Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6: Make or Break Matchups

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

Conference Play is in Full Swing

Welcome to the Unafraid Show Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6 by SportsPac12. If you are a Pac-12 fan, aside from Unafraid Show, SportsPac12 is the twitter feed you need to follow! Former sportswriter & columnist who has covered three different Pac-12 schools provides up to date stats and information on every team in the Conference of Champions.

See where all the teams stand in the Unafraid Show Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6.

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

Arizona State (3-2) at #21 Colorado (4-0)

Saturday, October 6, 1:00 p.m., Pac-12 Network

Folsom Field, Boulder, CO

Straight-Up: Arizona State in a Close Win

Against the Spread: Arizona State (+3)

Having dispatched four teams with a combined 1-16 mark, it’s time for the Buffs to prove they’re worthy of their ranking. CU quarterback Steven Montez leads the nation in completion percentage, and his connection with wideout Laviska Shenault has been deadly. But Montez has yet to be pressured the way he’s likely to be pressured by ASU’s Merlin Robertson, Malik Lawal, and Darius Slade, who have three sacks each on the season. Collectively, ASU defenders average nearly four sacks per game. The Devils also have the advantage of having played in three big games already. Arizona State’s defense should limit Colorado’s explosive offense just enough to prevail in a close, back-and-forth game.

Notes: The Sun Devils lead the all-time series 8-1, with the lone loss coming in Boulder in 2016, and are averaging 38.9 points per game against the Buffs. Remarkably, no ASU running back has lost a fumble (or even put the ball on the ground) in 669 consecutive carries, over 24 straight games. Colorado is 4-0 for the first time since 1998. Under Mike MacIntrye, the Buffs are 16-0 when holding opponents to 17 points or less. Shenault leads the nation with 9.5 receptions and 145.3 yards per game.

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

#10 Washington (4-1) at UCLA (0-4)

Saturday, October 6, 4:30 p.m. PT, FOX

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

Straight-Up: Washington  in a Blowout Win

Against the Spread: Washington  (-21.5)

History suggests Washington could struggle at UCLA on Saturday: The Huskies have lost eight straight in Pasadena, dating back to 1995. But UW coach Chris Petersen wouldn’t know anything about that, having never coached in the Rose Bowl. Nor would he care. The Bruins will be outmanned at nearly every position, despite having recruited nearly equivalent talent, based on stars and ratings. In actuality, this might be the biggest Conference mismatch of the season, giving Jake Browning a chance to extend his school records in passing and total offense, while enabling Myles Gaskin to pop off a 200-yard game. Unless, unless . . . Chip Kelly has at least one trick up his sleeve this year, doesn’t he?

 

Notes: The Bruins lead the all-time series 40-31-2, but lost last year’s meeting in Seattle, 44-33. The winning team has scored 40+ points in the last three games. By contrast, Washington hasn’t given up more than 35 points in 49 straight contests—dating back to when the Dawgs surrendered 44 points to UCLA in 2014. Gaskin needs just seven yards to move past Chris Polk into second on the all-time UW rushing list. UCLA will be looking to avoid a 0-5 start for the first time since 1943.

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

Washington State (4-0) at Oregon State (1-4)

Saturday, October 6, 6:00 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Network

Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR

Straight-Up Pick: Washington State in a Comfortable Win

Against the Spread: Washington State (-17)

The Cougars showed some welcome defensive maturity last week against Utah, and that figures to be a problem for the Beavers. Oregon State is a year or so away from being able to match any team stop-for-stop. The Beavs would prefer a high-scoring shootout, giving Jermar Jefferson a chance to run wild like he did in Tempe. Both teams are likely to trade big plays at some point, with Gardner Minshew and Easop Winston getting the better of the exchange. Expect OSU to keep it close for a quarter or so, only to watch WSU pull away in the second half. Whatever the outcome between these two loose and confident-playing teams, it should prove entertaining.

Notes: The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Beavers 52-47-3, and have won four straight after posting a 52-23 victory in Pullman last season. With their 28-24 win over Utah, the Cougars have won 10 straight home games for the first time since 1933. OSU relied heavily on Jefferson’s 254 yards against Arizona State, allowing him to break his own Pac-12 single-game rushing record for freshmen, set earlier this season against Southern Utah.

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

Cal (3-1) at Arizona (2-3)

Saturday, October 6, 7:00 p.m. PT, FS1

Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ

Straight-Up: Cal in a Close Win

Against the Spread: Cal (-2.5)

Fast and shifty Cal quarterback Brandon McIlwain showed he can be as dangerous as Khalil Tate last week, running the ball for 123 yards against Oregon. Given Arizona’s defensive woes, that comparison could be on full display this week in Tucson, provided McIlwain can pass well enough to keep Chase Garbers off the field. The Wildcats, meanwhile, struggled to put up 20 points on a mistake-prone and porous USC defense. They’ll need Tate to run and throw much better than his sub-50 completion percentage and 38 yards on the ground to score as much or more against a tougher Cal defense. The Bears are giving up points on less than 20% of their opponents’ possessions.

Notes: Arizona leads the all-time series 17-14-2, having won the last four. The last two have come down to the final play, including last year’s double-overtime contest in Berkeley. Look for Cal to strike early, having scored first in all four games this season. Arizona forced three fumbles Saturday against USC, recovering all three, marking the first time the Wildcats have recovered three fumbles in a single game since 2016. Bears linebacker Evan Weaver posted a career-high 14 tackles against Oregon; he leads the Conference with 13.2 tackles per game.

Pac-12 Football Predictions Week 6

Utah (2-2) at #14 Stanford (4-1)

Saturday, October 6, 7:30 p.m. PT, ESPN

Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA

Straight-Up: Utah in a Close Win

Against the Spread: Utah (-4)

Who needs this game more? A loss could prove disastrous for Utah, whereas Stanford runs the risk of a Notre Dame hangover: The classic elements of a trap game. As good as K.J. Costello and JJ Arcega-Whiteside have been, the Cardinal appear to have become too pass-dependent with Bryce Love struggling. Utah’s defense, which held the Cougars to 0 yards rushing last week, could cause Stanford more problems than the Irish. Offensively, Tyler Huntley played more like a dual-threat quarterback against WSU, rushing and throwing for a combined 206 yards, while freeing up Zach Moss to post his second 100-yard game. Don’t be surprised if Utah hangs around, stealing this one by a field goal.

Notes: The all-time series between the two teams is tied 4-4, though Utah has won three of the last four. Stanford ended a three-game losing streak to the Utes last year with a 23-20 victory in Salt Lake City. The Cardinal has an active 11-game home winning streak—the longest since a 17-game streak from 2011 to 2014—but the Utes are 3-0 in Stanford Stadium. In good hands: The Cardinal have not lost a fumble through the first five games, one of only four teams in the nation to do so. Huntley’s season-high 88 yards rushing against WSU matched his career high.

