Week 11 Pac-12 football power rankings

Nathaniel Levin

November 13, 2023

Led by tight end Tanner McLachlan (84), the Arizona football team makes its way onto the field for the sold out home game against the University og Washington in Tucson on Saturday, Sept. 30. The Wildcats lost the game 24-31.

Week 11 of the Pac-12 was action-packed, featuring several exciting and down-to-the-wire finishes. With two weeks remaining in the season, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon remain the favorites to reach the conference championship, with the University of Arizona and Oregon State University on the outside looking in.

No. 5 Washington overcame an early deficit to beat No. 18 Utah, while No. 6 Oregon eased past USC. No. 12 Oregon State put up a dominant performance against Stanford University. No. 19 Arizona staged a comeback to defeat the University of Colorado with a last-second field goal as time expired. In a low-scoring matchup, ASU handed UCLA its second straight loss, while the University of California Berkeley dealt Washington State University its sixth consecutive loss.

No. 5 Washington 35 – No. 16 Utah 28

Behind Michael Penix Jr., No. 5 Washington rallied to beat No. 18 Utah 35-28 to remain unbeaten and atop the Pac-12 standings.

No. 5 Washington 10-0, (7-0 Pac-12)

The Huskies outscored the Utes, 11-0 in the second half, to overcome a 28-24 halftime deficit, moving to 10-0 on the season for the second time in school history, with the first coming back in 1991. Behind the University of Georgia’s 27-game winning streak, Washington holds the second-longest streak of 17 straight victories. Penix Jr, who leads the nation in passing yards, notched his eighth 300-yard game of the season, throwing for 332 yards and two touchdowns. Huskies running back Dillon Johnson led the ground attack, rushing for 104 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries.

Next up: The Huskies look to clinch a share of the Pac-12 title when they face No. 10 Oregon State on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m.No. 16 Utah 7-3 (4-3 Pac-12)

After a promising start to the game, which saw the Utes take a 28-24 lead into the half, the Utah offense was nowhere to be seen in the second half, managing to collect only 76 yards on six possessions. Bryson Barnes connected on 13 of 17 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the first half before throwing for only 29 yards and two interceptions in the second half. Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele led the team with five receptions for a career-high 145 yards. The Utah defense, which has been strong all season, surrendered a season-high 35 points and at least 30 points for the third time in four games.

Next up: The Utes travel to face one of the hottest teams in the conference, the No. 19 Arizona Wildcats, on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 12:30 p.m.

No. 6 Oregon 36 – USC 27

Bo Nix’s four touchdowns led No. 6 Oregon past USC 36-27, inching the Ducks closer to the Pac-12 title game.

No. 6 Oregon 9-1 (6-1 Pac-12)

In another impressive performance, Bo Nix completed 74% of his passes, throwing for a season-high 412 yards and four touchdowns. Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin caught a season-low two receptions but still had a team-high 147 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown reception in the first half. Nix’s top target, wide receiver Tez Johnson, had a solid game with seven receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, running back Bucky Irving rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries, reaching 100 yards on the ground for the fourth time this season. The Ducks’ offense has been phenomenal all season, leading the nation in scoring with an average of 46.3 points per game.

Next up: Oregon faces ASU on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m.

USC 7-4 (5-3 Pac-12)

USC’s struggles continued, as the Trojans have dropped four of their last five games. Reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams struggled against Oregon’s defense, completing a season-low 56% of his passes for 291 yards and one touchdown. In their first game since firing defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, the Trojans held their opponent to under 37 points for the second time since mid-September. However, the offense could not compensate for the improved defense effort, scoring less than 30 points for only the second time this season.

Next Up: USC wraps up the regular season against UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1:30 p.m.

No. 12 Oregon State 62 – Stanford 17

No. 12 Oregon State cruised past Stanford 62-17 behind running back Damien Martinez’s career-high four touchdowns.

No. 12 Oregon State 8-2 (5-2 Pac-12)

The Beavers returned home after two consecutive road games and scored a season-high 62 points in its victory over Stanford. The Oregon State offense looked like they were back in its early-season form after struggling in their past two games against Arizona and Colorado. The Beavers signal caller, DJ Uiagalelei was efficient, completing 12 of his 19 passes and throwing for 240 yards, along with two touchdown passes. The Oregon State ground attack was strong, rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns. Martinez led the ground game, rushing for a season-high 146 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on just 15 carries. Oregon State now enters a treacherous stretch, with back-to-back games against No. 5 Washington On Nov. 18 and No. 6 Oregon.

Next up: Oregon State hosts No. 5 Washington on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m.

