Pac-12 Power Rankings, Week 11: Are we headed for a Washington-USC title game?

Friday's Washington-Stanford game kicks off busy weekend

We’re careening toward a Washington-USC Pac-12 Championship Game, which is the matchup everyone wants to see, right?

Not only would Huskies-Trojans provide maximum entertainment value, but if it came to pass, UW would be in position to possibly secure another College Football Playoff berth – which would be good for the conference.

A lot has to happen to get there, including a bunch of other teams in other leagues losing (which is bound to happen) and Washington winning out. That won’t be easy.

It starts with a road game against Stanford on Friday night. It ends with the Apple Cup against No. 19 Washington State. But it’s doable.

With only one blemish on its record, Washington remains atop our Power Rankings as we near the home stretch.

We came close to a consensus for the second time, with only one minor disagreement regarding the placement of Arizona and Arizona State.

Per usual, the voting panel consists of Star staffers Michael Lev, Zack Rosenblatt and Justin Spears. The former has the comments this week.

1. WASHINGTON (8-1, 5-1 PAC-12; PREVIOUS RANK: 1)

1. WASHINGTON (8-1, 5-1 PAC-12; PREVIOUS RANK: 1)

Last week: Won 38-3 vs. Oregon

This week: at Stanford (Friday, 8:30 p.m., FS1)

Comment: It’s fair to say the Huskies haven’t played anybody. The only three teams they’ve played that have winning records are Montana, Fresno State and Arizona State (which beat them). All that being said … Washington has allowed 100 points this season. That’s 92 fewer than anybody else in the conference. It’s 258 fewer than Oregon State. It’s impressive in any context. The Huskies also allow 3.7 yards per play – 1.2 yards fewer than the next-best Pac-12 defense (Washington State, believe it or not).

2. USC (8-2, 6-1; PREVIOUS RANK: 3)

2. USC (8-2, 6-1; PREVIOUS RANK: 3)

Last week: Won 49-35 vs. Arizona

This week: at Colorado (Saturday, 2 p.m., Fox)

Comment: As the Wildcats learned (again) last week, Ronald Jones II is really good. He gets overshadowed in a conference full of terrific running backs (Bryce Love, Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman, Myles Gaskin), but when Jones breaks into the clear, it’s downright scary. If the Trojans continue to run the ball the way they have the past two weeks – averaging 339 yards per game – they’ll be a tough out, even for the Huskies.

3. WASHINGTON STATE (8-2, 5-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 3)

3. WASHINGTON STATE (8-2, 5-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 3)

Last week: Won 24-21 vs. Stanford

This week: at Utah (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)

Comment: The Cougars are 7-0 at home, winning by an average score of 37-17. They are 1-2 on the road, with the losses by 34 and 21 points. Washington State’s final two games are on the road. Can the Cougars avoid stumbling to the finish line for the second year in a row? Last season they were also 8-2 … before losing their final three games.

4. STANFORD (6-3, 5-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 2)

4. STANFORD (6-3, 5-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 2)

Last week: Lost 24-21 at Washington State

This week: vs. Washington (Friday, 8:30 p.m., FS1)

Comment: The Cardinal has a quarterback problem. David Shaw has committed to K.J. Costello for now. The former four-star recruit struggled in Pullman last week, completing just 9 of 20 passes for 105 yards with an interception. That came on the heels of Keller Chryst’s 16-33-141-1-1 clunker at Oregon State. In its past two games, Stanford has 420 yards of offense. That’s 87 yards less than Arizona’s per-game average. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, does it?

5. ARIZONA STATE (5-4, 4-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 5)

5. ARIZONA STATE (5-4, 4-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 5)

Last week: Won 41-30 vs. Colorado

This week: at UCLA (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)

Comment: Say this about Todd Graham and the Sun Devils – they’re resilient. Down 27-17 entering the fourth against Colorado – on the heels of a 48-17 shellacking at the hands of USC – ASU rallied. The Sun Devils outscored the Buffaloes 24-3 in the final period. They’re one win away from bowl eligibility. What’s left? After UCLA comes a visit to Oregon State and then the Territorial Cup. If ASU somehow loses its next two and needs to beat Arizona to go bowling – again – well, would that be fun or what?

