Pac-12 football: Early 2023 conference title betting odds
We’re thick in the player movement portion of the offseason with many players still trying to find their next destinations across the country.
The Pac-12 is no different.
The headliner in the conference, and frankly in the nation, is Colorado. Head coach Deion Sanders has completely reshaped the Buffs’ roster ahead of his first season in Boulder by landing many of the top transfers on a near-daily basis.
While rosters aren’t completely set in stone yet, there’s enough information to better establish conference title odds. FanDuel Sportsbook updated its Pac-12 championship odds, and you can read on for a quick look at how the conference’s teams stack up:
At the bottom of the FanDuel odds are a trio of teams as 100-1 long-shots. Arizona, Colorado and Stanford are all in times of transition, and as for the Buffs — although they havedramatically overhauled their roster heading into 2023 — it would be quite difficult for them to immediately contend for a conference title right out of the gate.
Arizona State’s offense, which now includes former CU receiver Jordyn Tyson, should be somewhat improved in 2023, but there are too many questions around the Sun Devils to reasonably see them as a Pac-12 title contender.
Sam Jackson could be a difference maker at quarterback for the Golden Bears in 2023 after transferring in from TCU. But, like ASU, they have too many holes to fill to be a real Pac-12 contender this season.
2023 could definitely be a progress year for Cal, however.
Washington State has improved markedly over the last few years, and quarterback Cameron Ward will be one of the more intriguing players to watch in the Pac-12 following a breakout sophomore campaign.
Cracking into that top echelon of the conference could be hard, though.
Gone is the longtime continuity the UCLA Bruins had over the last few seasons. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Zach Charbonnet and receiver Jake Bobo? All are gone to the NFL along with offensive lineman Antonio Mafi.
Returning, though, are pass rushers Laiatu Latu and Gabriel Murphy — two of the better defensive players in the conference. And coming in to replace Thompson-Robinson is five-star recruit Dante Moore.
Although an intriguing bunch, it’s hard to say that the Bruins will overtake the Pac-12 in 2023.
The Beavers are another team that has vastly improved under head coach Jonathan Smith — à la Washington State. But OSU has some questions on defense, mainly with the loss of LB Omar Speights to LSU.
QB DJ Uiagalelei transferred into Corvallis in an effort to jumpstart his college career following an up-and-down tenure at Clemson. If the former five-star can consistently play up to his potential, that will be huge for the Beavers this season.
Although Utah does have a strong running game, the health of incumbent starting QB Cameron Rising will likely be the difference between Utah being a conference title contender in 2023 or a middle-of-the-road outfit.
Rising tore his ACL in Utah’s Rose Bowl loss to Penn State in January, but is ahead of schedule on his rehab, according to head coach Kyle Whittingham.
As of now, Rising could play in Utah’s season opener vs. Florida on August 31, but if there are any setbacks, the Utes will have major questions at QB.
Look for the Huskies to have a repeat performance in 2023. They had the best season they’ve had in years in 2022 and QB Michael Penix Jr.’s name was floated around as a potential Heisman contender for a decent portion of last season.
Washington didn’t lose much from the 2022 squad, potentially jumpstarting the Huskies toward another run at the title this year.
Bo Nix’s Ducks made a name for themselves in 2022 with the quarterback having his best season in college and almost leading Oregon to the Pac-12’s summit.
Similar to Washington, plenty of key names return for Oregon this season, and the Ducks should be right up there again as a conference contender.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner returns for the Trojans in 2023 for a second year in Los Angeles under Lincoln Riley. Williams was the key cog in the offensive juggernaut that was USC, and it should be no different this season, even with receiver Jordan Addison off to the NFL.
Along with Williams being an expected No. 1 NFL draft pick next spring, the Trojans have a strong defensive front, making USC the favorites to win the Pac-12 title in 2023, according to FanDuel.
