The Pac-12 Conference as we’ve known it is no more after Friday’s final championship game before the latest major realignments kick in and leave the conference with just two teams.
But Oregon and Washington delivered another thriller to send the conference out on a high note with the Huskies winning, 34-31. They remain undefeated and should have a College Football Playoff spot locked up come Sunday.
Washington dominated the first half and had a 20-3 lead at one point. But the Ducks were relentless, had the lead for a little in the second half and were trailing by just a field goal thanks to a 63-yard touchdown when quarterback Bo Nix connected with receiver Traeshon Holden late in the fourth quarter. But the Huskies were able to hang on and claim the conference title.
WHAT A GAME 👏 pic.twitter.com/iN84Zq9WRN
— ESPN (@espn) December 2, 2023
It was a fun and wild game and the perfect exclamation point after an exceptional Pac-12 season — and one last great #Pac12AfterDark moment — but it was set against a somber backdrop with the conference breaking up next year.
If you need a quick reminder: Next year, Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA are headed to the Big Ten; Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are going to the Big 12; and Cal and Stanford are off to the ACC. That leaves just Washington State and Oregon State in the Pac-12.
And while college football fans loved the last Pac-12 championship game for how it played out with two powerhouse teams, they also eulogized the Pac-12 and lamented its sad demise.
wow this pac-12 title game is once again great we should kill the conference because we still can’t figure out how to make money off an incredibly fun products
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) December 2, 2023
Who knew 4 years ago that this innocent meme would come true, in the final ever Pac-12 Football game? https://t.co/CwO7y6r8uP
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 2, 2023
Long live Pac-12 After Dark https://t.co/P0cRAtjZqH
— Sarah Kezele 🌵 (@SarahKezele) December 2, 2023
The Pac-12 mascots were hugging each other even when they got off stage and presumably were allowed to drop the mascot act pic.twitter.com/xNWffO75oI
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 2, 2023
I mean we knew the last ever pac-12 game was gonna be weird
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) December 2, 2023
Feels incredibly weird celebrating the Pac-12's history before this final game when it's shameful that it's going away.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 2, 2023
It is an absolute travesty that, after a season in which the league has 2 legitimate Playoff contenders… and Oregon & Washington are battling their asses off in the conference championship…
…the Pac-12 will go dark.
How. on. earth. did we get here.#Pac12Championship
— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) December 2, 2023
I am deeply saddened to know the PAC12 is dead. #Pac12Championship pic.twitter.com/zIqUWMwjE6
— Czech🙌🏾Racer (@Gig_em_Ute) December 2, 2023
There is only one quarter remaining in the history of #Pac12 football. #Pac12AfterDark pic.twitter.com/8xOa0GVPml
— 🎙Bauer – 🧵: @BauerOnTheMic (@BauerOnTheMic) December 2, 2023
“The final quarter of Pac-12 football” pic.twitter.com/MemEYw8qdm
— Dani ✨ (@ailaminad) December 2, 2023
In 20 years when some kid asks me what was so great about the Pac 12 pic.twitter.com/RU2torfQ8A
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) December 2, 2023
As a college football fan,
I condemn the PAC-12 leadership to eternal football hell for the death of this beautiful conference.
— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) December 2, 2023
“Dad, did we really just watch the final game in Pac-12 history?”
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) December 2, 2023
Watching the final 10 minutes of the Pac12: pic.twitter.com/JSU85EI4V9
— AggiesToday (AT) (@AggiesToday) December 2, 2023
Everyone showing up to the PAC-12 Funeral after the game is over #Pac12Championship pic.twitter.com/rSL4LYE1wq
— Bobreddit889 (@bobreddit889) December 2, 2023
Pac-12 after dark giving us one more banger with the conference on it’s death bed
— Riley (@Ri_S_OB) December 2, 2023
Pac-12, I’m gonna miss you. pic.twitter.com/1c1VCVlydp
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammALDC) December 2, 2023
Farewell Pac-12 football 😢pic.twitter.com/P42aB54V2k
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 2, 2023
RIP Pac-12 we’ll always have the ref yelling PREVIOUS! and then going completely silent pic.twitter.com/o0lAkXGoy4
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) December 2, 2023
Pac 12… we’re gonna miss you buddy. Except your refs, they were the worst. pic.twitter.com/xFwFI6ICjZ
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 2, 2023
