Every Pac-12 team will miss two conference foes this year. That's because there's a nine-game conference schedule and 12 teams and you can't play yourself, at least that's how it's been explained to me by physicists.

Ah, but not all misses are created equal.

Here's how things stack up for the 2012 season, with analysis based on our post-spring power rankings, which you have surely memorized.

North Misses

California (Arizona, Colorado): The Nos. 10 and 12 team in our power rankings. So, no, these aren't good misses for the Bears.

Oregon (UCLA, Utah): UCLA is No. 7 and Utah No. 4 in our power rankings. Could be better/worse (Insert smirk and shrug from Chip Kelly).

Oregon State (Colorado, USC): The two extremes for the Beavers. Colorado is No 12 and USC is No. 1. Of course, the Beavers have done fairly well against the Trojans in recent years.

Stanford (Arizona State, Utah): Arizona State is No. 11 in our power rankings, so the Cardinal have a good and bad miss.

Washington (Arizona State, UCLA): The Huskies probably would think they are missing two teams they would beat.

Washington State (Arizona, USC): Not unlike Oregon State. Missing the Trojans in 2012 does feel like a gift, particularly for a North team.

South Misses

Arizona (California, Washington State): Bears are No. 6 and Cougars No. 8 in power rankings. One would suspect Rich Rodriguez would have preferred to miss Oregon and Stanford in year one.

Arizona State (Stanford, Washington): Stanford is No. 3 and Washington No. 5 in the power rankings. Solid misses for the rebuilding Sun Devils.

Colorado (California, Oregon State): The Beavers are No. 9 in the power rankings, so the Buffs are missing a date with the lowest rated North team.

UCLA (Oregon, Washington): Jim Mora gets a nice pass in year one.

USC (Oregon State, Washington State): The Nos. 9 & 8 teams in the power rankings. The Trojans play all the top North teams in the regular season.

Utah (Oregon, Stanford): Last year, these misses were almost comically good. This year, they're still pretty nice. If there is a backdoor for the Utes to eclipse the Trojans and win the South, it starts with the schedule.

Conclusion?

You'd have to say that California has the two worst misses and Utah the best.