Greg McElroy says 'anybody' beating USC, UCLA is the Pac-12's biggest game in 2023

PeterWarrenPhoto2by:Peter Warren•05/05/23•

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The 2023 football season is going to be the final ride for UCLA and USC in the Pac-12. But Greg McElroy thinks their conference foes will want to make it as bumpy as a ride as possible.

That won’t be the easiest fact. The Trojans, led by Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, are the favorites to win the conference and in the mix to make the College Football Playoffs. The Bruins have the most momentum heading into a season they have had in about a decade.

But the other 10 teams in the conference will be gunning for them. McElroy said on the Always College Football with Greg McElroy podcast that any game where one of those 10 teams beats USC or UCLA will be the biggest game on the calendar.

“The most important game of the Pac-12 schedule is anybody and their brother over USC and UCLA,” McElroy said. “Answer me this. We know that USC and UCLA are off to the Big Ten. That’s done. They’ll be there in 12 months and the Big Ten will expand to 16 teams. But could you imagine as we are fast forwarding to the end of the season, USC and possible but unlikely UCLA. If they’re there in the Pac 12 Championship Game up against a Oregon, a Washington, a Utah, could you imagine USC being crowned the Pac-12 champions en route to the playoff and knowing that they were leaving the league. The last Pac-12 game in SC history is a Pac-12 championship victory.”

As McElroy said, any team from the North Division losing to USC or UCLA in the Pac-12 Championship Game would be a nightmare scenario for the league. But, on the flip side, a North Division team defeating the Bruins or Trojans would be a dream scenario.

It would be a similar situation to the Big 12 this past season, where Oklahoma and Texas both struggled on the field and neither made the conference championship game. While there was still a few years before they joined the SEC, the other programs and their fans rallied around beating them as many times as they can before they leave.

“How do you think the league would feel about that?” McElory said. “How do you think George Kliavkoff would feel about that? Probably not so great. Probably not so great. He’s probably thinking hey, man, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. By the way, you missed the conference championship game so we don’t need you.”