Pac-12 Betting Preview 2022: Futures, odds, favorites to win conference, best regular season win totals
As the start of the college football season nears, it’s worth seeing how oddsmakers are thwarting the power conferences. Our next Power Conference preview focuses on the Pac-12. While these futures odds have been rising for a number of months, now is a good time to look at the betting odds not only for the conference champion, but also for some wins over/under and early spreads.
The Utah Utes (+240) won the conference last season after starting 2-1, and despite returning to good form, they currently hold the second best chance of winning the Pac-12 behind USC (+220). . Can the Utes repeat themselves as Pac-12 champions, or will another school get in their way?
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Pac-12 futures markets, you’ve come to the right place at Sporting News. Below we’ll break down the top teams, a few sleepers, and a long shot that could win the Pac-12 championship.
MORE: Pac-12 football predictions | Big 12 betting preview
Complete List of Odds for the 2022 Pac-12 Championship
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
| school | opportunities |
| U.S.C | +220 |
| Utah | +240 |
| Oregon | +280 |
| UCLA | +900 |
| Washington | +1400 |
| Oregon State | +2500 |
| State of Arizona | +2800 |
| Washington | +4500 |
| California | +6000 |
| Stanford | +9000 |
| Colorado | +25000 |
| Arizona | +25000 |
Pac-12 Champion Betting Odds 2022: Favourites
USC Trojans +220 (implicit probability 31.25 percent)
The future for the Trojans is beyond bright as they replaced seven-year head coach Clay Helton with former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. USC now aims to return to national relevance annually as it will be a major player in the world of recruitment and transfer portals. The Trojans sit at the top of the Pac-12 ratings board, largely because they are proving to be a productive offense. Most notably, when Riley made the move from Norman to LA, he brought his QB, Caleb Williams and WR Mario Williams with him to lead the unit.
USC’s offense will likely be the most dynamic attack in the conference as Williams’ elite playmaking ability forces the defense to stay on their heels. To make life harder for the secondaries, Riley also got 2021 Biletnikoff Prize winner Jordan Addison (1,593 yards, 17 TDs) to transfer from Pittsburgh. They also got ex-Oregon RB Travis Dye (1,271 yards, 16 TDs) via the transfer portal to lead the backfield.
While Williams is a true Heisman hopeful with a big arm and underrated running skills, he still needs to show he can move the ball consistently against the better defense. Williams struggled against Baylor and Oklahoma State last season, but luckily for the Trojans, they have a pretty simple defensive plan. The toughest defenses USC will face this season come in the back half of the year against Utah (October 15) and Notre Dame (November 26). Outside of those two games, USC won’t have a hard time moving the ball consistently.
Defense is the bigger question mark as former Oklahoma DC Alex Grinch now helms the show. While the Sooners defense took a slight step back last season, Grinch undoubtedly left the Sooners defense in a better place than he found it and is trying to do the same with the Trojans. While it falls far short of offense in terms of overall talent and skills, the USC defense has a chance to surprise as the offensive schedule isn’t too daunting. Tuli Tuipulotu, defensive tackle sophomore, will be a pivotal cog at center and as long as the defense avoids a string of injuries, they are poised to lead the Trojans to a Pac-12 title.
Utah Utes +240 (implied probability 29.41 percent)
Utah should feel a little mortified considering they’re not the clear favorite, but given the 20-cent difference between the Utes and the Trojans, they’re essentially the co-favorites. The reigning Pac-12 champions are heading into the season with plenty of enthusiasm thanks to eight returning starters on offense led by QB Cameron Rising (2,493 yards, 20 TDs). Rising didn’t win the starting QB job out of the gates last season, but when he got the starting nod, the Utes got rolling.
Rising is being billed as a sleeper Heisman candidate, but given the offense’s reliance on ground play, he’s unlikely to be big enough to garner a New York invite. The Utes led the nation in expected points added per rush last season, making it difficult to see how Rising will line up monster-passing numbers in 2022. Regardless, he’s a consistent signal caller, avoiding the big mistake and making the right reads more often than not. His receiving corps remains mostly intact despite the loss of Britain Covey as the Utes bring back five of their top six pass catchers from last season. Freshman WR Makai Cope (6-3, 199 pounds) is another WR to watch as he has a real shot at making a respectable target percentage in his first full season. RB Tavion Thomas (1,130 yards, 21 TDs) returns after being picked by the media as the preseason first-team all-conference player.
