The Pac-12 delivered in the fifth week of the football season with some thrilling one-possession games among the five matchups. USC, the University of Oregon and the University of Washington solidified themselves as the conference’s favorites after winning their week 5 matchups to keep their unbeaten records intact. 

No. 19 Oregon State 21 – No. 10 Utah 7

Wide receiver Silas Bolden’s two touchdowns led No.19 Oregon State University past the No. 10 University of Utah 21-7. The Beavers shut down the Utah offense, which has struggled the past two weeks, scoring only 21 points. 

No. 19 Oregon State 4-1 (1-1):

After a close road loss against Washington State University a week earlier, the Beavers rebounded with a dominant win over No. 10 Utah. One of the standout performers for the Beavers was Bolden, who had a fantastic game with six receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown, as well as 53 rushing yards and one touchdown on just two carries. The offense put up an impressive 358 total yards against one of the top defenses in the nation. Next, the Beavers will hit the road again to face the University of California Berkeley on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.

No. 10 Utah 4-1 (1-1):

The Utes struggled without their star quarterback Cameron Rising, as they failed to produce any offense for the second week in a row, almost getting shut out by No. 19 Oregon State. In Rising’s absence, Nate Johnson and Bryson Barnes took on the quarterback duties. Johnson managed to throw for 101 yards and one touchdown, while Barnes threw for 40 yards and one interception. The Utes could not score until the final minutes of the fourth quarter when Johnson threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Yassin. The team will have a week off before their next game against Cal on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m.

No. 7 Washington 31 – Arizona 24

Michael Penix Jr. shines again, leading No. 7 Washington past the University of Arizona 31-24 in the desert. The Wildcats kept the game close all night but came up short in the end, as the Huskies were tested for the first time this season. 

No. 7 Washington 5-0 (2-0):

Although close, the Huskies were in control from start to finish as Penix picked apart the Wildcat defense, throwing for 363 yards. Penix leads the nation with 1,999 passing yards and became the ninth Pac-12 quarterback since 1996 to throw for over 350 yards without a passing touchdown. Washington wide receiver Germie Bernard hauled in a season-high eight receptions, for 98 yards, after entering with only nine receptions for 130 yards on the season. Washington will get an extra week to prep before they face No. 8 Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 12:30 p.m.  

Arizona 3-2 (1-1):

Arizona’s late-game rally fell short as the Wildcats nearly converted the onside kick in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. With quarterback Jayden de Laura sidelined due to an injury suffered last weekend against Stanford University, redshirt freshman Noah Fifita stepped up, throwing for 232 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in his first career start. Arizona had four different receivers haul in more than 45 yards in receptions while running backs Jonah Coleman and DJ Williams filled in for injured Michael Wiley and rushed for a combined 87 yards. The Wildcats held the nation’s best offense averaging over 550 yards a game, to a season-low 474 total yards. The Wildcats will be tested again when they travel to face No. 9 USC on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

No. 8 USC 48 – Colorado 41

The University of Colorado Boulder trailed No. 8 USC 34-7 before storming back in the second half, but unfortunately came one possession short, as the Trojans held on to beat the Buffaloes 48-41. 

No. 8 USC 5-0 (3-0):

The reigning Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams had an impressive game, throwing for 403 yards and a career-high six touchdowns to lead the Trojans to a victory over Colorado. Wide receivers Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice had solid performances, with Washington catching eight passes for 117 yards and one touchdown and Rice catching five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. USC’s win over Colorado marks their 17th consecutive win against the Buffaloes, and it comes in their final year in the Pac-12. However, the Trojans must address some defensive issues after allowing a season-high 41 points in the game. USC aims to keep its undefeated record when they face Arizona in their upcoming match on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Colorado 3-2 (0-2):

The Buffaloes got off to a slow start trailing 34-7 in the second quarter and were trending towards a repeat of one week earlier when the Buffaloes suffered an ugly 42-6 loss against Oregon. However, Colorado stormed back in the second half, cutting their deficit down to one possession, but unfortunately, they were unable to regain possession before time ran out to the game. Shedeur Sanders bounced back after a rough weekend, throwing 371 yards and four touchdowns. Buffaloes’ freshman receiver Omarion Miller had a career day, hauling in seven receptions for 196 yards and one touchdown. They will look to rebound on the road when they face ASU on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 3:30 p.m. 

No. 9 Oregon 42 – Stanford 6

A slow start did not stop Bo Nix and the No. 9 Oregon Ducks from cruising past Stanford 42-6. The Ducks trailed 6-0 early in the second quarter but closed the game on a 42-6 run to remain undefeated on the season. 

No. 9 Oregon 5-0 (2-0):

Nix threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns in yet another strong performance from the fifth-year senior. Troy Franklin has accumulated over 100 reception yards in four of the five games played this season. Additionally, Oregon had a successful ground game, rushing for over 208 yards. The Ducks were led by running-backs Jordan James and Bucky Irving, who each rushed for 88 yards and one touchdown. Oregon’s offense ranks second in the country in total yards and points per game, averaging 558 yards and 51.6 points per game. Additionally, their defense ranks in the top ten in yards and points per game. The Ducks will face their first big test of the season when they travel to Seattle to face No. 7 Washington on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 12:30 p.m. 

Stanford 1-4 (0-3):

The Cardinal jumped out early, taking a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter. However, they seemed unable to score following back-to-back field goals on their opening two drives. Stanford’s quarterback, Justin Lamson struggled in the air, throwing for only 106 yards, but successfully ran the ball, leading the team with 32 rushing yards on 22 carries. After a positive performance one week earlier, the Cardinal fell flat again, dropping their fourth straight game after winning their season opener against the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Stanford will have two weeks to regroup before they travel to face Colorado on Friday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.

Cal 24 – ASU 21

Cal topped ASU 24-21 to pick up their first Pac-12 win of the season, while the Sun Devils dropped their fourth straight game. Although ASU outgained Cal 430-326 in total yards, the Sun Devils were again plagued by turnovers, including a late game interception which resulted in a Golden Bear touchdown, ultimately the deciding factor in the game. 

Cal 3-2 (1-1):

Cal controlled the game from start to finish, utilizing the ground game to beat the Sun Devils. Cal running back Jaydn Ott led the way on the ground rushing for 165 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown; with 165 yards, Ott collected his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V threw for 130 yards and one touchdown while avoiding turning the ball over for the third straight week. The Golden Bears host No. 15 Oregon State on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.

ASU 1-4 (0-2):

ASU’s quarterback Trenton Bourguet threw for 344 yards and one interception in his first start of the season. However, the Sun Devils seemed unable to get over the hump after falling behind early. ASU turned the ball over four times, twice on downs, once on a fumble, and one interception. Cal took advantage of the four turnovers, scoring two touchdowns in the second half, halting any Sun Devil run from brewing. ASU running back Cameron Skattebo led the Sun Devils in rushing and receptions. Skattebo rushed for 59 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries while also hauling in 98 yards on four receptions. The Sun Devils will look to find answers before they host Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m.

Pac-12 Power Rankings:

1. No. 8 Oregon 5-0 (2-0) 
2. No. 7 Washington 5-0 (2-0)
3. No. 9 USC 5-0 (3-0) 
4. No. 13 Washington State 4-0 (1-0) 
5. No. 15 Oregon State 4-1 (1-1)
6. No. 18 Utah 4-1 (1-1)
7. UCLA 3-1 (0-1)
8. Arizona 3-2 (1-1)
9. Colorado 3-2 (0-2)
10. Cal 3-2 (1-1)
11. ASU 1-4 (0-2)
12. Stanford 1-4 (0-3)

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