Pac-12 power ratings: USC holds top spot as Washington, Oregon State rise
The Huskies are hot but blew their chance to play for the title with a bad early-season loss.
Welcome to the Hotline’s final Pac-12 football power ratings of the 2022 regular season. We will publish a full assessment of each team’s performance once bowl games are complete.
* Disclaimer: The ratings below don’t necessarily track with the order of teams listed on my Associated Press top-25 ballot, which is based on guidelines provided by the AP.
1. USC (11-1/8-1)Last week: 1Result: beat Notre Dame 38-27Next up: vs. Utah (Friday, 5 p.m. on Fox)Comment: Unless something goes very wrong, the Pac-12 will have its first Heisman Trophy winner since 2014. Caleb Williams is now the heavy favorite after several scintillating big-stage performances.
2. Washington (10-2/7-2)Last week: 4Result: won at Washington State 51-33Next up: bowl gameComment: We have seen fans bemoaning the Pac-12’s shift away from divisions — with the previous structure in place, UW would have won the North. And sure, that’s true. But so is this: All the Huskies had to do was beat Arizona State, and they would be Las Vegas-bound.
3. Utah (9-3/7-2)Last week: 3Result: won at Colorado 63-21Next up: vs. USC (Friday, 5 p.m. on Fox)Comment: The Utes have won at least nine games for the seventh time in the past eight years (excluding 2020), which might explain why this season feels a little ho-hum.
4. Oregon State (9-3/6-3)Last week: 5Result: beat Oregon 38-34Next up: bowl gameComment: If quarterback Ben Gulbranson had been a tad more precise over three quarters, the Beavers wouldn’t have gone all-in with the running game in the fourth — and then who knows how it would have turned out.
5. Oregon (9-3/7-2)Last week: 2Result: lost at Oregon State 38-34Next up: bowl gameComment: The performance didn’t match the personnel on defense. In fact, it didn’t come close.
6. UCLA (9-3/6-3)Last week: 6Result: won at Cal 35-28Next up: bowl gameComment: The schedule was gift-wrapped for eight wins, and the Bruins finished with nine.
7. Washington State (7-4/4-5)Last week: 7Result: lost to Washington 51-33Next up: bowl gameComment: Undefeated against teams with fewer than nine wins — that’s not bad, not bad at all.
8. Arizona (5-7/3-6)Last week: 8Result: beat Arizona State 38-35Next up: season completeComment: On the bright side, the Wildcats didn’t blow a game they should have won, limiting the offseason angst over not sneaking into the postseason with the sixth victory.
9. Cal (4-8/2-7)Last week: 9Result: lost to UCLA 35-28Next up: season completeComment: Time to play some granite defense and keep Jaydn Ott and J.Michael Sturdivant out of the transfer portal.
10. Arizona State (3-9/2-7)Last week: 10Result: lost at Arizona 38-35Next up: season completeComment: The non-conference lineup awaiting Kenny Dillingham features three home games: Southern Utah, Oklahoma State and Fresno State (according to FBSchedules.com).
11. Stanford (3-9/1-8)Last week: 11Result: lost to Brigham Young 35-26Next up: season completeComment: The Cardinal ought to seek advice from Jim Harbaugh on the coaching hire. Seriously, there is no downside to picking his brain.
12. Colorado (1-11/1-8)Last week: 12Result: lost to Utah 63-21Next up: season completeComment: Let’s be clear: Deion Sanders would make the Pac-12 immensely more interesting, but we’ll believe it when we see it.
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