Stanford 3-7 (2-6 Pac-12)

The tale of Stanford’s season has been its inconsistent play. The Cardinal has lost four of their seven games by 35 or more points, while their other three losses have come by a combined 17 points. Two of their wins have been followed by blowout losses, including their defeat against Oregon State one week after beating Washington State. Quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 200 yards and one touchdown. He also threw three interceptions, two of which came on the opening three possessions. Wide receiver Elic Ayomanor hauled in three receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown as the sophomore continues to shine in his breakout season.

Next up: Oregon State hosts Cal on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m.

No. 19 Arizona 34 – Colorado 31

No. 21 Arizona never led until Tyler Loop’s game-winning field goal as time expired to beat Colorado 34-31.

No. 19 Arizona 7-3 (5-2 Pac-12)

After trailing 24-17 at the half, Arizona outscored Colorado 17-7 in the second half to extend its winning streak to four straight games and collect its first win as a ranked team since 2015. Freshman Noah Fifita connected on 60% of his passes, throwing for 214 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, led the Wildcats with nine receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown. Jonah Coleman’s breakout season continued as the sophomore running back rushed for a career-high 179 yards on 11 carries. With their win, the Wildcats keep their Pac-12 Championship hopes alive, but Arizona will still need some help even if they win out.

Next up: Arizona aims to extend its winning streak when they host No.16 Utah on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 12:30 p.m.

Colorado 4-6 (1-6 Pac-12)

Colorado dominated the first three-quarters of their game against Arizona but could not hang late in the final quarter. Despite an efficient passing game led by quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, the Buffaloes failed to score in the fourth quarter, and kicker Alejandro Mata missed a crucial late-game field goal attempt. The loss marks the Buffaloes’ fourth straight and their sixth loss in seven games. To make a bowl game, Deion Sanders and Colorado must win its remaining two games, both of which are on the road.

Next up: Colorado faces Washington State on the road on Friday, Nov. 17 at 8:30 p.m.

ASU 17 – UCLA 7

ASU handed UCLA its second straight loss after beating the Bruins 17-7 in Pasadena.

ASU 3-7 (2-5 Pac-12)

After losing six straight games, the Sun Devils won their two last games. Sun Devil quarterback Trenton Bourget threw for 149 yards and one interception. Meanwhile, running back Cameron Skattebo accounted for both ASU’s touchdowns in its win over UCLA. The junior had one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown. Wide receiver Elijah Badger led the Sun Devils with 12 receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown as the junior picked up his second 100-yard game. The Sun Devils remaining schedule is daunting, as ASU faces No. 6 Oregon before facing No. 19 Arizona.

Next up: ASU travels to Eugene to face No. 6 Oregon on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

UCLA 6-4 (3-4 Pac-12)

The Bruins offense failed to click for the second straight game. UCLA turned the ball over on downs four times, including twice inside the red zone. Quarterback Collin Schlee threw 117 yards and one touchdown in his first start of the season. The dual-threat quarterback also ran for a team-high 51 yards on 14 carries. UCLA’s leading rusher on the season, Running back Carson Steele, had a tough time against ASU’s defense, rushing for only 33 yards on 11 carries. This marks the second straight week and the third time this season that Steele has been held to less than 40 yards.

Next up: UCLA faces rival USC on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1:30 p.m. as both teams look to rebound from their recent losses.

Cal 42 – Washington State 39

Cal held off Washington State’s late fourth-quarter rally to beat the Cougars 42-39, snapping its four-game losing streak.

Cal 4-6 (2-5 Pac-12)

Cal’s defense stepped up, helping the Golden Bears snap their losing streak. The defense recorded six sacks and returned two fumbles for touchdowns. Linebacker Cade Ulauve returned a fumble 51 yards early in the first quarter, then safety Nohl Williams returned another 52 yards, scoring the game-winning touchdown. Fernando Mendoza threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jaydn Ott rushed for 167 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries as the sophomore collected his fourth 150-yard game of the season. To become bowl eligible, Cal must win its remaining two games, against Stanford and UCLA, both of which are on the road.

Next up: Cal faces Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m.

Washington State: 4-6 (1-6 Pac-12)

After opening the season 4-0, the Cougars have dropped six straight games and are at risk of missing out on becoming bowl-eligible. Washington State found themselves playing from behind the entire night. Ball security was a significant issue for the Cougars. Washington State’s quarterback Cameron Ward threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for an additional score. However, Ward threw an interception and fumbled the ball three times. Points off of turnovers were 21-10 in favor of the Golden Bears. Meanwhile, wide receiver Josh Kelly hauled nine receptions for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Next up: Washington State looks to snap its losing streak when they host Colorado on Friday, Nov. 17, at 8:30 p.m.