Pac-12 Power Rankings: Week Nine
1.) Oregon
I am so, so scared for Colorado. The Ducks manage to take respectable teams like Arizona, Arizona State, and Washington and make them look like JV squads. What will they do against the Buffaloes, who are universally inept everywhere but Pullman, Washington.
2.) Oregon State
Looks like Sean Mannion will be back as the starting quarterback of the Beavers, which just seems like the icing on the cake for a Husky team that has struggled so much the past few weeks.
3.) USC
A lot of people, including myself, discussed how the Colorado game last Saturday could serve as a possible confidence boost for the Trojan offense. Well, that happened, in the form of six Matt Barkley passing touchdowns. Arizona is up next, so things may not be so simple next week, but I’m sure the Trojans enjoyed their free win.
October 20, 2012; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears surround Stanford Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor (33) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. The Stanford Cardinal defeated the California Golden Bears 21-3. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE
4.) Stanford
The Cardinal has WSU up next, followed by Colorado, so perhaps Josh Nunes will get a little bit of that confidence boosting magic that comes with two straight cupcakes. He could certainly use it, what with the 53% passing. Nunes bashing aside, Stanford continues to steam along with only losses to Washington and Notre Dame, and I will expect them to bring a 7-2 record into their November 10th match-up with Oregon State.
5.) Arizona State
The Sun Devils’ game against UCLA will finally help clarify things in the middle of the Pac-12. I honestly can’t tell you whether ASU or UCLA is the better team, but with ASU getting the Bruins at home, it may not necessarily be a totally fair evaluation. Unfortunately, that’s just how it goes.
6.) Arizona
Is the Arizona offense really that great, or has the Husky defense just totally collapsed? Has the Arizona defense improved, or are Price & Co. really that inept? I’m leaning towards the latter answers to both questions, but don’t believe me, just watch the Wildcats take on USC this weekend and find some clarity.
7.) UCLA
By next week, the Bruins could be as high as 4th or 5th in these rankings, but that loss to Cal sapped some of my confidence in Mora’s team. Beating Utah by one touchdown didn’t help all that much either.
October 13, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora yells a play to his defensive line against the Utah Utes during the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE
8.) Washington
If this seems a little low, it isn’t. It was one thing when the Huskies were losing to top-10 team after top-10 teams, but Arizona is not elite. 52-17 is ugly, and right above Cal seems just right.
9.) California
Cal against Utah. The Disappointment Bowl. Whoever wins just loses less.
10.) Utah
Four straight losses, but hope stays alive in the form of Cal and WSU. After that, there is Washington, and who knows if that is as easy a win for the Huskies as we would have originally thought.
11.) Washington State
100th in points for, 85th at points against. Thing is…Colorado is 113th in points for and 123rd in points against.
12.) Colorado
Just take a moment to imagine, if only for a moment, the pure, unadulterated chaos that would result from a Colorado upset of Oregon. Of course, that is about as unlikely as unlikely can be, but it would be truly spectacular to see. Would the fans at Autzen just think they had all died?