For years, the phrase “PAC-12 refs” has been synonymous with negativity. The conference seems all-too often to have issues with referees being inconsistent, overly flag-happy, and/or slow to make decisions.
An extensive review of the PAC-12 referees after last season resulted in no significant findings, according to ESPN, but things have only gotten worse in recent weeks.
The refs missed a close call in the Arizona State – Michigan State game back in September, and Ole Miss was unhappy with a call in their game against Cal a week later.
The PAC-12 did suspend a referee and downgrade a few others for performance issues, but then they had two instances where they called penalties on the wrong teams just this month alone.
I could go on, but you get the point.
What Can the Pac-12 Conference Do?
So what can be done? well, at least according to the available data, the PAC-12 does pay their referees at an equal or similar rate as the other power-five conferences.
That doesn’t mean that the quality is better, obviously, but it should separate the cream from the crop when looking for talent.
So maybe, then, the issue lies in talent evaluation? If the PAC-12 genuinely believes they are hiring the best referees available, and paying them as such, but they are having to fine, suspend and downgrade many of their recent hires, then something must be wrong with their initial evaluation – right?
Doing some digging, it’s really hard to find any information on how PAC-12 referees, or any D1 college referees, are trained. They are often independent contractors, paid a previously agreed upon stipend per game, with more experienced refs getting a higher rate pay.
However, there doesn’t seem to be a concrete training system, or really any way to know that the talent you are getting is the best of the best outside of whomever’s job it is to recruit refs.
Development: Pac-12 Officiating
Of course, asking the PAC-12 to fund and develop a complex training system for referees, especially when other conferences don’t have that, is silly. They should, in theory, be able to rely on their ability to pay a higher rate than other local conferences (like the Mountain West) and their talent evaluator to find the best available refs from a pool of high school refs and other qualified applicants.
The officiating is one of many frustrations fans of PAC-12 schools have voiced recently, and the other failures of commissioner Larry Scott has only served to heighten this area of need for the conference.
Fixing the issue is by no means simple, but it’s clear that something has to give, and soon.
It was assumed that the UW offense would solve their problems with a bye-week. Well, even with the extra week of preparation, Washington flopped. With their fifth loss of the season, the Huskies displayed both poor scheme and execution. This is the Washington Huskies downfall in 2019.
First Half Washington Huskies Woes
Terrific defensive first half for Buffs as they lead UW 13-0 at halftime. First-half shutout of Huskies is first ever for Colorado in CU-UW series (this is 19th game). Stats: pic.twitter.com/1rbyjr5xbZ
In the first half, the Huskies couldn’t sustain or finish drives. Even with six drives in the first half, they couldn’t score a single point.
3 plays, 2 yards, Punt
13 plays, 64 yards, Interception
3 plays, 0 yards, Punt
3 plays, -13 yards, Punt
3 plays, 8 yards, Punt
7 plays, 25 yards, Punt
Six drives, five punts, one interception and zero points. Just awful. Also, ignoring the 64-yard drive, UW attempted just 19 plays for 22 yards. How on Earth can the Huskies expect with offensive performances like this?
For UW fans, this season seems like a Jekyll-Hyde tale. Eason fluctuates from brilliant to ineffective week to week. It’s absurd.
Against Colorado, he completed just 21 of 34 attempts for 206 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His ESPN QBR was a measly 39.9. Colorado got in his face, hurrying him four times and sacking him five times. It was clear that he was under duress. But, worst of all, Eason led just two scoring drives. On 10 offensive drives, Eason and the Huskies scored two touchdowns.
Game on the line. Down by six. UW and Eason had two more drives to attempt to take the lead. But, they came away with nothing. Eason and company proved this season that they can’t finish games.
No room to run
Holy crap… 32 carries for 32 yards for UW in this one.
On 25 attempts, Richard Newton and Salvon Ahmed combined for 61 yards and one touchdown. That’s just 2.44 yards-per-attempt. Moreover, the Huskies couldn’t run anywhere on first down. On first down, they had runs of: 1, 3, -2, 0, -2, 0, -1, 1, -2, 0 and 4 yards. On the other sideline, Colorado had 207 rushing yards off of 41 attempts. This massive difference displays the Huskies offensive line troubles.
Huskies Second Down Predictability
Oh my goodness. It is unbelievable how predictable UW is on second down. Here is their second down playcalling:
After a first down rush: pass 73-percent of the time
Following a first down pass: rush 73-percent of the time
So, there was a 73-percent chance that the Huskies would apply a balanced (pass-run or run-pass) first and second down approach.
Come on UW. This is Pac-12 football. Leave that predictability to high schools.
