Pac-12 power ratings: Washington on top as Colorado holds steady, Utah, WSU and ASU rise
Utah, which has three wins over Power Five foes, is No. 2 this week
Let’s start with a public service announcement that addresses a long-standing annoyance across the Pac-12 footprint: Each team is required to make a certain number of appearances on the Pac-12 Networks, which corresponds to the number of non-conference home games on each team’s schedule.
On Oct. 7, the conference announced the broadcast assignments for games, which include three games on Pac-12 Networks.
That leaves seven Saturdays open, and most teams will be excused from required appearances on the network no one watches.
Only Colorado and Utah will enter the second half of the season (beginning Oct. 14) with unfinished business. Each team must appear on one of the Pac-12 Networks at least once during the season.
Our guess is that Utah’s game against Cal (Oct. 14) or Arizona (Nov. 18) will be assigned to the networks.
Colorado’s options are limited because the Buffaloes have two second-half Friday games on ESPN and Fox, but one game stands out as an obvious Pac-12 Networks telecast: the Nov. 11 matchup with Arizona.
There will be outrage if CU is still a contender at that point. But, folks, the Pac-12 made that bed a dozen years ago.
The requirements have been met for everyone else.
In terms of power ratings…
(All times are in Pacific)
- Washington (4-0/1-0)
Last week: 1 Result: beat Cal 59-32 Next up: at Arizona (7 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) Comment: The Huskies have scored more points (130) in the first half of their four games than 78 other teams have in the first four quarters of all games combined. They also have the highest yards per game (593.3), yards per play (9.23), passing yards per game (467.3), and wide-open receivers per play (5.6) in the country. (That last one was made up by us, but it feels right.)
2. Utah (4-0/1-0)
Last week: 3 Result: beat UCLA 14-7 Next up: at Oregon State (Friday, 6 p.m. on FS1) Comment: The Huskies lead with their offense, while the Utes lead with their defense. Only Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Penn State, and Duke have allowed fewer points than Utah (38) this season. However, at some point, such as Friday night, the Utes will have to play complementary football and string together some touchdown drives.
- Oregon (4-0/1-0)
Last week: 4 Result: beat Colorado 42-6 Next up: at Stanford (3:30 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) Comment: Stanford Stadium has been a nightmare for some of Oregon’s best teams. This year, no. Even with a post-Colorado letdown, the Ducks are favored by 26.5 points, which is insufficient.
4. Washington State (4-0/1-0)
Last week: 5 Result: beat Oregon State 38-35 Next up: idle (then: at UCLA)
Comment: Yes, the Cougars are ahead of USC in these power rankings as well as on my AP top-25 ballot. Off the field, August could not have been worse for WSU. September could not have been more perfect.
5. USC (4-0/2-0)
Last week: 2 Result: won at Arizona State 42-28 Next up: at Colorado (9 a.m. on FOX) Comment: The Trojans needed two touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat Arizona State the last time they played at 9 a.m., in the 2020 opener. Don’t be surprised if Breakfast in Boulder also goes down to the wire. It’s worth noting that the Over/Under is a whopping 73.5 points. That is depressing.
6. Colorado (3-1/0-1)
Last week: 6 Result: lost at Oregon 42-6 Next up: vs USC (9 a.m. on FOX) Comment: The line of scrimmage mismatch that CU faced against Oregon will be less pronounced against USC, giving the Buffaloes a chance to hang around into the fourth quarter, when anything can happen. And most likely will.
7. UCLA (3-1/0-1)
Last week: 7 Result: lost at Utah 14-7 Next up: idle (then: vs. WSU) Comment: Do we really know anything more about the Bruins since Saturday? The defense appeared to be strong, but Utah was playing with a backup quarterback. And while the offense struggled, Utah’s defense was impenetrable. With a week off coming up, UCLA’s true identity won’t be revealed until the middle of October.
8. Oregon State (3-1/0-1)
Last week: 8 Result: lost at Washington State 38-35 Next up: vs. Utah (Friday, 6 p.m. on FS1) Comment: Cam Ward of Washington State exposed the pass defense (28-of-34, 404 yards). It’s a good thing there aren’t any other elite quarterbacks in this conference, or the Beavers could be in big trouble down the road.
9. Arizona (3-1/1-0)
Last week: 9 Result: won at Stanford 21-20 Next up: vs. Washington (7 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) Comment: Noah Fifita pitched well in relief against Stanford on Saturday, but let’s be clear: the Wildcats have one strategy for beating Washington, and it requires 1) a healthy Jayden de Laura and 2) a calm, cool, and collected Jayden de Laura. The Huskies will instead play pinball.
10. Arizona State (1-3/0-1)
Last week: 12 Result: lost to USC 42-28 Next up: at Cal (12 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) Comment: We have to admit that tailback Cam Skattebo was not on our list of Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year candidates. Yes, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the clear favorite, but Skattebo, a 225-pound transfer from Sacramento State, is a ray of hope in ASU’s bleak 2023 future.
11. Cal (2-2/0-1)
Last week: 10 Result: lost at Washington 59-32 Next up: vs. Arizona State (12 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks Comment: Anyone else notice that former Cal quarterback Jack Plummer now has the country’s sixth-highest efficiency rating after transferring to Louisville? And here we are, months later, with the Bears wobbly where it counts the most.
12. Stanford (1-3/0-2)
Last week: 11 Result: lost to Arizona 21-20 Next up: vs. Oregon (3:30 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) Comment: When a one-point home loss to a mediocre team is the season’s best result, it’s a bad first month. Warning: the next four weeks will not be any better.
