2023 Pac-12 Football Championship Odds: Watch Out For Washington

2023 is shaping up to be one of the best years the Pac-12 has had in decades. Five of the top 17 teams in the final AP poll came from the conference (Washington, Utah, USC, Oregon and Oregon State), with UCLA also finishing the season ranked at No. 21.

Each of those teams returns tons of talent, including at quarterback with Michael Penix Jr. at UW, Cameron Rising at Utah, Caleb Williams at USC, and Bo Nix at Oregon. Only UCLA loses their quarterback in Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but the Bruins bring in five-star freshman Dante Moore.

When the odds are released, expect there to be a bunch near the top with no clear favorite.

There’s even intrigue near the bottom of the conference with first-year head coaches Deion Sanders at Colorado, Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State, and Troy Taylor at Stanford.

2023 Pac-12 Champion Prediction: Washington

The Huskies finished the 2022 season as one of the hottest teams in the country. After two losses to UCLA and Arizona State in late September and early October, the Huskies ran the table to finish 11-2.

This stretch included quality wins over Oregon State, Oregon, and Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. returns to an offense that scored 39.7 points per game in 2022, and is in the top-five favorites for the Heisman Trophy this Fall.

Penix threw for over 4,600 yards in 2022 with 31 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer’s offense which is expected to only improve in his second season in Seattle.

The schedule lines up well for the Huskies to contend for the Pac-12 title in 2023. California and Arizona in the first two conference games should be routine wins, and then Oregon comes to Seattle in mid-October immediately following Washington’s bye.

Both the extra week to prepare and the game being at home work to Washington’s advantage in a game that could end up being pivotal in the race to reach Las Vegas for the Pac-12 title game.

Following the visit from the Ducks, Oregon has two more likely wins in Arizona State and Stanford before a brutal stretch throughout November.

On Nov. 4, the Huskies visit Caleb Williams and USC before hosting Utah on Nov. 11 and visiting Oregon State on Nov. 18. Finally, the Huskies close the season by hosting the Apple Cup against Washington State on Nov. 25.