2013 Pac-12 Power Rankings: Post Week 10

1. Oregon (Overall: 8-0, Conference: 5-0, Last Week: 1)
2. Stanford (7-1, 5-1, LW: 2)
Both teams had last week in preparation for one of the most highly anticipated Pac-8/10/12 games ever and arguably the biggest midweek regular season game in college football history. Come next week, the top of these rankings while either be permanently entrenched (at least until next season) or they will be thrown into flux. We'll find out tonight.

3. UCLA (6-2, 3-2, LW: 3)
It wasn't pretty at times and the Bruins let an inferior Colorado team hang around but a win is all that matters for a banged up team that looked tired and reeling following consecutive losses to the Cardinal and Ducks. We'll see if slogging through an inconsistent game with the Buffs was exactly what UCLA needed to recover and get back to form for a huge showdown with Arizona.

4. Arizona State (6-2, 4-1, LW: 5)
The Sun Devils are definitely peaking as a team right now and absolutely obliterated Washington State on the road in a match up that sure looked losable earlier this season. ASU's defensive line is back too after struggling for much of the season. The Sun Devils have been dominant up front for three straight games.

5. Washington (5-3, 2-3, LW: 6)
After finally righting the ship with a win over Cal the Huskies took last week off and finally got a chance to rest and forever bury the toll of that brutal three game stretch against Stanford, Oregon, and Arizona State. The Huskies emerge from their bye with a likely win against Colorado before a separation game in the middle of the Pac-12 North with Oregon State next week.

6. USC (6-3, 3-2, LW: 9)
Once left for dead, the Trojans have risen and won three straight conference games that has flipped the outlook of their season from bottom feeder to potentially winning the Pac-12 South. The Trojans will need a lot of help particularly from Arizona State's opponents but the Trojans' skies are suddenly much sunnier with key players like Marqise Lee on the mend.

7. Arizona (6-2, 3-2, LW: 7)
The Wildcats have been a patchwork team all year, one that has defied what a Rich Rodriguez team traditionally looks like and their tattered sails almost came crashing down on them against California. Arizona might be the best example of a good bad team in college football this year. The Wildcats have built a nice record with wins over mostly bad teams and have done it with a great running back, competent but not dominant defense, and a very limited but mostly mistake free quarterback. The back end of the Wildcats' schedule is one built to expose them however. The 'Cat's face refocused and re-energized UCLA this week and then get a slight reprieve with Washington State followed by grueling match ups with Oregon and at Arizona State. 7-5 would be an accomplishment for an Arizona team whose fans looked at this season as a rebuilding year but seven wins may also be their ceiling.

8. Oregon State (6-3, 4-2, LW: 4)
After rising from the dead to become a fringe contender, the Beavers have fallen back to earth and can't get up. The "most productive passing offense in college football" struggled again and was largely shut down scoring only one offensive touchdown. Sean Mannion was under pressure all night from USC defensive line and Brandin Cooks once again couldn't shake free from coverage. Amazing what can happen after a team feasts on inferior opponents for two months and suddenly gets ripped apart once the difficult stretch of its schedule begins. Surely, no one could have seen this coming.

9. Washington State (4-5, 2-4, LW: 8)
Speaking of free fall, the Cougars know all too well how it feels as the men from Wazzou have lost three in a row and suddenly look like a team that could go from 4-2 to missing a bowl game. The Cougars are down with being slaughtered by the likes of Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona State but the Cougars will still definitely be heavy underdogs against Arizona and Washington on the road. There is hope for the Cougars against Utah at home Nov.23 but that only gets the Cougars to five wins and makes this once promising season a huge disappointment.

10. Utah (4-4, 1-4, LW: 10)
Every time you think about Utah knocking off Stanford it gets more and more perplexing. The Utes got their validation as a legit Pac-12 program with that huge win but so far they have parlayed that into a season highlight instead of a stepping stone to greater things. Utah had a bye last week which was a big deal for them as it gave QB Travis Wilson a chance to rest his injured index finger and resume throwing the ball without any pain. Utah has been a great home team and that certainly gives them a chance against the Sun Devils on Saturday the Utes' offensive line and defensive secondary will have to have collective out of body experiences to make it happen.

11. Colorado (3-5, 0-5, LW: 11)
It is really sad to talk about 22 point losses as being encouraging but that is what the Colorado football program has been reduced to over the course of the best eight years or so. The Buffs fought hard and did not give UCLA anything easy.

12. California (1-8, 0-6, LW: 12)
The Bears cashed in the opening possession of the game for their first lead since Sept.7 (let that set in for a moment) and hung tough against Arizona all game in a five point loss. Jared Goff had his best game at quarterback in over month but the scrappy effort wasn't enough to overtake the Wildcats. Cal's only hope for a conference win this season still appears to be limited to the next week at Colorado.

The Award Tracker:

Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year:
1. QB Marcus Mariota, So., Oregon (LW: 1)


2. RB Ka'Deem Carey, Jr., Arizona (LW: 2)


3. RB Marion Grice, Sr., Arizona State (LW: NR)


Honorable Mentions:
WR Brandin Cooks, Jr., Oregon State

QB Sean Mannion, Jr., Oregon State

RB Marion Grice, Sr., Arizona State

Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year:
1. LB Anthony Barr, Sr., UCLA (LW: 1)


2. LB Trent Murphy, Sr., Stanford (LW: 2)


3. DE Scott Crichton, Jr., Oregon State (LW: 3)


Honorable Mentions:
LB Shayne Skov, Sr., Stanford

LB Addison Gillam, Fr., Colorado

CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Jr., Oregon

Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year:
1. RB Thomas Tyner, Oregon (LW: 1)
Bye week spent being more talented than Jared Goff.
 
2. QB Jared Goff, California (LW: 2)


3. RB Michael Adkins, Colorado (LW: 3)

 
Honorable Mentions:
RB Paul Perkins, UCLA

QB Sefo Liufau, Colorado

RB Khalfani Muhammad, California

Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year:
1. LB Addison Gilliam, Colorado (LW: 1)


2. LB Myles Jack, UCLA (LW: 2)


3. LB Scooby Wright, Arizona (LW: 3)


Honorable Mentions:
DB Daquawn Brown, Washington State

DL Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA

LB Torrodney Prevot, Oregon

Pac-12 Coach of the Year:
1. Mark Helfrich, Oregon (LW: 1)



2. Jim Mora, UCLA (LW: 2)


3. Todd Graham, Arizona State (LW: NR)