Leave a comment or voice your opinions at ImMad@unafraidshow.com

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6: Contenders and Pretenders Reveal Themselves

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6:

The Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6 is based on three things: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here. Respect is not given, it is earned.

Take a peek at last week’s rankings here.

12. UCLA (0-4) 

(L) Colorado 16-38

I believed UCLA had a shot to beat Colorado coming off their bye week. The Bruins put up a fight for the first half, but then it all went left after halftime. Their defense appeared to either tire out or lose mental focus in the second half. The schedule only gets rougher for Chip Kelly’s team for the rest of the season. I am not sure where this team finds a win. They can’t go 0-12 right?

11. Oregon State (1-4)

(L) 24-52 Arizona State

There are two stats that give you a lot of insight into the 2018 Beavers. Oregon State has allowed their opponent’s explosion plays of 30 yards or more 14 times in their first five games, which is worst in the Pac-12. They are also getting outscored by an average of nearly 15 points per game. Both of those stats mean there are only two things wrong with the Beavers: their offense, and their defense.

1o. Arizona (2-3)

(L) USC 20-24

Arizona has been doing a decent job of scoring since their disastrous first two games against BYU and Houston. Their biggest problem this season has been their defense. The Wildcats are only forcing turnovers on 5.9% of their opponent’s drives. And are only getting a sack on every 24 pass attempts. The good news for Arizona is that none of the teams in the South are particularly tough, and they still have a chance to win the division. However, the likelyhood seems low at this point.

9. Utah (2-2)

(L) Washington State 24-28

The Utes had their highest scoring game of the season last week (against a team not named Weber State). Their defense continuously shows up, but their offense fails to score enough points. It is always tough to win a lot of college football games when you only score 22 points per game. It is time to accept that the Utes are the same team they have been for the last 3-4 years.

8. Arizona State (3-2)

(W) Oregon State 52-24

The Sun Devils beat Oregon State soundly, as they were supposed to do. I’m still unsure what to make of a team that beats a pretty highly regarded Michigan State team only to turn around and lose the next week to San Diego State. Over the next month, Arizona State has Colorado, Stanford, and USC on the schedule. They could either go 3-0 or 0-3. This team is the best in the conference in turnover margin at +5. So, that should help.

7. Washington State (4-1)

(W) Utah 28-24

The Cougars offense is impressive. My heart says Wazzu looks like a top five Pac-12 team, but my head remembers their best win is against Utah. The Cougars only give up one sack every 58 pass attempts. The next closest team is Arizona State with one sack for every 35 attempts. If Washington State can continue to keep Gardener Minshew upright, they could knock off one of the North division heavy hitters.

6. USC (3-2)

(W) Arizona 24-20

The only reason USC has three wins is that they have the more talent than the teams they played. They are doing everything that typically results in losses. The Trojans are 11th in the Pac-12 in turnover margin, average under one touchdown pass per game, and give up the second most explosive plays of 30 yards to opponents. A lot of people are high on the Trojans winning the Pac-12 South; I am not. The team is talented enough to finish the season 10-2 but are more likely to finish 8-4.

5. Cal (3-1)

(L) Oregon 24-42

The Golden Bears have to figure out their quarterback situation. It is clear their offense is more explosive with Brandon McIllwain under center, but Chase Garbers is a better passer. Their defense is good enough to keep them in games, but their offense has to step up. Cal had a good start to the season, but the road only gets tougher from here. They still have games against Washington, Washington State, and Stanford left on the schedule. Cal is well coached, but they are short on talent to be highly competitive in the north division.

4. Colorado (4-0)

(W) UCLA 38-14

Colorado has earned their seat in the #4 slot of the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6. However, I do not trust they are good enough to run the gauntlet ahead of them. Through four games, their offensive and defensive stats have been very impressive. But all four of their wins are against sub top 50 college football teams. If they can get past Arizona State this weekend, I will trust them more.

3. Stanford (4-1)

(L) Notre Dame 17-38

The Stanford offense and defense looked exactly the same against Notre Dame as it did against Oregon through three quarters. They were dominated. I am truly questioning my prediction of Stanford winning the conference. Bryce Love is injured and KJ Costello looked rather average against a good Notre Dame team. The Cardinal are trending in the wrong direction. But I realize David Shaw is good for 10+ wins per year, so he should get things turned around.

2. Oregon (4-1)

(W) Cal 42-24

Oregon bounced back from one of the most heart-breaking losses in recent memory. Teams often let a loss like that affect the next game, but the Ducks didn’t. This team is physical and talented. There is an outside chance this team could pull and Alabama and make the College Football Playoffs without winning the conference. Oregon is the best team in the conference offensively, and one of the best defensively as well. All eyes will be on their matchup against Washington in two weeks.

1. Washington (4-1)

(W) BYU 35-7

The Huskies have earned the top spot in the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 6. Jake Browning had another solid week against BYU. Washington’s defense seems to be getting more and more stingy each week. They are best in the conference against the pass and have only allowed two explosive plays over 30 yards through five games. Oregon and Stanford are the only two teams that actually stand in the way of the Huskies winning the conference.

Leave a comment or voice your opinions at ImMad@unafraidshow.com

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Hot Take House: Game 163, Brees GOAT, Jimbo Fisher Fail, CFB Worst Calls Ever

Game 163

These are hot takes and fun from the weekend. Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week Hot Takes House. Do not read any further if you are easily offended. If you do, share with a friend.

Game #163

If the NFL can figure out the field playoff in 16 games, NHL and NBA in 82, why can’t the MLB figure it out in 162? How on earth do they play 162 games in the MLB, but still need one game tie-breakers to decide who wins the division? Game 163?

There are about 62 meaningless games in baseball. Teams and players are going through the motions. If those games were more important, we wouldn’t need a 163rd before playoffs.

NFL

1. All the garbage roughing the passer penalties are actually increasing the NFL fan experience. They add one more thing for you to talk smack talk about in your fantasy leagues, with your friends, and be outraged about. We love outrage.

2. My question is why won’t they just put flags on the QBs? They would rarely hit the ground then. Guys would be able to grab the flags, and that would be a sack. Guys are losing thousands of dollars just doing their job. Something has to change.- Richard Sherman

3. The Khalil Mack trade looks worse and worse every week. Mack is the runaway NFL defensive MVP at this point. The Raiders have no pass rush, and the two first rounders they get from the Bears will be 12-16 because the bears no longer suck.

4. Josh Allen is back being to who we thought he was. Don’t be mad Bills fans; facts are facts. Swing and a miss

5. #FitzMagic is dead, and VF Castro doesn’t like it. LOL

6. Drew Brees will need 201 passing yards next Monday night at home against Washington to become the NFL’s all-time passing yards leader. Why is he not in your top 10 quarterbacks of All-Time? I’ll wait…

7. Remember a long time ago last week when Tom Brady was old and the Patriots sucked? They are bullies for what they did to the Dolphins.

