Odds To Win 2011 PAC 12 Championship

Future Betting Odds

The addition of Colorado from the Big 12 and Utah from the Mountain West has set the stage for not only an expanded PAC-10, which is now know as the PAC- 12 Conference, but a conference title game between the winners of the newly formed North and South Divisions. This new alignment should go a long way towards not only increasing the level of competition in the PAC-12, but the level of interest from the betting public.

One thing that does stay the same for one more season is the sanctions against USC that prohibit the Trojans from competing for this year’s title. Without this traditional PAC-12 power in the mix, Oregon has risen to the top of the heap in the conference. bodog has opened the Ducks as a 5/4 favorite to win the North Division and a 2/1 favorite to win the conference. With seven starters returning on offense from a squad that made it all the way to the BCS title game, including QB Darren Thomas and Heisman Trophy hopeful RB LaMichael James, it is easy to see why Oregon is a 12/1 favorite to make it back there again this season. The defense returns just five starters, but Head Coach Chip Kelly and his staff’s recruiting efforts should make it easier to find some suitable underclassmen to fill any major holes that exist on this side of the ball.

The North Division should be a competitive battle all season long with Stanford in the mix. The Cardinal are the second-favorites to win the division at 7/4 and conference at 3/1. The big showdown between the top two favorites is set for Nov.12 in Palo Alto, as this game will not only have major implications in the PAC-12 title race, but in the BCS rankings as well. Stanford will once again be led by Heisman candidate QB Andrew Luck, who decided to forego the NFL for one more season for a shot at winning a national championship. Also back is RB Stepfan Taylor, who led the team in rushing last season with 1,023 yards. Keep an eye on TE Coby Fleener, who is poised to become a huge part of the offensive scheme after a productive 2010 season. LB Chase Thomas and SS Delano Howell are back to help anchor the defense, which returns a total of six starters from last year’s squad that was ranked 10th in the nation in points allowed.

The favorite to win the South Division at +190 and third-favorite to win the PAC-12 at 11/2 is Arizona State. The Sun Devils lost just three starters from last season’s 6-6 squad; so Head Coach Dennis Erickson is more than confident that all this experience should be able to jack up the win totals in 2011. QB Brock Osweiler replaced Steven Threet midway through last season and returns as the starter this year. Also returning is RB Cameron Marshall, who led the team with 787 rushing yards a year ago. If Arizona State can continue to improve on defense, the battle for the South title will most likely come down to an Oct. 8 trip to Salt Lake City to face Utah.

Speaking of the one of the newest members of the conference, the Utes are second-favorites to win the South at + 200 and fourth-favorites to win the PAC-12 at 13/2. They are coming off a 10-3 record in their final season in MWC and return seven starters on offense including QB Jordan Wynn and WR DeVonte Christopher. MLB Chaz Walker leads a defensive unit that returns just five starters from last year, which could end up being Utah’s Achilles heel this season.

The odds to win the conference for rest of the North Division list Oregon State at 16/1, Washington at 16/1, California at 20/1 and Washington State at 100/1. The South Division has Arizona at 8/1, UCLA at 18/1, and Colorado at 22/1.

Note: The PAC 12 future lines listed above were current odds at the time the article was written. Please click here!! to get the up to the minute odds to win the 2011 PAC 12 title.