Recapping the Week Nine action across the Pac-12 …
Theme of the week: Favorites roll
Four teams were favored by double digits and none were pushed to the limit. USC and Arizona State won by eight points while Oregon and UCLA dispatched their opponents by multiple touchdowns. In prior years, a week with this many big favorites would have produced an upset or two. But parity is on hiatus in the Pac-12.
Theme of the month: Officiating
The Hotline was left stupefied by the way Pac-12 officials handled the final seconds of the first half in the USC-Arizona game. Somehow, they allowed the clock to start before the ball had been spotted, then refused to use replay — or common sense — to correct the mistake. The Trojans were unable to snap the ball for a final play, leaving Lincoln Riley to berate the officials as he left the field. We’re not sure the conference can allow that crew, with Michael Mothershed as the referee, to work another USC game. The sequence was that bad.
Theme of the season: Heavy top, light bottom
Oregon, UCLA, USC and Utah have separated from the pack, leaving behind a small middle (Washington and Oregon State) and a group of six that make up the bottom tier. As we explained in detail in the Saturday Night Five column, it’s exactly the kind of disparity that creates high rankings and playoff bids.
Game of the week: USC 45, Arizona 37
In addition to the officiating debacle, this evening affair had loads of offense, big plays and stellar performances. The teams combined for 82 points and 1,164 yards, plus seven touchdowns after halftime.
Coach of the week: Utah’s Kyle Whittingham
The dean of Pac-12 coaches managed to keep Cam Rising’s status out of public view until the Utes were ready to snap the ball on their first possession. Whittingham then won a tough road game with backups in key positions to keep pace with Oregon and UCLA.
Surprise of the week: The FS1 broadcast team
Utah didn’t bother to tell FS1’s on-air talent that Rising wouldn’t start, which rankled play-by-play announcer Alex Faust and color analyst Petros Papadakis. We feel for them, because the secrecy impacted their ability to provide the best experience possible for viewers. But on a broader level, the Pac-12’s relationship with Fox was severely damaged on June 30 — the network orchestrated the departure of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten — and that will likely manifest itself in many ways over the next 20 months.
UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu sacks Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee, causing a fumble that was recovered by the Cardinal on Saturday night.
Offensive player of the week: USC QB Caleb Williams
Admittedly, we could have selected any number of players, from ASU receiver Elijhah Badger or Arizona receiver Dorian Singer to UCLA tailback Zach Charbonnet or Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. But Williams was the choice after throwing for 411 yards and five touchdowns in the victory at Arizona.
Backup QBs of the week: ASU’s Trenton Bourguet and Utah’s Bryson Barnes
Bourguet made his first career start and threw for 435 yards and three touchdowns, leaving us to wonder why he didn’t play the previous week at Stanford when the Sun Devils mustered just 14 points with Emory Jones at the helm. Barnes learned he would start for the injured Cam Rising just prior to kickoff at WSU and capably managed the game (no interceptions) against one of the most aggressive defenses in the conference.
Defensive player of the week: Oregon LB DJ Johnson
Johnson is one of the best outside linebackers in the conference and yet one of the most underrated, as well. In the 42-24 victory at Cal, he broke up a pass, added two sacks to his season total and held the edge against a Bears running game that averaged just 2.8 yards per attempt.
Debate of the season: Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year
It has been years since the Pac-12 produced so many elite players, particularly at quarterback. Who could have guessed that USC’s Williams would live up to all the hype and yet not be the clear frontrunner for OPOY? At this point, we consider Oregon’s Nix to be the top candidate.
Game of next week: Oregon State at Washington (Friday)
The Beavers and Huskies are bowl eligible but winless against the top four teams in the conference, leaving them on a tier of their own. The past three meetings have been taut, and we expect more of the same in what should be a fascinating chess match between a high-level passing game (UW) and an elite secondary (OSU).
