shedeur Sanders, CB Travis Hunter, TE Seydou Traore, LB LaVonta Bentley, S Myles Slusher, CB Tayvion Beasley, DT Leonard Payne Jr., OL Tyler Brown, OL Landon Bebee, LB Jeremiah Brown, S Cam’Ron Silmon, DL Taijh Alston, DL Marshawn Kneeland, OL Savion Washington, OL Isaiah Jatta, OL Jack Wilty, DL Shane Cokes, RB Dylan Edwards, WR Jimmy Horn Jr.
Key Losses: RB Alex Fontenot, DE Josh Chandler-Semedo, S Isaiah Lewis, OL Tommy Brown, OL Frank Fillup, OL Austin Johnson, CB Kaylin Moore, OL Noah Fenske, LB Guy Thomas, WR RJ Sneed II, TE Brady Russell, LB Quinn Perry, DE Chance Main, DE Terrance Lang, LB Robert Barnes, WR Daniel Arias
Key Returning Players: QB JT Shrout, RB Deion Smith, CB Tyrin Taylor, S Trevor Woods, CB Nikko Reed
Summary: Much like Lincoln Riley did with USC, first-year Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is “comin'” with a flood of transfers in an attempt to turn around one of the worst college football teams in just a season.
The difference is that he will be working with a team that went 1-11 last season, with the worst defense in the nation and the 5th poorest offense in the nation. The Buffaloes had a -29.1 scoring margin in 2022.
Also, unlike Riley, rather than having most of his transfers come from a top FBS conference contender, Sanders will bring the majority of his players from FCS SWAC Conference champion Jackson State.
How will that transition go? It’s hard to say. It’s also difficult to know how well the new players and coaches will mesh with the few original players that elected not to transfer from the program.
However, the team won’t have much time to figure things out. Colorado’s first game will come on the road against the College Football Playoff’s runner-up, TCU. Following that game, they’ll face another tough opponent, Nebraska. They will then face in-state rival Colorado State before opening conference play on the road at Oregon and then a home matchup with USC. Brutal.
Add in road games with Utah and Washington State, and it’s hard to see six wins in the first season of a massive rebuild for Coach Prime.
Arizona Wildcats (5-7)
Key Additions: LB Justin Flowe, LB Orin Patu, QB Brayden Dorman, OL Raymond Pulido
Key Losses: WR Dorian Singer, CB Christian Roland-Wallace, DL Kyon Barrs, LB Jerry Roberts, S Jaxen Turner, DL Paris Shand, LB Kolbe Cage, DE Jalen Harris, DE Hunter Echols, S Christian Young
Key Returning Players: QB Jayden de Laura, WR Jacob Cowing, WR Tetairoa McMillan, RB Michael Wiley, RB DJ Williams, TE Tanner McLachlan, CB Treydan Stukes, LB Jacob Manu
Summary: The good – Arizona finally started winning games last season. Jayden de Laura was a big part of that. He’ll be back, along with do-it-all back Wiley, which means they should win a few more.
The bad? Only five teams in the nation gave up more points to opposing offenses than Arizona did last season (36.5 points per game), and that defense lost several key pieces. It might actually get worse.
The Wildcats should have a nice start to the season, with expected wins over Northern Arizona, UTEP, and Stanford, but it will be tough sledding after that.
UCLA Bruins (5-7)
Key Additions: QB Collin Schlee, QB Dante Moore, RB Carson Steele, OL Spencer Holstege, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, DE Jake Heimlicher, TE Moliki Matavao, S Jordan Anderson,
Key Losses: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Zach Charbonnet, OL Jon Gaines II, OL Raiqwon O’Neal, OL Atonio Mafi, WR Kazmeir Allen, WR Jake Bobo, S Stephan Blaylock, CB Azizi Hearn, S Mo Osling III, DL Jacob Sykes, TE Michael Ezeike
Key Returning Players: DE Laiatu Latu, LB Darius Muasau, LB JonJon Vaughns, WR Kam Brown, DL Grayson Murphy, DL Gabriel Murphy
Summary: UCLA had an impressive start to the 2022 season, starting 6-0 with surprising wins over Washington and Utah. However, the second half of the 2022 season might be more of a foreshadowing of how the 2023 season should go.
Following that great start, the Bruins went on to go 3-4 in its final seven games, including a loss to Arizona. Now, for the first time in five seasons, UCLA will not have Thompson-Robinson behind center. They’ll also be without the Pac-12’s top rusher, Charbonnet.
To add to the potential problems in 2023, the Bruins will also be down three offensive linemen, and three key players in the secondary. Despite bringing in one of the best QB prospects in the nation, and a couple solid transfer portal additions, 2023 will be a major rebuilding year for UCLA.
