Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5: Fantastic Finishes

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5

Welcome to the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5. Between the amazing UCLA comeback against Washington State and referees in the Ole Miss game, the Pac-12 was the buzz of the nation after week 4. It is clear that the Pac-12 is getting respect nationally because there are five teams ranked between 11-21. Oregon, Washington, Cal, and USC all have a shot at winning the Pac-12 and landing a berth in the College Football Playoff Top 4 if things shake out in their favor.

For Reference Check out the Pac-12 Power Rankings from Week 4

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5:

Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games. The Pac-12 Power Rankings will available on Unafraid Show every Monday morning. Make sure you send your comments and grievances to immad@unafraidshow.com.

12. Oregon State Beavers (1-2)

Last Week: IDLE

The Beavers got to enjoy their win for another week and put in new wrinkles for Stanford. At this point, that looks like a very winnable game for OSU. It is at home against a wounded Stanford. They just have to figure out a way to stop the run. Right now, OSU is dead last in the Pac-12 against the run giving up 207 ypg.

11. Stanford Cardinal (1-2)

Last Week: 21-6 (L) at Oregon

This team is headed in the wrong direction fast. We have seen cracks in the David Shaw system for the last couple of years, but the dam finally broke. He is part of the Jim Harbaugh coaching tree and they both are suffering the same fate. Neither can produce any kind of effective or explosive offense for the last two seasons. Other teams have adjusted to Stanford’s running attack and David Shaw has been unwilling to change his offense. If they lose to Oregon State, the Pac-12 world will be in shock.

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10. Arizona Wildcats (2-1)

Last Week: IDLE

Arizona should feel good about themselves on the heels of their Texas Tech victory and week off. Khalil Tate is now their leading passer and rusher again. Over the last two games, Arizona has looked more like the 2017 team that saw Khalil Tate be dynamic with his legs. Their biggest issue is on defense. The Wildcats are giving up 33 ppg and 484 ypg, both of which are 2nd to last in the Pac-12. Big game vs UCLA this week.

9. UCLA Bruins (1-3)

Last Week: 67-63 (W) Washington State

Epic comeback for the ages by UCLA. By now, you would have to be living under a rock to have missed highlights of their 32-point comeback in a quarter and a half against Washington State. I am left with more questions about this team than answers. Did the “light” come on for QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson? Did Chip Kelly find his offensive groove again? Was the second half of the Wazzu game the real UCLA, or are they the team that couldn’t score more than 14 points their first three games? If they can put together a string of victories they will find themselves flying up the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

8. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1)

Last Week: 31-34 (L) vs Colorado

Herm Edwards summed up the difference between college and pro teams perfectly. He said pro teams are consistent and you know what you will get on a week in and week out basis. College teams are inconsistent from week to week. His Sun Devils were the epitome of that in week 4. Their offense had struggled against Sacramento State and Michigan State while their defense was stout. Against Colorado, their offense was explosive and their defense was porous.

7. Washington State Cougars (3-1)

Last Week: 63-67-28 (L) vs UCLA

Coug’d it. College football fans got to see a ridiculously improbable comeback. But, there is another side to the story. Washington State has to pick up the pieces after a historic collapse. Will they regroup and play well against Utah on the road this week, or will they let UCLA beat them twice?

The Cougars only improved their amazing offensive numbers against UCLA. Anthony Gordon is leading the nation in passing yards and touchdown passes.

6. Colorado Buffaloes (3-1)

Last Week: 34-31 (W) vs Arizona State

Mel Tucker’s team can’t play defense yet, but they can score points and they are battle-tested. The good news is that they finally started fast. They fell behind early in their last two games but came out strong versus ASU. The Buffaloes get a week off in week 5. Their fans have to be happy about this 3-1 start but know that they will have to finish strong to make a bowl game.

5. Utah Utes (3-1)

Last Week: 23-30 (L) vs USC

This had to be a deflating loss for Utah. They were preseason Pac-12 favorites, ranked #10 in the country and had rolled through non-conference play. However, I have been saying it since the season started, their offense will be their demise. We all know their defense is usually spectacular, but to win championships, your offense will need to save the day sometimes. Utah’s offense and QB Tyler Huntley aren’t built to score a lot of points or have amazing passing days. This is still a really good team that can win the Pac-12 South but will need to regroup.

4. USC Trojans (3-1)

Last Week: 30-23 (W) vs Utah

New QB, no problem. USC has started three different quarterbacks this season and has won three games. That is a huge testament to Graham Harrell and Clay Helton for having the young guys ready. It is also, really easy to be a 300-yard passer when you have the best receiving core in the nation to throw to. Many people expected Clay Helton to be 1-3 and on the way out the door at this point in the season. He’s proving he won’t be fired without a fight.

USC fans are so conflicted, they are happy to be winning, but frustrated that Clay Helton is the one leading them.

3. Washington Huskies (3-1)

Last Week: 45-19 (W) vs BYU

Since their loss to Cal, Washington has put down two impressive performances. They dismantled Hawaii and BYU. It seems like Jacob Eason and this offense are in a real groove. Can they continue to put up these types of offense performances against the top defenses in the conference, Oregon, and Utah?

The Huskies were in this position last year and still managed to win the Pac-12 and get a Rose Bowl berth.

2. Cal Golden Bears (4-0)

Last Week: 28-20 (W) at Ole Miss

What in the hell got into Chase Garbers against Ole Miss? He passed for 357 yards and 4 touchdowns. Do you realize that is about 15% of his career total passing yards? If he can continue this high level of play, Cal can go undefeated and win the Pac-12. their defense is suffocating and unrelenting. Imagine what happens when Justin Wilcox gets a team full of 4-5*athletes.

