Each school within the conference has its own in-state, conference rivalry. One is an intracity rivalry (UCLA-USC), and another is within the same metropolitan area (Cal-Stanford). These rivalries (and the name given to the football forms) are:
- Oregon-Oregon State (The Civil War, the winner's Alumni Association gets the Platypus Trophy but is not recognized by the Universities). Notable history includes the 1983 "Toilet Bowl", the last scoreless tie before the NCAA instituted overtime, and known for the poor weather and poor gameplay, and the 2009 contest that served as the de facto Pac-10 conference championship game.
- Cal-Stanford (The Big Game, winner gets the Stanford Axe). Notable history includes The Play in 1982 in Berkeley
- Arizona-Arizona State (The Duel in the Desert, winner gets the Territorial Cup). Notable history includes "The Catch" of John Jefferson in 1975 to preserve a perfect season for the Sun Devils.
- Washington-Washington State (since 1962, the winner gets the Apple Cup), notable history includes the "Snow Bowl" of 1992 in Pullman
- UCLA-USC (winner gets the Victory Bell)
There are other notable football rivalries within the Pac-10 conference.
All of the California schools consider each other major rivals, due to the culture clash between Northern and Southern California. For USC, the big game is UCLA. For Stanford, their big game is Cal. But for both Stanford and Cal, their second biggest game is USC.[41] Cal and UCLA have a rivalry rooted in their shared history as the top programs within the University of California system. Stanford and USC have a rivalry rooted in their shared history as the only private schools in the Pac-10. Cal and USC also have a long history, having played each other every year in football since 1916.
Oregon and Washington also have an unofficial rivalry (despite recent efforts to give it the name "The Cascade Clash" or "The Columbia River Shootout"). All of the Northwest schools consider each other as rivals due to the proximity and long history.
Arizona and New Mexico have a recently renewed rivalry game, based upon when they were both members of the WAC and both states were longtime territories before being admitted as states in 1912. They played for the Kit Carson Rifle trophy, which was no longer used starting with their meeting in the 1997 Insight Bowl.[42][43]
USC and Notre Dame have an intersectional rivalry (See Notre Dame – USC rivalry). The games in odd-numbered years in Indiana are played in mid-October, while the games in even-numbered years in Los Angeles are usually played in late November.
The isolated rural campuses of Washington State and Idaho are eight miles (13 km) apart on the Palouse, creating a natural border war. Idaho rejoined FBS in 1996; the football rivalry has been dubbed Battle of the Palouse.
Future members Utah and Colorado have a football rivalry as well that has been dormant since 1962 but will likely be revived when the two schools join the Pac-10.
With the NCAA permanently approving 12-game schedules in college football beginning in 2006, the Pac-10 — alone among major conferences in doing so — went to a full nine-game conference schedule. Previously, the schools did not play one non-rival opponent, resulting in an eight-game conference schedule (4 home games and 4 away). This round-robin schedule is only shared by the Big East among BCS conferences. The schedule consists of one home and away game against the two schools in each region, plus the game against the primary rival.