8. The Steelers will cave in on LeVeon Bell. James Connor is a good back, but he’s the FitzMagic of running backs. It was fun for a little while, but it’s a novelty.

9. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper May Change the NFL by signing Eric Reid.

College Football

1. “Kelly Bryant has an opportunity to extend his football life & actually control his own future… and you think it’s selfish??? Give me a break.” – Joel Klatt

2. Holding on the running back? WTH!

 

3. The original worst football call of the day was Louisville up by 3 with 1:56 left in the 4th quarter on the Florida State 21 yard line calling a pass play instead of a run. The pass was intercepted, and Louisville lost in regulation.

4. The actual worst football call of the day belongs to James Franklin and Penn State. They had two timeouts on 4th and 5 to run this play:

5. Jimbo Fisher needs to be suspended. If the player were to do this to Jimbo, he would be finished in college football!  There is no reason any coach should be getting physical with a player to get his point across.

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Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week post.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6: Crushing the Competition

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6

Best weekend of college football this year.

There were multiple quality games and near upsets on at every time slot. College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die! That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 5.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  How else can you explain Georgia at #2 when they haven’t played anyone, or Wisconsin ranking above Cal and BYU before this week? I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games that have been played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change every week as more games are played.

1.  Alabama (5-0)

Alabama won a game with their starting quarterback Tua Tagoviloa only attempting 8 passes. I know it was only Louisianna, but that is still impressive. Teams typically move down in the College Football Top 10 Rankings when their schedule is not particularly impressive. But, Alabama combats their schedule with an unmatched dominance. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 Crimson Tide respond when someone puts up a fight. We may have to wait till November when they get LSU and Auburn.

2. Notre Dame (5-0)

A quarterback change has taken Notre Dame from a really good football team to a playoff contender. Brandon Wimbush could only beat you with his legs. Ian Book can beat you with arm and legs. Against Stanford, he regularly extended plays and escaped sacks to complete passes for 3rd down conversions. The Notre Dame defense is fast and extremely physical. This is not your typical Fighting Irish team that is overrated. Dominant wins over Michigan and Stanford make them an easy choice at #2 in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

3. LSU (5-0)

LSU keeps piling up wins. They didn’t beat Ole Miss as bad as Alabama did, but Joe Burrow and company still showed offensive dominance. Burrow threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and added another 92 yards and a touchdown on the ground. I cannot remember the last time LSU had a dynamic passer at quarterback who could also hurt you with his legs. I am salivating thinking about their matchup against Georgia in two weeks. They are one of the few SEC teams that have played a quality schedule so far.

4. Ohio State (5-0)

Penn State had the game in sewed up, but Ohio State pried a victory from the jaws of defeat. Dwyane Haskins stats looked good again, but the truth is in the film. The majority of his 270 pass yards came off screens to backs and wide receivers. The Ohio State vs. Penn State game felt a lot like the Stanford vs. Oregon game last week. The team who dominated and looked better lost the game. However, there are no moral victories in sports. The Buckeyes won, so they reap the rewards in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

5. Oklahoma (5-0)

Kyler Murray is the Black Doug Flutie. He is small, but he can play! He and Oklahoma bounced back from that narrow escape against Army with an offensive explosion. Murray finished with 432 yards passing and 8 total touchdowns (1rush) against Baylor. I truly believe Oklahoma’s offense is more explosive this year than last year with Baker Mayfield. Most people expect Murray to hang his cleats up and play in the MLB. Oklahoma has the best receiving corps in the country.  I would love to watch Alabama try and stop this offense.

6. Clemson (5-0)

The Tigers are breathing a sigh of relief. Kelly Bryant decides to transfer, and Trevor Lawrence gets hurt while they are down to Syracuse. All signs pointed to a loss for Clemson. But, Dabo Swinney cashed in all his good Karma from doing the right thing for Kelly Bryant, and they got the win. You are always rewarded in life for doing the right things. Every top team faces a couple of gut-check games each season, and this was one for Clemson.

This team is good, but they have not been nearly as dominant this season as I expected.

7. Washington (4-1)

The Huskies has the best defense in the nation not named Alabama. Washington has stepped up their game since their close week 1 loss to Auburn. This week the Huskies undressed BYU, who beat a highly regarded Wisconsin team. It was a dominant performance. Jake Browning is real close to shutting me up about his inconsistent play against good teams. Their matchup against Oregon in two weeks will be an epic showdown.

8. Georgia (5-0)

New week, weak opponent, Georgia Wins. Rinse. Repeat. Georgia has played no teams currently ranked in the top 25. Unless Georgia starts demonstrating some Alabama-like dominance, it will be tough to rank them as higher until they get to the heart of their schedule. Please don’t try to tell me the South Carolina game was a good game. They just got beat up by Kentucky. I believe the Bulldogs could be a playoff team, but they will need to get more production out of Fromm or Fields at quarterback.

9. Auburn (4-1)

It took Auburn all four quarters to put So. Miss away. They were only able to rush for 96 yards on 36 attempts. The win was extremely unimpressive. War Eagle needs to figure out how to get their running game on track, or they will get tripped up against Miss State, Ole Miss, or Texas A&M in the next month. The only way the Tigers make the College Football Playoffs is if they do so on the back of Jared Stidham.

10. West Virginia (4-0)

500 yards of total offense seems to be the norm for West Virginia in 2018. Will Grier will find himself a finalist for the Heisman if he keeps playing like this. We still don’t know a lot about the Mountaineers defense. Their schedule has been relatively light so far, but their dominance has them narrowly ahead of the teams Next Up. Dana Holgorsen has a shot to get West Virginia over the hump in the Big 12 this year.

Next Up:

Michigan, UCF, Texas, Oregon, Penn State

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5: North Division is Dominant

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5

The Pac-12 had a great week in week 4. The heavy hitters in the conference (Washington, Stanford, USC, Oregon) all had great performances on national television. Stanford vs. Oregon is the game of the year so far. Great performances in prime time go a long way in determining the College Football Playoff top 4. The top of the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 5 was decided by razor-thin margins.

The Power rankings are based on three things: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here. Respect is not given, it is earned.

Here are the Pac-12 Power Rankings from last week.

12. UCLA (0-3)

BYE

UCLA has a real shot at a win on Friday night against Colorado. Strange things always happen during those Friday Night Pac-12 games. And Chip Kelly’s squad had a full week off to figure out some way to retool the Bruins anemic offense. There are betting lines around who will win a game first UCLA, or Nebraska. If UCLA gets a win, they will get out of the Pac-12 Power Rankings cellar.

11. Oregon State (1-3)

(L) Arizona 14-35

There are a bunch of programs that have gimmicks for players to wear or use after turnovers. Oregon State has a “turnover chainsaw.” While it’s not corny like Florida State’s “turnover backpack, there is so much potential for something bad to happen. When I played in Jacksonville, Jack Del Rio put a big wood stump and an ax in the middle of the locker room. He would always tell us to “Keep Chopping Wood.” To make a long story short, Our punter Chris Hansen chopped into the wood, and the ax split the wood, he cut his leg, and couldn’t play anymore that season.

