Stanford (4-1): After being first on our list all year, Stanford has finally came down after they were over-powered by Notre Dame this past weekend. In the past two weeks, the Stanford defense has allowed more than 30 points to the opposing team. That being said, the Cardinals are still one of the best teams in the nation. If their defense can smoothen out, they’ll be back on top in no time.

Oregon (4-1): It looks to be that Oregon had no problem getting back into rhythm after their heartbreaking loss to Stanford. Not only does their offense look crisp, but their defense played amazing in their win against California. They took an interception and a fumble to the house ultimately leaving the Golden Bears in the dust. If Oregon wants to keep climbing up the national rankings, they should keep riding this wave.

California (3-1): It was a tough loss for California, but that’s what happens when you give up two touchdowns to the opposing team. On the other end, the Golden Bears are definitely still in the race. If they avoid the mistakes, California should be fine. Their next three games are against Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State, all teams who have been struggling thus far. A bold prediction would be that The Golden Bears will be a top-20 team in the nation by the end of the regular season.

Arizona State (3-2): Arizona State took care of business this past weekend against Oregon State. Sun Devils running back Eno Benjamin rushed for a school-record 312 yards just showing how lethal the ASU offense really is. Their two losses the season both ended within one score, so if Arizona State wants to make a bowl game they will have to close games. Additionally, ASU will be hosting Stanford on Oct. 18, which gives them a great opportunity to move up the rankings.

Colorado (4-0): The only undefeated team in the Pac-12 right now is Colorado, which leaves the question, are the Buffaloes real? Their record looks good, but CU still hasn’t faced a team who was even close to being nationally ranked. We spoke on their offense once before, they have some play makers. However, it is unclear if Colorado really has what it takes to win big games. CU will really be put to the test this week against Arizona State, who just happens to have a really solid defense.

Washington State (4-1): The Cougars got away with a close one against Utah this past weekend. Last week we put our prediction in that Washington State was the real deal and we still stand beside that. In order for WSU to earn a bowl game, they have to win, which they have done. It doesn’t matter how things play out in the game as long as the Cougars walk out victorious. That being said, you can’t help but think how close things can get before it costs them big.

USC (3-2): Who would’ve thought the stellar USC Trojans would be struggling this much? Actually, a lot of people did like us. Yes, their record is positive but those wins were either too easy or too close. Originally we thought their defense was solid but looking back at their last couple of games, things aren’t as they appear. Things are shaky in Southern California, it’s just a matter of time before their record shows it. Or, maybe we’re wrong, we’ll find out when they take on Colorado this weekend.

Utah (2-2): It was a fight until the end, but the Utes were unable to seal the deal against Washington State last weekend. A key problem in the game was the passing-performance from Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley, who threw for just 118 passing yards and no scores on the day. Meanwhile, the Utah defense let Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew have a career day with 445 yards and three touchdowns. These are two big issues that Utah needs to fix if they want to rank higher.

Arizona (2-3): The Wildcats will remain No. 10 on our list after they were given a tough loss by USC on Saturday. Their running defense got chewed up, allowing 24 unanswered points in 35 minutes. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Arizona to turn things around on their season, but a loss is a loss. Things won’t get easier for the Wildcats either as they host No. 24 California this Friday with one less day to rest and reflect on their loss. Arizona needs a win now or they’ll be out for good.

Oregon State (1-4): As we’ve been reciting all year, Oregon State’s defense has problems. In their five games this season, OSU has allowed an average of 45.2 points which is the highest in the Pac-12. So what keeps them at No. 11 in our rankings? In their game against Arizona State, OSU running back Jermar Jefferson ran for 254 yards and two touchdowns which kept them in the game until the fourth quarter. Additionally, they have won a game.

UCLA (0-4): Here we are, with UCLA taking last in our rankings for the second week in a row. Why is it UCLA and not OSU? Well, first and foremost, the Golden Bears have zero wins and that is a fact. Additionally, their defense has been picked clean in every game and their offense has only peaked over 20 points once. In comparison, UCLA and OSU are both performing poorly, but at least Oregon State can put some points on the board. With Washington next week, UCLA is in trouble.