Bowl games[]
The following is the current bowl selection order and the teams involved in each bowl:
| Pick | Name | Location | Opposing Conference | Opposing Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, California | Big Ten or BCS | - |
| 2 | Alamo Bowl | San Antonio, Texas | Big 12 | 3 |
| 3 | Holiday Bowl | San Diego, California | Big 12 | 5 |
| 4 | Sun Bowl | El Paso, Texas | ACC | 4 |
| 5 | Maaco Bowl Las Vegas | Las Vegas, Nevada | MWC | 1 |
| 6 | Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl | San Francisco, California | WAC (2010, 2013), Army (2011), Navy (2012) | 1/2/3, -, - |
Season finishes[]
| Year | IDA | MON | ARIZ | ASU | CAL | ORE | OSU | STAN | UCLA | USC | WASH | WSU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| 1917 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | |||||||
| 1918 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |||||||
| 1919 | 3(t) | 1(t) | 6 | 5 | 1(t) | 3(t) | ||||||
| 1920 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | ||||||
| 1921 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | ||||||
| 1922 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 4 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| 1923 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 4(t) | 4(t) | 2 | 6 | ||||
| 1924 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||
| 1925 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 3(t) | 2 | 3(t) | 1 | 6 | |||
| 1926 | 6(t) | 8 | 9 | 6(t) | 3(t) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3(t) | |||
| 1927 | 3 | 9 | 5(t) | 8 | 5(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 4 | 7 | |||
| 1928 | 6(t) | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6(t) | 3 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 5 | ||
| 1929 | 7(t) | 9 | 3(t) | 3(t) | 7(t) | 2 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 5 | ||
| 1930 | 10 | 7 | 8(t) | 4 | 6 | 3 | 8(t) | 2 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 1931 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1932 | 8(t) | 10 | 6 | 5 | 8(t) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1933 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 1(t) | 4 | 1(t) | 8 | 3 | 7 | 5 | ||
| 1934 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1935 | 9 | 10 | 1(t) | 4(t) | 7 | 1(t) | 1(t) | 8 | 6 | 4(t) | ||
| 1936 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1937 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1938 | 7 | 10 | 1(t) | 5 | 3(t) | 8 | 3(t) | 1(t) | 6 | 9 | ||
| 1939 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1940 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1941 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 2(t) | 2(t) | ||
| 1942 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1943 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||
| 1944 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1945 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |||
| 1946 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1947 | 9 | 5 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 6 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 7(t) | 7(t) | ||
| 1948 | 9 | 10 | 1(t) | 1(t) | 6 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1949 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 6(t) | 5 | 3(t) | 2 | 3(t) | 6(t) | 8 | ||
| 1950 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 1951 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 | |||
| 1952 | 7 | 4 | 6(t) | 8 | 6(t) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||
| 1953 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 5 | |||
| 1954 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8(t) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 8(t) | 5 | |||
| 1955 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 8 | |||
| 1956 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 4 | 7 | |||
| 1957 | 9 | 7(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 5 | 3 | 7(t) | 6 | 4 | |||
| 1958 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 2 | |||
| 1959 | 4 | 5 | 1(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | |||||||
| 1960 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| 1961 | 4(t) | 4(t) | 1 | 2(t) | 2(t) | |||||||