That story had nothing to do with Oregon State, but it was much more interesting than anything going on with the Beavers.

1o. Arizona (2-2)

(W) Oregon State 35-14

Finally, we saw the Arizona team we thought would compete for the Pac-12 South division. Khalil Tate’s ankle is still not healthy, so the Wildcats offense is extremely limited. Arizona struggled through their nonconference schedule, but are still 1-0 in conference play. The Wildcats get USC at home this week. A win would put them in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 South. Wouldn’t it be a strange twist of fate if we all severely overreacted to the first three weeks of the season?

9. Washington State (3-1)

(L) USC 36-39

The loss on Friday night against USC was tough. Washington State had an opportunity to win the game on their last drive until an inexplicable 3rd down play call. We didn’t know much about the Cougars heading into the USC game, but we learned a lot. Gardener Minshew is a legit passer. He carved up the Trojans defense to the tune of 344 yards and three touchdowns. With Minshew leading Mike Leach’s ‘Air Raid’ system, Washington State has a chance against any team in the Pac-12.

8. Utah (2-1)

BYE

Utah will be looking to rebound from their week 3 loss to Washington at Washington State this weekend. The theme of the bye week should have been offensive efficiency. The Utes rank 10th in the Pac-12 in the percentage of possessions that result in points at 23.8%. The top two teams, Washington State and Oregon, sitting at 50.9%, and 44.8% respectively. Utah’s top-notch defense will have a tough task trying to stop the ‘Air Raid’ attack on Washington State. Kyle Whittingham had to find a way to get his offense going if the Utes have hopes of the south division crown.

7. USC (2-2)

(W) Washington State 39-36

USC got a much-needed win against Wazzu after back-to-back ugly losses. It was not pretty, but a win is a win. There is still concern about the Trojans inability to run the ball. They also struggled on pass defense as well against Washington State. The bright spots for USC were JT Daniels and wide receivers St. Brown, Pittman, and Vaughs. Daniels threw for a very solid 241 yards passing and three touchdowns. All three wideouts made phenomenal catches and showed they must be respected. What is it going to take for USC fans to buy into Clay Helton at head coach?

6. Arizona State (2-2)

(L) Washington 20-27

Herm Edwards is doing his thing down at Arizona State. They lost a competitive game to Washington that no one really thought would be as close, to begin with. The Sun Devils middle of the road record mirrors their conference ranking in most meaningful statistical categories. We need to see more of Manny Wilkins throwing the ball to N’Keal Harry if Arizona State is to rise in the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

5. Colorado (3-0)

BYE

Something tells me that Colorado better bring their A-game on Friday night against UCLA. The Buffaloes have done a great job defensively in their first three games. They have only allowed opponents to score on 17% of their drives. Steven Montez has to keep his level of play high if Colorado is going to have another quality season like two seasons ago. Their Nebraska win doesn’t look nearly as good at this point. Colorado is still untested, but they will be soon.

4. Cal (3-0)

BYE

Cal’s first real test of the season will be this weekend against Oregon. The Golden Bears secondary was leading the nation in interceptions before their bye. They will be challenged mightily by the nation’s best quarterback, Justin Herbert. When I talked to the Cal coaches, they said the team is ready and believes they can compete with any team on their schedule. If they are going to stay in the game with Oregon, they will need to step up their offensive production. Cal ranks last in the Pac-12 in explosive plays over 30 yards with one. And they are next to last in the Pac-12 for the percentage of possessions that result in points at 23.2%.

 

3. Oregon (3-1)

(L) Stanford 31-38

The loss against Stanford was an All-Time heartbreaker. But, there is good news. Even with the loss, the Ducks exploded back on the national scene and made a serious statement. Oregon looked, fast, physical, and well coached. They have arguably the best quarterback in the nation with Justin Herbert. And their defense is extremely stingy against the run only allowing a conference-best 2.13 yards per carry. The Ducks had been sitting outside the top three of the Pac-12 Power Rankings for weeks because they hadn’t played anybody. Now, that they have, it is clear they are a top tier team. Now the question is: Will the Ducks let Stanford beat them twice and have a letdown against Cal?

2. Washington (3-1)

(W) Arizona State 27-20

The Huskies were extremely impressive in the way they closed out the game against Arizona State. They executed their 4-minute offense to perfection. Jake Browing who I often pick on deserves a lot of credit for his play. He took care of the football and made plays when his team needed them. Browning will need to step up his play as Washington heads to the toughest part of their schedule. The Huskies defense leads the Pac-12 with only one explosive play over 30 yards given up.  Chris Petersen’s team has a lot more competition in the Pac-12 than most predicted in the preseason.

1. Stanford (3-0)

(W) Oregon 38-31

I almost threw up at the end of this game. The bottom line is that despite being dominated by Oregon all game, Stanford made plays when it counted. The best player on Stanford’s team is not Bryce Love; it’s KJ Costello. David Shaw’s team is always run first. But he will need to use the pass to set up the run if the Cardinal hope to make the College Football Playoffs. Stanford is boring to watch, but they win and are tough to beat. It does not get any easier for the Cardinal as they head to South Bend this weekend to play Notre Dame.

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Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5: Stanford Wants a Word

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5

College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die? That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 4.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. Last week the AP poll had BYU (2-1) ranked #25, but Cal (3-0) who beat BYU only received enough votes to be #30. And it had Wisconsin who lost to BYU but had played nobody ranked above both teams. These are the kinds of things that regularly happen in polls. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games that have been played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change every week as more games are played.

1.  Alabama (4-0)

Alabama is so good that Nick Saban has asked the media to write about the things they don’t do well. He needs something to show his players, so they don’t get complacent. The only thing that can stop the Crimson Tide right now is complacency. Tua Tagoviloa is improving on his near perfect play at quarterback. This week against Texas A&M he threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Granted, his job is a lot less stressful knowing Alabama’s defense and running game always show up.

2. Notre Dame (4-0)

My biggest knock on Notre Dame was their inability to throw the ball with their quarterback Brandon Wimbush. Brian Kelly must have read the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4 because he replaced Wimbush with Ian Book. Book was impressive throwing the football against Wake Forest. I am extremely close calling Notre Dame a playoff team. Next week they get a test at home from Stanford.

3. LSU (4-0)

LSU only played Louisianna Tech this week, but they dominated. And the Tigers still have two quality wins over Miami and Auburn. LSU’s Achilles heel has not changed in nearly a decade. They do not have a dangerous passing attack. LSU will lose one or two games this season if Ed Orgeron cannot turn Joe Burrow and the passing attack into a real threat. The LSU defense continues to be stout. We will see what they are made of in a couple weeks when they play Georgia.

