Pac-12 power ratings: Oregon on top (again) as Oregon State soars, USC plunges
Power ratings based entirely on the scoreboard, except when they aren’t …
(All times Pacific)
1. Oregon (4-0/1-0)
Last week: 1
Result: Beat Arizona 41-19
Next up: at Stanford (12:30 p.m., ABC)
Line: Oregon -8
Comment: Sure sign of boredom: When you’re plus-five in turnovers and struggle to put away a bad team. Yes, it happens, but the Ducks need to flip the switch from snooze to engaged this week.
2. UCLA (3-1/1-0)
Last week: 2
Result: Won at Stanford 35-24
Next up: vs. Arizona State (7:30 p.m., FS1)
Line: UCLA -3.5
Comment: October is the make-or-break month for UCLA with the Sun Devils up first, then Washington (road), Oregon (home) and Utah (road) in the second half. Meanwhile, November looks anticlimactic with Colorado, Cal and USC. (Serious not serious.)
3. Oregon State (3-1/1-0)
Last week: 6
Result: Won at USC 45-27
Next up: vs. Washington (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: Oregon State +4
Comment: Coming home off a huge win and facing an unranked, unimpressive opponent they should beat, the Beavers must guard against a letdown this weekend. (Joking not joking.)
4. Arizona State (3-1/1-0)
Last week: 3
Result: Beat Colorado 35-13
Next up: at UCLA (7:30 p.m., FS1)
Line: ASU +3.5
Comment: One month down and the Sun Devils remain the most difficult evaluation in the conference. Three decisive home wins against completely overmatched opponents and one road loss against the only foe that offered resistance.
5. Stanford (2-2/1-1)
Last week: 4
Result: Lost to UCLA 35-24
Next up: vs. Oregon (12:30, ABC)
Line: Stanford +8
Comment: On one hand, the Cardinal was playing with a depleted lineup Saturday afternoon. On the other hand, the game was only competitive for 10 of the 60 minutes. And on the third hand, Vanderbilt lost 62-0 to Georgia, USC got spanked at home by Oregon State and Kansas State was steamrollered by Oklahoma State.
6. Utah (2-2/1-0)
Last week: 8
Result: Beat Washington State 24-13
Next up: Idle
Line: N/A
Comment: Our thoughts are with the Utes — not only the football program but the entire athletic department, which has dealt with three tragedies in the past three years (Lauren McCluskey, Ty Jordan and now Aaron Lowe.)
7. Washington (2-2/1-0)
Last week: 9
Result: Beat Cal 31-24 (OT)
Next up: at Oregon State (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: Washington -4
Comment: All the angst-ridden UW fans should absolutely celebrate the victory … for about 48 hours. Then they should start panicking over the six second-half drives that produced a whopping 108 yards and three points.
8. USC (2-2/1-2)
Last week: 5
Result: Lost to Oregon State 45-27
Next up: at Colorado (11 a.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: USC -6
Comment: Sure, Todd Orlando’s defense has yielded 87 points in the two blowout losses. But shouldn’t there be more scrutiny on the Graham Harrell offense, which has only scored 30 in non-garbage time? Whatever version of the Air Raid they’re running, it doesn’t work very well.
9. Cal (1-3/0-1)
Last week: 7
Result: Lost at Washington 31-24 (OT)
Next up: vs. Washington State (2:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: Cal -7
Comment: Given the divergent trajectories of the offense and defense, the Justin Wilcox Bears will resemble the Sonny Dykes Bears in another two or three years.
10. Washington State (1-3/0-2)
Last week: 10
Result: Lost at Utah 24-13
Next up: at Cal (2:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: Washington State +7
Comment: Combine the unsettled situation at quarterback (largely due to injuries) with the upcoming schedule and it’s difficult to identify more than two or three winnable games for the Cougars. And then, if you’re the administration, what do you do?
11. Colorado (1-3/0-1)
Last week: 11
Result: Lost at Arizona State 35-13
Next up: vs. USC (11 a.m., Pac-12 Networks)
Line: Colorado +6
Comment: Could this be the year CU finally beats the Trojans? It will require a mix of the reasonable (an inspired performance by the defense) and the unlikely (big plays by the offense). But if there was ever a time and a place, this might be it.
12. Arizona (0-4/0-1)
Last week: 12
Result: Lost at Oregon 41-19
Next up: Idle
Line: N/A
Comment: His interception total in Eugene is meaningless. Jordan McCloud is the only quarterback on the roster capable of ending the losing streak.
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