Another wild week in the Pac 12. Big upsets, UCLA getting it’s first win and oh so much more. Embrace chaos yet again, these rankings are going to look wildly different. Let’s fly!
1. Oregon (2): For the first time this year the Oregon Ducks are the hands down best team in the Pac 12. While the top 25 hasn’t dropped yet I would expect them to jump into the top 12. While Justin Herbert has been the national story, the Ducks key to success has been the running game lead by CJ Verdell who had 111 yards Saturday and now has 531 yards on the season. Paired with Travis Dye who has 320 yards this year the Ducks have had one of the most dynamic running games in the nation.
2. USC (5): This team is young, yes, and they have had an up and down year. That said the Pac 12 South is bad and honestly, if they got a win at Utah next week you just get the feeling that would all but hand them the Pac 12 South. USC’s defense is showing out right now, they held Buffs QB Steven Montez to a season low 170 yards. JT Daniels struggled with turnovers early in this game but cleaned it up late. This USC team is deeply fascinating to me.
3. Washington State (4): BYE.
4. Utah (7): Blowing out Arizona proves that beating Stanford wasn’t a fluke. Don’t get fooled though, I am a Utah fan, I have seen this to many times, this team is about to get blown out by USC in primetime. I don’t in the slightest trust this team, but for now, they sit at the four spot.
5. Stanford (6): BYE
6. Washington (1): A tough loss and even tougher if leading rusher Myles Gaskin is hurt. Without the run game Jake Browning was exposed as a fraud. This team might be in trouble.
7. Colorado (3): A tough loss for the Buffs. A team that didn’t really play anyone and then got blown out. This game wasn’t as close as the score line shows CSU’s 20 points were scored mostly in garbage time.
8. Arizona State (9): BYE
9. Arizona (8): Utah is a tough place to play, I’m cutting them some slack this week.
10. UCLA (12): For one week UCLA will not sit at the bottom of the Pac 12. Enjoy it!
11. Oregon State (11): BYE
12. Cal (10): Why did I think this team was a sleeper again?
Week 8 picks
Stanford 35 ASU 17
Washington 24 Colorado 17
Oregon State 35 Cal 21
UCLA 24 Arizona 13
USC 35 Utah 21
Oregon 35 Washington 28