4. Stanford (4-0)

I almost threw up at the end of this game. The bottom line is that despite being dominated by Oregon all game, Stanford made plays when it counted. The best player on Stanford’s team is not Bryce Love, it’s KJ Costello. David Shaw’s team is always run first. But he will need to use the pass to set up the run if the Cardinal hope to make the College Football Playoffs. Stanford is boring to watch, but they win and are tough to beat.

5. Oklahoma (4-0)

Oklahoma squeezed out an OT victory against Army. Army was 19 seconds shy of having three entire quarters of possession. Every top team faces a couple of gut-check games each season, and this was one for the Sooners. Ordinarily, a team could take a huge fall after a close game against an unranked non-power 5 opponent. However, any time you play a triple option service academy, you could be in for a dogfight. Kyler Murray and the Sooners still look great at the #5 spot.

6. Clemson (4-0)

It appears Dabo Swinney is going to turn the quarterback reigns over to Trevor Lawrence. Kelly Bryant is a good quarterback, but the situation at Clemson is the same as Alabama. There is an incumbent quarterback who has won a ton of games, but the young kid is just making the team undeniably better. When teams this good have a legit passer it makes them a clear top 10 team. After Virginia Tech lost to Old Dominion today, it doesn’t look like there will be much opposition for the Tigers in the ACC.

7. Ohio State (4-0)

Ohio State got Urban Meyer back from “suspension” and didn’t miss a beat. Dwyane Haskins feasted on Tulane for lunch. He is the best passing quarterback Urban Meyer has coached since Alex Smith at Utah (No Cam Newton doesn’t count for this discussion. The Buckeyes are extremely fast, strong, and athletic. Ohio State may be the only team in the country who can line up athlete for athlete with Alabama. The Michigan game may be the only time Ohio State is challenged for the rest of the season. That TCU win doesn’t look so hot after they got beat up by Texas this week.

8. Georgia (4-0)

Georgia is EXTREMELY talented, and I believe they are a good team, but the fact remains that their schedule has been extremely soft so far. Their best wins are against South Carolina and Missouri. Neither one of those teams has beat anyone of any significance. So, until Georgia gets some quality wins, they will rank way below where their potential lies. Jake Fromm and his wide receivers seem to be getting in a good grove. If he can continue to play at a high level, the Bulldogs will have a shot to knock off Bama in the SEC championship.

9. Washington (3-1)

Washington knocked off Arizona State who beat Michigan State. That looks like a solid win. The Washington vs. Stanford game in a few weeks will be for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. I still believe that Washington has the second-best defense in the country behind Alabama. They are fast and physical. The good news for the Huskies is that Jake Browning had a solid game. If he can occasionally be special against good teams, Washington will be in the conversation for a top 4 spot.

10. West Virginia (3-0)

Will Grier had a week off and only got stronger. The Mountaineers  Kansas State led by Grier’s 356 yards and five touchdowns. Their schedule provides many opportunities to move up the rankings. Next week West Virginia has a showdown with Texas Tech who opened up a can of whoop-ass on the #10 team from the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 4, Oklahoma State.

Next Up:

Penn State, Texas, Michigan, Oregon (all need a quality win)

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4: Conference Play for the Playoffs

Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4

Week three for college football is in the books and it’s time to get into the heart of conference play. Time to see where everybody lands in the Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 4. The Power rankings are based on three things: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here.

I have to again express my frustration with the Pac-12 start times. Part of the reason the conference doesn’t get the respect it deserves is that so many quality games are played with 7:30 or 7:45 pm PT kickoffs when many voters are sleeping. This week many people will miss out on seeing Arizona State and Washington play. It’s imperative that more college fans see the Pac-12 so they know the truth when media experts talk about the “eye test.” Hopefully, the conference figures out another solution to get it’s best games nationally televised without playing them so late.

Here are the Pac-12 Power Rankings from last week.

12. UCLA (0-3)

(L) at Fresno State 38-14

Lord have mercy. UCLA could finish the season defeated 0-12. There is no way that happens, right? They have to get their offense right by the end of the year, right? Until they do, they will occupy Oregon State’s usual #12 spot in the Pac-12 Power Rankings. The Bruins offense is caught between a true freshman quarterback and a bad offensive line. It is going to be a loooooooong season in Westwood.

11. Arizona (1-2)

(W)  Southern Utah 62-31

The good news is that Arizona got a win and Khalil Tate threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns. The bad news is there is no more Southern Utah’s on the schedule. Arizona will need to improve on their -2 turnover margin if they are going to beat Oregon State in Corvallis this weekend. I am still perplexed as to why this team that most thought would compete in the South division is so bad. The Wildcats still have time to turn it around during Pac-12 play.

10. Oregon State (1-2)

(L) Nevada 37-35

The Beavers lost last week’s game to Nevada on a last-second missed FG. This team is clearly better under Jonathan Smith than they have been over the last couple seasons. They lead the conference in explosion plays of 30 yards or longer (12). I expect a good showing from the Beavers as the Wildcats roll in town. This team has dark horse potential to finish the season number 8 or 9 in the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

9. USC (1-2)

(L) Texas 37-14

The loss against Texas was really ugly. The Trojans rushed for a mindblowing -5 yards. I cannot even remember the last time I saw a box score from a team full of four and five star athletes held to negative rushing yards. Clay Helton has a lot of questions to answer and adjustments to be made. The best way to sum up USC last two weeks is to quote Ryan Abraham of uscfootball.com, “When you lose badly and don’t change anything, you are likely to lose badly again.” Sidenote: true freshman Amon-Ra St. Brown is legit at wide receiver! Will Helton get this talented team to play better?

8. Washington State (3-0)

(W) Eastern Washington 59-24

We don’t know much about Washington State because they haven’t played anybody. The Cougars have put up good numbers in their three “pad your record for a bowl game birth” games. But, they will get a real test this week when they show up at The Coliseum to play USC. After watching the last two games USC played, the Cougars will believe this is a game they should win. If Mike Leach can pull off a victory against the Trojans we could be watching the beginning of a truly special season for Washington State.

7. Utah (2-1)

(L) Washington 21-7

Last week I said Utah’s lack of offense was a huge concern. Their offensive deficiencies showed up in a major way against Washington. In addition, the Utes have not taken care of the football. After three weeks, Utah is dead last in the Pac-12 for turnover margin (-6). The only reason they didn’t get demolished by Washington is that their defense is extremely stout. Kyle Whittingham has a team that is defensively capable of winning the south division, but offensively not.

6. Arizona State (2-1)

(L) San Diego State 28-21

It hurt to watch the ending of their game against San Diego State. You wouldn’t think that a targeting call that gets a player ejected could penalize the targeted team, but it did this week. The Herm Edwards hire looks like a sage move by Arizona State right now. If they can get their offense going earlier in games I like them to win the Pac-12 South. We need to see a lot more Manny Wilkins to N’Keal Harry for the Sun Devils to see a birth in the Pac-12 title game.

