In the introduction to last week’s Picks to Click, I foreshadowed the potential for suspense despite a largely ho-hum slate of games on paper for Week 8.
Well, Week 8 delivered some of the most exciting football of the season, including a second-straight major shakeup near the top of the national rankings. A week ago, Georgia lost at home to South Carolina, toppling the Bulldogs outside the playoff picture for now. This past weekend, it was Wisconsin falling from the ranks of the unbeaten, blowing a second-half lead at Illinois.
It was road games like that which drew my attention heading into Week 8. There were 12 Associated Press Top 25 teams going on the road, including five of the nation’s top 10 teams. The Badgers drew the short straw out of that group, but there were plenty of other ranked surprises last week.
Two other ranked squads – Missouri and Boise State – suffered road setbacks to Vanderbilt and BYU. The Commodores and Cougars had combined for three wins leading into their upset victories.
Elsewhere, unraked Miami shockingly lost at home in overtime to lowly Georgia Tech. This was not on our Picks to Click radar, but is noteworthy considering the Hurricanes were a significant favorite, like Missouri and Wisconsin were in their matchups. In fact, the trio of teams were all at least 17-point favorites, marking the first time since 2007 three Power 5 teams all lost as at least 17-point favorites.
In the Pac-12, the scenario to get a 1-loss team in the College Football Playoff is shaping up. Oregon took care of business with a key road win at Washington, while Utah dispatched Arizona State in the South. A dream scenario for the Conference of Champions would be the Ducks and Utes facing off for the Pac-12 Championship as 1-loss teams.
The Ducks’ victory all but wraps up the race in the North Division, but Oregon will need to continue to take care of business if it wants to dream of the CFB Playoff. The Utes, meanwhile, still have their work cut out. While they appear to be the best team in the South at this point of the season, USC, following its win over Arizona, still holds the tiebreaker with Utah having won the head-to-head in September. It will also be worth keeping an eye on the health of quarterback Tyler Huntley, who did not finish Saturday’s game in Salt Lake City.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the Pac-12 North and South races, plus restructure the national top 10 following Wisconsin’s loss.
Pac-12 Power Rankings
South Division
1. Utah (6-1, 3-1
Pac-12)
Last Week: Won vs. Arizona State, 21-3
Next Game: Saturday vs. California
The Utes took care of business against ASU, but the health of quarterback Tyler Huntley will be something to watch if Utah is to remain the team-to-beat in the South.
2. USC (4-3, 3-1 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won vs. Arizona, 41-14
Next Game: Friday at Colorado
Battered and bruised, the Trojans remain unbeaten at home and tied with the Utes, who the beat, in the loss column. A short week takes them on the road to slumping Colorado.
3. Arizona State (5-2, 2-2
Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost at Utah, 21-3
Next Game: Saturday at UCLA
The Sun Devils had some chances, but couldn’t get the offense going against
defensive-minded Utah. Now they must bounce back on the road against a Bruins’
squad that looked much improved last week.
4. Arizona (4-3, 2-2
Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost at USC, 41-14
Next Game: Saturday at Stanford
Rinse and repeat. The Wildcats have to stop beating themselves before they have a chance to win again.
5. UCLA (2-5, 2-2
Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at Stanford, 34-16
Next Game: Saturday vs. Arizona State
A bye week seemed to be the just what the doctor ordered for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins. Healthy again, UCLA’s offense looked promising, but must duplicate its effort against a hungry ASU squad.
6. Colorado (3-4, 1-3
Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost at Washington State, 41-10
Next Game: Friday vs. USC
Veteran QB Steven Montez continues to turn the ball over, and the Buffaloes continue to struggle after a strong start. Can they upset the Trojans on a short week?
North Division
1. Oregon (6-1, 4-0
Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at Washington, 35-31
Next Game: Saturday vs. Washington State
The Ducks turned in a convincing effort in weathering the storm in Seattle. Now in the driver’s seat for the Pac-12 North title, can Oregon begin to make a playoff push?
2. Washington (5-3, 2-3
Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. Oregon, 35-31
Next Game: Nov. 2 v. Utah
Deflated from a home loss in the rivalry game against Oregon, the Huskies have a week off. While the Pac-12 North Division title is likely out of reach, they can play spoiler to the Utes in the South when the return to action.