UW disappointing season continues
Honestly, UW had the perfect arrangement for the end of the season. They were set up to finish the 2019 season in spectacular fashion. With wins against Colorado and WSU, along with a Bowl game, UW fans would leave happy. Albeit, disappointed from missed expectations, but still left on a good note.
But, as is tradition this year, the Huskies let everyone down again. Now, Husky fans are in chaos-mode. If UW loses against WSU in the Apple Cup, they’ll be demanding a shake-up. Everyone will be on the hot-seat. Coaches will get fired.
At 9 and 1, the Utah Utes are truly coming into their own. After moving from the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12, they took a few seasons to get their feet under them. Now. ranked No. 7 in the nation (just one spot behind Oregon), the Utah Utes are making their name known. Just two more regular-season games and a pivotal clash against the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship. If the Utes win all three, they earn College Football Playoffs or at least a Rose Bowl appearance.
Utah vs Oregon. Who gets playoffs?
The gap between the Utah Utes and Oregon Ducks is slight. Both programs sit at 9 and 1 in the Pac-12 and they are side by side in the AP rankings. Additionally, Oregon’s only loss this season came to Auburn (currently ranked 15th), while USC (currently ranked 23rd) beat Utah. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Oregon a 48.1-percent chance of winning the Pac-12 Title and Utah a 38.1-percent chance. It’s ever so close.
Across the experts, analysts and fans, the debate is tight. SB Nation’s Fan Pulse ranked Utah at 7 and Oregon at 8. Even ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are split in their Oregon vs Utah projections. While both have LSU making the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Bonagura has Utah and Schlabach picked Oregon.
Ever so close to each other, here’s why the Utah Utes will reign supreme in the Pac-12.
The Utah Utes Defense is Elite
The Utah defense has gone 14 quarters at home without allowing a single touchdown 🤯😳 pic.twitter.com/Wuu6nCQBST
Through 10 games, they’ve allowed just 11.3 points-per-game to opponents. They are elite.
According to PFF grading, Utah’s defense is the third-best in the FBS. Breaking it down further, PFF ranked Utah top-five in both run-defense and coverage. Against Utah, runners average 2.3 yards-per-carry, while only scoring three rushing touchdowns against them all season. There’s no room to run with stars like Leki Fotu and John Penisini hovering.
In coverage, the Utah Utes are equally impressive. Terrell Burgess and Julian Blackmon are at the top of their game. Opposing quarterbacks average:
56-percent Completion Percentage
193 Passing Yards
1 Passing Touchdown
1.3 Interceptions
Their defense is stout against the run, can cover any receiver and is opportunistic. In addition to their 13 interceptions, the Utes also have 7 fumble recoveries. They capitalize on mistakes. And, they limit opposing big plays.
For anyone that watches Utah Utes games, Tyler Huntley is the Russell Wilson of college football. Efficient, accurate and deadly in limited opportunities. Remember that Tyler Huntley was the best quarterback in the Pac-12 and still is now. He’s the big reason why the Utah Utes are averaging 34.7 points-per-game and blowing out opponents.
Yes, Justin Herbert is still ranked as the better quarterback prospect by most. But, come on, we can’t keep ignoring Huntley. His efficiency is off the charts!
In comparison, Justin Herbert only ranks higher than Huntley in passing yards and passing touchdowns. The rest goes to Huntley and proves he’s the better quarterback right now.
Moss is powerful, physical runner. He’s difficult to tackle and has the ability to take any carry to the house. Combining his rushing talent with Huntley’s elite passing created the best offense in the Pac-12.
Utah Utes and Oregon Ducks common opponents
So far this season, the Utes and Ducks had four common opponents. USC, Washington State, Cal and Washington. In those matchups, Oregon won all four. The Utah Utes, on the other hand, lost to USC. So, Oregon is 4-0 against common opponents, while Utah is 3-1. The edge goes to Oregon. Right?
Actually, it’s a bit more complicated. Oregon handily beat USC 56-24, while Utah lost 23-30. They also both let Washington keep it close. But, Utah beat Cal and Washington State by far better margins. Oregon won 17-7 against Cal. Meanwhile, Utah torched Cal 35-0. Additionally, Oregon barely beat Washington State 37-35. But, Utah won with ease 38-13.
Yes, they lost to USC. But, it’s far closer than people think. Utah is proving to be a powerful adversary.
This wee, only one Pac-12 NFL player repeated from Week 10’s Best Pac-12 NFL list. Finally, we get some fresh faces and new players on here. Let’s see who joined the ranks of the best!
It’s not often that a place-kicker joins the best of Pac-12 NFL players. Yet here we are. With the New England offense moving slowly, their defense and special teams are picking up the slack.
