The Oregon Ducks have won the last two Pac-12 football titles, but the beatings they have taken en route to those titles have left them on the outside of the College Football Playoff. In fact, their 2020 season saw them drop three of their last four games, but head coach Mario Cristobal gets almost all of its starters on both sides of the ball back. The defense has to adjust to a new scheme with the arrival of new coordinator Tim DeRuyter, whose first priority is to shore up a running defense that got gashed down the stretch in 2020. Also, the secondary is green and could get burned in the early going. An improved O-line, depth at the skill positions and the presence of Kayvon Thibodeaux in the pass rush should give fans optimism.
Let’s take a look at the college football betting odds for each team to win the title, and we’ll preview some of the other contenders as well.
NCAA News: Odds to Win the Pac-12 Football Title in 2021
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Oregon | 250 |
| USC | 350 |
| Utah | 400 |
| Washington | 500 |
| Arizona State | 550 |
| UCLA | 1200 |
| Cal | 3000 |
| Stanford | 5000 |
| Colorado, Washington State, Oregon State | 10000 |
| Arizona | 50000 |
USC was the heavy favorite to win the Pac-12 title last season but ended up losing to Oregon in the conference championship. The seat under coach Clay Helton is now even hotter than it has been, but the talent coming back in 2021 should give the Trojans a leg up on the competition. Their recruiting class was one of the best in the Pac-12, and the team has elite wide receivers. The D-line will be able to corral opponents’ running games and get after quarterbacks. USC quarterback Kedon Slovis has shown inconsistency that needs to improve if the Trojans want a title and a shot at the CFP, and one of the best ways to achieve that goal will be to increase the reliability of the O-line.
Utah has the majority of its starters coming back, and Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer arrives with an excellent chance to take the reins of the Utes’ offense. The schedule gives Utah one of the easier paths to the Pac-12 Championship. In the running game, Utah has added some big backs to pound the ball. Given that the entire O-line is back, Utah should be able to control the rhythm of the game with their offense. Their wide receiving corps is a bit thin — and a bit inexperienced — but the Utes are hopeful that this will change after a game or two of experience.
Washington begins the 2021 campaign with a trip to Michigan after a 2020 when they did not play any games away from Husky Stadium. In November, they host Oregon in the likely battle for the Pac-12 North. The Huskies get their whole O-line back, and their secondary may be the best in the conference. Their edge rush needs to grow in intensity and speed, and quarterback play was somewhat inconsistent last season.
Arizona State saw their offense explode down the stretch last season, as they put up 116 points in their last two contests. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returns for his sophomore season; as a freshman, he threw for more than 300 yards in five different games; in the entire history of the program, freshman quarterbacks had only broken the 300-yard barrier for the Sun Devils seven times before last year. Arizona State has experience at just about all positions, which they will need as they play some of the top teams in both divisions. Also, a third of the coaching staff is on paid leave pending the outcome of an NCAA investigation.
College Football Betting Odds
Love betting NCAA football games? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date college football lines
