Pac-12 Football: Eight Teams Will Go Bowling, the Most in Pac-12 History

1 of 10

Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Nine Teams? No! But the Pac-12 just might send eight teams to bowl games this year—something never done before.

To be fair, it has been a short history so far, but 8 teams from 1 conference is still great.

Oregon must beat Oregon State for eight teams to get bowl invitations. If Oregon wins they may get an invite to the Fiesta Bowl that is outside of the seven bowls who reserve a spot for the Pac-12.

If that happens, it may be the first time that the Pac-12 sent eight teams to bowl games. If Utah was bowl eligible, it could have been nine teams.

Oregon Will Party at the Fiesta

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Bowl: Fiesta

Pac-12 Team: Oregon

Regular-Season Record: 11-1

Reserved For: Invitation

Opponent: Kansas State

Date: Jan 3, 2013

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium

11-1 teams are rare in college football this year. That includes Oregon.

Last year Oklahoma State beat Stanford 41-38 at the 41st annual Fiesta Bowl. This year Oregon will meet Kansas State in the battle of mobile quarterbacks on Thursday, January 3rd, at 5:30 PM on ESPN.

Brandon Weeden won this shootout against Andrew Luck. This year, it could be another battle of quarterbacks, matching up Oregon's Marcus Mariota versus Kansas State's Collin Klein.

Stanford Smells the Roses

Bowl: Rose

Pac-12 Team: Stanford

Regular-Season Record: 10-2

Reserved For: Pac-12 No. 1

Opponent: Nebraska

Date: Jan 1, 2013

Location: Pasadena, CA

Oregon beat Wisconsin 45-38 at the 98th annual Rose Bowl last year.

The Pac-12 will match up with the Big Ten again with Nebraska coming back to the Rose Bowl for the second time this year, but this time to play Stanford on Tuesday, January 1st, at 2:00 PM on ESPN.

Nebraska lost to UCLA 36-30 three months ago.

This year, Nebraska will bring its pro-style/spread hybrid offense to battle with Stanford's nine-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense.

UCLA Remembers the Alamo

Bowl: Alamo

Pac-12 Team: UCLA

Regular-Season Record: 9-3

Reserved For: Pac-12 No. 2

Opponent: Oklahoma State

Date: Dec 29, 2012

Location: San Antonio, TX

The Alamo usually hosts the second-place Pac-12 team. But 11-1 Oregon will be off to the Fiesta and the Rose will take first-place Stanford, so UCLA gets the honor as Pac-12 champion runner-up (and third-place team overall). UCLA will play the Cowboys on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 6:45 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Baylor beat Washington 67-56 at the 19th annual Alamo Bowl last year. Washington and Baylor set the all-time bowl record for combined points in regulation, and second-most overall with 123.

Oregon State Is Going on Holiday

Bowl: Holiday

Pac-12 Team: Oregon State

Regular-Season Record: 9-3

Reserved For: Pac-12 No. 3

Opponent: Baylor

Date: Dec 29, 2012

Location: San Antonio, TX

The Holiday Bowl usually hosts the third-place Pac-12 team but third-place UCLA is going to the Alamo so the fourth-place team, Oregon State, will go to the Holiday Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 27 at 9:45 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Oregon State finished with a 9-3 record like UCLA, and although the Beavers beat the Bruins in head-to-head competition (27-20), UCLA captured third place since they won the Pac-12 South.

Last year Texas beat California 21-10 in the 34th annual Holiday Bowl.