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The UCLA Bruins are heading to their second consecutive Pac-12 Championship Game, where they will face either the Stanford Cardinal or the Oregon Ducks on Friday, Nov. 30. But despite a second straight trip to the conference title game, this season is far, far different than last year for UCLA.
In 2011, the Bruins were demolished by the USC Trojans 50-0 but because Lane Kiffin and company were ineligible for the postseason, second-place UCLA represented the Pac-12 South Division with their 6-6 overall record. This season, UCLA is humming along with five straight wins and at 9-2 are much better than last season.
The Bruins will face either Stanford or Oregon on Nov. 30, which means UCLA will be intently watching ABC on Saturday night as the Cardinal take on the undefeated No. 2 Ducks in Eugene. The scenarios for the title game are fairly simple.
If Oregon beats Stanford, they win the North Division and will host UCLA for the second straight season in the Pac-12 title game. If the Ducks lose Saturday night, they can still clinch the north with both a win over Oregon State and a Stanford loss at UCLA.
If Stanford beats Oregon, they would then need either a win at UCLA next week or an Oregon loss in the Civil War to Oregon State in order to clinch the Pac-12 North.
There is one scenario in which UCLA could host Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Bruins need Oregon to lose to both Stanford and Oregon State, and the Bruins would need to beat the Cardinal next week. If those three things happen, the Rose Bowl would host the game for the right to represent the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl.