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ASU football remains in the middle of the pack despite loss

The Sun Devils' current state gives them the benefit of the doubt in the most recent rankings

ASU Sun Devils running back Demario Richard (4) watches Cougar defenders as he runs towards the end zone during a game against WSU in Sun Devil Stadium, in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016.
ASU Sun Devils running back Demario Richard (4) watches Cougar defenders as he runs towards the end zone during a game against WSU in Sun Devil Stadium, in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016.

As the season progresses, there's been a clear power structure in the Pac-12. The un-nuanced version is Washington and everybody else, but there's a little more deviation than that. While it does look like the Huskies are primed to run away with the Pacific-12 Conference, the remaining teams continue to jostle for bowl position and eligibility.

1. No. 4 Washington (7-0, 4-0 Pac-12)


The Huskies had an unprecedented third bye week in a row after demolishing Oregon State Saturday at home. Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning looked good once again, but east coast Heisman voters went to bed before his noon kickoff in Seattle, so he's still not moving the needle. Maybe UW should play more Friday night games.

2. No. 17 Utah (7-1, 4-1 Pac-12)


Two weeks ago, senior running back Joe Williams was retired from the game of football. In two games since un-retiring, Williams ran for 511 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Utes to two wins. This week, Utah hosts College Gameday as it gets a chance at knocking off unbeaten Washington in a possible Pac-12 Championship preview.

3. No. 23 Colorado (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12)


The Buffaloes struggled on the road with the worst offense in the country, but they scored just enough to stay tight at the top of the heap in the South. Colorado, aside from its slip-up against USC, has left its stamp on the conference and should take advantage of a Josh Rosen-less UCLA team this weekend.

4. Washington State (5-2, 4-0 Pac-12)


The Cougars are on a roll, still unbeaten in Pac-12 play. Redshirt junior quarterback Luke Falk is playing some of the best ball in the country at the position and has the offense clicking. Some concerns remain as Wazzu hasn't really played anyone yet, but if they keep reeling off wins, the Apple Cup will be the best one in years.

5. USC (4-3, 3-2 Pac-12)


What a difference one month can make. The Trojans are a dark horse South contender after winning three in a row, all against divisional foes, to crawl back over .500. The team appears to be having some fun and junior wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster should be good to go Thursday against Cal, so freshman quarterback Sam Darnold should have his full complement of weapons for what should be a classic #Pac12AfterDark shootout.

6. ASU (5-3, 2-3 Pac-12) 


While the Sun Devils didn't get the win, they might have had their most impressive performance of the year. Without redshirt sophomore quarterback Manny Wilkins, ASU turned to freshman Dillon Sterling-Cole and a lot of the Sparky formation to keep close to a surging Washington State team. I don't believe in moral victories, but sometimes circumstances line up against you in the worst possible way, and that's what seems to be going on in Tempe.

7. Cal (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12)


The Golden Bears barely survived Friday against Oregon, but eked out a win in overtime with senior quarterback Davis Webb leading the way. Cal hopes for redshirt junior wide receiver Chad Hansen to be back this week, and it will need him, as the Golden Bears embark on their toughest three-game stretch of the season with games at USC, Washington State and Washington.

8. UCLA (3-5, 1-4 Pac-12)


Head coach Jim Mora said Monday that sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen is suffering from a nerve issue in his shoulder, which is why the 2018 number one overall pick hasn't seen the field since his Bruins lost at Sun Devil Stadium. UCLA has lost three in a row behind inconsistent play from redshirt senior quarterback, and most handsome man in the conference Mike Fafaul, and a tough task ahead in the mountains of Colorado.

9. Stanford (4-3, 2-3 Pac-12)


The Cardinal stayed tight with a ranked Colorado squad, but only mustered three points. Junior running back Christian McCaffrey has not shown the big play ability that made him a Heisman Trophy candidate a season ago and Kevin Hogan is running better on the ground than he is.

10. Oregon State (2-5, 1-3 Pac-12)


The Beavers won the second half against No. 4 Washington, so that's pretty cool for them. Sophomore running back Ryan Nall averages over seven yards per carry this season, but the rest of the offense is disjointed, leaving him on an island. That being said, Oregon State is still in position to grab a couple more wins if it plays its cards right, including the Civil War, which could end up determining the worst team in the Pac-12.

11. Oregon (2-5, 0-4 Pac-12)


The Ducks lost five games in a row for the first time since 1996, the first season State Press sports editor, and childhood Oregon fan, Ryan Clarke was alive for. Despite the long skid, Oregon had its best game of the season Saturday in an overtime loss to Cal and get to host a banged up ASU team for Homecoming.

12. Arizona (2-5, 0-4 Pac-12)


The Wildcats sat out last week but somehow still allowed 35 points. Arizona still doesn't know who its quarterback will be for the rest of the season and junior running back Nick Wilson is not likely to play for a while. Stanford heads down to Tucson next, so maybe the Wildcat defense can gain some confidence against whatever offensive strategy David Shaw employs.


Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.

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