In a tight, 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Folk scored the majority of the Patriots’ points. He went three-for-three with field goals of 35, 22 and 39 yards.
Arizona State
Lawrence Guy – New England Patriots
Lawrence Guy's turn. #Eagles running zone weak away from the tight ends. Guy, with great pad level, knifes between the two blockers on the combo block on the right side to get into the backfield. #Patriotspic.twitter.com/oIHquCqBxU
On Sunday, he managed to hit quarterback Jameis Winston four times, get 1.5 sacks and add a tackle for a loss. It was another All-Pro game for Cameron Jordan. His stats and 82.0 PFF grade are why he is still among the best Pac-12 NFL players in the league.
Although the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Oakland Raiders, Josh Tupou played very well. It was by-far his best game of the season. Tupou compiled seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one stuff and one forced fumble.
Honestly, is there anything better to watch than a special teams touchdown? They are rare, special and should be treated as such.
In the first quarter, up 3-0, Kenjon Barner fielded the punt from Younghoe Koo at the Atlanta 22. He then took it 78 yards to the house. The seventh-year journeyman just earned his first, NFL punt/kick return touchdown. Of course, his highlight-touchdown is worthy of praise.
Yes, their game was against the hapless Miami Dolphins. Nonetheless, the Buffalo Bills won by 17 and Miami finally couldn’t cover the spread.
In this game, Jordan Poyer did his usual damage as a reliable tackler. He totaled six tackles (four solo) and also added a fumble recovery. On the season, Poyer now has 72 tackles, one sack, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception.
Stanford
Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers
.@run__cmc is the FIRST player in NFL HISTORY to rush for at least 1000 yards AND have at least 500 receiving yards in the first 10 games of a season. 💪 pic.twitter.com/C2anxZnrje
Somehow, even though he compiled nearly 200 yards from scrimmage, the Carolina Panthers only scored three points. How on Earth is that possible? What else does Christian McCaffrey have to do?
In their Week 11 matchup, our Pac-12 NFL superstar turned 14 carries into 70 rushing yards and also caught 11 balls for 121 yards. 191 yards from scrimmage. Yet, only three points for the Panthers. This team needs to get a viable quarterback or send the Stanford star to another team. His play deserves the playoffs.
UCLA
Eric Kendricks – Minnesota Vikings
Eric Kendricks restructured his contract in May to provide cap relief for the #Vikings.
Eric Kendricks is elite. Right now, he’s playing the best football of his career. He currently owns a 90.5 PFF grade. Last week, he earned a spot on the top Pac-12 NFL list with his fourth-down heroics.
Because of his stellar form, the Vikings have utilized Kendricks in pass coverage this season. He’s stepped up to the challenge with 12 pass break-ups. Eric Kendricks, with 85 tackles and 12 pass breaks-ups, is playing like a top-three linebacker.
Though his 43.7 (No. 25) QBR on the season is uninspiring, Sam Darnold played his best game this week. He displayed an excellent passing ceiling with 293 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yes, he still took two sacks and threw an interception against Washington. But, this was one of the better games for Darnold and his 6-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio since returning from illness is promising.
Also, keep in mind these two things before putting down Darnold:
Heading into Week 11, Marcus Williams already was PFF’s top safety. That’s already praise enough for a Pac-12 NFL player. But then, he went and showed out in Week 11. Games like this show why he is the best of the best. Not only did he record three tackles and two pass break-ups. But, he also took an interception to the house.
There’s nothing like a pick-six for football fans. Especially defense enthusiasts. Marcus Williams is having a career year.
Down ten to six with just over two minutes left in the first half, Danny Shelton came up big. His strip-sack of Carson Wentz put the Patriots in excellent field position. Unfortunately, as is the case this year with the Patriots’ offense, they came away with three points. Though they started at the Eagles 22, they couldn’t score a touchdown. It’s a shame.
But, what isn’t a travesty is the New England Patriots’ defense. They look like one of the greatest defenses of all time. If players like Danny Shelton can keep bailing out the offense, they might win yet another Super Bowl.
As most know, the Arizona Cardinals need help in their secondary. Their pass-defending is among the worst in the league. However, Jalen Thompson got his first interception this week.
Additionally, he also had his first pass break-up. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for the rookie out of Washington State.
The 2019 Colorado Buffaloes season has been a roller coaster ride. Tough losses at home and blowout losses on the road have made this season tough, but there have been bright spots. The goal from the start was to make a bowl game. It may take a miracle for the Buffaloes to achieve that goal, but Mel Tucker has laid the foundation for a successful tenure in Boulder.
First Up: Washington
The Buffaloes host the Washington Huskies in College Football Week 13 next week on ESPN at 8 p.m. mountain time (7 p.m. pacific time). CU has never beat the Huskies since joining the Pac-12. In the 2016 Pac-12 Championship Game, the Huskies beat the Buffaloes 41-10, and the Buffaloes have never been the same since.
Washington has looked more vulnerable in 2019, as they sit at 6-4 (3-4 Pac-12 North). They are led by quarterback Jacob Eason, who will look to further expose the Buffaloes secondary. Eason, a transfer from Georgia, had high expectations from the Husky faithful. However, Washington ranks only sixth in offensive pass efficiency in the Pac-12. Eason is ready to have a breakout game against a Buffaloes defense who is second to last in defensive pass efficiency this season. For all the progress many believe the Buffaloes have made in Mel Tucker’s first year, the defense has been a weak spot.
However,
the Buffaloes have a chance to win this game. That chance is larger than most
may think. ESPN’s Football Power Index only gives the Buffaloes a 17.1% chance
to win this game. Despite the Buffaloes being 4-6, the respect that they have
been given nationally is nonexistent. The team has played hard in every game at
home. With the emotions of it being senior day and the possible last home game
for star receiver Laviska Shenault, one should expect the Buffaloes to show up
and possibly win this game.
After Washington, Buffaloes head to Utah
With a win against Washington, the Buffaloes would sit at 5-6. In the last week of the College Football regular season game, they have to go to Rice-Eccles Stadium to play Utah. In the latest College Football Power Rankings As They Should Be, Utah was ranked 7th. They are on a collision course with Oregon, as they will most likely be the two teams playing for the Pac-12 title at Levi’s Stadium.
ESPN’s
FPI gives the Buffaloes only a 4.3% chance to win this game. It may take a
miracle for the Buffaloes to do just that. After beating CSU 52-31 in Denver
and Arizona State 34-31 in Tempe, the Buffaloes have lost their past three road
games by an average of 30 points. They lost to UCLA 31-14, and they just lost
to Utah 49-3 in College Football Week 12.
Bowl Eligibility Longshot Due to Missed Opportunities
My
prediction for the Buffaloes is that they will have a 50-50 chance to beat
Washington, but it will take a miracle for them to beat Utah and make
themselves bowl eligible. The games that they will look back on as the main
reasons for not making a bowl game are their home losses to Air Force, Arizona,
and USC.
Against Air Force in College Football Week 3, the Buffaloes jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, but then they had to rally from down 23-10 to force overtime. The Falcons would score on the first play of overtime, and the Buffaloes would lose 30-23. One of Mel Tucker’s main goals as the Buffaloes’ head coach would be to show recruits in Colorado that CU was the best team in the state. Losing to Air Force was a bad look for the program, and Air Force also beat CSU in College Football Week 12.
Next, the Buffaloes lost a 35-30 heartbreaker to Arizona in College Football Week 6. They were unable to contain Khalil Tate through the air, as he threw for 404 yards and gashed the Buffaloes defense. Against USC in College Football Week 9, the Buffaloes relinquished a 31-21 fourth quarter lead. This loss was extremely frustrating because Montez got hurt, but then he came back into the game and was ineffective in the fourth quarter. The defense had chances to possibly end the game, but let USC get chunk plays and eventually score to take a 35-31 lead.
The Legacy of the 2019 Colorado Buffaloes
The 2019 Colorado Buffaloes will have a complicated legacy when they are talked about in the future. They will be remembered most for their comeback at Folsom Field against Nebraska, but will also be remembered for having narrow losses to teams that, at least from their perspective, they should have beat.
People will remember Steven Montez as a quarterback who showed flashes at times, but sometimes left Buffaloes fans wanting more. Montez is first in CU history in touchdown-to-interception ratio. Still, CU being 11th in quarterback efficiency this season shows how Montez was never able to have legendary moments as the Buffaloes’ quarterback. Along with Laviska Shenault and Nate Landman, Montez was a key leader of this team. It is frustrating that the Buffaloes have not been able to make a bowl game the last two seasons with the talented leaders they had.
With the hype surrounding recruiting for the Buffaloes, the future does look bright for them. They can lay a foundation for future success by being able to win their last two games. However, this task is close to insurmountable, and there is no real expectation that the Buffaloes will win out. If they are somehow able to do the impossible, it could bring out a new wave of enthusiasm for the Buffaloes now and into the future.
Welcome to the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 13. These last three weeks, including the Pac-12 championship game are all about winning the beauty pageant for the CFB Playoff Committee. Utah and Oregon are both within striking distance to get a berth in the top four. They will need style points to fade the east coast bias and SEC media cycle pushing Alabama or a 2-loss SEC team. I do believe if Oregon and Utah meet with 1-loss in the Pac-12 Championship, the winner should land a spot in the College Football Playoff Top 4.
The rest of the conference still has a lot to play for as well. There are four bowl-eligible teams already plus four more who are sitting on five wins.
Check back on Unafraid Show this Friday to see all the internal and external threats to the Pac-12 conference and who will speak up to stop it.
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.
Here are the Pac-12 Bowl Projections from Jerry Palm of CBS (many people expect Oregon or Utah to make the CFB Playoff):
I cannot figure out why Kevin Sumlin is juggling quarterbacks. He finally started freshman Grant Gunnell but pulled him after a couple of unsuccessful series. Then he turned to senior Khalil Tate for two quarters only to go back to Grant Gunnell. It makes zero sense. This team looks like a disaster. There is no way they should be the worst team in the Pac-12.
If you are looking for a positive, the defense came into the game giving up 37ppg, but only surrendered 34. If would have been 38 if Oregon’s kicker could make a 20-yard field goal and an extra point.
11. Stanford Cardinal (4-6, 3-5)
Last Week: 22-49 (L) at Washington State
Yikes. It is going to take a Herculean effort for the Cardinal to make a bowl game. They have Cal and Notre Dame left on the schedule. Between Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw coaching, Stanford hasn’t missed a bowl since 2008. In fact, they haven’t even won less than eight games during that time. I’m finding it hard to find any other solution for what is going on at Stanford other than a crisis. The last two seasons have looked nothing like the Stanford we are used to watching.
Things are tough for a team when they end up with three different quarterbacks starting games in one season. But the defense and special teams haven’t been much better or more healthy. The sole focus of these next two games should be about figuring out the new direction for the offense because “Intelectual Brutality” is dead.
10. Colorado Buffaloes (4-6, 2-5)
Last Week: IDLE
The good news is Colorado snapped their five-game losing streak before their off week. The bad news is they stand two wins away from a bowl game with Washington and Utah on the schedule. I said it would take a Herculean effort for Stanford to make a bowl game. It would take an act of God for Colorado to make a bowl game.
9. Washington State Cougars (5-5, 2-5)
Last Week: 49-22 (W) vs Stanford
Mike Leach to Arkansas and Florida State rumors are in full force. It feels like this relationship is at the end of its rope. Could he be coaching his last two games in Pullman? If so, he will want to go out like a pirate; with a bang. He will be going for broke against Oregon State and the Apple Cup vs Washington. Be prepared to see onside kicks, going for it on 4th and long, and trying to run up the score.
Wazzu hasn’t been any better on defense since Tracy Claeys left the program. They are giving up over 450 yards and nearly 30 points per game. Either WSU or OSU will get bowl eligible this weekend, while the other will have an uphill battle in their final game.
8. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-5, 2-5)
Last Week: 34-35 (L) at Oregon State
What a terrible loss for the Sun Devils. I realize Oregon State is much improved this season, but losses to them still look bad (OSU lost to Hawaii). Herm Edwards’ team continues to fall apart. The only freshman quarterback to even have a season close to Jayden Daniels was Rudy Carpenter. It’s unfortunate his record-setting performances aren’t being rewarded with more victories.
The Arizona State defense that was the strength of this team early in the season is now a liability. Over the past three games, they are giving up 36ppg. It is extremely difficult to win games like that. Oregon comes to town this with, so their bowl game hopes will lie squarely on the Arizona game.
7. Cal Golden Bears (5-5, 2-5)
Last Week: 17-41 (L) vs USC
What in the world happened to Cal’s pass defense? USC’s receiving corps is really good, but damn, they went crazy. The Takers allowed 405 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. Not only did the defense make USC look like a top 10 team, but the offense also helped too. The Golden Bears only accumulated 263 yards of total offense.
As bad as this season has been for Cal since Chase Garbers got hurt they still can win seven games. After missing five games he returned to face USC but was injured again and his status remains in doubt.
6. UCLA Bruins (4-6, 4-3)
Last Week: 3-49 (L) at Utah
Chip Kelly had UCLA headed in the right direction until they ran into Utah. It seemed like the Bruins were going to keep the game competitive until Dorian Thompson-Robinson gave up a Jameis Winston like fumble-six.
Fun fact: Mika Tafua is an offense’s worst nightmare.
There is no team in the Pac-12 that is purely momentum-based like UCLA. If things are going well, they can beat anyone outside the top three. But when things go badly, they have no ability to overcome adversity. Their 32-point comeback victory against Wazzu is a perfect example. They were awful until momentum shifted, then everything went in their favor.
5. Oregon State Beavers (5-5, 3-4)
Last Week: 35-34 (W) vs Arizona State
I still cannot believe Oregon State has been consistently in the top half of the Pac-12 Power Rankings for the last few weeks. Jonathan Smith deserves a lot of praise for changing the culture in Corvallis. His team shows up to games expecting to win, and not just hoping to him. They are now ranked between 6th and 8th in most meaningful offensive and defensive statistical categories. That consistency is what may have them headed to a bowl game with a win over Washington State.
USC got a new athletic director and Clay Helton’s team found some fight. Mike Bohn said good football coaches finish strong and he would re-evaluate Helton after this season. If the Trojans finish 8-4 with all their injuries there is a distinct possibility there may not be a coaching change. USC fans would be fighting mad, but how do you fire a coach that won his five out of his last six games with a couple in impressive fashion?
Kedon Slovis has proven that he is that man and JT Daniels needs to get in the transfer portal as soon as he is healthy because there is no way he gets his job back. Slovis just had another 400-yard, four-touchdown performance. He is still a true freshman, just getting started.
3. Washington Huskies (6-4, 3-4)
Last Week: IDLE
All Huskies fans want to do is finish strong. This is not the season they envisioned with Jacob Eason at quarterback, but 6-4 is where they are. A trip to Boulder to face the second-worst Pac-12 pass defense should spell success for the offense. While a trip to the Rose Bowl is off the table, there is still a lot to play for. At this moment the Huskies have the #1 recruiting class in the conference. So, they must keep up that momentum to ensure players don’t flip to other schools.
Washington is clearly the 3rd best team in the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 13. However, it feels like a huge gap between UW and the top two teams.
2. Utah Utes (9-1, 6-1)
Last Week: 49-3 (W) vs UCLA
At this point, Utah is trying to embarrass every opponent they play. They have their foot on the gas and won’t let up. Their offense and defense are firing on all cylinders. Tyler Huntley is leading the way and may be having the best season of any Pac-12 quarterback. Kyle Whittingham’s defense doesn’t give anyone a chance to breathe. The defense has only given up 84 points in seven Pac-12 games.
Utah is the equivalent of Florida or Iowa, except they have a better offense.
The Ducks did not play their best football against Arizona but still did not allow a touchdown. Mario Cristobal has his team walking around like bullies. they just run through everyone and out physical them. Then Justin Herbert hits them over the head with big plays off play-action passes.
Both Utah and Oregon will need to remain dominant through the last two games is they hope to fend off Alabama for the final CFB playoff spot.
Check back every Monday for the next Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 13.
Obviously, this season is a letdown for UW football fans everywhere. After starting the season with high hopes, the Huskies dropped four games. Even worse, the Dawgs have to watch Oregon rise the ranks each week. Oregon is now 9-1 (7-0 in Pac-12 games) and has a good chance to make the College Football Playoffs. Die-hard Huskies are quickly becoming Utah fans in hopes that Oregon gets knocked out of playoff contention.
Apple Cup Victory
While Oregon’s reign is particularly annoying to UW football fans, the Apple Cup is the ultimate save-face. Yes, the Washington-Oregon rivalry is certainly up there, but it doesn’t hold a candle to UW-WSU hatred.
Since childhood, kids know where they stand. Household banners and decorations let the neighbors know where they stand. Jeers and taunts abound throughout the year. Because, unlike the Washington-Oregon rivalry, Huskies and Cougars see each other all the time. Family, friends and coworkers have to hold back their loathing whenever they see the enemy’s logo.
Ironically, as I write this in a local cafe, another coffee-drinker across from me is wearing a WSU sweater. I, too, must remain calm and keep my detest to myself.
So, regardless of UW Football falling off the playoff rails, a win against Washington State is still pure satisfaction.
Currently, there are Pac-12 teams that are bowl eligible: Oregon, Utah, USC and Washington. There are also four Pac-12 programs just one win away from eligibility: Arizona State, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State. Of note, it would be a delight if Washington State lost to Oregon State in Week 13. Then, in the Apple Cup, the Huskies could stomp out any bowl chances for the Cougars.
Back to UW, they look good in bowl eligibility. Last season, seven Pac-12 teams made bowls appearances. If they can get wins against both Colorado and Washington State, they solidify their bowl claim. And though it won’t be another Rose Bowl, fans will still appreciate any bowl victory.
UW Football is the best recruiting program in the Pac-12
Burien (Wash.) Kennedy Catholic five-star OLB Sav’ell Smalls has just announced his commitment to Washington at a ceremony at his school pic.twitter.com/POOs36t0YJ
According to 247 sports, UW ranks first in the Pac-12 in 2020 recruiting. This is a jump from their second-place rank in 2019 and their third-place rank in 2018. Additionally, the Huskies also rank 14th nationally.
