The Pac-12 Conference has seen a lot of changes since its expansion in 2011. One of the most notable changes has been the emergence of some of the top football programs in the country. In the nine years since the expansion, the conference has seen six different teams crowned as Pac-12 Football Champions. In this article, we’ll take a look at how these teams have fared since their respective championships.
The first Pac-12 Football Champion since expansion was Oregon in 2011. The Ducks had a great season, going 12-2 and winning their first conference title since 2001. They went on to play in the Rose Bowl, where they lost to Wisconsin 45-38. Since then, Oregon has had mixed success, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game three times but failing to win it.
The next Pac-12 Champion was Stanford in 2012. The Cardinal had an impressive season, going 12-2 and winning their first conference title since 1999. They went on to play in the Rose Bowl, where they defeated Wisconsin 20-14. Since then, Stanford has been one of the most consistent teams in the conference, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game four times and winning it twice.
The third Pac-12 Football Champion since expansion was Arizona State in 2013. The Sun Devils had a great season, going 10-3 and winning their first conference title since 1996. They went on to play in the Holiday Bowl, where they lost to Texas Tech 37-23. Since then, Arizona State has had mixed success, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game twice but failing to win it.
The fourth Pac-12 Football Champion since expansion was Oregon again in 2014. The Ducks had another great season, going 13-2 and winning their second conference title since 2001. They went on to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, where they lost to Ohio State 42-20. Since then, Oregon has had mixed success, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game twice but failing to win it.
The fifth Pac-12 Football Champion since expansion was Stanford again in 2015. The Cardinal had another impressive season, going 12-2 and winning their second conference title since 1999. They went on to play in the Rose Bowl, where they defeated Iowa 45-16. Since then, Stanford has been one of the most consistent teams in the conference, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game three times and winning it once.
The sixth and most recent Pac-12 Football Champion since expansion was Washington in 2016. The Huskies had an incredible season, going 12-2 and winning their first conference title since 2000. They went on to play in the College Football Playoff Semifinal game, where they defeated Alabama 24-7. Since then, Washington has been one of the most consistent teams in the conference, making it to the Pac-12 Championship game three times and winning it twice.
In conclusion, the Pac-12 Conference has seen a lot of changes since its expansion in 2011. Six different teams have been crowned as Pac-12 Football Champions since then, with Oregon, Stanford, Arizona State, Oregon again, Stanford again, and Washington all having varying levels of success since their respective championships. It will be interesting to see who will be crowned as the next Pac-12 Football Champion in the years to come!
