This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Thanks partly to a disappointing performance by the SEC West in bowl games, the Pac-12 South is making a case for itself as the best division in college football. The only hole in that argument is division champion Arizona's loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. UCLA, the last of the South's five bowl contestants, faces a good test against Kansas State in Friday's Alamo Bowl. If the Bruins win, the division will have had a very good postseason and can make a strong claim about national supremacy – aided by North champion Oregon's great showing in the Rose Bowl, which boosted the conference's bowl record to 5-1. On to Friday's picks: UCLA vs. Kansas State, Alamo Bowl (4:45 p.m. MST, ESPN) The Bruins looked bad in the regular-season finale vs. Stanford, playing their way out of the Fiesta Bowl. But they landed in a good bowl against a tough opponent, with a chance to redeem themselves. This will be a tough assignment for UCLA's offense, in particular. If quarterback Brett Hundley plays well, the Bruins will win in San Antonio. But just this once, I'm picking against the Pac-12. Kansas State 27, UCLA 24. Washington vs. Oklahoma State, Cactus Bowl (8:15 p.m., ESPN) This game at Arizona State's Sun Devil Stadium is easy too overlook at this stage of the bowl schedule, and that description fits the Huskies. They never distinguished themselves beyond an average Pac-12 team in coach Chris Petersen's first season, but they definitely played their best football in November. That's a good sign, going into this bowl game. And any credibility Oklahoma State gained via its win over Oklahoma was undone by the Sooners' horrible bowl showing. Washington 31, Oklahoma State 24. – Kurt Kragthorpe