Pac-12 announces 2014 football schedule

The Pac-12 Conference announced its 2014 football schedule today, featuring a competitive nine-game conference schedule with 13 non-conference games versus teams that participated in bowl contests this past year.  The non-conference schedule includes five games against the Big Ten, three games with Notre Dame, and a neutral site matchup between UCLA and Texas.

Unlike SEC schools which schedule non-conference cupcakes, play only eight conference games, and then scream for title-game bowl bids when their one or two-loss teams appear to be on the verge of exclusion, the deeper Pac-12 actually takes on the challenge of far more difficult scheduling, some would argue to its detriment.

"The depth of our Conference will be on display every week next season," said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. "Coming off a record nine teams competing in this year's bowl season, next season's nine-game Conference schedule will be the toughest in the nation."

In addition, traditional rivalry games will be played over the last two weeks of the season, followed by the Pac-12 Football Championship Game on Friday, December 5.

The season gets under way with three games on Thursday, August 28, as Arizona State hosts Weber State, Utah hosts Idaho State, and Washington State hosts Rutgers in Seattle.

The second week of the season will feature a marquee game with Oregon hosting Rose Bowl champion Michigan State, while USC visits Stanford to open Conference play.

Every football game played at Pac-12 sites will be televised. A combination of channels will broadcast 44 games nationally and Pac-12 Networks will offer 35 games to a national audience.  That should somewhat help combat the East Coast bias that the SEC lives off, provided those journalists can do their jobs and stay awake to watch the games.

"Pac-12 football will once again take center stage for a national audience next season on ESPN, FOX, and Pac-12 Networks," said Scott. "Fans are set to enjoy more coverage of their favorite teams as well as increased access to behind-the-scenes coverage and analysis on Pac-12 Networks."

The 2014 Conference schedule features four Thursday night dates that includes key league matchups between UCLA at Arizona State on September 25, Arizona at Oregon on October 2, Utah at Oregon State on October 16, and California at USC on November 13.

In addition, the schedule’s four games on three Friday dates feature Washington State at Stanford on October 10, Oregon at California on October 24, Stanford at UCLA, and Arizona State at Arizona in the Territorial Cup the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 28.

Placing the Stanford at UCLA game on Friday, November 28, 2014, will allow Stanford and UCLA to play their 12 games over a 14-week period with two bye weeks, and does not provide them a bye the week prior to the Pac-12 Championship Football Game. It also provides UCLA the opportunity to host a special date game on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

UCLA is expected to contend for the Pac-12 title and national championship next season given Heisman Trophy-candidate quarterback Brett Hundley's announcement that he will be returning to school to complete his junior season.

The Pac-12 Football Championship Game will once again be played on the home field of the team with the best overall Conference record.

2014 PAC-12 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (subject to change)

Thurs., Aug 28
Weber State at ARIZONA STATE
Idaho State at UTAH
Rutgers at WASHINGTON STATE (1)

Sat., Aug 30
UNLV at ARIZONA
Fresno State at USC
UCLA at Virginia
COLORADO vs. Colorado State (2)
South Dakota at OREGON
Portland State at OREGON STATE
WASHINGTON at Hawai’i
CALIFORNIA at Northwestern
UC Davis at STANFORD

Sat., Sept. 6
ARIZONA at Texas-San Antonio
ARIZONA STATE at New Mexico
USC at STANFORD
Memphis at UCLA
COLORADO at UMass (3)
Fresno State at UTAH
Michigan State at OREGON
OREGON STATE at Hawai’i
Eastern Washington at WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON STATE at Nevada
Sacramento State at CALIFORNIA

Sat., Sept. 13
Nevada at ARIZONA
ARIZONA STATE at COLORADO
USC at Boston College
UCLA vs. Texas (4)
Wyoming at OREGON
Illinois at WASHINGTON
Portland State at WASHINGTON STATE
Army at STANFORD

Sat., Sept. 20
CALIFORNIA at ARIZONA
Hawai’i at COLORADO
UTAH at Michigan
OREGON at WASHINGTON STATE
San Diego State at OREGON STATE
Georgia State at WASHINGTON

Thurs., Sept. 25
UCLA at ARIZONA STATE

Sat., Sept. 27
OREGON STATE at USC
COLORADO at CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON STATE at UTAH
STANFORD at WASHINGTON

Thurs., Oct. 2
ARIZONA at OREGON

Sat., Oct. 4
ARIZONA STATE at USC
UTAH at UCLA
OREGON STATE at COLORADO
CALIFORNIA at WASHINGTON STATE
STANFORD at Notre Dame

Fri., Oct. 10
WASHINGTON STATE at STANFORD

Sat., Oct. 11
USC at ARIZONA
OREGON at UCLA
WASHINGTON at CALIFORNIA

Thurs., Oct. 16
UTAH at OREGON STATE

Sat., Oct. 18
STANFORD at ARIZONA STATE
COLORADO at USC
UCLA at CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON at OREGON

Fri., Oct. 24
OREGON at CALIFORNIA (5)

Sat., Oct. 25
ARIZONA at WASHINGTON STATE
ARIZONA STATE at WASHINGTON
USC at UTAH
OREGON STATE at STANFORD
UCLA at COLORADO

Sat., Nov. 1
ARIZONA at UCLA
UTAH at ARIZONA STATE
USC at WASHINGTON STATE
WASHINGTON at COLORADO
STANFORD at OREGON
CALIFORNIA at OREGON STATE

Sat., Nov. 8
COLORADO at ARIZONA
Notre Dame at ARIZONA STATE
UCLA at WASHINGTON
OREGON at UTAH
WASHINGTON STATE at OREGON STATE

Thurs., Nov. 13
CALIFORNIA at USC

Sat., Nov. 15
WASHINGTON at ARIZONA
ARIZONA STATE at OREGON STATE
UTAH at STANFORD

Sat., Nov. 22
ARIZONA at UTAH
WASHINGTON STATE at ARIZONA STATE
USC at UCLA
COLORADO AT OREGON
OREGON STATE AT WASHINGTON
STANFORD at CALIFORNIA

Fri., Nov. 28
ARIZONA STATE at ARIZONA
STANFORD at UCLA

Sat., Nov. 29
Notre Dame at USC
UTAH at COLORADO
OREGON at OREGON STATE
WASHINGTON at WASHINGTON STATE
BYU at CALIFORNIA

Fri., Dec. 5
Pac-12 Football Championship Game

(1) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.
(2) Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colo.
(3) Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
(4) AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
(5) Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.

By Staff of The Daily Sports Herald and news services