We get this press release from the Pac-12 Conference regarding this fall’s conference schedule. For the first time, all games will be nationally televised, either through ESPN, Fox, FX or the soon-to-be-created Pac-12 Networks. Overall, 44 games will be split among the ESPN Family of Networks, Fox and FX. The Pac-12 Networks will air 34 games through its consortium of regional channels. The final TV schedules will be decided at a later date.
The Pac-12 has created eight Thursday and Friday night games that will be shown either on ESPN or Fox. This is definitely not your Grandfather’s Pac 8 or Pac-10 Conferences. This is a new era for the conference.
The first two weeks will be for non-conference games, but starting on September 15, the Pac-12 Conference schedule begins. Here’s the press release from the Pac-12.
PAC-12 CONFERENCE RELEASES 2012 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
All Games will be on National Television for First Time Ever, Including Eight Thursday and Friday Games on ESPN and FOX
WALNUT CREEK, CALIF. – The Pac-12 Conference has released its 2012 football schedule, which will feature every game on national television for the first time in Conference history, it was announced today.
With the new ESPN and FOX media rights agreement as well as the launch of the Pac-12 Networks in August, every Pac-12 football game will be available to fans on a national clearance, eliminating regional distribution which was prevalent in the prior broadcast arrangements. There will be 44 games on the combination of ESPN’s family of networks, Fox Broadcast and FX, while 34 games are scheduled to air on the Pac-12 Networks. Exact broadcast schedules will be determined at a later date. The new schedule will also include eight Thursday and Friday specialty dates for ESPN and FOX. Dates during the first two weeks of the non-conference schedule are still being adjusted to accommodate television commitments, but the remainder of the schedule is set.
“The one thing we heard loud and clear from fans across the Conference is they want to see their teams play every week,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. “Starting in 2012 fans can see all games throughout the country.”
Utah is currently scheduled to get the 2012 season started on August 30 with a Thursday night game against Northern Colorado in Rice-Eccles Stadium. It will be one of 10 games hosted by Pac-12 teams in the opening week. Only UCLA (at Rice) and Washington State (at BYU) open on the opponent’s home field.
Week two features four games against national powerhouses: Arizona hosts Oklahoma State, UCLA plays Nebraska in the Rose Bowl, Wisconsin visits Oregon State and Washington travels to LSU.
The Pac-12 Conference schedule begins September 15 when Stanford and USC renew their rivalry at Stanford. Everyone else, except Washington, begins Pac-12 play the following week, including three-time defending champion Oregon, which will begin its title defense at home against Arizona on Sept. 22.
The Thursday night schedule will include Stanford at Washington on Sept. 27, USC at Utah on October 4, Arizona State at Colorado on Oct. 11 and Oregon at Arizona State on Oct. 18. The Friday games will include Washington at Cal on November 2, and three rivalry games on Nov. 23, Thanksgiving weekend: Arizona State at Arizona, Utah at Colorado and Washington at Washington State.
The Pac-12 Championship Game will be played Friday, Nov. 30 at the home field of the team with the best overall Conference record.
After the jump, I’ll give you the Pac-12 football schedule for 2012.
2012 Pac-12 Football Schedule
Thur., Aug. 30
Northern Colorado at Utah
Sat., Sept. 1
Toledo at Arizona
Northern Arizona at Arizona State
Hawai’i at USC
UCLA at Rice
Nevada at California
San Jose State at Stanford
Arkansas State at Oregon
Nicholls State at Oregon State
San Diego State at Washington
Washington State at BYU
Colorado vs. Colorado State (1)
Sat. Sept. 8
Oklahoma State at Arizona
Illinois at Arizona State
Southern Utah at California
USC vs. Syracuse (2)
Nebraska at UCLA
Duke at Stanford
Fresno State at Oregon
Wisconsin at Oregon State
Washington at LSU
Eastern Washington at Washington State
Sacramento State at Colorado
Utah at Utah State
Sat., Sept. 15
South Carolina State at Arizona
Arizona State at Missouri
USC at Stanford
Houston at UCLA
California at Ohio State
Tennessee Tech at Oregon
Portland State at Washington
Washington State at UNLV
Colorado at Fresno State
BYU at Utah
Sat., Sept. 22
Arizona at Oregon
Utah at Arizona State
California at USC
Oregon State at UCLA
Colorado at Washington State
Thur., Sept. 27
Stanford at Washington
Sat., Sept. 29
Oregon State at Arizona
Arizona State at California
UCLA at Colorado
Oregon at Washington State
Thurs., Oct. 4
USC at Utah
Sat., Oct. 6
Arizona at Stanford
UCLA at California
Washington at Oregon
Washington State at Oregon State
Thurs., Oct. 11
Arizona State at Colorado
Sat., Oct. 13
USC at Washington
Utah at UCLA
California at Washington State
Stanford at Notre Dame
Oregon State at BYU
Thurs., Oct. 18
Oregon at Arizona State
Sat., Oct. 20
Washington at Arizona
Colorado at USC
Stanford at California
Utah at Oregon State
Sat., Oct. 27
USC at Arizona
UCLA at Arizona State
California at Utah
Washington State at Stanford
Colorado at Oregon
Oregon State at Washington
Fri., Nov. 2
Washington at California
Sat., Nov. 3
Arizona at UCLA
Arizona State at Oregon State
Oregon at USC
Stanford at Colorado
Washington State at Utah
Sat., Nov. 10
Colorado at Arizona
Arizona State at USC
UCLA at Washington State
Oregon at California
Oregon State at Stanford
Utah at Washington
Sat., Nov. 17
Arizona at Utah
Washington State at Arizona State
USC at UCLA
California at Oregon State
Stanford at Oregon
Washington at Colorado
Fri., Nov. 23
Arizona State at Arizona
Washington at Washington State
Utah at Colorado
Sat., Nov. 24
Notre Dame at USC
Stanford at UCLA
Oregon at Oregon State
Fri., Nov. 30
Pac-12 Football Championship Game
Neutral Sites
(1) Invesco Field, Denver, Colo.
(2) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Note: All Washington home games will be played at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.
