Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC Trojans, Pac-12.
Pacific Northwest Sports continues our PAC-12 football power rankings. We will run this feature through the last Bowl game. It’s a bit difficult in some places to rank teams because of COVID-19 related cancellations.
For the first time in 2020, every school in the Pac-12 played their scheduled game. Finally, a week without COVID-19 cancellations or rescheduling. Next week looks a little precarious because of positive tests at the University of Washington. We have our fingers crossed that it will be business as usual in the conference.
Here are our PAC-12 Power Rankings for the week ending December 6, 2020, with a Pacific Northwest twist.
Last game: Undefeated Colorado spotted the hapless Wildcats a 13-point lead for a quarter and a half. After that, Arizona didn’t put up any points the rest of the game, while the Buffaloes scored 21 straight. Arizona had a chance to tie the game with a first-and-goal at the seven-yard line and over nine minutes to go. They gained a net of two yards before turning the ball over on downs.
This week: At least one BCS team in Arizona will have a win this season. The Wildcats play their in-state rivals, Arizona State, at home.
Last game: If there is a team to feel sorry for in this COVID-19 ravaged season, it’s the Arizona State Sun Devils. ASU was supposed to have a good team in 2020. They lost an opening day 28-27 heartbreaker to USC in Los Angeles. Then their next three games were canceled.
Playing their first live football in over three weeks, ASU lost to Southern California’s other team, UCLA, 25-18. Arizona State fell behind 17-0 in the first half. Despite an impressive second half rally, the Sun Devils fell short. Two third quarter turnovers did them in.
This week: The Sun Devils try once again for their first win in 2020. They’ll have to do it in enemy territory. ASU heads to Tuscon for a matchup with 0-4 Arizona.
Last game: Cal got their first win of the year. Better yet, it was an upset over 23rd ranked Oregon. A third quarter, 28-yard touchdown pass from Chase Garbers to Nikko Remigio was the only score in the second half. It gave the Golden Bears a lead they never lost.
This week: California travels to Pullman, Washington, to play the final game of the day. The teams have a combined record of 2-5. Someone takes a big step toward a bowl game.
Last game: Is scoring three field goals and a touchdown in the first half good? Not really. Utah could have put this game to bed early, but the Utes had two drives stall inside OSU’s 10-yard line, which resulted in field goals.
That was before the Britain Covey show got warmed up. Utah scored on their first possession of the second half on an eight-yard from Jake Bentley to Covey. The 5-8 junior from Provo, Utah, opened the fourth quarter with an electrifying 64-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Utes a lead they never relinquished.
This week: It’s the early risers game this week for Utah. They visit undefeated Colorado for a 10:00 a.m. kickoff.
Last game: It was an ugly first quarter for the Washington State Cougars. After canceling games against Stanford and Washington the past two weeks, it’s understandable that Washington State would be a little rusty. Further, the Cougs group of defensive backs was painfully thin due to COVID-19 concerns. Even with those factors, USC’s four Kedon Slovis to Amon-Ra St. Brown was totally unexpected.
After another Trojans touchdown in the second quarter, something kind of wonderful happened. Wazzu stood up for themselves. They started hitting as hard as USC was hitting them. Then the Cougs defense said no more. The unit held Southern Cal to only a field goal the rest of the way.
This week: Bear hunting season comes to the Palouse. Wazzu hosts Cal, who is coming off of a huge upset win over Oregon last week. If the Cougars want to have a winning record in Nick Rolovich’s first season, they must take this one.
Throw last Sunday’s game out the window. Despite the lopsided loss, Wazzu showed toughness and heart in the second half. Their offense does a little bit of everything, and they do it well. If the Cougs can keep Garbers in check, they can win the game. Washington State’s coronavirus depleted secondary could use some reinforcements this week.
Last game: All the makings were there for a true underdog story. Oregon State was on the road at Utah. They played with a backup quarterback and trailed by 20 points less than 30 seconds into the fourth quarter after Covey’s punt return TD.
OSU could have packed it in at that point. Instead, they fought their way back. The Beavers scored touchdowns on two of their next three possessions to pull within six points. Oregon State was on the move again with less than a minute to go in the game. They made it as far as Utah’s 36-yard line before turning it over on downs with 30 seconds left in the game.
This week: Oregon State can get back to five-hundred on Saturday with a home win over Stanford. The Cardinal, for their part, are riding high after upsetting UW in Seattle last week. Chance Nolan starts at quarterback again in place of injured Tristan Gebbia.
Last game: Because of restrictions on contact sports in Santa Clara County, California, Stanford had to move their football operations to the Seattle area for a few weeks. They must like it in the Pacific Northwest because they took it to previously undefeated and 22nd ranked Washington in Seattle.
Running back Austin Jones looked like a star, gaining 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 31 carries.
This week: It really feels like the Cardinal are turning their season around. First came the win over California in the Big Game two weeks ago on a blocked extra point. Then last Saturday, they upset Washington. A third straight win puts Stanford in line for a bowl appearance.