5. Oregon (3-0)

(W) San Jose State 35-22

What an ugly win for the Ducks. Washington State beat San Jose State 31-0 so most expected Oregon to run away with this game, but that didn’t happen. Though they were never in any danger of losing, the team didn’t look as polished against San Jose State. Perhaps the Ducks were overlooking San Jose State and looking towards their week 4 matchup with Stanford. Game Day will be in Eugene this week for Oregon’s most important game of the year. A win against the Cardinal could propel this team to a Pac-12 North title and a potential playoff birth. A close loss against a top 10 team would signal that the Ducks are close to being back in the Pac-12 elite. Justin Herbert will need to live up to the hype and play his best game of the season.

4. Cal (3-0)

(W) Idaho State 45-23

Justin Wilcox is a miracle worker. He has managed to turn the worth defense in the country in 2016 into leading the nation in interceptions. Don’t be surprised if after the season his name starts circulating some of those big money head coaching jobs. Chase Garbers has cemented himself as the starting quarterback and leader of the offense. Again I say, the Golden Bears officially are a threat to everyone in the Pac-12. They aren’t a threat to win the Pac-12, but they have upgraded themselves from cupcake to “potential trap game” status.

3. Colorado (3-0)

(W) New Hampshire 45-14

There was no hangover from their emotional win at Nebraska. The Buffaloes came out and handled their business against the vaunted New Hampshire Wildcats. I’ll admit I had to google their mascot. Week 4 provides a bye for Colorado and an extra week of preparation for UCLA. Did I mention that their wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr is one the best players in the Pac-12?

2. Washington (2-1)

(W) Utah 21-7

By this point, it probably seems like I’m picking on Jake Browning. However, he is the only thing separating Washington from being a threat to win a national championship. The Washington passing game has to show up better against good defenses. There are so many times that their defense is dominant against quality competition, but the offense can’t put up enough points to put the game out of reach. If Chris Petersen can get his senior quarterback going, this team can be dangerous.

1. Stanford (3-0)

(W) UC Davis 30-10

It appeared that Stanford was just as conservative against UC Davis as Oregon was against San Jose State. Bryce Love didn’t even suit up for the game despite reports that he was healthy. KJ Costello is getting more confident and efficient at quarterback. Stanford’s passing attack is back to Andrew Luck status. The Cardinal have an epic showdown this week with the Ducks. I am sticking by my prediction that the winner of that game will win the Pac-12 title and stay on top of the Pac-12 Power Rankings.

Leave a comment or voice your opinions at ImMad@unafraidshow.com

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4: Alabama or Bust

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4

College Football is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we start, you can reference the College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 3.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games that have been played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change every week as more games are played.

1.  Alabama (3-0)

Geez… It is just too easy for Alabama to score with Tua Tagoviloa at quarterback. He is accurate, has weapons, and can run when the play breaks down. he is the best signal caller that Nick Saban has ever had. They cannot be stopped, by anyone. Then there is the defense; they are fast, physical, and disciplined. Just hand Nick Saban another National Championship now if Tua stays healthy. Imagine how much he would be worth if the NCAA system wasn’t a joke and he could trade on his own name, likeness, and image.

2. LSU (3-0)

Huge wins for Coach O over Miami and Auburn. LSU has earned a huge jump into the Unafraid Show College Football Top 10. As usual, the Tigers have a good defense. They slowed Auburn’s offense which has given them fits over the last couple seasons. But, the most impressive part of LSU’s game this year has been their passing offense. Joe Burrow proved he can be trusted to throw the football a lot. If he can keep this up, the Tigers had a shot against Alabama. Not really, maybe they can keep it close though.

3. Oklahoma (3-0)

The Sooners are explosive. They lost their starting running back Rodney Anderson for the season last week, but the offense didn’t miss a beat. My next statement is not an exaggeration. Oklahoma’s offense may be more explosive with Kyler Murray at quarterback than last years’ Baker Mayfield led offense. As long as the Sooners stay focused they have a great shot at the College Football Playoffs top 4.

4. Ohio State (3-0)

Ohio State made it to the end of Urban Meyer’s “suspension” 3-0.  The Buckeyes were on the ropes against TCU but ended up winning with an extremely dominant second half. Ohio State has so much speed and athleticism at their skill positions. Every time the wide receivers or running backs touch the football they can score. Dwayne Haskins is the most accurate passer the Buckeyes have had in recent memory. This kid can spin it.  Did I mention that their defense is fast and physical too?

5. Notre Dame (3-0)

In general, I am a Brian Kelly doubter. However, this 2018 Notre Dame team appears to be different than the overhyped versions the past few seasons. Maybe they won’t fizzle out toward the end of the season. The Fighting Irish have been extremely physical on both sides of the ball through the first three games. The reality for Notre Dame is that they can run the ball against anybody, but will struggle if they are forced to pass it. That means as good as the Fighting Irish aren’t a real threat to the big dogs.

6. Clemson (3-0)

The Tigers deserve respect for handling their business in the face of adversity. Hurricane Florence is bearing down on many of their player’s families yet they won big. The only frustrating part about their win was that it was against Georgia Southern. Clemson got me all excited about them after beating Texas A&M, but again their schedule again let me down. Two of their three wins are against Furman and Georgia Southern. If Clemson is supposed to climb back up in the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 they will need to dominate their upcoming ACC schedule.

7. Stanford (3-0)

Just like Clemson, Stanford played a cupcake which only makes teams fall in the rankings. Byrce Love didn’t even suit up for the Cardinal against UC Davis. Next week, Stanford will need all hands on deck as they head up to Eugene, Oregon to face the Ducks.

8. Georgia (3-0)

Georgia is EXTREMELY talented and I believe they are a good team, but the fact remains that their schedule has been extremely soft so far. Between Georgia, Clemson, and Stanford, Georgia has had the least impressive quality win. The Bulldogs beat South Carolina soundly, but we have no idea how good South Carolina is. They will opportunities to move up the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 as they play some known quantities like LSU and Auburn.

9. Washington (2-1)

Washington got a quality win against Utah in week 3. The Huskies defense showed up big and shut the Utes down. Their defense is really really good. The only team I’ve seen with a better defense this season is Alabama. The only downside to this team is that if the Huskies defense ever struggles, they will lose the game. Jake Browning cannot win the game for Washington. They better hope it never comes to that, but it will.

10. Oklahoma State (3-0)

Welcome to the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Cowboys. Hopefully, you can stay for a while.

*Newsflash – Oklahoma State has a defense. Yes, you read that correctly. Oklahoma State has a defense. They beat a really solid Boise State team. Taylor Cornelius is throwing the ball every bit as good as Mason Rudolph was last season. The Big XII has three quality teams that could make the playoff, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and TCU.

Next Up:

Virginia Tech, Penn State, Auburn

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Pac-12 Football Power Rankings Week 3: Party Crashers Enter Top 3

Pac-12 Football Power Rankings

Week two for college football is in the books, and it’s time to see where everybody lands in the Pac-12 Football  Power Rankings Week 3. Overall the conference had a good week except for loses by Arizona and UCLA. The Power rankings are based on quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here.

