College Football

The Pac-12 is returning to the College Football Playoff for the first time in seven years, has another school as part of the New Year’s Six and will send a total of eight teams to bowls in the last year with its current membership.

Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward became the latest big name quarterback to announce plans to enter the transfer portal and the NFL Draft.

No. 5 Oregon plays No. 3 Washington in the Pac-12 Championship in Las Vegas on Friday night. The winner likely secures a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The Pac-12 Conference is having a heck of a final kick. No. 3 Washington and No. 5 Oregon are two of the four conference teams ranked in the AP Top 25. They meet Friday for an almost certain spot in the College Football Playoff.

Michigan State had enough competition from Power Five college football teams also hoping to hire Jonathan Smith that it added a seventh year to his contract, helping a shaken program land the former Oregon State coach.

The Washington state Supreme Court has granted a request by the University of Washington and the Pac-12 to put on hold a lower court’s ruling that gave Oregon State and Washington State control of the conference.

It hasn’t looked quite right since Odunze caught the winning touchdown to beat Oregon in October — the same team the Huskies will see in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday.

Bo Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, securing No. 6 Oregon a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with a 31-7 victory over No. 15 Oregon State.

Grady Gross made a 42-yard field goal on the final play, Rome Odunze caught two touchdown passes from Michael Penix Jr. and No. 4 Washington beat Washington State 24-21 in the Apple Cup.

No. 4 Washington is on the brink of a magical season as they host rival Washington State on Saturday in the Apple Cup in a meeting that’s overflowing with story lines. It’s the last Apple Cup with both members of the same conference,