Ranking the Pac-12 After Week 2

It isn't good to read too much into what we've seen through two weeks. But as that's all we have to go on, I'll rank what we have to this point. What if Missouri turns out to be a dud? Or LSU runs the table in the SEC?

Those wins and losses could be viewed in a much different light. And sometimes good teams just have an off week. Once conference play gets underway, everything can change very quickly.

The South Division Leader: Arizona State

So far they hold the lead.

They showed the explosiveness they are capable of when things go as planned.

They have also shown that they still have issues.

Their secondary had some major holes and gave Missouri a way back into the game.

But in the end they were still able to come away with a marquee victory against a good Missouri squad.

All while giving up over 100 yards in penalties and muffing a punt. If they can screw their heads on straight (major 'if' by the way) there aren't many teams in the conference that can challenge them. 

2. USC

Sort of a 'wins the spot by default' after defeating Utah on Saturday.

Nobody seems to want to run away with the division at this point.

The Trojans have been unspectacular through two weeks. But 2-0 is still undefeated until someone proves them otherwise.

They have come up big when they needed to, and something tells me this team is capable of way more than they have displayed thus far. 

And despite being a couple years removed from being dominant, no one likes to show SC to the door too quickly (including me). The Sept. 24th showdown with the Sun Devils will determine the clear front runner.

3. Utah

Not a bad spot to debut for the new kid.

The USC game proved that Utah can slug it out with the big boys. But keep in mind that they struggled and loss to a team whose verdict is still out. 

Was this a hard fought loss against a good opponent. Or a middling struggle against an under-performing SC team? Only time will tell. For both squads.

But until we see what USC does the rest of the year it is hard to gauge where Utah really stands. 

They could be a middle of the pack team, or (since USC is ineligible for the post-season) Utah could still win the South and go to the Conference Championship Game. Until then, I leave them here.

4. Arizona

About what you would expect at this point in the season. The Wildcats have a lot of talent, but are young and riddled with injuries.

They will not be smelling roses this season. But how quickly some of their youth comes around could be the difference between a decent season and total anarchy.

And they may have to struggle to get to .500 this year. They definitely have their work cut out for them early with games against Stanford, Oregon, and USC in the next 3 weeks. 

They just have to make sure things don't spin too quickly out of control.   

5. Colorado

Very hard to rank an 0-2 team ahead of a 1-1 team. But the Buffs play with something the next team lacks...Fire.

They have left it all out on the field the last two weeks. They took a team that beat them 52-7 last year into overtime.

If they can keep up that intensity they will have a bright future ahead of them this season. A victory against Colorado State this week will get the monkey off of their back.

And then they will have a big opportunity against a depleted Ohio State roster. Or they could go 0-4, in which case I will gladly drop them down the list (not that there is far to go).

6. UCLA

Coming off of a very disappointing loss, they now have a very disappointing win. It is often hard to complain about a win.

And the Bruins have shown some ability to move the ball in the passing game (their main Achilles heel last season). But the defense has been lack luster.

And unless they step it up, they will not be able to keep up with the grind of the Pac-12 schedule. 

They have games looming with Texas and Stanford in the next 3 weeks.

An October 8th showdown with WSU suddenly looks crucial, and could have Neuheisel's job in the balance. And if their coach gets the axe, does this team have the character to keep things together?  

On to the North: Oregon Stays on Top (For Now)

As a Husky fan, I hate Oregon.

They are the Jersey Shore of the West Coast. And they haven't looked quite like their 2010 version.

But until they show me that they are truly off track I can't write them off just yet. I thought long and hard before ranking them here.

But I asked myself if I thought Stanford would have beat LSU in week one. And I don't think they would have.

So I can't bring myself to penalize Oregon for having the balls to schedule a worthy opponent.

The Ducks will certainly not be tested this week against Podunk State or whoever they play. So we will wait to see how a tree does against a wildcat on Saturday before I am ready to move them down.  

2. Stanford

Stanford has under-performed and still managed to win by a wide margin.

So maybe that says more than anything, that they don't even need to try hard to blow out their opponent. 

But still, they haven't played anybody that deserves to be on the football field with the Cardinal just yet.

Before I jump on the 'this is their special year' band wagon I need to see a deeper core sample.

If they man handle Arizona on the road I will be a true believer. But a close win will keep them in the 2 hole. And a loss will bring chants of "over-rated" from the Zona Zoo that will resonate into Monday morning. 

3. Washington

I will admit personal bias in this one as a Husky fan (but hey, at least I didn't put them higher).

They have struggled through games against Eastern Washington and Hawaii at home. But just like USC, 2-0 is undefeated until proven otherwise.

And since everyone in the north is 2-0 (except the first and last place teams, ironically) I can put them where I please. 

The contest this week in Nebraska will be a true measuring stick.

A victory against a top 10 team on the road could even bump them up the list, but that is going to be a big hurdle.

They have shown their offense has some fire power when needed. And the D-line has kept the running game in check, now the secondary needs to prove they have what it takes and I will really be on board.

4. Washington State

Some may think this is too high for WSU. However, the Cougs are 2-0 and have something they haven't felt for awhile.

No, that tingling sensation isn't food poisoning...it's hope. Sure they have played inferior opponents to this point. But 59 points is 59 points.

Against UNLV they scored more points, and allowed fewer than Wisconsin. Just saying.

If they can keep up the momentum against San Diego State and into Pac-12 play, the sky is the limit. And Paul Wulff's seat will get remarkably chilly along with the weather in Pullman.

5. Cal

Kind of low down to put a team that is 2-0, but the Bears seem to be just sneaking by everybody they play.

Their defense that was so feared at the end of 2010 has given up 54 points and 792 yards over two games.

Not bad by any stretch, but not the iron maiden everyone talked about.

The offense has been good, but not outstanding. They need a big game to announce they are moving in the right direction.

This weeks game against Presbyterian shouldn't be aloud. But future game against Washington, Oregon and USC will show where they truly belong on the list.

6. Oregon State

It hurts me to do this to the Beavs, but you leave me know choice. You are notorious for slow starts, but this is anemic.

Now I like Oregon State fans and Mike Riley, but this is going to be a tough year. I just want to know what went wrong.

Last year everyone was talking about Katz as being a standout young QB, now he's getting benched. Was Quizz so important that without him the offense just shuts down?

And the defense isn't doing that much better without Stephen Paea. If things don't get better quick, they could be struggling to find a 'W' just to avoid pulling a Willingham.