1. Oregon (5-1, 3-0 Pac-10)
UO has undoubtedly been the most impressive team in the conference so far this season, as it has yet to play a close game during the Pac-10 portion of the season and probably should be a top-10 team.
UO gained 221 yards on the ground in its 24-10 win over UCLA on Saturday, including 152 from redshirt freshman LaMichael James.
But the Ducks used other ways to find the end zone, getting touchdowns on an interception return by junior Tal Jackson and a 100-yard kickoff return from redshirt freshman Kenjon Barner, which earned him the Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Ducks lead the conference in scoring offense (32.5 points per game), while James ranks fourth in the conference in rushing (96.8 yards per game). Junior linebacker Kenny Rowe also leads the Pac-10 in both sacks (6.5) and forced fumbles (three).
2. USC (4-1, 2-1 Pac-10)
The No. 6 Trojans are still sitting pretty after their bye on Saturday.
USC’s defense has been absolutely dominant so far this season. The Trojans rank fourth in the nation by giving up just 8.6 points per game.
And the other side of the ball hasn’t been so bad, either, leading the Pac-10 in total offense (430.6 yards per game). Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley also ranks first in the conference with 239.5 yards per game.
USC will next pack its bags for South Bend and a clash with No. 25 Notre Dame in one of the most-anticipated matchups of the season.
3. Stanford (4-2, 3-1 Pac-1-0)
The Cinderella of the Pac-10 finally lost its glass slipper on Saturday, dropping its first Pac-10 contest at Oregoon State 38-28.
Senior running back Toby Gerhart is still a darkhorse Heisman candidate, as he ranks fourth in the nation in rushing yards (124.3 per game).
But the Cardinal defense will need to play much better than it did against the Beavers, where it gave up 463 yards of total offense, if it wants to make its first bowl game since 2001.
4. Oregon State (4-2, 2-1 Pac-10)
Almost exactly on cue, here come the Beavers.
After sliding down the rankings following back-to-back home losses to Cincinnati and UA in September, OSU is slowly but surely inching its way back to the top tier of the conference after beating ASU in Tempe for the first time in 40 years and then notching a victory against the surprise team in the Pac-10 in Stanford.
And in case you weren’t aware, the Rodgers brothers are pretty good.
Younger brother Jacquizz (sophomore) racked up a career-high 189 rushing yards and four touchdowns in Saturday’s win and also caught five balls for 82 yards. But older brother James (junior) has arguably had a better overall season, as he ranks first in the conference in receptions (43), receiving yards (544) and all-purpose yards (1081).
5. Washington (3-3, 2-1 Pac-10)
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
Despite being dominated statistically against UA on Saturday, a bounce of the football off the shoe of UA junior wide receiver Delashaun Dean and into the hands of UW junior linebacker Mason Foster propelled the Huskies to a 36-33 come-from-behind win over the Wildcats.
Junior Jake Locker did not have his best game against the Wildcats, but he still leads the conference in total offense with an average of over 270 yards per game.
6. UA (3-2, 1-1 Pac-10)
The Wildcats could legitimately be ranked anywhere between fourth and sixth in this poll, but because of the way they choked away a 12-point lead with less than five minutes to play in Seattle last weekend, they get the short end of the stick.
Sophomore Nick Foles continues to establish himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the conference, as he leads the Pac-10 in pass efficiency (71.7 percent). He completed 39 of his 53 pass attempts for 384 yards against the Huskies despite throwing a key interception on UA’s final drive of the contest.
7. California (3-2, 0-2 Pac-10)
No team in the conference was more in need of a bye than Cal, and no team is likely more ready to get back on the field after two lopsided losses to Oregon and USC in consecutive weeks.
Cal has had all kinds of trouble on offense in recent weeks, as it has scored a combined six points in its last two games.
But the Golden Bears also rank in the bottom half in the conference in every major defensive category.
8. UCLA (3-2, 0-2 Pac-10)
After a 3-0 start to the season, the Bruins have shown their true colors the last two weeks.
And they’re the colors of pretenders.
UCLA has struggled mightily to move the football,. The Bruins rank ninth in the conference in scoring offense (20.2 points per game), rushing offense (112.6 yards per game), passing offense (170.2 yards per game) and total offense (282.8 yards per game).
9. ASU (3-2, 1-1 Pac-10)
To put it bluntly, a win over Washington State means absolutely nothing for the Sun Devils. Committing six turnovers is not going to lead to victory over any other team in the Pac-10.
However, the Sun Devil defense was absolutely superb against the Cougars by holding WSU to -54 rushing yards, tallying 12 sacks and allowing less than 100 yards of total offense save a 99-yard pass play. ASU still ranks third in the nation in total defense, allowing just 221.8 yards per game.
10. Washington State (1-5, 0-4 Pac-10)
Nothing has changed — the Cougars simply do not have the bodies or the talent to compete in the Pac-10 right now.
WSU ranks dead last in the Pac-10 in virtually every major offensive and defensive category — including 118th nationally in total defense (489.67 yards per game) and 119th in total offense (269.33 yards per game).
Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu.
