Recapping the best and worst from Week 10 in the Pac-12 …
Theme of the week I: Two to tango, twiceOregon and Utah won impressively on the road and are close to clinching their respective divisions. It should be a fascinating three weeks, with their scheduled duel Nov. 20 in Salt Lake City and then the likely rematch for the conference championship Dec. 3 in Las Vegas. A loss in either game would knock the Ducks out of the College Football Playoff. Utah’s path to the Rose Bowl isn’t as clear. The Utes might be better off losing in two weeks.
Theme of the week II: Low outputOnly two of the 10 teams in action in Week 10 were able to reach the 30-point mark in regulation. There were a variety of reasons for the lackluster offenses, including absent quarterbacks, mediocre quarterbacks and coaching that leaves much to be desired. For context, consider: There are 14 teams from Power Five conferences ranked in the 100s nationally in average points per game. The Pac-12 claims five of the 14: Cal, Stanford, Washington, Colorado and Arizona.
Theme of the season: Ground gamesSeven tailbacks rushed for at least 100 yards this weekend and two, ASU’s Rachaad White and Oregon’s Travis Dye, topped the 200-yard barrier. The Hotline has not been impressed with the state of quarterback play across the conference, especially when compared to the historical standard. But the collection of tailbacks is as good as it has been in years.
Team of the week: Arizona
The circumstances are meaningless. The Wildcats ended their 20-game losing streak, the nation’s longest, with a 10-3 victory over a Cal roster depleted by players in COVID protocol. Coach Jedd Fisch can move his program forward without the long shadow cast by the two-year streak.
Team of the month: Colorado
Coach Karl Dorrell talked all week about a strong finish for his struggling team, and the Buffaloes took the first step Saturday with an inspired, double-overtime, 37-34 victory over Oregon State. For the second consecutive week, the Buffs showed life on offense. Who knew firing a position coach could have such a sweeping impact on a team’s fortunes.
Colorado wide receiver La'Vontae Shenault, right, pulls in a pass as Oregon State defensive back Jaydon Grant covers in the first half Saturday.
Game of the week: Colorado 37, Oregon State 34
One of the most riveting games of the season unfolded in Boulder, where the Buffaloes scored the go-ahead touchdown with two minutes remaining. The Beavers responded with a game-tying, 60-yard field goal (by Everett Hayes) as time expired. CU escaped in the second extra period after OSU missed a medium-range field goal.
Player of the week: Oregon TB Travis Dye
Dye churned for 211 yards — almost 50% of his team’s total offensive output — to lead the Ducks past Washington 26-16. Since taking over for the injured CJ Verdell, Dye has scored nine touchdowns and rushed for at least 100 yards twice.
Coach of the week: Arizona’s Jedd Fisch
So desperate and battered are the Wildcats that Fisch was forced to use his fifth different quarterback of the season on Saturday. But when it mattered most, Arizona’s defense stopped Cal and sealed the long-sought victory. Credit Fisch for keeping Arizona engaged and inspired through all the trials and tribulations — both in that game and throughout the season.
Heat of the week: Washington’s Jimmy Lake
It has been many years since a coach experienced so much self-inflicted trouble in a single week. From his disparaging comments about Oregon’s academic reputation to his baffling decision to punt late in the game to striking one of his players, Lake placed his future in further jeopardy. The Hotline staunchly disagreed with the notion that Lake should be terminated at the end of the season. After this week, we are willing to reconsider.
Ire of the week: Cal’s Justin Wilcox
Wilcox had a difficult time keeping his composure in the post-game news conference when asked about Cal’s COVID situation — and where things stood with his roster for the upcoming week. Can’t say we blame Wilcox. His program is playing by a different set of rules than everyone else in the conference.
Mystery of the week: USC
We simply don’t understand what the Trojans hope to accomplish with their quarterback rotation, unless the goal is to lose games. Interim coach Donte Williams should focus on a plan that gives USC the best chance to win. The mess of a strategy deployed Saturday at ASU, with Kedon Slovis and Jaxson Dart taking turns, most definitely does not.
Stat of the week: Arizona State
The Sun Devils thumped USC 31-16 to complete a sweep of the Los Angeles schools for the second time under Herm Edwards. Of the eight games played against the Trojans and Bruins over his four years, only the two this season have been decided by more than 10 points.
Arizona State running back Rachaad White stretches for the end zone and scores against Southern California safety Xavion Alford during the Sun Devils' 31-16 victory in Tempe on Saturday night.
Stat of the season: Oregon State’s defense
The Beavers are allowing 21.3 points-per-game and 5.14 yards-per-play at home. On the road, they’re yielding 32.8 points-per-game and 6.24 yards-per-play. They say defense travels, but OSU’s unit hasn’t left Corvallis since September.
Stat of the past 18 years: Stanford
The 52-7 loss to Utah on Friday night was far more than the worst of coach David Shaw’s 10-year career. It was the worst loss for the program since a 57-7 battering at the hands of Notre Dame in 2003. The Cardinal has lost four in a row following its upset of Oregon in late September.
Game of next week: Washington State at Oregon
The Ducks would move to the brink of the North Division title with a victory, but the same is true for WSU: The Cougars, who are coming off a bye and have won four consecutive conference games, trail Oregon by just one game in the loss column. With a win in Autzen Stadium, they would hold the tiebreaker advantage.