| 1962 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| 1963 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
| 1964 | 8 | 6(t) | 1(t) | 5 | 4 | 1(t) | 3 | 6(t) | ||||
| 1965 | 6(t) | 8 | 7 | 6(t) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | ||||
| 1966 | 5 | 6(t) | 2(t) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6(t) | ||||
| 1967 | 6 | 7(t) | 2(t) | 4(t) | 2(t) | 1 | 4(t) | 7(t) | ||||
| 1968 | 4 | 5(t) | 2 | 3 | 5(t) | 1 | 8 | 7 | ||||
| 1969 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 1 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| 1970 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 6(t) | 1 | 2(t) | 6(t) | 2(t) | 8 | ||||
| 1971 | 3(t) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3(t) | 7 | ||||
| 1972 | 5 | 6(t) | 8 | 6(t) | 2 | 1 | 3(t) | 3(t) | ||||
| 1973 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 5(t) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | ||||
| 1974 | 3(t) | 8 | 5(t) | 2 | 3(t) | 1 | 5(t) | 7 | ||||
| 1975 | 1(t) | 6 | 7 | 3(t) | 1(t) | 5 | 3(t) | 8 | ||||
| 1976 | 4(t) | 7(t) | 7(t) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4(t) | 6 | ||||
| 1977 | 5(t) | 7 | 8 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 2(t) | 1 | 5(t) | ||||
| 1978 | 6(t) | 4(t) | 6(t) | 8 | 9 | 4(t) | 2(t) | 1 | 2(t) | 10 | ||
| 1979 | 3(t) | 7(t) | 5 | 3(t) | 10 | 6 | 7(t) | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 1980 | 6(t) | 4 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 6(t) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6(t) | ||
| 1981 | 6(t) | 2(t) | 8 | 9 | 10 | 6(t) | 4(t) | 2(t) | 1 | 4(t) | ||
| 1982 | 5 | 3(t) | 6 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 3(t) | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1983 | 5 | 6(t) | 8 | 6(t) | 9 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | ||
| 1984 | 3(t) | 6 | 10 | 7(t) | 9 | 7(t) | 3(t) | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 1985 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 10 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 4(t) | 4(t) | 7 | ||
| 1986 | 4(t) | 1 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 4(t) | 2(t) | 4(t) | 2(t) | 8 | ||
| 1987 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 5(t) | 10 | 5(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 3 | 9 | ||
| 1988 | 3(t) | 5 | 10 | 6(t) | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6(t) | 3(t) | ||
| 1989 | 2(t) | 5 | 10 | 2(t) | 6 | 7(t) | 9 | 1 | 2(t) | 7(t) | ||
| 1990 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 6(t) | 6(t) | 2 | 1 | 9 | ||
| 1991 | 6(t) | 5 | 2(t) | 9(t) | 9(t) | 2(t) | 2(t) | 8 | 1 | 6(t) | ||
| 1992 | 5 | 6(t) | 9 | 6(t) | 10 | 1(t) | 8 | 3(t) | 1(t) | 3(t) | ||
| 1993 | 1(t) | 4(t) | 4(t) | 7(t) | 7(t) | 7(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 6 | |||
| 1994 | 2(t) | 7(t) | 5(t) | 1 | 7(t) | 7(t) | 5(t) | 2(t) | 4 | |||
| 1995 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 8(t) | 3 | 10 | 4 | 5(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 8(t) | ||
| 1996 | 5(t) | 1 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 10 | 3 | 4 | 5(t) | 2 | 5(t) | ||
| 1997 | 5(t) | 3 | 9 | 7(t) | 10 | 7(t) | 1(t) | 5(t) | 4 | 1(t) | ||
| 1998 | 2 | 5(t) | 7 | 3(t) | 8(t) | 8(t) | 1 | 3(t) | 5(t) | 10 | ||
| 1999 | 6(t) | 4 | 6(t) | 2(t) | 5 | 1 | 9 | 6(t) | 2(t) | 10 | ||
| 2000 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 8(t) | 1(t) | 1(t) | 4 | 5(t) | 8(t) | 1(t) | 8(t) | ||
| 2001 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 2(t) | 6 | 5 | 2(t) | 2(t) | ||
| 2002 | 9(t) | 3 | 4(t) | 8 | 4(t) | 9(t) | 4(t) | 1(t) | 4(t) | 1(t) | ||
| 2003 | 10 | 8(t) | 3(t) | 3(t) | 5(t) | 8(t) | 5(t) | 1 | 5(t) | 2 | ||
| 2004 | 8(t) | 3(t) | 2 | 5(t) | 3(t) | 8(t) | 5(t) | 1 | 10 | 7 | ||
| 2005 | 8 | 4(t) | 4(t) | 2 | 7 | 4(t) | 3 | 1 | 9(t) | 9(t) | ||
| 2006 | 5(t) | 5(t) | 1(t) | 5(t) | 3 | 10 | 4 | 1(t) | 9 | 5(t) | ||
| 2007 | 6 | 1(t) | 7(t) | 4(t) | 3 | 7(t) | 4(t) | 1(t) | 10 | 7(t) | ||
| 2008 | 5 | 6(t) | 4 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 6(t) | 8 | 1 | 10 | 9 | ||
| 2009 | 2(t) | 9 | 5(t) | 1 | 2(t) | 2(t) | 8 | 5(t) | 7 | 10 |