OSU football: Suddenly, Pac-12 comes in droves

The Fiesta Bowl against Stanford will be OSU’s third game against the Pac-12 in the Cowboys’ last 14 games. Which is interesting only because OSU so rarely has played against the Pac, be it Pac-8, Pac-10 or Pac-12.

OSU never has played Stanford, Oregon State, Southern Cal or California.

The Cowboys are 5-3 vs. Arizona, but just 2-0 vs. the Wildcats since they joined the Pac-10 in 1979. OSU beat ‘Zona 37-14 in September, after beating the ‘Zona 36-10 in the Alamo Bowl.

The Cowboys are 1-2 vs. Arizona State, winning 45-3 at Temple in 1984 but losing 30-3 in 1991 at Stillwater and 12-10 at ASU in 1993.

OSU is 0-1 vs. Oregon, losing 42-31 in the 2008 Holiday Bowl.

OSU is 1-1 vs. UCLA, winning 31-20 at the Rose Bowl in 2004 but losing 38-24 in 2002 at Stillwater.

The Cowboys are 1-1 vs. Washington, losing 24-18 in 1980 at Stillwater but winning 31-17 at Seattle in 1985.

And OSU is 2-2 vs. Washington State, winning 65-17 last season in Stillwater and 39-13 in 2008 in Seattle, but losing 9-7 in 1952 at home and 27-13 in Spokane, Wash., in 1951.

So look at those numbers. The Cowboys have played 14 games against Pac-12 (or predecessor) teams, going 7-7. Seven of those 14 games have come in the 21st century, including five since opening day 2008. Until 1980, OSU had played a grand total of two games against the Pac.