Paul Finebaum shares intrigue for Pac-12 Championship

There could be a lot of intrigue for this year’s Pac-12 Championship Game, according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.

Of course, you have to play the games first and get through the calendar in the fall before it’s December. But with teams like USC, Washington, Oregon, Utah and more, the Pac-12 is loaded in the conference’s final year as we know it.

Other than the Big Ten and SEC dominating the headlines, the Pac-12 title game brings the most juice.

“Well, I think the Pac-12 could (be the most intriguing outside the Big Ten or SEC) because Southern Cal is in a similar position to where they were last year,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “And they go into that game and blow it, that would perhaps knock them out of the playoffs. The Big 12 It could also be a factor. But I think Southern Cal of the non-SEC, Big Ten schools probably will be in the best position to get to the playoffs. 

“They melted down last year with injuries and everything else. So to me the Big 12, it’s either Texas is gonna go in there and do what we think they’re going to do or not. But that’s how I see it because I think Oregon, Washington, I mean, you have a couple (teams), maybe Utah depending on the Cam Rising situation. You have a couple of legitimate teams out there.”

USC has the reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams under center and is last year’s runner-up. A lot of polls suggest the Trojans as this year’s conference champion and College Football Playoff representative.

But Utah might have something to say about that. The Utes won the last two conference titles, including one over USC last season.

Kyle Whittingham and the program could win the Pac-12 for the third straight year before moving to the Big 12. The Utes have yet to make the playoff, but dominating the conference in the end is pretty solid too.

Oregon, after a blowout loss to Georgia, excelled for the most part under Dan Lanning in Year 1. With Bo Nix back, a Pac-12 Championship Game sounds like a realistic goal before a move to the Big Ten with USC, UCLA and Washington.

Washington meanwhile has another top quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze at wide receiver. Speaking of UCLA, Chip Kelly and the Bruins could, low key, play spoiler this season.

But still, we have months to go before we find out about the intriguing Pac-12 Championship Game.