After picking up a 41-23 road victory against Vanderbilt, the Stanford Cardinal continued their surge up the Pac-12 football power rankings from The Oregonian/OregonLive this week to check in at No. 2.
Stanford rose two spots from last week and now sits just behind the Oregon Ducks, the unanimous choice for the top spot this week as the only unbeaten team left in the conference.
UCLA fell to No. 3 after the Bruins’ narrow loss to Fresno State. USC is fourth, with Arizona State and the Oregon State Beavers tied for fifth.
Here are this week’s power rankings.
(Voting panel: John Canzano, James Crepea, Nick Daschel, Aaron Fentress, Joe Freeman, Sean Meagher, Joel Odom)
1. NO. 3 OREGON DUCKS (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (1): Beat Stony Brook 48-7. Oregon pulled away in the second half against the FCS Seawolves. Travis Dye ran for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Ty Thompson threw for two scores after replacing the injured Anthony Brown Jr.
This week: No. 3 Oregon vs. Arizona (0-3), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on ESPN). The Ducks figure to roll against the winless Wildcats. Since 1994, Oregon is 19-6 against Arizona, including a 10-2 mark in Eugene.
2. STANFORD CARDINAL (2-1, 1-0 Pac-12)
Last week (4): Beat Vanderbilt 41-23. Tanner McKee threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the visiting Cardinal rolled past the Commodores.
This week: Stanford vs. No. 24 UCLA, 3 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). The Cardinal are 4.5-point underdogs as they play their first home game of the season.
3. NO. 24 UCLA BRUINS (2-1, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (2): Lost to Fresno State 40-37. The game went back and forth late in the fourth quarter, but Jake Haener’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Cropper with 14 seconds left proved the game-winner.
This week: No. 24 UCLA at Stanford (2-1), 3 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). It’s another tough matchup for the Bruins, who have beaten Stanford just once in their past 13 tries.
4. USC TROJANS (2-1, 1-1 Pac-12)
Last week (T6): Beat Washington State 45-14. The Trojans shook off a two-touchdown deficit to score 45 unanswered in Pullman. Freshman quarterback Jaxson Dart finished with four touchdown passes and 391 yards, with two interceptions.
This week: USC vs. Oregon State (2-1), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on FS1). The Trojans are 10.5-point favorites and have owned the Beavers at home for decades (see below).
T5. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (2-1, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (3): Lost to BYU 27-17. The Sun Devils rallied in the second half but could get no closer than 21-17 before BYU iced it late.
This week: Arizona State vs. Colorado (1-2), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on ESPNU). The Sun Devils lead the all-time series 8-3, but the Buffaloes have won two in a row and three of the past four matchups.
T5. OREGON STATE BEAVERS (2-1, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (8): Beat Idaho 42-0. The Beavers cruised against the Vandals, with Chance Nolan throwing for three touchdowns and B.J. Baylor running for two.
This week: Oregon State at USC (2-1), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on FS1). After consecutive blowout victories, the Beavers will now face a much bigger challenge in the Trojans. And they’ll try to beat USC on the road for the first time since 1960.
7. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (9): Beat Sacramento State 42-30. After the 12-point victory over the FCS Hornets, Cal coach Justin Wilcox said: “It’s good to get a win. But we all know that we need to be much, much better.”
This week: Cal at Washington (1-2), 6:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). The Bears have won two in a row against Washington, but they’re 7.5-point underdogs for Saturday night’s game at Husky Stadium.
T8. COLORADO BUFFALOES (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (5): Lost to Minnesota 30-0. After the Buffaloes were shut out and held to 63 total yards, Colorado coach Karl Dorrell called it a “beatdown in every way.”
This week: Colorado at Arizona State (2-1), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on ESPNU). Can the Buffaloes get their offense going in their Pac-12 opener against the Sun Devils?
T8. UTAH UTES (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (T6): Lost to San Diego State 33-31 (3OT). It was a thriller in Carson, California. The Utes rallied to force overtime, but lost in the third extra period when Connor O’Toole’s two-point conversion catch was ruled incomplete after review.
This week: Utah vs. Washington State (1-2), 11:30 a.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). After being benched against San Diego State, Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer left the team this week. The Utes will turn to Cam Rising, who led the fourth-quarter rally against SDSU.
T8. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (11): Beat Arkansas State 52-3. The Huskies’ first victory of the season was a lopsided one as Dylan Morris threw for three touchdowns, Sean McGrew ran for two and Jalen McMillan had 10 catches for 175 yards and a TD.
This week: Washington vs. Cal (1-2), 6:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). Both teams will be looking to build on the momentum of their first win when they clash in Seattle.
11. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (1-2, 0-1 Pac-12)
Last week (10): Lost to USC 45-14. The Cougars managed just 180 passing yards and 99 rushing yards against the Trojans.
This week: Washington State at Utah (1-2), 11:30 a.m. PT Saturday (TV on Pac-12 Networks). This matchup is in Salt Lake City for the third year in a row, and the Utes won each of the past two.
12. ARIZONA WILDCATS (0-3, 0-0 Pac-12)
Last week (12): Lost to Northern Arizona 21-19. The Wildcats’ school-record losing streak reached 15 games after Arizona’s 13-point lead evaporated.
This week: Arizona at No. 3 Oregon (3-0), 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday (TV on ESPN). Arizona’s losing streak seems unlikely to end this week at Autzen. The Ducks are 28.5-point favorites.
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