Before we start I have to again express my frustration with the Pac-12 start times. Part of the reason the conference doesn’t get the respect it deserves is that so many quality games are played with 7:45 pm PT kickoffs when many voters are sleeping. Many people missed out on seeing Arizona State and judging them with their so-called “eye test”. Hopefully, the conference figures out another solution to get it’s best games nationally televised without playing them so late.

Here are the Pac-12 Power Rankings from last week.

12. Arizona (0-2)

(L) Houston 45-18

From darkhorse preseason Pac-12 South winner to the cellar. I have no clue what is going on in Tucson. The Wildcats look atrocious offensively and defensively. Khalil Tate was supposed to single-handedly give Arizona a chance to win the south division. His best asset is his legs, and he has barely run the ball. Part of me wonders if he is injured. Their defense has surrendered 72 points in the first two weeks. At this point, Arizona will be lucky to win 2 games. I liked Kevin Sumlin’s hire by Arizona, but the only coach in the country off to worst start at his new school is Willie Taggart at Florida State.

11. UCLA (0-2)

(L) at Oklahoma 49-21

Chip Kelly is off to a rough start at UCLA as well, but the expectations were extremely low coming into the season. I expect everyone to laugh when I say there were some bright spots in the 49-21 beat down the Bruins suffered… but there were. The defense which was among the worst in the nation last year in most categories had some shining moments. Dorian Thompson-Robinson got his first start and passed the ball efficiently when he wasn’t under duress. UCLA will struggle all season because their offensive line play is not good. Bruins fans better cross their fingers against Fresno State next weekend.

10. Oregon State (1-1)

(W) Southern Utah 48-25

Do you realize how bad UCLA and Arizona had to be for Oregon State to move up two spots after playing Southern Utah? This is the first time in two seasons that Oregon State was not clearly dead last in the Pac-12 power rankings. Oregon State did more good things without their starting quarterback in their 77-31 loss to Ohio State than we have seen from the either UCLA or Arizona. This is a shame that we have to figure out blowout metrics to determine who belongs at the bottom of the list. The Beaver gets the Nevada Wolfpack this week. When will Jonathan Smith get his first Pac-12 win?

9. Washington State (2-0)

(W) San Jose State 31-0

It doesn’t matter who Mike Leach puts at quarterback his offense will score points. Gardner Minshew has thrown for 733 yards and six touchdowns in his first two games as the starter. The only problem I have seen with the Cougars is they have too many turnovers. The team has given the ball away five times in the first two weeks. The Cougars should have another cakewalk this week against Eastern Washington.

8. Utah (2-0)

(W) Northern Illinois 17-6

Utah fell from #4 to #8 after a win because I am extremely concerned about the Utes offense. They started extremely slow in week one against Weber State, and could only manage 17 points against Northern Illinois. Utah is a tough and defensive-minded football team, but if you cannot score points in the Pac-12 you can’t win. They have Tyler Huntley played efficiently last week, but it just didn’t turn into touchdowns. When good teams play inferior talent, they should destroy them. If they don’t, alarm bells start going off in my head.

7. USC (1-1)

(L) Stanford 17-3

Clay Helton is catching a lot of flack for the way in which his team lost. USC was dominated by Stanford in almost every meaningful statistical category. I believe Stanford is a team that can make the College Football Playoffs this year so this loss doesn’t mean the Trojans suck. It just means they got beat up by a better team. JT Daniels looked like a true freshman against Stanford and will need to have a short memory when he takes the field at Texas in a few days.

6. Washington (1-1)

(W) North Dakota 45-3

What am I supposed to make out of the Huskies? Washington gifted Auburn a game they should have won then boat races North Dakota. Jake Browning stayed consistent to form. He feasts upon bad defenses and struggles mightily against good ones. We will learn more about the Huskies after they play at Utah on Saturday. Until then, I just know that Washington is 1-1 with a close loss to Auburn is better than anything a Utah and Washington State have done at 2-0

5. Oregon (2-0)

(W) Portland State 62-14

Ducks fans are probably shocked the Ducks fell from #3 to #5. Well, the truth is they deserve to be here based upon the schedule they have played. I believe the Ducks are a good team and can win the Pac-12 North and championship this year. However, Cal, Colorado, Arizona State, and Stanford all have played and beat better competition. Herbert has continued to look fantastic, and I am excited to see him in Pac-12 play. The defense looks much improved and will get a huge test in two weeks against Stanford. Ducks fans who were pissed Willie Taggart left now seem to be excited that he is gone.

Pac-12 Football Power Rankings

4. Cal (2-0)

(W) BYU 21-18

The Golden Bears officially are a threat to everyone in the Pac-12. They aren’t a threat to win the Pac-12, but they have upgraded themselves from cupcake to “potential trap game” status. I was unsure how Cal would fair against BYU after the Cougars took Arizona behind the woodshed, but they got it done. The best thing about Cal is their defense. They have been taking the ball away and playing very physical. Chase Garbers established himself as the starting quarterback against BYU. Their Achilles heel this season will be closing out games. In both week one and week, two Cal was up two scores late but still needed an onside kick recovery to seal the deal.

3. Colorado (2-0)

(W) Nebraska 33-28

Colorado tried everything in their power to lose the game against Nebraska, but they flew home with the victory. Steven Montez has played well but made far too many little mistakes that often cost you in tight games. I would give Colorado a chance in the Pac-12 South, but with the exception of Laviska Shenault Jr, their skill position players don’t look very dynamic with the ball in their hands. Overall, Colorado has had a fantastic start to their 2018 campaign. I don’t expect them to stay this high in the Pac-12 Power Rankings all season, but you never know, stranger things have happened.

2. Arizona State (2-0)

(W) Michigan State 16-13

It is extremely unfortunate that most of the country was sleeping through a good Pac-12 After Dark game. Arizona State did not play particularly well offensively, but they made enough plays to win the game. N’Keal Harry showed up with the game-tying touchdown despite being double teamed all game. Arizona State looks like the team to beat in the south division right now. Maybe that Herm Edwards hire wasn’t as crazy as y’all thought it was.

1. Stanford (2-0)

(W) USC 17-3

My Pac-12 champion pick is looking very solid right now. Everything is falling into place for a week four showdown in Eugene against Oregon. College GameDay will likely be in attendance for the showdown. Winner of that game will win the conference.

Bryce Love gets a ton of the attention when people talk about Stanford. But I am here to tell you that he is no longer their best offensive player. That title now belongs to their quarterback KJ Costello. He is the reason I believe Stanford has a legit shot of making the College Football Playoffs. He is accurate, mobile, and has some dog in him. I don’t know what happened to the Stanford defense between the SDSU and USC games, but it worked. They went from looking like a question mark to looking like a strength. I can’t wait for conference play to get in full swing.