Of their hard commits, UW Football nabbed eight 4-Star recruits and one 5-Star Recruit:
Sav’ell Smalls – OLB – 5-Star
Jalen McMillan – WR – 4-Star
Myles Murao – OC – 4-Star
Roger Rosengarten – OT – 4-Star
Sam Adams II – ATH – 4-Star
Geirean Hatchett – OG – 4-Star
Ethan Garbers – PRO – 4-Star
Rome Odunze – WR – 4-Star
Mark Redman – TE – 4-Star
Yes, it’s a off season for the Dawgs. But, their commitment to recruiting is impressive. UW Football’s coaches and staff never stop recruiting. They get young stars to buy-in to their program and it’s a great look for the Huskies. Continual recruiting is how top programs stay top programs.
They aren’t perfect, but the Huskies can end the year on a high note
At 6-and-4, there are still plenty of reasons to enjoy the Huskies. Even though they’ve struggled to finish games, UW Football knows how to finish a season. To fully please the fans, donors and future recruits, the Dawgs need to:
Beat Colorado
Win the Apple Cup
Claim a Bowl Victory
Recruit additional four and five-star 2020 recruits
His 156.1 Passing Efficiency Rating and 20-9 touchdown-interception ratio are both good. In the seven games he’s started and finished, Slovis has four wins, three losses. His wins came against Stanford, Arizona, Colorado and Arizona State. When he started, USC lost to BYU, Notre Dame and Oregon. All in all, he’s played well for a rookie.
Star Wide Receivers
#USC WR Michael Pittman Jr. recently accepted his Senior Bowl invitation.
His game against Utah (10 catches, 232 yards, and 1 TD) is a microcosm of what he is as a prospect. pic.twitter.com/ZJ3Szk173s
With all the praise given to Slovis, it’s important to remember that USC’s wide receivers are the stars of the show. In the Pac-12 conference, USC’s top-three wide outs are each top-ten in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Michael Pittman Jr.
71 (No. 1) receptions
938 (No. 1) receiving yards
8 (No. 3) receiving touchdowns
Tyler Vaughns
62 (No. 3) receptions
752 (No. 4) receiving yards
5 (No. 8) receiving touchdowns
Amon-Ra St. Brown
55 (No. 5) receptions
666 (No. 7) receiving yards
5 (No. 8) receiving touchdowns
USC’s Defense
On defense, they’re holding teams to 28.1 points-per-game and 418 yards-per-game. That’s not ideal, considering they’re only averaging 30.5 points-per-game. But, it highlights why they are 6-and-4 and not 8-2.
Why Cal Football will win
Injuries to USC
Unfortunately, USC’s recent health hasn’t been good. Running backs Stephen Carr, Merkese Stepp and Vavae Malepeai were all out. Hopefully Carr and Malepeai can play against Cal. But if not, USC plays without three, key running backs.
More importantly, USC’s Brett Neilon left last week’s game with a calf strain. That calf strain sidelines him for multiple weeks, while Justin Dedich takes over. Adding to that is the health of Kedon Slovis. Again, during the same game against WSU, Slovis dealt with cramps that briefly sidelined him. While he sat out two series, they had to use an IV pump.
After starting out the game 15 of 17 for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns (on the first four drives), USC slumped. They only scored three points the rest of the game. Following the four touchdowns, their drives ended:
5 punts
One fumble
One interception
One turnover on downs
One field goal
If USC isn’t in better health, Cal football takes the W.
While not elite anymore, the Cal football defense is still good. They rank 30th in DFEI, according to footballoutsiders. Their .38 DFEI best USC’s .25 DFEI. Additionally, the strength of Cal’s defense directly challenges the strength of USC’s offense. Cal’s secondary is their best feature, while USC’s talent is in their receiving corps. They’ll have their work cut out for them guarding Michael Pittman Jr., but if anyone can do it, Cal can.
Back when the Cal football program was winning and ranked, Garbers was their guy. Before his Week 5 injury, Garbers led Cal to four straight wins. In five games (one partial), Garbers showcased a 148.1 Passing Efficiency Rating, alongside an 8-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. After years of poor play, Cal actually had an offense. Following his injury, they lost four straight games.
But now, finally throwing without limitations, Chase Garbers is good to go. Even if Justin Wilcox won’t name him as the starter yet, he should be. Garbers played well enough at the start of the season to earn the job. Moreover, Garbers brings a running dimension. Oh, and let’s not forget that Garbers led Cal football to a victory last season against USC.
