Oregon drops in latest ESPN Power Rankings, gets leaped by UCLA Bruins
For the first time all season, the Oregon Ducks seemingly played a complete game on Saturday night against the Arizona Wildcats. The offense was relentless, producing almost 600 yards in three quarters, and the rushing attack wouldn’t quit. Even more encouraging was a defense that stifled one of the best passing attacks in the nation, holding Jayden de Laura to 241 yards passing with 1 TD and 1 INT.
I think that with the Ducks going into the bye week, Oregon fans probably feel as good about their team as they have all season. So why are the Ducks dropping in the ESPN Power Rankings?
Last week after the win against Stanford, Oregon moved up to No. 11 in the rankings, surpassing their preseason mark for the first time. That number changed despite their 49-22 win over the Wildcats on Saturday. Shockingly, the UCLA Bruins jumped the Ducks after their win over the Utah Utes.
Did that many teams really look better than the Ducks this weekend? I’m not sure. Take a look at where all the Pac-12 teams rank in ESPN’s latest poll:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-2)
Sept. 17, 2016; South Bend, Indiana; Close up view of Norte Dame logo on goal post prior to a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Michigan State Spartans at Notre Dame Stadium. Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (6-0)
Nov. 20, 2021; Conway, South Carolina; Coastal Carolina Chanticleers quarterback Grayson McCall (10) runs the ball in the first half against the Texas State Bobcats at Brooks Stadium. David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
Baylor Bears (3-2)
Oct. 16, 2021; Waco, Texas; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda walks the sidelines during the second half against the Brigham Young Cougars at McLane Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Texas Longhorns (4-2)
Sept. 15, 2018; Austin, Texas; General overall view of the Texas Longhorns logo at midfield at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1)
The Cincinnati Bearcats offensive line lines up for a play during a college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Utah Utes (4-2)
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Utah only dropped nine spots in the poll after a loss to UCLA. Here is the reasoning from ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti:
The trap game caught the Utes in a bad spot. A week before its much-anticipated matchup against USC, Utah dropped its second game of the season. What was expected to be an experienced team with a clear identity and a chance to repeat as Pac-12 champion looked lost Saturday as UCLA ran through the Utes’ defense and controlled the tempo and style of the game. It was an uncharacteristic look for Kyle Whittingham’s team, which certainly had plenty of opportunities to take control of the game and even had 10 more first downs than the Bruins.
Kansas Jayhawks (5-1)
Nov. 2, 2019; Lawrence, Kansas; A general view of the field logo during the second half of the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse Orange (5-0)
Sept. 18, 2021; Syracuse, New York; Detailed view of an end zone marker with the Atlantic Coast Conference and Syracuse Orange logos prior to the game between the against the Albany Great Danes and the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas State Wildcats (5-1)
Kansas State’s Adrian Martinez (9) runs for a touchdown in front of Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman (5) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Kansas State won, 41-34.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-1)
Sept. 10, 2022; Tucson, Arizona; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Jo’quavious Marks (7) is tackled by Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Hunter Echols (31) at Arizona Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
NC State Wolfpack (5-1)
Nov. 26, 2021; Raleigh; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Emeka Emezie (86) is greeted by teammate Porter Rooks (4) after scoring the game-winning touchdown during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack won 34-30. Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon Ducks (5-1)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon played as complete a game as they have all season but still dropped in the polls, according to ESPN. Here is the reasoning from Kyle Bonagura:
Oregon continues to look the part since opening the season in forgettable fashion against Georgia. The Ducks’ 49-22 win versus Arizona again showed a balanced offense, as signal-caller Bo Nix completed 20 of 25 passes for 265 yards and the team combined for 306 yards rushing. Defensively, the Ducks prevented Arizona from ever finding a groove, limiting the Wildcats to 356 yards of total offense.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1)
Oct. 30, 2021; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Mitch Griffis (12) talks to linebacker Chase Jones (21) and defensive lineman Jasheen Davis (30) and linebacker DJ Taylor (46) during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Truist Field. James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
TCU Horned Frogs (5-0)
Aug. 30, 2014; Fort Worth, Texas; A view of the TCU Horned Frogs logo at midfield before the game between the Horned Frogs and the Samford Bulldogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
UCLA Bruins (6-0)
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Bruins were impressive in their upset win over Utah, and ESPN took the opportunity to move them way up in the rankings, leaping them ahead of the Oregon Ducks, who they will play in two weeks. Here is the recap from Paolo Uggetti:
The Bruins keep doing it. After upsetting Washington last week at the Rose Bowl, Chip Kelly’s team ran it back and scored at least 40 points for the third straight week to upset No. 11 Utah and stay undefeated. While quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had four touchdowns (one on the ground) and averaged 16 yards per pass, it was running back Zach Charbonnet who ran for 198 yards on 22 carries and paced the Bruins’ offense. UCLA’s defense bent plenty of times on the day but made its impact count by forcing both a fumble and an interception off Utah quarterback Cameron Rising.
Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
Oct. 31, 2015; University Park, Pennsylvania; General view of the Penn State Nittany Lions logo inside Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State won 39-0. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0)
Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver (30) hits Arizona State’s Emory Jones (5) during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Arizona State Sun Devils at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Oklahoma State won, 34-17.
Ole Miss rebels (6-0)
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin returns to Neyland Stadium before an SEC football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.
Tennessee Volunteers (5-0)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) congratulates Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy (15) on his touchdown during the first half of a game between the Tennessee Vols and Florida Gators, in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
Michigan Wolverines (6-0)
Oct. 12, 2019; Champaign, Illinois; A Michigan Wolverines helmet sits on the back of the bench during the second half of the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Michael Allio-USA TODAY Sports
USC Trojans (6-0)
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
USC was tested a bit early on by Washington State, but the offense proved to be too much to handle for the Cougars as the game wore on. While the Trojans may not be a top-four team in the nation, they certainly are someone to watch out for. Here’s the explainer from Paolo Uggetti:
There was no defensive turnover on Saturday night for Southern California (which still leads the nation in turnover margin), but the D came up big against Washington State, holding Cam Ward and the Cougars’ offense scoreless in the first, third and fourth quarters on the Trojans’ way to the program’s first 6-0 start since 2006. On a night when 30 points from the Trojans’ offense felt like a struggle and Caleb Williams only threw for 188 yards, running back Travis Dye carried a heavy load (149 yards on 28 carries) and scored once to keep Lincoln Riley’s USC record intact.
Clemson Tigers (6-0)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (11) wams up before the game with Wake Forest at Truist Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0)
Sept. 24, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws a touchdown pass against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia Bulldogs (6-0)
Sept. 3, 2022; Atlanta; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts with his players after receiving the old leather helmet after Georgia defeated the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0)
Oct. 1, 2022; Columbus; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks for an open receiver in the first quarter of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium.
