College Football Picks Week 5: Who Will Win This Week's Pac-12 Clashes?
Week 4 really shook up the Pac-12 South and made Arizona State the clear-cut favorite, while the Pac-12 North is just as wide open as ever.
With USC looking for redemption, Stanford trying to extend their undefeated streak and Washington getting off to a hot start, there is plenty of Pac-12 action even with Oregon idle this week.
Here is how the Week 5 matchups will shake out.
Oregon State vs. No. 25 Arizona State
Pick: Arizona State
Oregon State is having a horrific season. After losing to Sac State in their opener, it's tough to imagine a more troubling start. They aren't going to be able to gather any Corvallis magic, as this one is being played in the desert. ASU is red hot right now and the Beavers have no shot.
Arizona vs. USC
Pick: USC
Arizona just got carved up by LaMichael James and Oregon, and USC just suffered a painful loss to the Sun Devils. Matt Barkley and the Trojans aren't about to let one bad game ruin their season. They might not be able to go to a bowl game this season, but they certainly aren't going to roll over and accept defeat. Nick Foles can't do enough to carry the Wildcats to victory.
Washington State vs. Colorado
Pick: Colorado
Colorado has struggled thus far this season, but Washington State hasn't beaten anyone of significance. The Cougars' 2-1 record is a lot more impressive than the actual team is. This one is a coin toss, and given that Colorado is at home, they get the edge despite their rocky start.
Washington vs. Utah
Pick: Utah
Utah's incredible performance against BYU last week put them on the map. While Washington and Utah have yet to post a victory worth mentioning, Utah's stout defense should pull them through. One of these teams is going to emerge from Week 5 with a record that is much better than they are.
UCLA vs. No. 6 Stanford
Pick: Stanford
Ironically, we could easily see Pac-12 home teams sweep this week. There is no way UCLA can head into Stanford and feed Andrew Luck's Cardinal a loss. They have their sights set on a National Championship, but don't ever get away from the "one game at a time" mentality that got them to where they are today.
