Ted's Takes on the Pac-12: Parity Wreaks Havoc as Power Programs Fall
Could anyone have predicted a Pac-12 football weekend in which Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and USC all lost?
Was there a crazy dream in which the highest-ranked Pac-12 football program in October's first week would be Arizona?
Words like chaos and havoc float freely after this unlikely scenario unfolded.
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I would add one more word: parity.
That was the word uttered in a discussion with some Colorado coaches Friday in Boulder, in the aftermath of Oregon's loss. The point was made, and echoed, that the chasm between Pac-12 top and bottom has narrowed.
The size of the divide could be argued, but Utah and Arizona State supported the contention Saturday.
To try to make sense of the chaos, havoc and parity, let's analyze a few snapshots from the upsets.
Nick Wilson runs over Oregon's best defensive back for a second-half touchdown
Is Oregon soft? It's a word no football team wants to hear, but the Ducks must confront this.
In August, it was the top question we posed about this team's championship hopes. In September, a win over Michigan State calmed fears. But on October 2, Arizona exposed Oregon for the second consecutive season.
Nick Wilson played the role of Ka'Deem Carey for this year's Wildcats. After he caught a pass on a wheel route down the left sideline, one obstacle blocked the goal line: Oregon's top-rated DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Wilson ran right through and over Ekpre-Olomu to score. Blunt force overcame a defender. Win for Arizona.
The play's symbolism may last throughout the rest of this season.
In Oregon, they like to refer to "Chip Kelly's offense." The truth is that Rich Rodriguez was a pioneer of the uptempo spread offenses that have mushroomed through the game. He knows how to attack those with his 3-3-5 "stack" defense, and his own offense is thriving with its third quarterback in the last three years. First-year starter Anu Solomon held his own against Marcus Mariota. Arizona had 13 third-quarter first downs and won the second half.
Utah runs for 242 yards and sacks Brett Hundley 10 times
Utah's offense was subpar against Washington State. Coach Kyle Whittingham was emphatic in pinpointing that shortcoming. So when Utah stalled on its first three drives at the Rose Bowl, Travis Wilson was out and Kendal Thompson became the Utes quarterback.
Thompson is not a strong passer, but Wilson was unable to generate a consistent pass attack. So Utah turned to the ground and won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Highlights focused on UCLA's missed field goal on the final play, overlooking the drive engineered by Utah to win the game. The Utes ran the ball on nine consecutive plays. UCLA knew the run was coming but could not stop it.
The Bruins also knew Utah was going to rush strong at Hundley but could not prevent 10 sacks. UCLA's offensive line has been unsettled early in the season. Between different pass protection schemes and Hundley adopting a determination to save sacks by throwing incompletions, UCLA has to correct that problem by Saturday's visit from Oregon.
Stanford fails to cover Notre Dame's Ben Koyack on the game's biggest play
When Stanford doesn't run, it loses its offensive identity.
Blessed with blocking tight ends and fullbacks, the Cardinal have been the welcome antidote to today's 100-plus-play spread offenses, with an abundance of sideways passing. But no running back has emerged in a lead role, and thus Kevin Hogan has been asked to create more offense. With more experience and a strong receiver combo in Ty Montgomery and Devon Cajuste, the Cardinal should have a stronger pass attack. Yet in key moments, Hogan still does more damage with his legs than his arms.
Kevin Anderson, closest to Koyack in the slot at the fourth-down snap, ran toward the wide receiver on that side in a double-cover. As Koyack ran by Anderson, there was no Stanford defender deep. Such a glaring defensive mistake, coupled with the minuscule 47 rushing yards, spoiled an otherwise brilliant day by the Cardinal.
USC stands and watches Jaelen Strong catch the game-winning pass
Who were the impostors wearing Trojan uniforms Saturday? Late in the game, needing one first down to clinch a win, USC lined up in the pistol formation.
The pistol? This is USC! Student-body left, student-body right with five vending machines dressed as offensive linemen leading the way. It was a jaw-dropping series of plays. Three Buck Allen runs gaining a handful of yards. USC couldn't move the ASU defensive front.
Now a punt and Cody Kessler attempts a pooch punt. It was not good. Not his fault. USC doesn't have a long snapper and punter that can execute in the fourth quarter?
Finally, the Hail Mary. What was Hayes Pullard doing standing on the goal line, looking as if he was going to fair catch a high-hanging punt? Again, not his fault.
USC looked as if it had never seen a Hail Mary attempt before. (The Trojans did throw one themselves against Oregon State last week.) This was a nightmare ending that must make this week interminable for the Trojans coaches.
Washington State passes for 734 yards and asks a kicker to win the game
To this observer, the most bizarre finish in recent memory occurred after four hours in Pullman.
In an Arena Football-style game played with 11 to a side on a full field, Washington State had the last possession, drove the field, failed to run for a score from second down inside the 2-yard line and then sent out a kicker.
Washington had 734 passing yards. Cal hasn't stopped anyone from doing anything they want in the last three seasons.
And you send out a kicker with a down and a timeout to use!
You could run a pass play, trusting the QB (Connor Halliday) who has positioned you to win. You could run to center the ball and use the timeout to give the kicker a straight-on attempt. You had those things under your control.
The Cougars did none of those. And the kicker missed. It was a kick he should make. But the Cougars' inaction in the final seconds will haunt them.
How do you pass for 734 yards and lose?
Ted Robinson has been around the Pac-10 and Pac-12 for 30 years as the voice of Stanford football and now the Pac-12 Networks. He also is the San Francisco 49ers' radio play-by-play man, as part of his wide-ranging broadcast work on national and international sports.
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