Pac-12 football: Ranking each team in the latest ESPN FPI
After three weeks of the college football season, the Pac-12 Conference has been pretty confusing. Oregon got pummeled by Georgia but then defeated BYU, Washington upset Michigan State and is 3-0, and both Washington State and Oregon State have yet to lose games yet.
UCLA and USC also are undefeated so far (which was expected), and the Colorado Buffaloes are easily the worst team in the conference as questions swirl about Karl Dorrell’s future. Arizona State fired Herm Edwards after a home loss to Eastern Michigan, so there could be more firings coming soon.
ESPN has dropped its latest FPI ratings, and let’s examine the Pac-12 teams and where they stand up until this point of the season.
116: COLORADO BUFFALOES
Sep 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Karl Dorrell on the sidelines in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
Will this be Karl Dorrell’s final game wearing the CU headset? Who knows, but the Buff are still ahead of Colorado State, Navy and Utah State, to name a few.
77: ARIZONA WILDCATS
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Arizona has already doubled its number of wins from last year, and at this point, they could finish with a decent record.
71: ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The epitome of brutality: The Sun Devils lost a home game and a buy against Eastern Michigan. Things are not looking good in the desert, and we really aren’t sure who wants to take over this job.
63: STANFORD CARDINAL
Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (left) shakes hands with Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw after a game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Stanford has played just two games so far: A win against Colgate and a loss against USC. But, Tanner McKee looks to be a solid starter for David Shaw.
61: WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Sep 3, 2022; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Cameron Ward (1) is forced out of the pocket by Idaho Vandals defensive lineman Zach Krotzer (96) in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Cameron Ward has been magnificent, and the Cougars have defeated Idaho, Wisconsin and Colorado State. They face the Ducks in Week 4, so we will see how good they really are.
60: CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Sep 3, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jack Plummer (13) throws a pass to wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter (3) during the second quarter against the UC Davis Aggies at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Cal nearly upset Notre Dame in South Bend, but they beat UC Davis and UNLV. None of those wins are very meaningful, but they have played pretty well, and Jack Plummer has stepped in nicely for Justin Wilcox.
46: UCLA BRUINS
Sep 3, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) celebrates his touchdown scored against Bowling Green Falcons with offensive lineman Raiqwon O’Neal (71) during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Yes, UCLA is 3-0, but they have defeated Bowling Green, Alabama State and South Alabama, and they haven’t even left Los Angeles yet. They also barely beat South Alabama, 32-31. After they face the Buffs, they have a brutal stretch of Washington, Utah and Oregon.
36: OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Sep 3, 2022; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers inside linebacker Jack Colletto (12) avoids the tackle of Boise State Broncos cornerback Tyric LeBeauf (22) during the second half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon State has been the biggest surprise of the season. They have wins over Boise State, Fresno State and Montana State, and have a huge matchup against USC this weekend.
21: WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Sep 3, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) rushes against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Kalen DeBoer and Michael Penix Jr. have done well in Washington so far, and a victory over the Michigan State Spartans has the Huskies riding high into Week 4.
20: OREGON DUCKS
Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks bounced back from a Week 1 embarrassment with wins against Eastern Washington and BYU, and they defeated the Cougars by a good margin, 40-21, in a statement win for Dan Lanning.
13: UTAH UTES
Sep 3, 2022; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) and Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) meet after a game at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Utah lost a Week 2 thriller to Florida, but they defeated Southern Utah and San Diego State, giving up just one touchdown in each of those games. They remain in the top 25, and maybe the preseason buzz about this team is legitimate.
11: USC TROJANS
Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the second quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Lincoln Riley and the new-look Trojans are as good as advertised. They are regulars in the College Football Playoff projections, and if they beat Oregon State in Corvallis on Saturday, they should enter the top 10 of the ESPN FPI.
