With the Pac-12 set to fully debut next fall, the conference’s head scheduling office is expected to release the full 2011 conference football schedule on Friday, several media outlets are reporting.
While its precise schedule has yet to be determined, Stanford knows its slate of nine conference opponents. The Cardinal will play Arizona and Colorado as its out-of-division opponents next season, according to Mike Eubanks, an associate athletic director.
In his press conference announcing the Pac-12’s divisional structure, Larry Scott, the conference’s commissioner, said that the Cardinal will play the other five schools in the North Division–Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State and California–on an annual basis, as well as two annual games against its rivals in Los Angeles, USC and UCLA (both of whom are in the South Division). Stanford is scheduled to play the remaining four schools in the South–Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Arizona State–on a rotating basis.
Though the conference has not yet indicated the date of next year’s Big Game against Cal, it is expected to preserve the matchup’s traditional late November date.
Stanford has also already scheduled its nonconference opponents. The Cardinal will open the season at home against San Jose State before traveling to Durham, N.C. to face Duke. It will end its season at home against Notre Dame. Stanford could also earn a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game, scheduled for Dec. 3, 2011, at the stadium of the divisional champion with the best conference record.
The Pac-12 has yet to announce restructured schedules for other sports, most notably men’s and women’s basketball.