Power Rankings: Week 11

The Week 10 college football slate was a resume-booster for three teams, notably Georgia, Oregon and Utah.

While the top three– and five of the top 10 — Associated Press Top 25 teams were idle last week, the one-loss Bulldogs, Ducks and Utes all won key games away from home to firmly position themselves as College Football Playoff contenders.

Georgia still has its work cut out in the SEC East, but it knocked Florida out the Gators out of the driver’s seat. Oregon and Utah have each cleared their toughest hurdles in the Pac-12. Barring a big upset down the stretch, the Ducks and Utes are on a collision course to meet in the Pac-12 Championship game as one-loss teams.

Now, things begin to get very interesting nationally, starting with No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama clashing this week. One of those SEC West powers will fall into the pool of 1-loss contenders.

Elsewhere, undefeated Penn State still has a difficult schedule remaining. The Nittany Lions are on the road this week at unbeaten Minnesota, which could make its own case to be a dark horse challenger. Should Penn State continue to remain unbeaten, a Nov. 23 showdown with Ohio State is on the docket. The Buckeyes also happen to close the season with Michigan a week later, so plenty of football remains in the Big 10.

That takes us back west where the Ducks and Utes are both on byes this week. The Pac-12 frontrunners will have a rooting interest in several games this weekend and certainly beyond. However, the path to the playoff for each may as dependent on the other’s continued success as any other teams in the country. A battle of 1-loss teams in the Pac-12 Championship game is exactly what the Conference of Champions needs to send a team back to the CFB Playoff.

Of course, what we think we know could change with the unveiling of the first College Football Playoff rankings, which are to be released Tuesday night. The first pecking order is always a strong indication of what this committee is valuing to rank the teams, but it is subject to change down the stretch. Most interesting will be the order of the current 1-loss teams.

For now, here are the Dry Heat Sports Pac-12 and National Top 10 Power Rankings,

Pac-12 Power Rankings

South Division

1. Utah (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at Washington, 33-28
Next Game: Nov. 16 vs. UCLA

The Utes withstood the early punches from upset minded Washington, but ultimately prevailed in a crucial road game. Coupled with the USC loss to Oregon, Utah has the inside track to the Pac-12 title game.

2. USC (5-4, 4-2 Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. Oregon, 56-24
Next Game: Saturday at Arizona State

USC really had been one of the most resilient teams in the conference, but a collapse at home in a blowout loss to Oregon may signal things are finally winding to a close for Clay Helton’s Trojans.

3. UCLA (4-5, 4-2 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won vs. Colorado, 31-14
Next Game: Nov. 16 at Utah

Chip Kelly’s Bruins are finally clicking on all cylinders, which may mean the bye week comes at the wrong time. Still, they have a slight chance to win the South, which would require am upset win in their return next week at Utah.

4. Arizona State (5-3, 2-3 Pac-12)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday vs. USC

The Sun Devils are a win shy of bowl eligibility, and Herm Edwards team is rested and healthier following a bye week. They may also be catching the Trojans at the right time to pick up that sixth win.

5. Arizona (4-5, 2-4 Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. Oregon State, 56-38
Next Game: Nov. 16 at Oregon

Arizona’s change at defensive coordinator did not help in the short term, and the schedule does not get any easier with games against Oregon, Utah and Arizona State looming after a bye,

6. Colorado (3-6, 1-5 Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost at UCLA, 31-14
Next Game: Saturday vs. Stanford

After a promising start, it’s been a rough go of things for Mel Tucker in his first season. To snap the losing skid, they’ll need to upset Stanford, Washington or Utah down the stretch.

North Division

1. Oregon (8-1, 6-0 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at USC, 56-24
Next Game: Nov. 16 vs. Oregon

The Ducks trounced the Trojans and are now in prime position to be a one-loss CFB Playoff contender should they run the table. A week off buys them time to get even healthier before hosting slumping Arizona.

2. Stanford (4-4, 3-3 Pac-12)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday at Colorado

The Cardinal should be rested and as healthy as they have been in a number of weeks as the come off a buy. Expect K.J. Costello & Co. to have a field day against a struggling Colorado team.

3. Washington (5-4, 2-4 Pac-12)
Last Week: Lost vs. Utah, 33-28
Next Game: Friday vs. Oregon State

The Huskies put forth a strong first-half effort against Utah, but it wasn’t enough. Washington is still a win away from bowl eligibility, and Saturday’s game in Corvallis won’t be as easy as it first appeared.

4. Washington State (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday at California

Mike Leach’s team needs two more wins to get back to a bowl game. They can get one game closer with a win at California, which has fallen off the tracks since losing quarterback Chase Garbers.

5. Oregon State (4-4, 3-2 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at Arizona, 56-38
Next Game: Friday vs. Washington

The Beavers exploited Arizona’s vulnerable defense for a third-straight road win. Can they win again at home on short rest?

6. California (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday vs. Washington State

Rinse and repeat. The loss of quarterback Chase Garbers derailed a once promising season.

National Top 10

1. Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 Big 10 East)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday vs. Maryland

The Buckeyes have four games left to close out an impressive season. The next two weeks – Maryland and Rutgers – should be warmups for two big-time games at the end: vs. Penn State and at Michigan.

2. LSU (8-0, 4-0 SEC West)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday at Alabama

Can the Tigers’ offense run away from an Alabama defense that has dropped off just a bit this season? And can the LSU defense slow down the high-scoring offense of the Crimson Tide?

3. Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC Atlantic)
Last Week: Won vs. Wofford, 59-14
Next Game: Saturday at N.C. State

Clemson actually played last week, unlike the other AP Top 5 teams, but a cakewalk against Wofford didn’t show us much. The schedule is a bit more challenging from here on out, but only three games remain before an undefeated regular season is clinched.

4. Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC West)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday vs. LSU

The big question for the Crimson Tide is whether Tua Tagavailoa is fully healthy. The next big question is can Nick Saban’s defense put together a gameplan to shut down Joe Burrow and the LSU offense.

5. Penn State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten East)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday at Minnesota

Should Penn State fall to Minnesota, we’ll have to take the Gophers seriously as a darkhorse contender. But if the Nittany Lions continue to remain unbeaten, they have chances to move up even higher in the rankings.

6. Georgia (7-1, 4-1 SEC East)
Last Week: Won vs. Florida, 24-17
Next Game: Saturday vs. Missouri

The Bulldogs held off Florida and now are primed to sneak back into the CFB Playoff discussion. But their work isn’t done yet, with successive games against Missouri, Auburn and Texas A&M looming.

7. Utah (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at Washington, 33-28
Next Game: Nov. 16 vs. UCLA

The Utes’ remaining games are: vs. UCLA, at Arizona and vs. Colorado. None have a winning record. Expect Utah to be 11-1 heading into the Pac-12 Championship game.

8. Oregon (8-1, 6-0 Pac-12)
Last Week: Won at USC, 56-24
Next Game: Nov. 16 vs. Arizona

The Ducks are on a collision course with Utah to meet up as 1-loss teams in the Pac-12 title game. Oregon should have no trouble navigating the Arizona schools, but keep an eye on the Civil War.

9. Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1 Big 12)
Last Week: Idle
Next Game: Saturday vs. Iowa State

It will be interesting to see what the Sooners look like coming off their first loss and a subsequent bye week. There is plenty to play for, but upset-minded Iowa State awaits.

10. Florida (7-2, 4-2 SEC East)
Last Week: Lost vs. Georgia, 24-17
Next Game: Saturday vs. Georgia

Florida came up short against Georgia, putting playoff dreams to rest. But the Gators will be favored in their final three games, so a 10-win regular season is within reach for Dan Mullen.

Dropped Out: None.

View last week’s rankings here.

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