Ranking the Best Pac-12 Football Matchups of Week 8
As rough a start as the Pac-12 Conference went through earlier this fall, entering the second half of the 2016 season there are some great division races forming. Both the North and South have a tie for first place, with regional rivals battling for those top spots and other teams waiting in the wings to catch the leaders if they stumble.
The eighth week of action in the Pac-12 features another reduced slate, with Arizona and USC the latest to get their byes. For Arizona, it's the first time it has had a week off in the middle of a season since September 2014.
We've ranked the five Pac-12 games on tap for Week 8 based on the strength of the matchup and the likelihood that you'd want to watch. Check them out and then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
5. Oregon State at No. 5 Washington
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When: Saturday, Oct. 22; 6:30 p.m. ET
Washington has been the class of the Pac-12 to this point by a long stretch, with the Huskies earning their highest Associated Press ranking since 2000. Their margin of victory in Pac-12 games has increased by the week, beating Arizona by seven in overtime and then crushing Stanford by 38 and blowing out Oregon by 49 to end an 11-game losing streak to the Ducks.
The scoring margin rise could continue upward against an Oregon State team that is hobbling into Seattle. Since ending a long league skid with an Oct. 8 win over California, the Beavers have seen their top two quarterbacks get hurt and leading rusher Ryan Nall also deal with injuries.
Oregon State has lost 10 consecutive road games and hasn't won at Washington since 2008.
4. California (3-3, 1-2) at Oregon (2-4, 0-3)
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When: Friday, Oct. 21; 10:30 p.m. ET
Oregon is off to its worst start in the Pac-12 since 1996, long before the Ducks established themselves as one of the best programs in the country. They still have a potent offense thanks to a run game that leads the conference at 257.8 yards per game, but the lack of a complementary passing attack has prevented them from being as explosive with the ball.
True freshman Justin Herbert started Oregon's last game, a 70-21 home loss to Washington in which its defense was ravaged for 682 yards. Despite former Michigan coach Brady Hoke being brought in to shore up that unit, the Ducks are allowing more points per game (41.8) and yards per play (6.44) than in 2015 (37.5 and 6.03, respectively).
California's offense is clicking in a similar manner to 2015, when it was run by eventual No. 1 NFL draft pick Jared Goff. Texas Tech transfer Davis Webb has stepped in to throw for 2,256 yards and 22 touchdowns, numbers similar to what Goff had at this point a year ago.
Don't expect many defensive stops in this one, because the Golden Bears aren't too strong on that side either. They rank second-to-last nationally in rushing defense, allowing 283.8 yards per game.
3. Colorado (5-2, 3-1) at Stanford (4-2, 2-2)
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When: Saturday, Oct. 22; 3 p.m. ET
Already with its most wins since 2010, another victory will secure Colorado's first bowl bid in nine years. The Buffaloes have dominated at home and been competitive on the road, winning at Oregon and holding their own in losses to Michigan and USC.
Being able to do the same at Stanford would be a true sign Colorado has arrived, as its three games against the Cardinal as a Pac-12 member have each resulted in losses by 32 or more points.
Those were against much better Stanford teams, however, or at least ones that were more organized. The Cardinal have struggled massively on offense this season, averaging 19 points per game including only 13 per game over the last three. Not coincidentally, that recent stretch has come as star Christian McCaffrey has been neutralized and then forced to miss last week's win at Notre Dame.
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2. Washington State (4-2, 3-0) at Arizona State (5-2, 2-2)
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When: Saturday, Oct. 22; 10 p.m. ET
An 0-2 start that included a home loss to FCS Eastern Washington caused many to write off Washington State as a serious Pac-12 contender. Since then, the Cougars have won four in a row, beating Stanford on the road in the process, and they've done it with a far more balanced offense than you'd expect from WSU coach Mike Leach.
The noted passing aficionado—under his watch in Pullman his quarterbacks have set the FBS single-game records for passing yards (734) and attempts (89)—has suddenly embraced the run. The Cougars have rushed 30 or more times in four consecutive games after hitting that number only five times in Leach's first 52 games with the school, and it has produced 14 rushing touchdowns during the four-game win streak.
Arizona State is second-best in the Pac-12 in defending the run but is dead last nationally in pass defense, allowing 384.4 yards per game. The Sun Devils' own passing situation is in turmoil because of injuries, resulting in only 345 yards with two TDs and three interceptions the last two games.
WSU has lost six in a row in Tempe, losing by an average of 26.1 points in that span.
1. No. 19 Utah (6-1, 3-1) at UCLA (3-4, 1-3)
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When: Saturday, Oct. 22; 4 p.m. ET
The Pac-12 South is wide-open with four teams within a game of first place, which is where Utah sits in a tie with Colorado. UCLA could still get involved if those ahead of it fall backward, so this is an opportunity for the Bruins to help their own cause.
It would also help if they could get sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen back in action. He missed last week's 27-21 loss at Washington State with a shoulder injury sustained the game before at Arizona State, and UCLA coach Jim Mora is "very, very hopeful that you’ll see him playing this Saturday," per Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
Utah has its own injury issues, particularly at running back, where because of numerous losses it had to pull senior Joe Williams out of retirement against Oregon State. It turned out to be a wise move, as Williams ran for 179 yards in the 19-14 win.
UCLA is trying to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since 2012, before Mora took over the program.
All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com, unless otherwise noted. All statistics provided by CFBStats, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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