The 10 best remaining Pac-12 games of the season

1. USC at UCLA - November 22

Mora vs. Sark in LA with each coach feeling a little bit of heat for having slightly underwhelming seasons in the Rose Bowl is a must-see to me. On top of that, this will likely be huge in the chase for the South, assuredly eliminating someone and maybe keeping someone alive. Lastly, these teams are pretty evenly matched and the Trojans have to be fired up after two-straight embarrassing losses.

2. Arizona State at Arizona - November 28

Another rivalry game that I can't wait to see. There is a good chance that the only thing that stands between Arizona State and a South championship and maybe even a shot at the College Football Playoff are the hated Wildcats in Tucson. These teams also match up very well and there is a very good chance for a lot of offensive fireworks.

3. Notre Dame at Arizona State - November 8

A perfect November non-conference match-up that will eliminate someone from Playoff contention that the whole nation will be watching. The chance to knock off the Irish is always fun, but especially at home and under the bright lights (or sun, since this is a day game). This could end up being the biggest win for the Sun Devils in a long, long time.

4. Oregon at Utah - November 8

For those hoping that the Ducks get upset down the stretch and don't make the first ever College Football Playoff, this might be the only realistic chance of it happening. The Utes are very similar to the Stanford team that Oregon just rolled, but have a much better scoring and rushing offense than Stanford, get the game in Salt Lake City at night and have the kind of defense that can give the Ducks trouble. This one is huge for the Ducks, but huge for the Utes as well, as they probably need to win this one to stay in the race for the South crown.

5. Arizona at Utah - November 22

A showdown in the South between two teams trying to exceed preseason expectations while hoping to stay alive in the South race, the loser is without a doubt out of it and the winner probably still has an outside shot. I like this match-up with a team that is struggling on offense, but has a great defense and a team that has a great offense but questionable defense facing off in Salt Lake City.

6. Notre Dame at USC - November 29

Sark's first shot at Notre Dame could be a big one for both teams. The Irish could very well be one more win away from a Playoff berth and the Trojans could be in desperate need of a signature win, especially if they lose to UCLA the week before. Plus, Pac-12 teams going against Notre Dame always seem to end up being fun and the Trojans are very capable of knocking off the Irish in LA.

7. UCLA at Washington - November 8

Jim Mora going back to the stadium where he played his college football in the city where he got fired for the second time as an NFL coach in a dicey situation going against what he once said was his "dream job" has been an underrated story line this week. I also like this match-up between two talent, but inconsistent and hard to read teams that really need the win in Seattle.

8. Utah at Stanford - November 15

I know a lot of people don't like slugfests, but, to me, it will be interesting to watch these two similar teams battle it out in Palo Alto. A win here for Utah could signal a changing of the smashmouth guard and keep them in the running for winning the South.

9. Stanford at UCLA - November 29

UCLA still might be in the South hunt at this point and Stanford may be searching for wins to salvage a lost season potentially putting a lot at stake here between two teams that match up pretty evenly against each other. This could be a desperation game for both teams and maybe even a playoff for an automatic Pac-12 bowl slot or mid-level bowl like the Sun Bowl.

10. Washington at Arizona - November 15

A sneaky good game now that it appears the Huskies can play on the road under Chris Petersen much better than they did under Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies have a good enough defense to slow down Arizona's offense and keep this one close in what will be a very important game for both teams if they hope to live up to expectations.