1. Oregon Ducks (3-1)

Last Week: 21-6 (W) Stanford

The Ducks are putting the conference and nation on notice they are back. Justin Herbert has put up excellent passing numbers despite missing the best parts of their receiving corps for all of this season. Oregon’s defense is #13 in the nation for total defense and hasn’t allowed a touchdown in three straight games. The only thing that can slow the Ducks down is their inability to generate explosive running plays this season. If they get the running game on track this team has enough momentum to propel them to the College Football Playoff.

Check back every Monday for the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

Best Offensive Performances from Pac-12 Football: Week 4

Max Borghi Washington State

Pac-12 Football is Hot as Ever

Pac-12 Conference states

Week 3 was great, but Week 4 of Pac-12 football was unbelievable. There were a plethora of upsets, heartbreaks and big-time players. Which offensive players made the biggest differences this week?

Best Quarterback Performance

Anthony Gordon – Washington State

Anthony Gordon melted faces in Washington State’s loss to UCLA. That earned him a repeat on this best of Pac-12 football list.

Somehow, even though Gordon threw nine, yes nine, touch down passes, Washington State lost. It’s incredible how good Anthony Gordon continues to be, but he’s anchored by WSU’s dreadful defense.

Yes, Washington State blew a 49-17 lead. But, was that Gordon’s fault? Here are the results of each Washington State drive in the second half:

  • Anthony Gordon touchdown pass
  • Anthony Gordon touchdown pass
  • Anthony Gordon completes pass to Rodrick Fisher, then Fisher loses fumble
  • Punt
  • Anthony Gordon completes pass to Dezmon Patmon, then Patmon loses fumble
  • Anthony Gordon touchdown pass
  • Punt
  • Anthony Gordon touchdown pass
  • Anthony Gordon completes pass to Eason Winston Jr., then Winston Jr. loses fumble
  • Anthony Gordon sacked and loses fumble

Honestly, Gordon’s second half was still ridiculous. He still threw four touchdowns, but he was hampered by three of his players. Fisher, Patmon and Winston Jr. lost the ball and stopped the drives. Looking back at this game, people will inevitably remember Gordon as a loser. But, Anthony Gordon just gave Pac-12 football a performance of a lifetime.

Best Running Back Performance

Max Borghi – Washington State

Electric. Mex Borghi continues to impress with his versatility. As a runner, he’s capable of breaking 50-plus runs at any time. But, Borghi also adds a large threat as a receiver, evidenced by his 65-yard touchdown against UCLA.

This season, Borghi has 325 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns, 13 receptions, 169 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. He’s the type of pass-catching running back the NFL craves.

Best Wide Receiver Performance

Tony Brown – Colorado

In Colorado’s victory (yet another Pac-12 football upset), Tony Brown accounted for three of their four touchdowns. He caught touchdown passes of 29-yards, 31-yards and 20-yards. His touchdowns were each unique and displayed a well-rounded skill-set:

  • Scramble-Drill and YAC
  • Diving Catch in End Zone
  • Contested Catch in End Zone
https://youtu.be/t5SD4SNATeY

Best of all, this game was out of nowhere for Tony Brown. Currently, his career high in receiving yards is 333 yards in one season. Against Arizona State, he had 150 yards. Prior to this game, he totaled three receiving touchdowns. In his career! During this game, he had three. It was unbelievable. Laviska Shenault Jr. was out and Tony Brown had the best game of his career. What a story for Pac-12 football fans!

Best Tight End Performance

Jake Tonges – Cal

As easy as it would be to give this award to Jacob Breeland again, it goes to Jake Tonges. Yes, Breeland is certainly deserving with his two-touchdown performance. But, it was against freefalling Stanford. Tonges, on the other hand, made the difference against Ole Miss. With this performance, he helped Pac-12 football earn more respect.

Against Ole Miss, Tonges made all his money in the second half. His receptions were more than just the box-score shows. Here are the results of his three receptions:

  • On 3rd & 14, Tongues makes a 15-yard catch for a first downTwo plays later, Cal scores a touchdown
  • Tongues catches a 60-yard touchdown pass
  • Tongues catches a 13 yard pass, resulting in a first down

Who are the Best Pac-12 football players?

If you disagree with this list, send in your own recommendations. Each week, Unafraidshow will rank the best quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end performances from Pac-12 football. Be sure to comment or tweet at unafraidshow with your favorite moments of each Pac-12 football week.

Utah vs USC on a Friday Night is Another Pac-12 Conference Bad Idea

Pac-12 9am games Larry Scott Commissioner

Utah vs USC Starts at 9:00pm EST

Utah Utes logo

Sitting at No.10 overall, Utah eyes its first college football playoff birth. It’s a great time to be a Utah fan. Their upcoming matchup is the Pac-12 South game of the year. Utah vs USC. No. 10 Utes vs the now-competitive Trojans. If Utah continues to win, they’ll surely rise up the ranks. But, Pac-12 scheduling set this game for Friday night. Will this night game hurt their national exposure? In a line of poor ideas and bad commissioning from Larry Scott, Utah’s late matchup harms both Utah and the Pac-12. The conference outsources it’s scheduling to a company in Colorado. Then the Pac-12 brass, school presidents, and athletic directors approve it.

The Problem with Night Games

Keep in mind, night games are not inherently a problem. Especially for east coast teams and viewers. But, on a Friday night, Pac-12 games can be extremely bothersome. For example, the Utah vs USC game starts at 6:00pm on the west coast. That’s not too bad. For those who get off work at 5:00, they can make it home by the first whistle.

However, that same time is 9:00pm for east coast viewers. It’s not rocket science to figure out why that is a bad idea. Because college football games last an average of 3 1/2 hours, they have to stay up past midnight to see how it ends. 12:30am, at the end of a workweek, to watch a Pac-12 rivalry game. Honestly, how many non-conference fans would commit to that for Pac-12 games? It undermines national exposure for the Pac-12 conference.

Even Chris Peterson agrees with this sentiment.

“It hurts us tremendously in terms of national exposure. No one wants to watch our game on the East Coast that late, and we all know it,”

Chris Petersen, 2017

Late games just get less eyes. From fans, from scouts and from the press. For a contending team like Utah, they need all the eyes they can get. But, because of Larry Scott and his ideas, he’s holding back the Pac-12. Again.

We Discuss the Friday Night games more on Pac-12 Apostles Podcast

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Why Does Larry Scott Want Late Games?

“The reason we play almost a third of our games at night is that was a way to unlock significant value from television in our last negations,” Scott said. “ESPN and Fox placed a high value on us giving them a little more flexibility and being willing to play more night games.”

Larry Scott

“We essentially extend their day,” Scott said. “We give them a whole other window of high-quality, highly rated games. … Playing more night games than we did in the past unlocked the kind of value our schools were looking for.”

Larry Scott

To Larry Scott, the exclusivity of the late-night games are worth the pain. With more flexibility to play later, he claims to obtain “high value”. However, perhaps it is just a complete lack of leverage. Recall that Larry Scott deliberately put a wedge between major networks and the Pac-12. Betting on the Pac-12 Network to hit it big didn’t happen. Because every other power five conference has contracts with these networks, it leaves the Pac-12 to pick up the scraps. So, instead of putting the lower-ranked teams in the Friday night lights, Larry Scott and the Pac-12 schedulers put Utah.

For goodness sake, the Utah vs USC game deserves to get national exposure. The Utes deserve that. Does anyone think Roll Tide fans would stand for this? Of course not. If Larry Scott wants a Pac-12 program to make it to the college playoffs, he has to put steps in place for them to get there. Playing on Saturday, during the day, when everyone can view them, is best practice. But, then again, it’s unclear if Larry Scott actually knows what’s best for the Pac-12.

Entering Week 4 and Conference Play, will the Pac-12 Eat Itself Alive?

It’s been a rough start for the PAC-12 in the 2019 season.

UW and USC were strong candidates to be in the college football playoffs, but losses to Cal and BYU, respectively, have all but eliminated them from being a Pac-12 2019 College Football Playoff team.

Oregon looks strong, but an early-season loss to Auburn, while respectable, gives them a razor-thin margin of error if they want to make the playoffs this year.

The conference still has six teams ranked in the top 25: Utah (10) Oregon (16) WSU (19) Washington (22) Cal (23) and Arizona State (24), with USC just getting bumped following their loss.

The question now, however, is will any of these teams make it out of the hyper-competitive PAC-12 conference play in order to participate in the College Football Playoff, or will the competitive nature of the conference knock every team out of contention with a handful of losses?

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 8

No. 10 Utah

Utah might have the best shot at it, although they have a classic trap game coming up on Thursday when they play the Trojans down in Southern California. They have No. 19 Washington State after that, but at least they’ll be in front of the home crowd. Most of the rest of their tough opponents will be at home, although a date with the No. 23 Huskies in Montlake won’t be easy.

They likely can’t afford to lose any games if they want to make the playoffs, so this will be a huge challenge.

No. 19 Washington State

Washington State is 3-0 and ranked No. 19, but they haven’t played anyone yet and all their tough games are on the road this year, including @ Utah, @ Arizona State, @ Oregon, @ Cal and @ UW for the Apple Cup. It’s hard to imagine them not taking a loss (or two) out of that murderer’s row, all but ensuring they won’t be playing for a title.

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5

No. 16 Oregon

Oregon has to get by the Huskies in Seattle, the Sun Devils in Tempe and the Trojans in Los Angeles, but – lead by star quarterback Justin Herbert – they may actually have the best shot at playing meaningful football in early 2020.

Washington Huskies Rose Bowl

The Rest

I just don’t see it for UW, Arizona State or Cal.

UW already lost to Cal, which gives them a miniscule margin of error – unless Cal kills it this year which would make the loss not look as bad. Still, UW has to get through Oregon and Utah (both at home) as well as Arizona in Arizona, Colorado in Colorado and a sneaky-good BYU team this weekend. They have a favorable home schedule, but that Cal loss looms large for the Huskies and their new quarterback, Jacob Eason.

Arizona State’s win over Michigan State looks nice, and they have a decent home schedule, but road games against Cal, Utah and home matchups against USC and Oregon will be a tough gauntlet to emerge 4-0 from, which they’ll likely have to do if they want a college football playoff berth.

Finally, Cal is a surprise team on this last after beating UW in the lightning fest at Husky Stadium, but road games against Ole Miss, Oregon and Utah will be extremely difficult to power through for a team that wasn’t expected to do much this year.

This doesn’t even include the fact that teams like UCLA, Stanford and Oregon State are known spoilers, and could easily trip one of these teams up on their quest for a championship.

All-in-all, the PAC-12 seems likely to shoot themselves in the foot again this year, limiting their opportunities to make a name for themselves on the national stage with continued losses against each other in conference play.

The Best Pac-12 NFL Players: Week 2 Top Performers

Will Dissly Seattle Seahawks Pittsburgh Steelers

Unafraidshow’s Best Pac-12 Players: Week 2

There were some incredible performances from the NFL in Week 2. While some colleges like Cal had a multitude of options for this Best Pac-12 NFL Players list, others like Arizona barely had one. Which alumni from your college had the best Week 2? Check out the list below!

Arizona

Will Parks – Denver Broncos

While Will Parks isn’t great, he’s not bad either. Parks was on the field for 82-percent of defensive snaps for the Broncos. No, he didn’t record any counting stats. But, as a strong safety, he doesn’t have to record stats to have a positive impact. Denver held Chicago to just 16 points. More importantly, they held Mitchell Trubisky to 120 yards. It was a good game for the Denver defense. So, it also was a good day for Parks.

All in all, Will Parks is a good NFL player and gets consistent snaps for the Broncos. That’s more than the rest of the Arizona alumni can say. Yes, he was on this list last week. But until someone else from Arizona can step up, Parks will remain on the Best Pac-12 NFL Players list.

Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict – Oakland Raiders

Even though the Oakland Raiders lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 28-10, the defense actually played well. They held Mahomes and company scoreless three out of four quarters. Against KC, Vontaze Burfict played 97-percent of defensive snaps. Win, lose or tie, he was out there for the Raiders. Burfict is a consistent, albeit dirty, NFL player. The linebacker racked up 4 tackles and a pass defense, in addition to being sent after Mahomes. No, they didn’t win and no he didn’t get any sacks or turnovers. But, it was still a good game for Burfict in his new home and why Burfict is one of the best Pac-12 NFL players this year.

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Cal

Cameron Jordan – New Orleans Saints

https://youtu.be/Mr5yW-a-hcE

Against the formidable Los Angeles Rams, Cameron Jordan returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown. Then, the refs blew it. Saints fans died a little more this week. Not only did they see their third straight game with officiating blunders. This time also came amidst a Drew Brees injury. It’s a bad time to be a Saints fan.

Nonetheless, Cameron Jordan is still a force to be reckoned with. His career makes a case for him to not only be one of the best Pac-12 NFL players this week, but all time. Even without the touchdown, Jordan accounted for:

  • 5 Tackles
  • 1 Tackle for a Loss
  • 2 QB Hits
  • 1 Sack
  • 1 Fumble Recovery

This was also his second game straight with at least 5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 QB hits and 1 sack. He is unstoppable right now. Well, unless the refs get in his way.

Colorado

Ahkello Witherspoon – San Francisco 49ers

Yet again, Witherspoon highlights Colorado with exceptional defense. However, it wasn’t all pretty.

While he didn’t get the pick-6 in this game, he still made up for it with impressive play. Witherspoon totaled 5 tackles and 2 passes defended. But, his overall quarterback rating when targeted speaks volumes on his play. Ahkello was one of the best Pac-12 NFL players of any school in Weeks 1 and 2 of the NFL season.

With play like this, Witherspoon is making a case to earn a big paycheck. The 49ers desperately needed playmakers on defense the past few seasons and it seems Ahkello Witherspoon is stepping up weekly.

Oregon

Arik Armstead – San Francisco 49ers

In another dominant, defensive win, Arik Armstead helped the 49ers cruise past the Cincinnati Bengals. In their win, Armstead played 43 defensive snaps. During that time, he was able to make 3 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit and 1 sack. He constantly frustrated the Bengals. The 49ers have a plethora of defensive linemen to create pressure (a lot of them that could become some of the best Pac-12 NFL players). And it looks like Arik Armstead is taking advantage of his situation.

Oregon State

Jordan Poyer – Buffalo Bills

In Week 2, the Buffalo Bills comfortably beat the New York Giants 28-14. They held Eli Manning to 250 yards on 45 attempts. He tried his best to beat them through the air, but threw more interceptions than touchdowns. One of which went to Jordan Poyer. 

In their win, Jordan Poyer had 2 tackles, 1 interception and defended 1 pass. He’s had an excellent season so far. In 2019, Poyer is credited for 8 solo tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack and has only been targeted once. On top of that, the target didn’t succeed. So, he hasn’t even allowed a reception. It makes sense why his current PFF grade is 84.4. Jordan Poyer is the best Pac-12 NFL player on the Bills.

Stanford

Harrison Phillips – Buffalo Bills

Harrison Phillips was an excellent interior defender against the New York Giants. He made plays on both Eli Manning and Saquon Barkely. Against Manning, Phillips finally got his first sack. Well, half sack. But still, that’s a big thing for an interior defender who’s job is to make defensive stops. 

https://twitter.com/Cover_1_/status/1173394347766812673

Against Barkely and the Giants run game, Phillips did what he does best: didn’t allow push and made defensive stops. But, as said above, Phillips also recorded 1 QB hit, 0.5 sacks and 2 passes defended It was quite the game for the big guy up front.

UCLA

Kenny Clark – Green Bay Packers

Man. Kenny Clark had a game. He looked like an All-Pro against the Vikings. Clark consistently created havoc and pressured Kirk Cousins.

Keep in mind that Kenny Clark is a nose tackle. A nose tackle that pressured, frustrated and sacked the opposing quarterback. In their win, Clark hit Cousins twice, sacked him once and forced a fumble. He was a large part of their divisional win.

USC

Nelson Agholor – Philadelphia Eagles

On Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles lost DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffrey and Dallas Goedert to injuries. Other players had to step up and fill the offensive void. That player was Nelson Agholor. Granted, it wasn’t a perfect night for Agholor.

https://twitter.com/trontwopointoh/status/1173441814734364673

But, other than the drops, Agholor played well. On 11 targets, he had 8 receptions for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. Of note are his two biggest plays. The first, and his only touchdown of the game, came on fourth and goal. His hands worked there.

The other, more impressive play, came on the same drive as his big drop seen earlier. Just look at this catch. On 4th and 14!

When the Eagles needed playmakers, Agholor made himself available. 

Utah

Eric Weddle – Los Angeles Rams

This just in. Eric Weddle can still lay a hit. He layed the hit on Jared Cook in their Week 2 matchup, causing Cook to lose the ball and the Rams to intercept it. Keep in mind that this is just one week after Weddle took a knee from Christian McCaffrey and bled all over. 

https://twitter.com/Supreme_gifs/status/1170761767959445504

He’s an experienced veteran and is still willing to lay his body on the line. Against the Saints, he played well and helped stifle the non-Brees offense. This season, he has a 79.3 PFF grade, 12 tackles and a pass defended in 2019. If he manages to stay healthy with the hits he’s taking/giving, the Rams have a menace in the secondary.

Washington

Will Dissly – Seattle Seahawks

Will Dissly had himself a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 5 Targets

  • 5 Receptions
  • 2 Touchdowns
  • 2 First Downs
  • 1 Embarrassing Pancake Block on Devin Bush

Against Pittsburgh, Russell Wilson trusted Dissly to make big plays. It was Dissly’s best game in his short NFL career. Aside from his first two weeks in 2018, Will Dissly has either gone unnoticed or was injured. Perhaps this is his year to connect with Wilson in a sans-Baldwin offense.

Washington State

Joe Dahl – Detroit Lions

For a Detroit Lions team that is constantly rotating their offensive lineman, Joe Dahl is playing well. On 117 snaps at guard, he hasn’t allowed a sack and holds a 71.6 PFF grade. He isn’t dominant yet, but he’s made a significant jump in performance from 2018 to 2019. The Lions need to keep him in more regularly and commit to offensive line continuity.

Missed the Best Pac-12 NFL Players List from Week 1?

If you somehow missed last week’s edition of this, check it out here:

https://unafraidshow.com/the-best-pac-12-nfl-players-week-1/

Pac-12 Football Seasons: 2019 Colorado Buffaloes Week 4

Air Force Falcons Colorado Buffaloes 2019

The Colorado Buffaloes were riding high after their epic victory over Nebraska. It was time for the Mel Tucker era to take shape. The 2019 Colorado Buffaloes Week 4 looked like it would be one with the team entering Pac-12 play undefeated.

However, what was a big step forward was countered by the Air Force Falcons, who defeated the Buffaloes 30-23 in overtime. It was a tough loss for Colorado, but one they can — and must — recover from.

Situated just 86.2 miles from each other, the 2019 Air Force vs. Colorado matchup was the first between the two Colorado schools since 1974. And with the Buffaloes having already dispatched in-state Colorado State in the Rocky Mountain Showdown, Saturday’s game against Air Force was a chance to secure state supremacy. But instead of locking Colorado down and moving to a 3-0 start, Colorado looked impressive in bursts but wasn’t consistent enough to hold off the upset. 

For Colorado, the game started in positive fashion. On the first drive of the game, Colorado took the ball for an 11-play, 75 yard drive that ended with quarterback Steven Montez connecting with Laviska Shenault to give the Buffs a quick 7-0 lead. Then, on Air Force’s third offensive play, Colorado safety Aaron Maddox forced Air Force running back Taven Birdow to fumble and linebacker Davion Taylor recovered. The Buffs’ defense, under coordinator Tyson Summers, found their calling card for the third straight week and forced yet another timely turnover.

But after the Buffs cashed the turnover in for three points, it was Air Force laying claim as the best team in the state of Colorado. Three straight touchdown drives gave the Falcons a 20-10 lead as Air Force was winning the battle in the trenches and confusing the Buffaloes with their triple option offense.

Colorado’s offense, meanwhile, cooled-off after its opening scores. The offensive line had trouble protecting Steven Montez and the Buffaloes couldn’t get things going on the ground. The two together led to another wildly inconsistent game from the redshirt senior.

The stadium was silent. The Buffs were having trouble supplying the fans with the energy necessary to cheer on their team and things looked grim. Fortunately, Colorado safety Mikial Onu created a spark with an interception off a deflection in the end zone in the final moments of the first half. Instead of Colorado facing a 17-point deficit for the second week in a row, the Buffaloes were down by 10.

The interception brought the fans who made it out to the early kickoff, that or the clock passing noon. Whatever the case, the early 11 a.m. start for the Buffaloes was not ideal for players and fans alike, especially in a game where Colorado was the clear favorite. Football is about momentum, and while Colorado supporters showed up and were loud, the quick response by Air Force in the first half hushed the crowd. The caffeine had worn off. This isn’t an indictment against earlier kickoffs or Colorado supporters, because Buffaloes fans showed up.

Early kickoffs are a necessary evil that comes with program exposure and television deals. However, credit goes to the fans who stayed for the whole game and those that arrived late. Folsom Field filled up and was full until the final whistle. To the credit of Air Force fans, some were theirs. The service academy traveled well for a chance to watch this rare in-state rivalry, and they made themselves heard.

Colorado fans, meanwhile, began the second half with nervous notes countered by the confidence knowing the Buffaloes had come back from worse. Unfortunately the half did not start well, with Aaron Maddox leaving the game with an apparent leg injury after colliding with a misting machine on the Air Force sideline. This was a blow to the defense, but the unit regrouped and forced Air Force to finally punt for the first time in nine possessions. 

The Buffaloes couldn’t take advantage on offense. In their first two possessions of the second half they were forced to punt and Colorado relied on their defense to stifle Air Force while the offense figured it out. 

Holding the Falcons to three points in the second half, the Colorado’s defense gave the offense just enough time to mount a comeback. Down 23-10 in the 4th, the Buffaloes’s offense marched 75 yards to get within seven points with 6:09 remaining in the 4th quarter. However, the Buffs had another mishap as the extra point was blocked. 

Now down 23-16 with time winding down, the offense needed a clutch drive and delivered just that. On their final drive in regulation the Buffaloes converted three 3rd downs and tied the game with 28 seconds left on a play that saw Shenault take a snap from the wildcat formation and run it into the end zone. This time, the extra point converted. 

The rare meeting between Air Force and Colorado would be decided in overtime. It was the second overtime game in as many weeks for the Buffaloes, and Colorado took to defense first.

Unfortunately the momentum from an impressive second-half defensive showing did not carry into overtime. On the first play of OT, Falcons running back Kadin Remsberg took the ball to the house for a 25-yard touchdown that put all the pressure on Colorado’s offense to convert.

Touchdown or bust. 

After the Buffaloes converted their first third down of their first overtime drive on a 4-yard run by Shenault, the Air Force defense came up huge.

Putting pressure on Montez on his next three dropbacks, the Falcons’s defense prevented another Colorado comeback as Montez failed to connect with Shenault on 4th and 12.

Game over. 

2019 Colorado Buffaloes Week 4 Preview

The new era of Colorado Football that some may have thought started after last week’s win looks eerily familiar to the previous one. The Buffaloes have consistently beat teams such as Colorado State, and won both matchups against Nebraska this year and last, but have floundered against inferior teams. Last season the Buffaloes lost in overtime to an in-conference opponent, Oregon State, that they should have beat. This season they have an overtime loss to Air Force, a non-conference opponent many thought they would handle.

But 2019 is a new year and only time will tell if it will be a repeat of 2018. There is a lot of football to play and the Buffaloes have plenty of opportunities to create a new identity. This starts next week against Arizona State. 

The Sun Devils are coming off an enormous victory over Michigan State and are trying to create a new identity themselves. Playing in Tempe will be no easy task for the Buffaloes. But with the way this team has found a way to compete in every game, so long as they show up they’ll have a shot.

Best Offensive Performances from Pac-12 Football Week 3

College football players undrafted Hunter Bryant Washington Hawaii

Pac-12 Football Highlights of Week 3

Pac-12 Conference states

Last week, Kedon Slovis, K.D. Nixon, Marcel Dancy and Jacob Breeland rounded out the best Pac-12 football offensive performances. This week, we have new and fresh faces.

Best Quarterback Performance

Anthony Gordon – Washington State

For Cougar fans, Anthony Gordon finally makes this list. And rightfully so. Against New Mexico State and Northern Colorado, it made sense to keep some skepticism. Gordon and the Cougars weren’t truly tested in either of those outings. But, in Week 3, against a competitive Houston football team, Anthony and the Pac-12 football Cougs maintained their excellence.

In three straight weeks, Anthony Gordon passed for at least 420 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is a perfect fit for the Mike Leach Air Raid offense. Gordon already has:

  • 96 completions on 122 attempts
  • 1,324 passing yards
  • 12 touchdowns
  • 2 interceptions

Counting stats are great. But, leading a team, down 7-14 at half, to beat Houston 31-24 shows incredible poise. In the win, he spread the ball around to nine different receivers and completed 75-percent of his passes. Four different receivers caught passes of 30-plus yards. His arm-strength, pocket-awareness and overall quarterback abilities were on full display. 

With performances like this each week, Gordon is making a case to be drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Best Running Back Performance

Zack Moss – Utah

Other than Eno Benjamin, there is no running back better than Zack Moss in Pac-12 football. Against Idaho State, Moss recorded his 13th 100-yard game, rushing for 106 yards on just 10 carries. With a touchdown, he passed Eddie Johnson for Utah’s No.2 spot in Ute rushing touchdowns. If Moss scores five more rushing touchdowns this season, he breaks Del Rodgers’ Utah career record. For Utah, Moss is a steady contributor of power and big plays.

Consider his first touch of the game. Moss took the handoff, spun away from a tackle and ran for 38 yards. It’s unreal how efficient and effect he’s been thus far. Pac-12 football fans haven’t even seen him unlocked yet because utah keeps running away with games. Moss does more with 10 carries than other backs do with 20. 

Best Wide Receiver Performance

Laviska Shenault Jr. – Colorado

To anyone that watched Pac-12 football’s Colorado take on Air Force, one thing was clear: Laviska Shenault Jr. could not be stopped.

After a slow start against Colorado State and Nebraska, Shenault exploded in Week 3. He showed speed, power and reliability. Shenault was dynamic as a receiver and even as a runner.

On 11 touches, he amassed nearly 150 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns. He was the difference-maker for Colorado again and again. It’s a pity that Colorado couldn’t extend their win-streak. But, Shenault did show why he belongs with the best playmakers in Pac-12 football.

Best Tight End Performance

Hunter Bryant – Washington

Through three weeks of college football, Hunter Bryant is PFF’s top-graded tight end. And not just in Pac-12 football programs. In the country! His athleticism and receiving abilities are exceptional. Against Hawaii, Bryant broke free for the opening touchdown. His 47-yard catch and run epitomizes his offensive ability.

Against Hawaii, Byrant was the Huskies leading receiver. 

  • 6 Targets
  • 5 Receptions
  • 115 Yards
  • 1 Touchdown

It was an excellent game for Hunter Bryant and a performance we’ll likely see again.

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4: Great Wins and Bad Losses

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4

Welcome to the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4. The conference had a completely mixed bag of results but overall it was a win. The conference ended up with six teams in the AP top 25, but four are between 19 and 24. That means that as conference play starts, the losers will fall from the rankings. Stanford and USC losing on national tv to BYU and UCF was a blow. Both teams are national brands and influence the Pac-12’s perception even if neither is a top team in 2019. The conference has a chance to quiet all the outside noise about money and tv deals, and the Pac-12 network by winning the rest of their non-conference games. Oregon, Utah, and USC seem to be the only teams with a real shot at the playoff left.

  • Last week I said I would include Hawaii in the Pac-12 Power Rankings if they beat Washington. They did not, so I won’t. It’s a good thing too because that would have been embarrassing.

For Reference Check out the Pac-12 Power Rankings from Week 3

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4:

Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games. The Pac-12 Power Rankings will available on Unafraid Show every Monday morning. Make sure you send your comments and grievances to immad@unafraidshow.com.

12. Oregon State Beavers (1-2)

Last Week: 45-7 (W) Cal Poly

The Beavers got a win. It was against an FCS team, but OSU will at least one game this season. They have only won one conference game in the last two seasons. The goal for Jonathan Smith’s team should be to stay competitive in every game and try to steal a game or two.

11. UCLA Bruins (0-3)

Last Week: 14-41 (L) Oklahoma

The loss against Oklahoma was expected. However, I did believe that UCLA would score more than their standard 14 points. The Sooners defense is nowhere near the top defense UCLA will face this season (Utah, Cal). Chip Kelly’s offense went back to more read-option and run-pass options against the Sooners. Typically, RPOs help young and athletic quarterbacks to read the defense with more defined throwing reads. Needless to say, it did not translate into more points. The Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is having a rough season and we may see him headed to the bench soon.

