Odds to Win 2012 Pac-12 North
Carrie Stroup here with your odds to win the 2012 Pac-12 North. All betting odds courtesy of Sportsbook, which was offering qualified new customers up to $350 in FREE CASH here.
To get you prepared for the upcoming college football season, we continue our run of all FBS conference previews over the next several weeks. Next up is the Pac-12 North, with defending conference champion Oregon billed as the heavy favorite to win the division again.
Odds to Win Pac-12 Championship Game
8-to-5: Oregon
12-to-1: Stanford
40-to-1: California
50-to-1: Washington
60-to-1: Washington State
75-to-1: Oregon State
OREGON
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 12-2 (8-1 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 8-5-1
Over/Under: 10-4
Points Scored: 46.1 PPG
Points Allowed: 24.6 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 8/1
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 5
Defense: Starters Returning: 7
Oregon lost QB Darren Thomas and RB LaMichael James, but in comes QB Marcus Mariota and RB De’Anthony Thomas. Mariota is a magnificent athlete with better touch as a passer than Thomas had. Thomas isn’t going to start, but he will have an increased role in the offense after averaging 10.8 yards per carry and scoring 7 TD as a freshman. His world-class speed is tough to prepare for. The starter is senior RB Kenjon Barner (939 rush yds, 6.2 YPC, 14 total TD), who can also fly. The Ducks get back seven defensive starters, including S John Boyett (108 tackles) and DE Dion Jordan (7.5 sacks). Their secondary will need to be better if the Ducks want to win the Pac-12, but this offense will again be exciting to watch.
STANFORD CARDINAL
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 11-2 (8-1 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 10-2-1
Over/Under: 7-6
Points Scored: 43.2 PPG
Points Allowed: 21.9 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 60/1
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 6
Defense: Starters Returning: 7
The Cardinal were fortunate to have QB Andrew Luck last season, but now reality sets in. Stanford will need to choose between Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes for the starting job, and neither will be asked to do too much. RB Stepfan Taylor (1,330 rush yds, 10 TD) will be featured heavily in an offense with a good offensive line and a great playbook. Taylor carried the football 35 times in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma State, racking up 177 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, this team has one of the best front sevens in college football, and the Cardinal’s physicality in the trenches will make them tough to move the ball against, especially on the ground, where they ranked third in the nation with 84 rush YPG allowed.
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 7-6 (4-5 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 7-6
Over/Under: 5-8
Points Scored: 28.3 PPG
Points Allowed: 24.2 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 200/1
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 6
Defense: Starters Returning: 6
The Golden Bears appear to be a team that could surprise people. Their offense should be solid as they are getting back junior QB Zach Maynard (2,990 pass yds, 17 TD, 12 INT), RB Isi Sofele (1,322 rush yds, 5.2 YPC, 10 TD) and WR Keenan Allen (98 rec, 1,343 yards, 6 TD). This team will be able to put up a lot points, especially considering Maynard has improved during the spring. California fans should also be excited about the fact that the team’s strong recent defensive recruiting classes should now start to pay dividends. The Bears held three Pac-12 opponents to 10 points or less last season, and they led the conference in total defense (333 total YPG).
WASHINGTON HUSKIES
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 7-6 (5-4 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 7-6
Over/Under: 7-5
Points Scored: 33.4 PPG
Points Allowed: 35.9 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 200/1
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 8
Defense: Starters Returning: 7
Washington is another team that could make the jump to the top of the Pac-12. Keith Price (3,063 pass yds, 33 TD, 11 INT) returns at QB after a brilliant year in 2011. The running game could be an issue, however, as Washington lost RB Chris Polk to the NFL and has a very banged up offensive line. On defense, highly regarded Justin Wilcox takes over as defensive coordinator, and gets back seven starters. The secondary is going to be stronger than in 2011, but they have a long way to go to erase last year’s debacle (285 pass YPG allowed, 5th-worst in nation) that ended with a 67-56 loss to Baylor. The Huskies will also need consistent play from a group of erratic linebackers to provide stability.
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 4-8 (2-7 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 7-5
Over/Under: 6-5
Points Scored: 29.8 PPG
Points Allowed: 31.7 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 200/1
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 7
Defense: Starters Returning: 7
The Mike Leach era is under way at Washington State, and his first important move as head coach will be naming QB Jeff Tuel the starter. Tuel, who was limited to just two games after breaking his collarbone, made a very strong first impression this spring and should be ready to break out in 2012. The Cougars get back leading rusher Rickey Galvin (602 rush yds, 5 TD) as well as stud WR Marquess Wilson (1,388 rec yds, 12 TD). This offense should be potent and the defense looks promising as well. Leach has stirred things up from last year and the changes should benefit an aggressive group of linebackers, featuring LB Travis Long, who love to get after the quarterback.
OREGON STATE BEAVERS
2011 Statistics:
SU Record: 3-9 (3-6 in Pac-12)
ATS Record: 4-8
Over/Under: 6-5
Points Scored: 21.8 PPG
Points Allowed: 30.8 PPG
Odds to Win 2013 BCS National Championship: 30/1 (Field)
2012 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 7
Defense: Starters Returning: 8
Oregon State should be a lot better than it was last year, when it finished 3-9 overall. The Beavers return seven offensive starters as well as eight defensive starters. QB Sean Mannion threw for 3,328 yards last year, but also threw more interceptions (18) than he did touchdowns (16), and that will have to change. Coach Mike Riley has already stated that this team will be more committed to the running game, which will consist of numerous running backs. This team also has a good receiving corps with senior WR Markus Wheaton (73 catches, 986 yards, 1 TD) leading the pack. The defense should be much improved from last year’s unit that allowed 30.8 PPG and 411 total YPG, as they have solid linebackers and defensive backs returning. If the offensive line holds up, the Beavers could surprise some teams.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
