Pac-12 Power Rankings: 10/10

Another exciting week of football means another controversial hierarchy of Pac-12 football teams from me. Here they are: 

1. Washington Huskies 

Won 31-24 @ UCLA 

U-Dub took care of business Saturday with a road win against Chip Kelly and the depressing UCLA Bruins. Ho-hum game for them really. Browning was fine. Gaskin was fine. The receivers were fine. The defense slept-walked through a lot of the contest, but they weren’t worryingly bad. Let’s just call it how it is: this game was merely a tune-up for Washington’s battle in Autzen Stadium with the Ducks this coming weekend. They did nothing to lose the top spot.

2. Oregon Ducks 

Bye 

Oregon got the week off to rest; and with the Huskies coming to town, they sure needed it. And even though they didn’t step foot on a football field, they still moved up in the rankings. How? Ask David Shaw how Utah’s fist tastes. Yeah, Oregon passed the Cardinal.

3. Colorado Buffaloes

Won 28-21 vs. Arizona State 

Do I believe Colorado is the 3rd best team in the conference? No. Are they 7 point underdogs at USC this weekend? You bet. See, even after a 5-0 start, I, along with the bookies in Vegas, agree that Colorado ain’t done diddly squat to actually prove they’re a quality football team. Opponents of theirs have a putrid combined record of 6-22. Ouch. Alas, I still have no other option but to rank them third. Maybe they can prove their worth this weekend @ USC.

4. Washington State Cougars

Won 56-37 @ Oregon State 

This is where things get tricky. Between these next four teams I seriously cannot differentiate them. They’ve all beaten and lost to each other, so how am I supposed to gauge it? Well, I just went with Wazzu here because Mike Leach is my favorite coach in college football and Pullman is a legendary town in its own right. Oh, also, they have the conference’s leading passer, Gardner Minshew, who messed around and had another 430 yard passing day on Saturday. This Cougar team is a quiet 5-1.

5. Utah Utes

Won 40-21 @ Stanford

With Bryce Love out, the Utes took full advantage of a lacking Stanford defense and an uninspiring Cardinal offense that was trying to breeze past an overlooked Utah squad. All night, Utah dominated the 14th team in the country. Obviously, Stanford probably isn’t as good as we thought even a few weeks ago — but the Utes nonetheless controlled the game and looked the part of the more physical and flat-out better side. Shoutout to Zack Moss who rushed for 160 yards.

6. Stanford Cardinal

Lost 40-21 vs. Utah

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Two weeks ago, Stanford was riding high, undefeated and ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll. Two weeks later, here we are: Stanford has been blown out in consecutive contests and finds itself middling in a pedestrian Pac-12 football conference. “We didn’t have Love” Stanford fans will cry (maybe they’re talking about their personal lives, who knows) as they recover from the stomping they received this weekend. Here’s my question: did he play defense as well? Because I’m pretty sure Stanford allowed 40 points to Utah. The Love band-aid can cover up all the Cardinal’s wounds.

7. USC Trojans

Bye

USC lost to Stanford and beat Wazzu, so there’s an argument for them all over the Pacific 12 map. I put them so low because I really haven’t seen play all that well. Sure, they beat Washington State at home, but they also scraped by terrible, no good Arizona. I don’t know what to think of them. However, I’m optimistic of a rise in the rankings after their home matchup with Colorado this weekend. I think they win that one. But what do I know?

8. Arizona State Sun Devils 

Lost 28-21 @ Colorado

Arizona State was quietly been disappointing since Herm’s early season exclamation point against the Michigan State Spartans. They’ve accumulated losses to Washington, San Diego State and now Colorado. None are horrendous losses, but losses nonetheless. With offensive playmakers such as Manny Wilkins, Eno Benjamin and N’Keal Harry, Sparky should have one of the most exciting offenses in the League. Their schedule isn’t getting easier, and bowl-eligibility — which once looked like a lock — is now anything but. The Devils 2018 football squad is beginning to mirror the 2018 basketball team. Ouch. I know that one hurt ASU fans.

9. Arizona Wildcats

Won 24-17 vs. California

Arizona is moving up these days…to NINTH in the Pac-12! Go Kevin Sumlin! As for their game against Cal, they won. That’s the important thing. It wasn’t pretty, especially offensively. However, the Wildcats defense stepped up with two monster interception returns. If you score two defensive touchdowns, you’re probably going to win some football games.

10. California Golden Bears

Lost 24-17 @ Arizona

Ranked 23rd in the country two weeks ago, California has taken a mighty fall. It’s the steepest sports team fall-off in the state since the Kings traded Boogie Cousins. They’ve looked nothing but bad recently and need to turn things around fast. Honestly, I thought UCLA, Arizona and Oregon State were mortal locks for the bottom three from here on out. The Golden Bears proved me wrong.

11. UCLA Bruins

Lost 31-24 vs. Washington

Wanna hear the most back-handed compliment you can give a football team? Here goes: I think UCLA is the best 0-5 team in the country. Facts. They’ve played a pretty remarkable schedule (by Pac-12 standards) thus far and are definitely improving lately. I know I said that Washington slept-walked through the game, but the Bruins really did give them a battle. Who knows, maybe Chip Kelly can steal a win or two down the stretch.

12. Oregon State Beavers

Lost 56-37 vs. Washington State

This team is awful. I hate watching them. That is all I have to say.