And then there is the Bruins defense… Just listen to the podcast to hear more detail on Chip Kelly and UCLA.

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10. Stanford Cardinal (1-2)

Last Week: 27-45 (L) at UCF

This was a bad bad loss by Stanford. The game was not nearly as competitive as the score suggests. I like UCF a lot and they are a top-tier college football team. But, Stanford was not even competitive in the game. Their pass defense was abused, and their team looks slow. This could be the first season that David Shaw truly struggles as Stanford head coach. When you look at the Cardinal from last year and this year, something is broken. Stanford has tumbled a long way down the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4.

9. Arizona Wildcats (2-1)

Last Week: 28-14 (W) Texas Tech

Who is this Arizona team? Clearly, they are a bi-polar football team. Their Swiss cheese defense looked like a good defense. They forced two turnovers and consistently got off the field on 3rd down. Khalil Tate was back to his 2017 form. He rushed for 129 yards and a TD but didn’t pass the ball so well. Can their defense put two good performances in a row?

8. Colorado Buffaloes (2-1)

Last Week: 30-23/OT (L) vs Air Force

Don’t play the service academies. They will ruin your day. Air Force ruined Colorado’s chances of starting the season 3-0. Mel Tucker has his squad playing decent ball but could not get off the field on defense and couldn’t dominate the line of scrimmage. The good news is that the Buffaloes are more competitive than they were at the end of last season. Colorado is on their to a bowl game.

7. USC Trojans (2-1)

Last Week: 30-23 (L) vs BYU

This was just a bad loss for USC. All the goodwill that Clay Helton bought with the destruction of Stanford was lost. The Trojans fans are starting to whisper about Urban Meyer as their next coach already. It is hard to believe a team with this much talent gets beat at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary so often. I still believe in Kedon Slovis despite the interceptions. It seemed that the offense was different than the Stanford game. It appears they tried to protect the freshman in his first road start instead of letting him throw the ball downfield.

6. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-0)

Last Week: 10-7 (W) vs Michigan State

Improbable victory in East Lansing against Michigan State. ASU only had 216 total yards compared to Michigan State’s 404. The Sun Devil’s offensive line is having a hard time cleating running lanes for Eno Benjamin and pass protecting. The positive is that ASU’s defense stout, but there is no doubt that Pac-12 teams (even Cal) will manage more than one touchdown per game. At the end of the day, a win is a win, especially when it’s a quality one.

5. Washington State Cougars (3-0)

Last Week: 35-28 (W) vs Houston

Finally a decent opponent for the Cougars. Their offense had been so outrageously effective in the first two games that I believe it was shocking for players to run into first-half adversity. Anthony Gordon rallied the team and they were extremely effective in the second half. He finished with 440 yards with three touchdown passes. They will need to sure up their defense a bit.

4. Washington Huskies (2-1)

Last Week: 52-20 (W) vs Hawaii

The Huskies saved the conference from being Hawaii’s whipping boy. From the opening kickoff, UW opened up a can of whoop-ass. It seems very clear that the Cal loss was a wakeup game for Washington. I expect Chris Pedersen’s team to be dangerous and focus for the rest of the season. The Pac-12 North is going to be a dog fight.

3. Cal Golden Bears (3-0)

Last Week: 23-17 (W) at North Texas

Cal jumped out to a quick 20-0 lead in the first quarter but could only manage a field goal after that. The reason this team is 3-0 and a real threat in the Pac-12 this season is they rarely turn the ball over now. Last season, they fumbled and threw interceptions which put the game out of reach for their meager offense.

Their lack of dominance has moved them back one spot in the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4.

2. Utah Utes (3-0)

Last Week: 31-0 (W) vs Idaho State

The Utes pitched a shutout, as they should have. It was an extremely efficient performance by the Utah offense. Zack Moss only carried the ball 10 times, and they spread the ball around. 15 different skill position players had carries or receptions. There seems to be growth in passing efficiency since week one, which should bode well for their next nine conference games. Utah is making a strong case to move up to the #1 spot of the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

1. Oregon Ducks (2-1)

Last Week: 35-3 (W) Montana

My only concern about the Ducks is their ability to run the football. Through three games we have only seen one or two runs over 20 yards. If all three games were against Auburn that would be understandable. But, for a team with the best offensive line in college football, that sounds strange to me. If the Ducks want to have a shot at the CFB Playoffs they will need to have explosive runs.

Oregon’s defense and passing game look great.

Check back every Monday for the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

Pac-12 Football Week 3 offers up a mixed-bag of results

Arizona State Michigan State 2019

Don’t look now but the Pac-12 has six — yes six! — teams in the latest AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll. Utah (10 AP, 11 Coaches), Oregon (16 AP, 17 Coaches), Washington State (19 AP, 19 Coaches), Washington (22 AP, 21 Coaches), Cal (23 AP, 23 Coaches) and Arizona State (24 AP, 24 Coaches) all find themselves in the college football polls after their Pac-12 football week 3 results.

With the addition of California and Arizona State into the week 4 AP Top 25 college football poll, the conference’s six teams are the most it has had in the poll since Week 13 of 2016. This bodes well for the Pac-12 Conference’s perception as it enters the bulk of conference play. What doesn’t bode well, however, are the mounting out-of-conference losses.

The Bad From Pac-12 Football Week 3

The Pac-12 went 8-4 in college football week 3. With no conference games played this week (there were two in week 2), the conference did benefit from eight non-conference wins to just four non-conference losses. And while a couple of the wins were nice, most came against inferior opponents in expected fashion. The losses, however, weren’t so great.

UCLA, Stanford, Colorado, and USC all dropped non-conference tilts in week 3. Of these losses, only one can really be considered acceptable.

