Discussions and debates are showing throughout the Pac-12 footprint.
Washington is ranked and Washington State will not be. Shouldn’t or not it's the opposite method round?
USC and UCLA are undefeated. Which is the most effective staff in Los Angeles?
Ought to Utah be favored to win the convention title. Or is USC the staff to beat?
Is Oregon a contender or pretender?
That is how a typical Pac-12 soccer season is meant to unfold, with a gaggle of ranked groups sparking arguments in sports activities bars and on social media and attracting coveted broadcast home windows on the key networks.
However due to the downturn within the late 2010s, then the COVID disruption and the meltdown final fall, it has been years for the reason that convention produced a lot high quality on the prime.
At this level final season, three groups had been 4-1.
Now, two are 5-0 and 4 are 4-1.
At this level final season, two groups had been ranked (Oregon and Arizona State).
Now, 5 are within the Related Press ballot: No. 6 USC, No. 11 Utah, No. 12 Oregon, No. 18 UCLA and No. 21 Washington.
Solely the SEC has extra ranked groups. The Huge Ten has three.
The meat of the Pac-12 convention season must be loaded with vital video games — as an illustration, No. 11 Utah at No. 18 UCLA on Saturday (FOX) — for the primary time in an extended, very long time.
* Please be aware: The Hotline energy scores don’t essentially observe with the order of groups listed on my Related Press top-25 poll, which is predicated on pointers supplied by the AP.
1. USC (5-0/3-0)
Final week: 1
End result: beat Arizona State 42-25
Subsequent up: vs. Washington State (4:30 p.m. on FOX)
Remark: Imply reversion is underway with regard to turnover margin. The Trojans had been even in opposition to ASU, a four-touchdown underdog Saturday night time. And it was a 10-point recreation late within the fourth quarter.
2. Utah (4-1/2-0)
Final week: 2
End result: beat Oregon State 42-16
Subsequent up: at UCLA (12:30 p.m. on FOX)
Remark: Again-to-back Saturdays in opposition to ranked opponents from Los Angeles will form the course of Utah’s season. Win each, and the Utes are again within the playoff chase. The Florida loss received’t maintain them out in the event that they end 12-1.
3. Oregon (4-1/2-0)
Final week: 3
End result: beat Stanford 45-27
Subsequent up: at Arizona (6 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks)
Remark: How completely different would the season really feel if Oregon had been aggressive with Georgia for 3 quarters, as a substitute of three seconds? Reply: Gentle-years completely different.
4. Washington State (4-1/1-1)
Final week: 5
End result: beat Cal 28-9
Subsequent up: at USC (4:30 p.m. on FOX)
Remark: Linebacker Daiyan Henley and edge rusher Brennan Jackson have mixed for 17 tackles-for-loss by 5 video games. Arizona State has 15.
5. UCLA (5-0/2-0)
Final week: 8
End result: beat Washington 40-32
Subsequent up: vs. Utah (12:30 p.m. on FOX)
Remark: Greatest recreation of the Chip Kelly period? Greatest recreation of the Chip Kelly period. They’ll even be watching in Manila.
6. Washington (4-1/1-1)
Final week: 4
End result: misplaced at UCLA 40-32
Subsequent up: at Arizona State (1 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks)
Remark: It has been years for the reason that secondary was UW’s weakest hyperlink. Generate sufficient strain off the perimeters, nonetheless, and it’s manageable.
7. Oregon State (3-2/0-2)
Final week: 6
End result: misplaced at Utah 42-16
Subsequent up: at Stanford (8 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: The Beavers can be loopy to throw greater than 15 passes Saturday night time. Heck, simply use the Jack Hammer bundle time and again. Stanford’s run protection is among the worst within the nation, once more.
8. Cal (3-2/1-1)
Final week: 7
End result: misplaced at Washington State 28-9
Subsequent up: idle
Remark: The Bears have two weeks to repair the offense and put together for a must-win recreation at Colorado. Lose in Boulder, and their bowl math turns into superior calculus.
9. Arizona (3-2/1-1)
Final week: 9
End result: beat Colorado 43-20
Subsequent up: vs. Oregon (6 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks)
Remark: Some years, we see main bother for the Geese after they head to the desert. This isn't one in all them. The Wildcats aren’t ok on the road of scrimmage to match Oregon yard-for-yard for 60 minutes.
10. Arizona State (1-4/0-2)
Final week: 11
End result: misplaced at USC 42-25
Subsequent up: vs. Washington (1 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks)
Remark: By all accounts, interim coach Shaun Aguano is holding gamers accountable for issues reminiscent of private foul penalties and being late to apply. Novel idea, that.
11. Stanford (1-3/0-3)
Final week: 10
End result: misplaced at Oregon 45-27
Subsequent up: vs. Oregon State (8 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: The brutal September schedule is over and executed. However October and November aren’t a lot simpler with journeys to Notre Dame, UCLA and Utah. We see 4-8 because the best-case situation and 2-10 because the probably.
12. Colorado (0-5/0-2)
Final week: 12
End result: misplaced at Arizona 43-20
Subsequent up: idle
Remark: Karl Dorrell’s alternative, assuming he’s employed in December, can be CU’s fourth head coach in a bit of greater than 4 calendar years. Mike MacIntyre was fired on Nov. 18, 2018. Bananas.
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