Wow. That was the worst call of the season. Every Washington State fan should be infuriated. It is despicable what the Pac-12 referees and officials did to their team. While mistakes happen every game, this was without a doubt a horrible penalty. But, even worse, this poor call and what ensued after uncovered pure incompetency by the Pac-12 conference.
For those that missed it, here’s what happened:
Saturday (An Egregious Mistake)
Tough night: a Cal penalty was incorrectly called against WSU. Have word that Harris’ qtr3 KR hands-to-face flag was actually supposed to be against Cal; incorrectly announced against WSU. Plays ran so it couldn’t be rectified. Ball should’ve been at Cal 33; was put at WSU 8
Down 20-11 in the third quarter, WSU’s Travell Harris returns kickoff to the 50-yard line.
WSU penalized for illegal hands to the face. Football placed at WSU 8-yard line.
Referee realizes he made an error. Because the penalty was against WSU, it should have been placed at Cal’s 35-yard line. The drive results in a field goal.
WSU loses to Cal 20-33
Sunday (Incorrect Apology)
Pac-12 Statement
First, the Pac-12 releases the above statement acknowledging “mechanics error”.
In that statement, they claim that WSU was informed of the mistake “After the next play was run”.
In punishment, the Pac-12 suspends referee for one game and crew is “downgraded”.
After realizing his mistake, Matt Richards (referee) decided to wait until the next media break to inform Washington State. Their drive took up 6 minutes and 38 seconds of the game clock…
What this all means for Pac-12 refereeing
Among college football, the Pac-12 is not respected. It’s the ugly duckling of the Power Five. Because of mistakes like this, and other failures of Larry Scott, Pac-12 football is taunted.
For Pac-12 fans, it’s clear that Pac-12 referees are inconsistent and consistently make poor judgment calls. But, it’s one thing to make a mistake as an official. It’s an entirely other issue to have no measures to correct it.
Is this not 2019? Don’t we have booths, staff and video replay? The Pac-12 should utilize on-site and off-site video assistants to make sure that errors like this don’t happen. Honestly, it’s pathetic. Absolutely depressing. Football programs shouldn’t endure Pac-12 referee mistakes that ruin a game. We are better than this.
It’s about time that the Pac-12 owns up to its faults, corrects its mistakes and takes action for the future. Apologies aren’t enough.
What are the Worst Pac-12 Referee Mistakes?
If you remember an official error that is bigger than this one, comment below or Tweet at us!
The PAC-12 has come under fire in recent years for commissioner Larry Scott’s handling of the budget, his personal pay bumps and a lot of other things. The conference needs a good bowl season for a lot of reasons, the least of which is to recoup some money for the member schools to aid them in facility improvements and other areas that could help with recruiting, coach hiring and putting a better product on the field.
The PAC-12 reported a $12.5 million dollar drop in the 2018 fiscal year. This came in part because the Rose Bowl, which is normally a big source of income for the conference, was part of the College Football Playoff semifinal, something that will happen every third year. The Rose Bowl normally features the PAC-12 champion, so the 2019 season will feature a PAC-12 team and help recoup some of that loss from last year.
As for the rest of the league, well they need to step up and get some high-quality bowl game wins if they want to be in a cleaner financial situation next year.
According to the college football playoff’s website; “A conference will receive $6 million for each team that is selected for the semifinal games. There will be no additional distribution to conferences whose teams qualify for the national championship game. A conference will receive $4 million for each team that plays in a non-playoff bowl under the arrangement.
The Oregon Ducks and Utah Utes are the only remaining PAC-12 schools that even have a slight chance of making the semifinals, and neither school is projected to do so at this point. If Oregon wins out they have the best chance of sneaking into a top-four spot, which would make the conference $6 million per team, or $72 million in total.
Other bowl games pay out roughly $4 million to the conference for each team, which will net the PAC-12 somewhere between $8 million and $48 million.
Too many .500 schools
Right now it’s guaranteed that Oregon and Utah will make the conference at least $4 million each. However, every other school in the PAC-12 has a record between 6-4 and 4-6, meaning that all or none of them will be bowl-eligible (at least as many wins as losses) by the end of the season.
That makes it fairly hard to predict how the finances will shake out for Larry Scott and company this year, although it’s probably safe to assume that at least 2-3 other PAC-12 schools will get bowl bids, giving them a $20 million buffer.
The final few weeks of the college football season will be entertaining for a lot of reasons, but the PAC-12’s bowl placement is rarely this wide-open in mid-November, making for a fun yet also heart-attack-inducing few weeks for the commissioner’s office as they try to plan their budgeting going forward.
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