Defense needs a little more replacement than offense, but will continue to be a consistent unit under head coach Kyle Whittingham. The loss of Devin Lloyd (110 tackles, eight sacks in ’21) is tough to take, but the Utes defense remains one of the best units in the country. Utah (-2) opens the season against Florida in a swamp and his physical play gives him a chance to take advantage of a fairly weak Florida front seven en route to a 1-0 start. Utah can turn a Week 1 win into a successful Pac-12 season that could potentially put him in college football playoff considerations.
Pac-12 Champion Betting Odds 2022: Best Sleepers
Washington Huskies +1400 (implicit probability 6.67 percent)
Washington parted ways with Jimmy Lake after two seasons and now brings in former Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer to helm the show. DeBoer brings in his former Indiana QB, Michael Penix Jr., to lead the offense. Penix Jr. struggled on his return from a right ACL injury in 2021, but now that he’s back with his former OC from his Indiana days, you can expect a much better performance throughout the season.
The Huskies have a stable offensive line that will lead to better offensive performance this season as they lose just one starter in center Luke Wattenberg. The defense is most likely taking a step back after losing its two top coverage pieces, Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon, to the NFL.
Washington was one of the top teams in coverage last season, ranking sixth in passing efficiency. The defensive line was beaten in the trenches as it ranked outside the top 100 in expected points added per charge. If they can improve in that area, the Huskies could realistically eclipse eight wins on a manageable schedule.
Pac-12 Champion Betting Odds 2022: Best Long Shot
California Golden Bears +6000 (implied probability 1.64 percent)
While the odds suggest California has a 1.64 percent chance of actually winning the Pac-12, there’s a real possibility that Justin Wilcox and the Bears will beat that prediction. Cal suffered numerous narrow losses last season and while it hasn’t brought back much as of 2021, they will likely see improvement on their win-loss record this season.
Cal brings in ex-Purdue QB Jack Plummer to lead offense. Plummer can become an effective passer in the Pac-12 as his big arm is needed in the Bears’ hopes of more explosive plays this season. They only bring back two starters on offense as they need to be effective on the outside if not consistently adequately protected.
Wilcox will have his defense ready to play despite losing six of his top eight tacklers. Disciplined in the trenches, Cal has enough talent overall to get the Golden Bears back to a bowl game. A test earlier in the season at Notre Dame will demonstrate the true ceiling of this team but as long as they remain competitive with the Fighting Irish this team will outperform compared to their current betting market prices.
Pac-12 Football Betting Odds 2022: Best Regular Season Win Overall Over/Under
Washington OVER 7.5 wins (-130)
With the Huskies likely to show improvement on the offensive side of the ball with DeBoer in the lead, Washington has a real shot at winning more than eight games. There’s a chance they’ll start the season with a 4-0 record that includes a home win over Michigan State, and avoiding USC and Utah is another plus.
Oregon State OVER 6.5 wins (+115)
Oregon State has one of the best offensive lines in the Pac-12, and with a manageable schedule, the Beavers can pull off seven wins. They have an ongoing QB competition, but all three QBs are capable of running offense effectively. If the Beavers can beat Boise State in the season opener, they can close the non-conference list with a 3-0 record that will give them a fair shake to finish the season 7-5 or better.
Pac-12 Football Early ATS Picks 2022
Sep 3: Utah -2 (-110) @ Florida
Utah’s ability to consistently outperform Florida at attack can lead the Utes to at least a three-point win in Week 1. It’s fairly rare for a Pac-12 school to be favored down the road in SEC country, but the Betting Market correctly ranked the favorite in this game. With the spread still below a field goal, Utah is worth looking at the current spread.
Nov. 26: USC -3 (-110) vs. Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s defense will likely be a step up for the Trojans, but with that game taking place in late November, Caleb Williams and offense will have plenty of time to work out the kinks. We don’t trust Notre Dame QB Tyler Buchner to consistently move the ball to the USC defense and as a result we want the Trojans to achieve a TD-Plus home win over the Fighting Irish.