Addressing this ‘acceptable’ loss, nobody expected the UCLA Bruins to put up a fight against Oklahoma. The Sooners be in the College Football Playoff picture throughout the year and are one of college football’s most imposing teams. The Bruins, meanwhile, are not.

After an offseason in which Chip Kelly cleaned house, the Bruins are now playing like it. Their offense is miserable, defense inept and all signs point to a massive rebuild in the years to come. Adding salt to the wound of an already embarrassing loss was the terrible attendance despite tickets being given away to the game.

The Rose Bowl deserves better. The Pac-12 deserves better.

Colorado, Stanford and USC don’t have excuses like the Bruins. They’re not going through complete rebuilds, even though the Buffaloes did bring in new head coach Mel Tucker during the offseason.

USC and true freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis looked brilliant at times but lost during most others. The talent is there to compete with the best, but consistency is becoming an issue with the Trojans. Losing to BYU was tough for the Trojans and the Pac-12.

Stanford’s loss to UCF wasn’t as bad. The return of quarterback K.J. Costello did not go well and UCF freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel looked like a stud against Stanford’s porous secondary. Still, for what Stanford could have been — and still could be (a scary thought for the Pac-12) — in 2019, a blowout loss to UCF is difficult to swallow.

Then there was Colorado. After a big win against Nebraska at home, whispers began about the Buffaloes being back. The Air Force Falcons and their triple-option ignored those, disposing of an inconsistent Colorado team in OT. It was a result that once again sparked the debate of why the Pac-12 struggles so much with what should an inferior Mountain West.

The Good From Pac-12 Football Week 3

What did go well in Pac-12 football week 3 was the continued rebound of Arizona, the emergence of Arizona State, and the conference’s headliners holding ground.

Since a shocking week zero loss to Hawaii, Arizona has rattled off two wins. Quarterback Khalil Tate looked the Heisman candidate many want him to be and the defense actually held a decent offense in check. With a bye week followed by games against UCLA and Colorado, the Wildcats could regroup in fine fashion in the coming weeks.

The other team from The Grand Canyon State, the Arizona State Sun Devils, had a more impressive showing. Having held their first two opponents to seven points each, the Sun Devils continued that trend against the Michigan State Spartans in Pac-12 football week 3. While their offense may need work, that defense is good.

The remaining Pac-12 teams came away with expected wins. Utah managed a shutout against Idaho State, Oregon’s defense was equally impressive in their 35-3 win over Montana and Washington trounced Hawai’i. California, meanwhile, sneaked into the polls with a so-so performance against North Texas and Oregon State finally won a game.

All-in-all it wasn’t Pac-12 football week 3 wasn’t so bad for the conference. But it wasn’t so great either. Tough non-conference losses were softened by emerging contenders who now have a lot to prove in conference play. There’s a lot of football left to play and the results from Pac-12 week 3 are setting up a wild ride.

Pac-12 College Football Playoff Teams: Week 3, 2019

Utah Utes College Football Playoff Week 3

Six was the magic number, but now it’s five. With play beginning tonight with Washington State vs. Houston, there are roughly five Pac-12 football teams still in the race to be one of the four 2019 College Football Playoff teams. Within these six are a couple favorites, a couple contenders and a couple sleepers who could make big statements in the coming weeks.

Last week the Pac-12 had the following teams still vying for a spot in the 2019 College Football Playoff:

  • Utah Utes
  • Washington Huskies
  • Oregon Ducks
  • Stanford Cardinal
  • Washington State Cougars
  • USC Trojans

Entering week three the number of Pac-12 teams in contention for the playoff drops by one. Two teams fall out of the picture and one jumps in. 2019 may be yet another year, however, where the Pac-12 feasts on itself and eliminates the conference from the College Football Playoff.

That said, here are the Pac-12 football teams with the best shot of being one of the 2019 College Football Playoff Teams, Week 3.

1. Utah Utes

Utah didn’t look as polished in their 35-17 win over Northern Illinois as they should have. Still, the Utes are 2-0 and that defense is scary. And while running back Zack Moss was held to just 80 yards, better play from quarterback Tyler Huntley was inspiring and should give confidence to Utah heading forward. If Huntley can continue his growth at the position, the Utes could be scary good in conference play.

2. Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks weren’t about to let themselves slip outside the 2019 College Football Playoff race for too long. Though they’re still a fringe team after a tough loss to Auburn, Oregon destroyed Nevada in week two, sending a message that they’re the real deal. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo finally unleashed his offense and Oregon’s defense is its best in years. If Auburn remains the Ducks’s lone loss on the year, they’ll be one of the 2019 College Football Playoff teams.

3. USC Trojans

Watch out, college football, USC true freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis is for real. Now that the Trojans have the quarterback they need to distribute the ball appropriately, USC has a shot at the 2019 College Football Playoff. Their schedule is still brutal but what they did to Stanford is not something to ignore. If Slovis can remain level-headed and USC handles Utah at home on September 20, the Trojans will be front-and-center in the world of college football.

4. California Golden Bears

If California had a decent offense they would be a legit contender to be one of the 2019 College Football Playoff Teams, week 3. Yet they remain on the outside because that offense is tough to watch. Still, going on the road and facing the adverse conditions they did at Washington is impressive. With a recovery game against North Texas this week, California would do well to focus on building some offensive momentum. Should the Golden Bears compliment their outstanding defense with some form of offensive threat, they’ll be a dark-horse CFP contender.

5. Washington State Cougars

Washington State and Mike Leach, we love you. Your opponents, however, we do not. While quarterback Anthony Gordon could be the real deal and the Cougars could boast one of the most efficient offenses in college football history, lackluster matchups against New Mexico State and Northern Colorado did nothing to show us who Washington State is. Well, maybe outside the fact that they’re no longer the laughing stock of the Pac-12 who could legitimately lose to a New Mexico State or Northern Colorado. They’ve still got a shot at the 2019 College Football Playoff but have a lot to prove.