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The Weekend: Washington claims top spot in Pac-12

kendall hilton
·5 min read

We’re getting closer to the first set of College Football Playoff Rankings, and the Pac-12 remains the toughest conference in the country.

The Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks battled it out for the top spot in the Pac-12, and it was one of the season’s best games. The Huskies are led by arguably the best player in the country, Michael Penix Jr., who has put the rest of the country on notice with their high-powered offense. The Huskies still have a rough schedule ahead of them.

Clemson had a bye this weekend, but their role as spoiler is becoming more prominent as the ACC is becoming a two-team race between Florida State and North Carolina. The Tar Heels will visit Death Valley on November 18, and if they are still undefeated, it will be a big game for the Tigers.

Georgia (7-0)

The Bulldogs are still undefeated, keeping their quest for a third straight National title full and alive.

Florida State (6-0)

The Noles are playing consistent football on both sides of the ball. They are handling the pressure of being one of the top teams in the country, which has been unfamiliar territory in recent years.

Michigan (7-0)

The Wolverines hasn’t had a signature game yet or played a ranked opponent, but their dominance on the field is undeniable.

Washington (6-0)

The best team in the best conference deserves a spot in the top four. Washington scored 30+ points on an Oregon defense that was considered to be the best in the country.

Ohio State (6-0)

The Buckeyes have a huge challenge coming up this weekend, which will be another opportunity for them to prove they’re one of the best teams in the country and not second fiddle to the Wolverines.

Penn State (6-0)

The Nittany Lions will travel to Ohio State this weekend for a top five matchup against Ohio State. The last time they won in Ohio was in 2011 and since then have only beating the Buckeyes twice.

Oklahoma (6-0)

The Sooners had a bye last weekend as they get ready for the second half of their season. With an average schedule, they have a chance to run their table to an undefeated season.

North Carolina (6-0)

The Tar Heels are playing good football and their latest win against Miami was impressive enough to move them up in the rankings. Their last three games of the season will determine a lot about this team.

Oregon (5-1)

The Ducks didn’t have a bad performance against the Huskies, they just lost the game. It wasn’t enough to drop them far on the rankings this week.

Alabama (6-1)

Alabama is on a five-game win streak with two ranked opponents ahead of them, one of them being rival LSU. Depending on how these next two games go, Bama could be back in the National Championship conversation.

Oregon State (6-1)

The Beavers added a big win to their resume after defeating UCLA this past weekend. They’ll need some help before we can consider if they will be in the Collge Football Playoffs but first they must win some tough games remaining on their schedule.

Texas (5-1)

The Longhorns return from their bye week with a matchup against Houston. Their remaining schedule isn’t strong enough to land them close to the top four without some serious help.

Ole Miss (5-1)

Ole Miss is coming off a bye week as they prepare for a trip to Auburn for an SEC showdown at War Eagle Stadium. The Rebels need some help from LSU in order to claim the top spot in the SEC West division but they still have Georgia on their schedule, which could determine the fate of their postseason hopes.

Notre Dame (6-2)

The Irish are back in the top 15 after knocking off the USC in a convincing fashion. Notre Dame forced five turnovers and made the reigning Heisman winner look below average.

Utah (5-1)

The Utes are back in the top 15 and still a contender in the Pac-12. Despite having Oregon, USC, and Washington still on the schedule, they’ll still need some help with Oregon State holding the tie breaker over them.

Story originally appeared on Clemson Wire