Last game: Oregon has no one else to blame but themselves for losing to previously winless Cal last week. The Ducks scored a touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter to take a 17-14 lead into halftime. What should have been a momentum builder was the last time UO put points on the board.
The Ducks offense struggled mightily in the second half, gaining just 117 yards. They had four punts, two fumbles, and a turnover on downs. It spoiled an otherwise good half for Oregon’s defense, which gave up a measly 103 yards.
This week: It’s a big deal this Saturday at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks host Washington, with the winner headed to the Pac-12 Championship game. Expect Oregon to pull out all the stops. Of course, that is if they play. If not, UW wins the Pac-12 North with a 3-1 record.
Last game: The good news is the Bruins left Arizona State with a 25-18 win. The bad news is, UCLA played a team that was idle for three weeks due to COVID-19; got out to a 17-point first half lead; and had to outlast a second half comeback to do it. Oh, they were also out-gained 442-363. Winning the turnover battle 2-0 was the difference-maker for UCLA.
Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson made his first appearance in three weeks due to contact tracing. He was pretty good in his return. The junior threw for 192 yards with a touchdown and ran for another 49, including a nifty 11-yard TD scamper with 30 seconds remaining in the first half.
Linebacker Caleb Johnson wreaked a little havoc of his own with 10 tackles, including two sacks.
This week: This year’s Battle of Los Angeles takes place at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins would love nothing better than to knock USC off their high horse this week. To do so, UCLA has to find a way to slow down an offense that averages 33.3 points-per-game.
Last game: What a disappointment for the Washington Huskies. They were undefeated and cruising towards the Pac-12 Championship game. UW had a home game against home-less Stanford. Then came the kickoff.
Stanford came at the Huskies like Utah did to them a week earlier, but with greater and more prolonged success. UW had a good opportunity to score a touchdown on their second possession, driving the ball down to Stanford’s eight-yard line. Despite first-and-goal, the Washington Huskies managed two yards on three plays and had to settle for a field goal.
Boosted by their defensive stand, Stanford only needed nine plays to punch the ball into the endzone again. One more Cardinal field goal, and the deficit was 24-3 at the half.
Just like last week, the Huskies came out on fire in the second half. They scored their first touchdown on the first possession of the second half. Unlike last week Stanford answered with a TD of their own. From there, Washington went on a 13-0 run (Stanford blocked an extra point for the second straight week).
UW had their chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter after forcing a fumble and running the ball back to Stanford’s 10-yard line with 10 minutes to go. Instead of punching the ball into the endzone for a potential tying score, Washington went backward due to a pair of holding penalties and had to kick a 45-yard field goal.
The Cardinal controlled the ball for the rest of the game. Washington’s defense made their stand on the previous series because this one lasted the final 7:47.
This week: Washington was very fortunate that the other Northern California team beat Oregon last week. Once again, the Huskies fate is in their own hands. Win, and they go to the Pac-12 Championship game against either USC or Colorado. Lose and then wait for the Pac-12 to schedule next week’s game. Then play their game after watching the Ducks play for a conference championship that they should part of, themselves.
Last game: The Buffs came out of the gate very slowly in Tucson. They had no points, one turnover, and 57 yards in the first quarter. It wasn’t good. Colorado’s first four possessions went punt, punt, fumble, punt. Meanwhile, Arizona scored three times, taking a 13-0 lead.
Somewhere around the mid-second quarter, a switch flipped, and Colorado dropped the hammer. The Buffs offense scored touchdowns three of the next five times they had the ball. That would be all CU needed in a 21-13 win.
Running back, Jarek Broussard ran like a Buffalo in a stampede. The sophomore from Dallas, TX, rushed for 301 yards on 25 carries. As a team, Colorado gained 401 yards on the ground.
This week: It’s a must-win game a Fulsom Field. To take the Pac-12 South, the Buffs must defeat Utah and hope USC loses the Battle of Los Angeles. Just for fun, Utah at Colorado kicks off at 10:00 a.m.
Last game: Once again, USC claims the top spot in our Pac-12 Power Rankings. Last week, the Trojans got off to a hot start scoring four touchdowns in the first quarter, as well as the game’s first 35 points. It wasn’t just an offensive onslaught.
Southern Cal came out of the chute hitting hard. It was almost as if they were sending future opponents a message at Washington State’s expense. It was a very physical game that USC won handily 38-13.
This week: USC takes their high powered offense to UCLA in a must-win game. A Trojans win puts them in the Pac-12 Championship game and keeps their name in the national discussion (as an undefeated Power-5 team should be). This team wants to make an identity of their own. They are nothing like the John McKay teams of the 60s and 70s. Or Pete Carroll’s champions from the 2000s.
There are some important Pac-12 games this week. Check back with us on Tuesday for our updated power rankings.