Leave a comment or voice your opinions at ImMad@unafraidshow.com

Pac-12 Football: Week 2 Power Rankings

Pac-12 Football Power Rankings Week 2

Week one for college football is in the books, and it’s time to see where everybody lands in the Pac-12 Football Week 2 Power Rankings. Overall the conference had a good week except for loses by Washington and Arizona. I know the Pac-12 wants more national television games, but these 7:45 pm PT kicks aren’t helping anybody. I live on the west coast, and I fell asleep before the BYU vs. Arizona game was over. So, there is no way old College Football Playoffs voters are watching the game in its entirety. The conference has to find a way to get SEC and ACC teams to come west, and nationally televised games are a way to get it done.

The results from week one still leave all the Unafraid Show Pac-12 Preseason picks alive. Here are the week two rankings:

12. Oregon State (0-1)

(L) Ohio State 77-31

You ordinarily don’t have much positive to say about a 77-31 loss, but there were quite a few positives for the Beavers. Oregon State played practically the entire game with their backup quarterback Connor Blount after Jake Luton was injured and scored 31 points against a top 5 team. The Beavers rushing attack was impressed as they rushed for 197 yards on 39 carries. Oregon State is clearly a much-improved team under Jonathan Smith. By the time Pac-12 play starts the Beavers will no longer be a gimme game.

11. UCLA (0-1)

(L) Cincinnati 26-17

This was not the game anybody expected in Chip Kelly’s debut. We all expected UCLA to struggle at times this season, but an anemic offense against Cincinnati was unexpected. By the end of the game, it was obvious why Kelly chose to start Wilson Speight at quarterback over Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Thompson-Robinson was pressed into action when Speight was knocked out of the game with an injury. The freshman showed flashes in relief but he’s not quite ready for the primetime. UCLA also has problems with their rushing defense and offensive line. Unless Chip Kelly can pull a rabbit out of his hat 2018 is going to be a rough season for the Bruins.

10. Arizona (0-1)

(L) BYU 28-23

I was absolutely confused watching the Arizona offense. Their greatest weapon is Khalil Tate’s legs and they didn’t unleash him at all. He finished with only 8 rushing attempts. It is almost like Kevin Sumlin wanted to make sure Tate’s passing ability was showcased. He finished the game 17/34 with 197yds 1 TD. Arizona will have to employ a lot more run-pass option to maximize Tate’s skill set and make their offense explosive. My preseason prediction for Pac-12 South winner looked super suspect.

9. Colorado (1-0)

(W) Colorado State 45-13

I was not sure how this game would go after the Buffaloes only won 17-3 last year and were shutout in the second half. Mike MacIntyre’s team dominated Colorado State from cover to cover. The key to Colorado’s success this year will be great play from junior quarterback Steven Montez. He lit up the scoreboard in week one to the tune of 338 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. He looks to have made significant progress since last season. If Montez can continue to play at a high-level Colorado will be strong in conference play, particularly at home.

8. Washington St (1-0)

(W) 41-19 Wyoming

I couldn’t be any more happy for the Washington State Cougars. After offseason tragedy, they were playing with heavy hearts but came out and got a win. Per the usual, Mike Leach found a way to get his  ‘Air Raid’ offense to score a lot of points. The Cougars defense was impressive in only giving up 209 total yards. The Cougars should cruise to 3-0 to start the season.

7. Arizona St (1-0)

(W) UTSA 49-7

It is so hard to judge teams when they play “Nobody State” in week one. However, a win is a win despite it not being very impressive. Manny Wilkins to N’Keal Harry is a deadly combination for the Sun Devils offense. Harry is a mismatch 1-on-1 for most cornerbacks so teams have to give safety help over the top which opens up the running game. Benjamin and Floyd were the beneficiaries in week one. Remember when I said I believed Arizona would win the Pac-12 South? I may have meant Arizona State.

6. Cal (1-0)

(W) North Carolina 24-17

The most impressive thing about Cal’s win over North Carolina was their defense. They forced 4 turnovers and held on even with mixed results from their quarterbacks. In just his second season Justin Willcox has turned 2016’s worst defense in the country into a respectable defense. The Golden Bears weakness is the quarterback position. Bowers, Garbers, and McIlwain all saw time under center, but neither of them was particularly impressive. It won’t matter how good Cal’s defense is if they don’t get better play from the QB position.

5. Washington (0-1)

(L) Auburn 21-16

What a horrendous loss to Auburn. The Huskies had every opportunity to win that road game masquerading as a neutral site game. The good news is that Washington showed they could bring their B game and compete with anybody. The bad news is that I was right about Jake Browning in the Pac-12 preseason rankings. I told ya’ll he would be the Achilles heel for this team after the media picked the Huskies to win the conference. Browning is a senior so we expected smart play but his game was marred with bad decision after bad decision. I was impressed with the Washington defense. They largely help Auburn’s tricky offense in check. The front seven dominated the game and showed it will be tough for Pac-12 teams to run the football against them.

Pac-12 Power Rankings Oregon

4. Utah (1-0)

(W) Weber State 41-10

After starting off down 10-0, Utah did exactly what they were supposed to do. They demolished a team with inferior talent. However, they must stop fumbling. The Utes fumbled three times during the game. If Tyler Hundley can stay healthy continue to play at this level the Utes will be a serious threat to win the Pac-12. He finished with over 250 yards passing and 4 TDs. Their defense looked tough. There seems to be a different feel to Kyle Whittingham’s team this year. Utah will be looking to finally get over the hump in the Pac-12 South.

3. Oregon (1-0)

(W) Bowling Green 58-24

The Ducks started the game extremely flat offensively and defensively. After they settled down, the game was a runaway. Justin Herbert was as good as advertised passing the ball. The running game featured 6 different running backs touch the football. Jim Leavitt’s defense looks to be even better and more physical than last year. I am so happy to see the pillow fights stop. The Ducks have no competition in their first three games. So the focus over the next three weeks will be keeping everyone healthy and being sharp for their week 4 matchup against Stanford.

2. USC (1-0)

(W) UNLV 43-21

Ordinarily, I would be critical of USC struggling with the likes of UNLV. But, the Trojans got the win with a freshman quarterback, new #1 running back and wide receiver. Those young guys will be walking into the fire this week. The Trojans travel to the farm to play Stanford. JT Daniels will have to grow up quick if USC wants to compete for the Pac-12 crown. USC needs to beat Stanford to calm the Clay Helton naysayers

1. Stanford (1-0)

(W) San Diego State 31-10

Stanford started extremely slow against San Diego State, but they put the pedal to the metal in the second half. Bryce Love was held to just 29 yards on 18 carries, but K.J. Costello showed up big time. Costello answered any questions about his ability to carry the load as a passer by finishing with 332 yards and 4 TDs. My one question about the Cardinal team surrounds the run defense. San Diego State’s Juwan Washington ran for 158 yards. If Stanford can sure up their run defense, they have a legit shot to win the Pac-12.