Finally, the Ducks got over the hump that was Stanford. Or, more likely, that hump just got a lot smaller. Either way, it was yet another impressive victory for Oregon in a season riddled with them. Occasionally, a team will catch the Ducks not on their game or overlooking an opponent, but when they turn it on, nothing is going to stop this team, at least in the Pac-12.
But if there's a team with the best shot right now, it's this one. ASU is improving at a rapid rate, something Todd Graham has said is the key to being one of the best teams in college football. It faces possibly its toughest test of the regular season on Saturday, when No. 10 Notre Dame comes to Tempe. It's far from the biggest game of the season, being that it's a nonconference game, but it could make or break ASU's College Football Playoff hopes, despite not having an impact on the Pac-12 race.
Congratulations, USC, for not losing. Your prize: move up three spots, despite only beating Washington State. UCLA also won, and over a far better team, but its shenanigans against Colorado and Cal (and almost every other game of the season) keep me from justifying the Bruins ahead of the Trojans. Right now, the conference breaks down into about four tiers. Oregon is on its own, then ASU, then basically the Pac-12 minus Colorado but plus Washington, and the bottom four from the Pac-12 North.
Really, UCLA could make a case for No. 3, but there's also cases to be made for the Bruins being as low as seventh or eighth, too. The 6-2 record is deceiving, which is odd because UCLA actually played a pretty solid nonconference schedule, but the Bruins have won games they shouldn't have, and others have just been too close. UCLA's performance at ASU continues to be by far its best showing this season, and it looks more and more like it will be that way until the end.
As one of the Utah writers said to me in the press box Saturday night, "Welcome to Utah football." Luckily for ASU, it was a warm welcome, albeit a gut-checking one as well. But that's how the Utes season has gone. Utah hasn't played a conference game that has been decided by more than six points (though that's nearly par for the course in the Pac-12 South this year). Discounting nonconference games, Utah's average margin of victory is 3.67 points, and its average margin of defeat is two points.
The Wildcats have been coming back to earth ever since the Oregon win. That could end up being the highlight of UA's season, which looked to have far more promise then than it does now. The Wildcats are 1-2 in the three games since, with losses to USC at home and UCLA on the road. Neither are easy games, but neither is near Oregon's level, either. With home games left against Colorado and Washington, UA should expect no fewer than eight wins, which should be considered a success. But two could be left on the table, too, with a road game against No. 17 Utah and the Territorial Cup in Tucson.
John Ross and Kasen Williams must be on coach Chris Petersen's bad side for something. Each receiver put up big numbers last season and has potential NFL talent, but neither is listed as a starter on this week's depth chart. Instead, freshman Dante Pettis and redshirt senior Diandre Campbell are. Pettis has performed well in limited duty this season, but Campbell has just 41 catches for 404 yards in four seasons. Williams exceeded both those numbers his last healthy season, his sophomore year.
Stanford is the most average team in the Pac-12. Its record says so, and so does its play on the field. That defense is still intimidating, despite giving up 45 to Oregon, but it's not enough to make up for an anemic offense. It's difficult to think about the Cardinal as anything but elite after the past four seasons, but there isn't an automatic win left on their schedule. Yes, even Cal.
That's right, the Bears have a chance to beat Stanford. I'm not saying it's going to happen, or even that I'll pick them over the Cardinal. But it's not the automatic win it has been the last few years. A win over Stanford would be Cal's first since 2009, the year Stanford's mini dynasty began. And now that it's over, is it time again? But that's not what's up next on the docket for the Bears. They have a week to recover after a shootout victory at Oregon State before heading to USC to try to become bowl eligible, an achievement that would have seemed ridiculous before the season started.
Just like that, Oregon State replaced Cal as the third team in the bottom fourth of the Pac-12. Since Colorado joined the league, it's seemingly been a consistent Cal, Washington State, Colorado bottom three. But the Beavers' loss to Cal sealed their fate this season. While there's still a chance for the Beavers to climb out of the bottom of the barrel and toward bowl eligibility, it's unlikely. Next week versus Washington State should be a win, but nothing is certain with the Beavers this season, and they should be underdogs in their final three games.
There was serious consideration to putting Washington State in the No. 12 slot this week. The Cougars got blown out once again, this time by USC. Their single saving grace is a one-point win at Utah. Other than that, WSU is 1-6 and winless in the Pac-12. The average margin of defeat is 13.86, about two touchdowns. That number even includes nonconference games against Rutgers and Nevada. It looked like the Cougars could at least be competitive this season after making a bowl game last year, then hanging with Oregon in Week 4. It's now more likely that they finish last in the Pac-12 than make a bowl game (which is mathematically impossible).
The Buffaloes were also eliminated from whatever bowl hopes they had with a 38-23 loss to Washington on Saturday. At least Colorado was eliminated with more respectability than Washington State. The Buffaloes have lost five straight, all conference games, but three of them have been within one score, and the two others haven't been complete embarrassments. Well, OK, the 56-28 loss at USC was a complete embarrassment. But hey, a 15-point loss to Washington ain't that bad, right?
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
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