A recap of the Week Three action across the Pac-12 …
Theme of the week: Big wins
Washington and Oregon thumped No. 11 Michigan State and No. 12 BYU, respectively, by a combined score of 80-48, giving the Pac-12 two wins over ranked non-conference opponents on the same day for the first time since Sept. 14, 2013. (Back then, ASU beat Wisconsin and UCLA handled Nebraska.) There have been numerous victories over ranked opponents in the past nine seasons, but the Saturdays never aligned.
Theme of the season: Northwest power
Oregon, Washington, Oregon State and Washington State are collectively undefeated against teams not named Georgia, and both the Ducks and Huskies are ranked in this week’s AP poll. Meanwhile, how’s this for a nugget: This is the first time the Cougars and Beavers have been 3-0 in the same season since 1915.
Team of the week: Washington
For a variety of reasons that include the name and ranking of the opponent, the resounding nature of the performance, the resurgence of the program under a new coach and the backdrop of Big Ten expansion, the Huskies earned our vote. In four quarters, they went a long way toward wiping away the past three years.
Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan can’t hold on to the ball as Michigan State defensive back Charles Brantley defends Saturday. Pretty much everything else went the Huskies’ way in the convincing win in Seattle.
Game of the week: Notre Dame 24, Cal 17
With apologies to UCLA, which beat South Alabama on a field goal as time expired, and to Arizona, which edged North Dakota State, the wild finish in South Bend made for the most entertaining viewing. The Irish appeared to clinch the victory with an interception in the final minute, except a targeting call gave Cal a second chance — and the Bears were oh-so-close to converting on a Hail Mary.
Blown call of the week: ACC officials
An offside penalty on Cal was so bad, so inconceivable, that the NBC broadcast crew and the officiating expert (Terry McAuley) were unflinchingly critical. It was almost like the officials were seeing a different reality than everyone else. And the whiff proved costly. Instead of a missed field goal, the Irish received a second chance and converted a touchdown — the ultimate difference in the scoreboard.
Coach of the week: UW’s Kalen DeBoer
A shrewd hire who didn’t generate the attention heaped on Oregon’s Dan Lanning or USC’s Lincoln Riley, DeBoer has quickly transformed the underachieving Huskies into a contender in the Pac-12. Two aspects stand above the rest: The creativity on offense and the physical, swarming play of the defense.
Offensive player of the week: UW QB Michael Penix
Yes, the Huskies are claiming an outsized share of the honors here, but when you soundly defeat a ranked Big Ten opponent on ABC in an East Coast primetime window, the accolades will follow. And Penix was superb in the 39-28 victory, completing 24 of 40 passes for 397 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Defensive player of the week: WSU LB Daiyan Henley
Within another stout defensive performance by the Cougars, Henley stood out. He recorded 13 tackles and three sacks and forced two fumbles as WSU held Colorado State to seven points — a single fourth-quarter touchdown long after the outcome was secured.
Stat of the week I: Big Ten woes
With Washington’s victory, the Pac-12 is now 27-10 against Big Ten opponents since 2000 in regular-season games played in the Pacific Time Zone. Nobody has struggled more than Michigan State, which last won under those circumstances in 1957.
Stat of the week II: Points, points, points
Eight of the 11 teams in action scored at least 30 points, and three went over 40, as the conference continues to show significant improvement in play-calling and quarterback play. Four passers (Utah’s Cam Rising, OSU’s Chance Nolan, USC’s Caleb Williams and UW’s Penix) rank among the top 30 nationally in efficiency rating.
Stat of the week III: Arizona
The Wildcats already have won more games (two) than they did in the 2020-21 seasons combined.
Stat of the week IV: Oregon State
The Beavers are 3-0 for the first time since 2014.
Stat of the season: Utah
The Utes have scored 14 points in the first quarter over three games, and 120 points in the final three quarters.
Game of next week: USC at Oregon State
The 6:30 p.m. kickoff on the Pac-12 Networks stands as USC’s toughest test yet and will provide clarity on whether the Beavers are capable of contending for the conference title. OSU’s revamped, aggressive defense will face an offense that ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring and yards-per-play. Honorable mention goes to Oregon-WSU, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on FOX.
