![www.mercurynews.com](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mercurynews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F10%2Futah-struggles-football.jpg%3Fw%3D1024%26h%3D681&hash=af20d9cef059ba371f214290415b4a6a&return_error=1)
Pac-12 football 2022 preview: Projections for the North and South division races
The 2021 champions, Oregon and Utah, are well set to defend their titles.
![www.mercurynews.com](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mercurynews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F10%2F32x32-mercury-news-white.png%3Fw%3D32&hash=a97a9cc7581917ed1a61e3f1495e6edc&return_error=1)
5. Cal: The team with the greatest chance to produce an upside surprise (based on these projections). Cal was 5-7 last season, with five losses by a touchdown or less. That suggests the difference between another mediocre season and a fulfillment of the Bears’ pre-pandemic promise likely will unfold on the margins: a red zone conversion here, a turnover there, and the avoidance of serious injury to a few key players. That said, the quarterback play — Jack Plummer, recently of Purdue, is our pick to win the job — must clear a baseline level of competency. And that’s hardly a guarantee.