3. Stanford (3-4, 2-3 Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. UCLA, 34-16
Next Game: Saturday vs. Arizona
The status and availability of quarterbacks KJ Costello and Davis Mills is the critical question on The Farm. With them, they can compete. Without them, it’s an uphill battle for the offense.
4. Washington State (4-3,
1-3 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won vs. Colorado, 41-10
Next Game: Saturday at Utah
The Cougs bounced back and routed Colorado, but backing up the performance on the road in Eugene will be difficult. Still, don’t count out Mike Leach & Co.
5. Oregon State (3-4, 2-2
Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at California, 21-17
Next Game: Nov. 2 at Arizona
The Beavers hung tough throughout the game, then rallied to win late at Berkeley. Now at 2-2 in league play, it’s a week off before a trip to the desert for Arizona’s Homecoming game.
6. California (4-3, 1-3
Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. Oregon State, 21-17
Next Game: Saturday at Utah
California’s defense did everything it could against Oregon State, but it couldn’t hold on in the end. The loss of Chase Garbers continues to prove costly for the Golden Bears, who can’t score enough points to win games.
National Top 10
1. Ohio State (7-0, 4-0
Big 10 East)
Last Week: Won at Northwestern, 52-3
Next Game: Saturday vs. Wisconsin
The Buckeyes continue to dominate in all phases. This week’s showdown against Wisconsin lost a bit of its luster with the Badgers’ loss to Illinois, but it’s still a big game for Ohio State.
2. Clemson (7-0, 5-0 ACC
Atlantic)
Last Week: Won at Louisville, 45-10
Next Game: Saturday vs. Boston College
Everyone says the Tigers are struggling, and they have yet to play great football, but all they do is win. Their latest was a 35-point road win against a surging Louisville team. That’s not bad.
3. LSU (7-0, 3-0 SEC
West)
Last Week: Won at Mississippi State, 36-13
Next Game: Saturday vs. Auburn
The Tigers took care of business in an otherwise sleepy SEC road game, but now the intensity ramps up again with another game featuring national implications against Auburn.
4. Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC
West)
Last Week: Won vs. Tennessee, 35-13
Next Game: Saturday vs. Arkansas
Tua Tagavailoa will be out at least this week vs. Arkansas, which shouldn’t be a problem. Then there is a bye week before the Nov. 9 showdown against LSU. Will Tua be back by then?
5. Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0
Big 12)
Last Week: Won vs. West Virginia, 52-14
Next Game: Saturday at Kansas State
The Sooner Schooner took a tumble, but Jalen Hurts and the OU offense stayed right on track. Can they avoid a sleepy Saturday morning stumble in Manhattan, Kan.?
6. Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big
Ten East)
Last Week: Won vs. Penn State, 28-21
Next Game: Saturday at Michigan State
The Nittany Lions are one of the hottest teams in the country, but let’s not overlook a Mark Dantonio team coming off a much-needed bye week. Can the Spartans pull a shocker in East Lansing?
7. Georgia (5-1, 2-1 SEC
East)
Last Week: Won vs. Kentucky, 21-0
Next Game: Nov. 2 vs. Florida
It wasn’t pretty, but Georgia got back to its winning ways.
Now, the Bulldogs gear up for a must-win game against Florida following a bye
week.
8. Notre Dame (5-1, Independent)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday at Michigan
Even with Michigan losing a close one to Penn State, this will be a big game. Winning in the Big House won’t be easy for the Irish, which need a victory to remain in the playoff hunt.
9. Florida (7-1, 4-1 SEC
East)
Last Week: Won at South Carolina, 38-27
Next Game: Nov. 2 vs. Georgia
Dan Mullen’s squad pulled away in the second half for a key SEC road win. Now there’s a week to prep for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, which could decide the SEC East.
10. Utah (6-1, 3-1
Pac-12)
Last Week: Won vs. Arizona State, 21-3
Next Game: Saturday vs. California
With a healthy Tyler Huntley, this team may be the best in the Pac-12. If he can’t go, then Oregon gets the nod.
Dropped Out: #6 Wisconsin – Lost at Illinois, 24-23
View last week’s rankings here.
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