California Golden Bears (3-9)
Key Additions: RB Byron Cardwell, QB Sam Jackson, WR Brian Hightower, CB Kaylin Moore, CB Nohl Williams
Key Losses: QB Jack Plummer, WR J. Michael Sturdivant, TE Keleki Latu, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, S Daniel Scott, OL Ben Coleman, OL Spencer Lovell, LB Orin Patu
Key Returning Players: LB Jackson Sirmon, RB Jaydn Ott, WR Jeremiah Hunter, WR Mavin Anderson, DE Xavier Carlton, S Craig Woodson, LB Myles Jernigan
Summary: The Golden Bears began the 2022 season with so much promise. A 3-1 start, including a close loss on the road to Notre Dame, signaled that perhaps their team was turning the corner.
Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed over the final eight games of the season, as Cal would only win one more game over that span. To add to the terrible finish to the season, Plummer, the promising quarterback from Purdue with one more season of eligibility, decided to transfer.
That leaves the Golden Bears in a tough situation facing a brutal 2023 schedule. Cal will have road games against some of the toughest conference opponents, with games at Utah, Washington, and Oregon. They will also have to begin the season with a surprisingly tough non-conference road game at North Texas.
Although they will get two solid playmakers on offense back with Ott and Hunter, 2023 will likely look a lot more like the final eight games of the 2022 campaign than the first four.
Arizona State Sun Devils (2-10)
Key Additions: QB Drew Pyne, , RB Cameron Skattebo, WR Xavier Guillory, WR Troy Omeire, WR Jake Smith, S Shamari Simmons, OL Ben Coleman, LB Travion Brown, OL Aaron Frost, S Xavion Alford, OL Leif Fautanu
Key Losses: QB Emory Jones, RB Xazavian Valladay, RB Daniel Ngata, CB Isaiah Johnson, OL Ben Scott, DE Stanley Lambert, DL Omarr Norman-Lott, P Eddie Czaplicki, DL TJ Pesefea, DL Nesta Jade Silvera, DL Joe Moore, OL LaDarius Henderson, LB Kyle Soelle, S Khoury Bethley, LB Merlin Robertson
Key Returning Players: QB Trenton Bourguet, WR Elijah Badger, TE Jalin Conyers, DL BJ Green II, DL Anthonie Cooper, CB Chris Edmonds, NB Jordan Clark, OL Isaia Glass
Summary: There’s no way to sugarcoat it, this will be another tough year for the Sun Devils. The brightest spot on the team last season, Valladay, has graduated. Nearly every member of the starting defensive line has moved on. Same with the linebackers. This was from a team that went 3-9 last year and gave up 31.4 points per game.
If you lose your top offensive playmaker, as well as the core of your defense, how do you keep up with opposing offenses?
Bringing in Pyne and Skattebo should help. Guillory, Omeire, and Smith all have potential. Skattebo and Guillory both come from FCS programs, so there is some risk there.
Defensively, Alford was a huge pickup. Simmons could be good, but once again, FCS transfers are always a toss-up.
A brutal schedule from start to finish, with non-conference games against Oklahoma State and Fresno State, as well as road games at Utah and Washington later in the season, makes for a tough year throughout.
Stanford Cardinal (1-11)
Key Additions: LB Gaethan Bernadel, RB Sedrick Irvin Jr., CB Jshawn Frausto-Ramos
Key Losses: QB Tanner McKee, CB Kyu Blu Kelly, LB Lavani Damuni, WR Elijah Higgins, WR Brycen Tremayne, WR Michael Wilson, S Jonathan McGill, S Kendall Williamson, LB Ricky Miezan, DE Stephen Herron, S Patrick Fields, OL Walter Rouse, LB Aeneas DiCosmo, LB Jacob Mangum-Farrar, OL Drake Nugent, OL Myles Hinton, OL Jake Hornibrook
Key Returning Players: TE Benjamin Yurosek, K Joshua Karty, DE David Bailey, RB EJ Smith
Summary: It’s safe to say things have completely come apart for the Cardinal. Only five years ago, Stanford was one of the top teams in the conference. Now, they’ve had no more than four wins for four consecutive seasons.
This led to David Shaw stepping down as head coach, and a slew of players departing the program. A team that had already struggled mightily is now without nearly its entire offensive line, linebackers, and safeties. They also lost a talented quarterback, and most receiving threats, apart from Yurosek.
In other words, new head coach Troy Taylor will be rebuilding this team from the bottom up, and the only win they might get this season will come against his former team, Sacramento State, and even that isn’t guaranteed.
They did bring in Bernadel, FIU’s leading tackler from 2022, to work alongside promising DE David Bailey, but beyond that, the Cardinal will have to rely on building from within, and that’s going to take some time.
Straight Up Utes 