Recapping the Week Seven motion throughout the Pac-12 …
Theme of the week I: Mayhem
Even with three groups idle and a restricted schedule, Saturday left us transfixed with the heavyweight showdown that went to the wire (Utah-USC), victories by double-digit underdogs (Stanford and Colorado), unstoppable offense (Washington, USC, Utah), horrible offense (Cal, Washington State), stout protection (Oregon State) and horrible protection (Arizona). Week Seven had all of it.
Theme of the week II: Officiating
Overlook the go interference penalties that ship coaches and followers into meltdown mode — these are judgment calls that trigger controversy in each convention every week. We noticed far too many errors with early whistles, ball placement and poor communication. The Hotline watches all or the vast majority of each recreation, every week (and has executed so for years). What we witnessed Saturday was commonplace within the Pac-12 till the scenario improved over the previous season and a half. This was a setback.
Theme of the month: Consuming your individual
USC’s loss leaves the convention with one undefeated workforce, UCLA, and the Bruins have a serious problem subsequent week. Positive, parity makes for entertaining viewing and has been a staple of Pac-12 soccer for years. However the perfect conferences possess a clearly-defined high tier that creates premium TV matchups and the potential for breathtaking upsets. The trajectory of this season gained’t be derailed if the Bruins lose in Eugene. However the Pac-12 wants three or 4 groups to stay a minimize above into November.
Workforce of the week: Stanford
Utah is actually worthy of the honour, however we created a separate class particularly for the Utes (see beneath) and as an alternative selected to single out the workforce that gained its first recreation in opposition to an FBS opponent in additional than a 12 months. Stanford had misplaced 11 in a row to opponents not named Colgate and got here shut final week earlier than a last-second defensive collapse. This time, the Cardinal completed the job with a 16-14 victory at Notre Dame.
Sport of the week: Utah 43, USC 42
It had the whole lot: a primetime viewers, playoff and convention title implications, 85 factors and 1,118 yards of offense, first-rate particular person performances, big momentum shifts, fourth-quarter touchdowns, controversial officiating, a pulsating last minute and, naturally, a area storming. It was the sport of the 12 months within the convention, a minimum of till subsequent weekend.
Final stand of the week: Utah
The playoff is out of attain for the Utes (5-2) due to their loss whole — and should you hadn’t seen, Florida is 1-3 in SEC play — however they're alive and properly within the Pac-12 race after the victory over USC. If the Utes run the desk, a feat that would come with successful at Oregon subsequent month, a berth within the convention championship recreation awaits. Oops, excuse me: One other berth within the championship recreation awaits.
Coach of the week: Colorado’s Mike Sanford
In his first recreation as interim head coach, Sanford delivered CU’s first win of the season. What’s extra, he managed to energise not solely the gamers however the complete CU soccer group with two weeks of nonstop salesmanship and keenness — a stark distinction to the comatose vibe given off every day by earlier coach Karl Dorrell.
Name of the week: Utah’s Kyle Whittingham
The dean of Pac-12 coaches may have opted to kick the additional level with 48 seconds left and play for time beyond regulation in opposition to the Trojans. As an alternative, he ordered up the two-point conversion that supplied the successful margin. Whenever you belief your quarterback, place confidence in the vitality of the house crowd and possess what quantities to a lifetime contract, it’s a neater resolution to make.
Offensive participant of the week: Utah’s Dalton Kincaid
The elegant tight finish set a convention file for receptions at his place (16) and accounted for 55 p.c of Utah’s aerial yardage (234 of 424). Quarterback Cam Rising scored the go-ahead landing and two-point conversion, however the Utes would by no means have been in place for victory with out Kincaid’s masterpiece.
Defensive participant of the week: Stanford’s Stephen Herron
The sting rusher from New Albany, Indiana turned in a stellar efficiency a number of hours from his hometown, recording 4 tackles, two sacks and a pressured fumble in a victory at Notre Dame powered by the Cardinal protection. The Irish gained simply 301 yards and have been 3-of-12 on third down.
Offensive offense of the week: Cal
The Bears mustered simply 13 factors in opposition to a Colorado protection that had allowed a minimum of 38 to 5 earlier opponents. It was an abomination and, when mixed with the 9 factors scored by the Bears of their earlier outing (at Washington State), ought to immediate coach Justin Wilcox to take a tough take a look at offensive coordinator Invoice Musgrave’s effectiveness. The Bears are certainly working a Professional Type offense — straight out of the Forties.
Offensive protection of the week: Arizona
The Wildcats yielded 595 yards and 49 factors to Washington in one more meltdown by a unit that ranks within the 120s nationally in each factors per recreation and yards-per-play allowed. Arizona is 1-3 in convention play and, remarkably, has allowed 49 factors in every of the three losses — to Oregon, Cal and UW. (Sure, even Cal.) The personnel is best than it exhibits below first-year defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen.
Stat of the week: Ball safety
The 9 groups in motion mixed for simply eight turnovers. USC, Washington, Arizona and Stanford didn’t commit any; Utah, Oregon State and Washington State every dedicated one; Cal and Colorado mixed for 5.
Stat of the 12 months: Level manufacturing
5 Pac-12 groups rank among the many high 20 nationally in scoring: Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Utah and USC are throughout 40 factors per recreation. No different Energy 5 convention has greater than 4 groups within the high 20.
Stat of the last decade: Oregon State
The Beavers broke an eight-game dropping streak to Washington State with a 24-10 victory, their first within the sequence because the 2013 season. At 5-2, and with Cal, ASU and Colorado on the schedule, Oregon State is a lock for the postseason and will win eight or 9 video games.
Sport of subsequent week: UCLA at Oregon
A matchup of top-10 groups with main postseason implications could have ESPN’s ‘Faculty GameDay’ readily available in Eugene. We presume the pregame hype will concentrate on the top coaches, the quarterbacks and UCLA’s first street problem of the season. However the final result relies upon solely on the play of the Bruins’ revamped protection below first-year coordinator Invoice McGovern. The opening line has the Geese favored by 4.5 factors.
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