6. ARIZONA (6-3, 4-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 6)

6. ARIZONA (6-3, 4-2; PREVIOUS RANK: 6)

Last week: Lost 49-35 at USC

This week: vs. Oregon State (Saturday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN2)

Comment: What would it take for Khalil Tate to go to New York and participate in the Heisman festivities? In all likelihood, the Wildcats would have to win out – or, at the very least, win two of their last three with Tate continuing to put up insane numbers. Even then it might be a stretch. Heisman voters typically factor in win-loss record. Lamar Jackson won it last year after a 9-3 regular season. Would Tate get an invite at 8-4, even if two of the losses weren’t on him? I’m skeptical.

7. UTAH (5-4, 2-4; PREVIOUS RANK: 9)

7. UTAH (5-4, 2-4; PREVIOUS RANK: 9)

Last week: Won 48-17 vs. UCLA

This week: vs. Washington State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)

Comment: It’s been a bumpy ride – including a four-game losing streak – but Utah still has a chance to get to 7-5 with home games remaining against Washington State and Colorado. (They sandwich a trip to Washington; I’m marking that down as an L.) The Utes have won at least seven games in 10 of Kyle Whittingham’s first 12 seasons as head coach. They went 5-7 in their second and third seasons as members of the Pac-12.

8. CAL (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 7T)

8. CAL (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 7T)

Last week: won 37-23 vs. Oregon State

This week: Bye

Comment: Like three of their league mates, the Golden Bears need just one more win to become bowl eligible – which would be an incredible accomplishment in Justin Wilcox’s first season. Cal qualified for a bowl in just one of the previous five seasons. Expectations were not high. It’s not going to be easy, though. The schedule finishes with trips to Stanford and UCLA. The Bruins might be in the same bowl boat.

9. OREGON (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 10)

9. OREGON (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 10)

Last week: Lost 38-3 at Washington

This week: Bye

Comment: Only one thing matters when it comes to Arizona’s game at Oregon on Nov. 18 (well, besides the yet-to-be-determined start time). That would be the availability of Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert has been out since fracturing his left (non-throwing) collarbone against Cal on Oct. 1. He has been practicing with the ones. The Oregon offense is completely different with Herbert in the lineup. The Ducks were 4-1 when he went down. They’re 1-4 since.

10. COLORADO (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 11)

10. COLORADO (5-5, 2-5; PREVIOUS RANK: 11)

Last week: Lost 41-30 at Arizona State

This week: vs. USC (Saturday, 2 p.m., Fox)

Comment: This just hasn’t been the season CU was expecting after last year’s breakout. With USC and Utah (in Salt Lake City) left on the schedule, there’s a real possibility the Buffs will finish 5-7 after going 10-4 in 2016. Arizona knows what that’s like. The Wildcats needed a late-season home win over a ranked foe to gain bowl eligibility after their 10-4 season in 2014. Can Colorado replicate that formula against a peaking USC squad Saturday?

11. UCLA (4-5, 2-4; PREVIOUS RANK: 7T)

11. UCLA (4-5, 2-4; PREVIOUS RANK: 7T)

Last week: Lost 48-17 vs. Utah

This week: vs. Arizona State (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)

Comment: How can UCLA possibly be this bad? The Bruins annually land recruiting classes that rank in the upper echelon of the Pac-12. Jim Mora is a former NFL head coach. Yet UCLA has lost four games by 17 or more points. The Bruins rank 128^th out of 129 FBS teams in run defense, allowing 303.2 yards per game. Again, how is that possible? UCLA might be able to win two of its last three to get to 6-6. Would that be enough to save Mora’s job? It shouldn’t be.

12. OREGON STATE (1-8, 0-6; PREVIOUS RANK: 12)

12. OREGON STATE (1-8, 0-6; PREVIOUS RANK: 12)

Last week: Lost 37-23 at Cal

This week: at Arizona (Saturday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN2)

Comment: The Beavers are playing hard for interim coach Cory Hall. They could have beaten Colorado and/or Stanford. Should they win, say, two of their last three, would Hall be deserving of the job? There’s no magic formula when it comes to interim coaches. Dabo Swinney obviously worked out for Clemson. Clay Helton appears to be working out for USC. The jury’s still out on Ed Orgeron at LSU. Oregon State needs to hire the best candidate for the job. If that’s Hall, so be it.