Cougars stay in command

1. Washington State (8-1)

If Washington State Football had a team slogan, it would be ‘taking care of business’. The Cougars had a close battle with the California Golden Bears, but WSU came out victorious once again, 19-13. For the first time since 2002, Washington State has started their season 8-1 overall and it’s all thanks to their quarterback, Gardner Minshew. Next week, WSU will head to Boulder, Colo. to take on the fallen Buffaloes. The Cougars should let their healthy starters rest in this one.

 2. Washington (7-3)

Talk about a much-needed win. Although it was close, the Huskies were able to fend off the Stanford Cardinal 27-23 with star quarterback Jake Browning regaining his rhythm. In the first half, Browning helped UW  gain a 21-0 lead with a passing touchdown and a score of his own on the ground. Though Stanford did have a successful second half, all that matters is the win. With no game next weekend, Washington will have plenty of time to rest up before hosting Oregon State. 

 3. Oregon (6-3)

For the first time in weeks, Oregon looked like themselves again as they dominated UCLA 42-21. The Ducks went up 21-0 early in the second quarter and kept UCLA out of the conversation defensively. In the game, UO quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, and three different running backs scored to help the Ducks spoil the Chip Kelly’s return to Autzen Stadium. Next week, Oregon will travel to Utah to face the No. 15 Utes.

 4. Utah (6-3)

Of all the games Utah needed to win, this one was the most important. Not only did they lose 20-38, but they allowed 538 yards of total offense to Arizona State. Even worse, their star quarterback, Tyler Huntley, went down with a broken collarbone. If Utah wants to keep up in the rankings, their defense will need to come up big, unlike against ASU. Next weekend, the Utes will be taking on a revived Oregon offense needing a win to stay in the race.

 5. Standford (5-4)

Even with star running back Bryce Love in the game, the Cardinal are still having difficulty finding a win. After this 23-27 loss to Washington, Stanford has now fallen in four of their last five games. Offensively, quarterback K.J. Castello and Love were involved with all three Stanford touchdowns in the game, and the game did come down to the final play. If Stanford wants to regain their momentum, they have a great opportunity to do so next week against Oregon State. 

 6. Arizona State (5-4)

What a huge win for ASU. Putting up 38 points on the No. 15 Utah Utes is exactly what  the Sun Devils needed to get back into the championship conversation. If you missed the game, ASU’s offense was electric. Wide receiver N’Keal Harry went for 161 receiving yards and all three of quarterback Manny Wilkins’ touchdowns passes while running back Eno Benjamin rushed for 175 yards rushing and two scores. ASU will need this momentum next week against UCLA.

7. California (5-4)

Despite the fact that they lost, California actually played very well against the No. 8 Washington State Cougars. Though no player truly stood out for the Golden Bears, their defense was able to hold one of the most powerful offenses in the country to just 19 points. Currently 2-4 in-conference, it’ll be interesting to see how the Golden Bears close out their season with their upcoming three games against USC, Stanford and Colorado.

8. Arizona (5-5) 

The Wildcats have bounced back very well after their one-point loss against UCLA a couple of weeks ago. In their last three games, the Arizona offense has averaged 38.7 points per game, a huge jump from the start of their season. Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate went absolutely wild in their 42-34 win against Colorado this past weekend. He threw for a career-high 350 yards and five touchdowns. Next week the Wildcats will face the Cougars, which should be a high scoring game.

9. USC (5-4)

The Southern California Trojans were not looking for any upsets last Saturday as they took care of business against Oregon State, claiming the win 38-21. USC running back Aca’Cedri Ware had a career day by rushing for 205 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback JT Daniels threw for 177 yards and one score to help USC get the win. With their rushing and passing game looking alive, USC could use this win to catapult them back to the top of the Pac-12 South.

 10. Colorado (5-4) 

 It has been heartbreaking watching the Buffaloes fall this far down in our rankings, but that’s how football works. A one-score loss has sent the buffaloes to 2-4 in the Pac-12, which ties them with UCLA at the bottom of the Pac-12 South division. Allowing 17 unanswered points in the second quarter never feels good, but getting 42 points scored on you hurts even more. We’ll see how Colorado does next week when they take on No. 8 Washington State.

11. Oregon State (2-7)

 Another tough loss for the Beavers results in them sitting near the bottom of out rankings once again. Allowing 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and 38 points overall still supports the point that OSU has serious problems on defense. Offensively, however, the Beavers have hope in quarterback Jake Luton, who threw for 301 yards and one score in the match. Oregon State will be taking on Stanford, Washington and Oregon in their final three games.

 12. UCLA (2-7)

The Bruins are back at the bottom again and may remain likewise if they can’t find a win. After a two game winning streak against California and Arizona, UCLA has now lost two games in a row to both Utah and Oregon. What hurts the most is that the Bruins lost by three touchdowns and gave up three turnovers. Overall, the Bruins need to establish a rhythm on both offense and defense or else they’ll continue to be eclipsed by Oregon State.