I cannot argue with these initial rankings (though I do understand why some feel a regional bias toward the B1G and SEC). To me Oregon is the best team in the Pac12 right now, notwithstanding the loss to Washington. We'll know for sure if they meet again in Vegas, which I hope they do. Now, how ironic the Pac 12 is being called from sea to shining sea the best conference in the land. Its just so sad - and seemingly unnecessary. Can you imagine the network interest now if the conference weren't already walking up to the gallows?
What Herbie said! A lot of love for Puddles last night.
MY GULPS? 5 B12 teams ranked. The Committee likes the B12 better than AP voters and could help Texas if it goes 12-1; especially if Bama defeats LSU on Saturday.
Amazing that Georgia with its schedule so dissed preseason, now has 3 Top 20 games in a row. With Ole Miss jumping Penn State, it looks to me like it is the SEC with the best shot to get 2 teams in the field. 12-1 conference champ Bama and a 12-1 Georgia which loses to Bama in a close SEC champ game. (We've seen this movie before.)
Based on last night's ranking, only UGA and UW have 3 games remaining against ranked opponents. Only UW plays 2 on the road with Utah at home in Seattle.
This is the 1st of 5 Committee rankings and a lot will change between now and December 3rd.
I had set lower expectations because of the matrix guy you had on your show yesterday with his #10 prediction for Oregon. So I’m thrilled because this confirms if we win out we are in!!! Let’s go Ducks. 💚💛🏈
I really wish the beavers had won last week. I’m hoping for an epoch showdown on Nov 24th. But if I’m being honest, I want the huskies to remain undefeated so we can deliver the blow in the championship.
Very exciting year. Heart still fractured over the PAC-12 demise (for now). I’m savoring every minute. May the best team win out!
Just to think, 6 points has cost us dearly!!!! And I just hope we can win AT LEAST 2 of the final four, three would be better, and of course, win all four would be FANTASTIC and a “dream” come true, (a long with a prayer or more) !!!
I think Oregon has the best chance of finishing the best with their final four(hate to say it). I think the Huskies can be beat, by not only us.
USC could get their heads out of their (you know where) and win this weekend, BUT, they allow far to many points to win any game, and if the Huskies are doing their best, they will stomp USC !!! Would that be nice to see the “FIGHT ON” out of the TOP 25....
we have the toughest 4 games left of anyone!!! OUCH, and it starts Saturday night in Colorado!!!
Actually, Utah plays at Washington on 11/11 (Washington has remaining road games at USC & OSU, and home games versus Utah & WSU).
The exciting aspect of the next 4 weeks is that every game for UO & UW is a CFP elimination game. Every game for USC, OSU & Utah (and possibly, UCLA) is a potential Pac-12 Championship elimination game. I can't remember a time with so much being on the line (with many still to play each other) for those teams with only 4 weeks to go.
goes back Harrington's last year at Oregon I believe...all three (UW, OSU, UO) finished with one loss, all beat each other (UW over OSU, UO over UW, OSU over UO)...good stuff!
That was not Joey's last year but 2000, his Junior Year. The next year Joey and Ken Simonton were on the cover of SI. In 2000 WA went to the Rose, Beavs to the Fiesta and Oregon to the Holiday.
Ducks are in great position but more importantly are playing the most complete football I have witnessed in 40 plus years. If they keep improving week to week this could get interesting.
Another great article and a perfect reminder, this I supposed to be fun! I need to relearn a line from Bull Durham, just take it one game at a time and enjoy!
Today, Oregon looks like the best team in the Pac-12. However, football is very fluid in the Pac-12 and things could easily change dramatically Saturday. In fact, Cal is a much-improved team now that they have found their QB. They are dangerous. Could be particularly dangerous if the Ducks are looking past them towards USC the following week. It would mean a lot to Wilcox to win the finale for Cal in Autzen, where he and his family have a tremendous legacy. The Beavs had a trap game in Tucson last Saturday; Oregon has one in Autzen this week...and another two weeks from now with Arizona State the week before the Civil War. It will be very revealing how Oregon handles business this week.
I'm still doubtful Oregon and Washington are going to have a rematch in Vegas. It would be an outstanding curtain call on the final act of the Pac-12, particularly if Oregon beats Washington, but there are a lot of very dangerous and dicey games remaining for both the Huskies and Ducks. Nobody has a clue how this is going to end up - the conference is that good and unforgiving.
As Coach Lanning said, it takes execution, health and luck to get to the CFP. Let's all not get ahead of ourselves. There are a lot of obstacles for all these teams to overcome before the playoffs even begin. How lucky we PAC12 fans are to watch all this.
This is very exciting for the Pac! Dang of all seasons to shine; wish we were negotiating a TV deal now! I expected the Ducks to flip position with the Huskies, based on recent performances, but will have to wait for that in the pac championship game. November will be an awesome part of the season separating the real teams from the imposters. GO Ducks 🦆
John... You appear to be happier than I am. It seems to me that there is blatant regional bias impacting Washington. Michigan and Georgia have played NOBODY. (ABSOLUTELY NOBODY).
Washington's win over Oregon should put the Huskies in the top 3. But the committee stuck them down at #5.
Yes they have a clear path into the playoff. But they should not have to climb over others. They should already be ranked higher.
Washington likely would have made the top 4 if they hadn’t payed so poorly in their last two games. I think one clunker would have been allowed, but two in their last two games was a bridge too far for the committee. Nonetheless a win over ranked USC would count as another quality win and likely bump them up, with FSU playing lowly Pitt.
Often, in the sports world, the team that everyone overlooks comes out of nowhere, as the dominoes fall, and ends up on top. USC is very much a team that could do it. Things would have to go just right - like they did for Utah last year when the Utes got some help from other teams in November - but the Trojans are far from finished in the Pac-12. In fact, only Washington is ahead of them in the standings right now.
Washington and Oregon: do not overlook USC...and do not look ahead at USC and forget about the team in front of you.
I'm a huge Michigan fan, but I think they will fade down the stretch with the weight of the controversy hanging over them. My hunch is Michigan may be a one or two loss team by the time they get to TOSU and the BIG GAME!
John, You and your column are "hitting on all cylinders" currently. Accurate summation of the situations for the PAC-12 teams. Well done, and thank you.
Utah was missing its #1 QB and still beat Florida. Oregon demolished Utah and Washington got the win over Oregon. So.. Not sure what Utah has to do with this anyway. Washington is the team that was underrated by the committee.
Georgia meanwhile managed to get through UT Martin, Ball State, UAB, and the bottom of the SEC. Not impressive.
That’s SEC dominating schedules for you. Play just one or two ranked teams each year and demand others put you in the playoffs on strength of schedule. 🙄
Not a fan of the SEC but Georgia hasn't lost a game in forever...your grievance should be with Michigan, who has played the easiest schedule in CF history and cheated their way through it.
UGA's next 3 games in a row are vs. 3 top-20 committee-ranked teams.
Bama has played 7 Texas, defeated 10 Ole Miss, and 17 Tennessee, and plays 14. LSU on Saturday.
There is a reason why both the Pac-12 and the SEC have 6 ranked. The difference is that with an 8 game conference slate, Bama has Chattanooga left on its schedule.
The College Football Playoff bozo's really blew this one. How in their right mind could the Ducks not be ranked in the top 4!! Lunacy!!! How many other teams have the quality wins that the Ducks have? Beating our new in-state rival, Portland State, a top team in the Big Sky, isn't an easy feat. And with wins over powerhouses like Texas Tech and Hawaii, how can we be overlooked!! We also put a severe beating on those elitist brainiacs from Stanford. Yes, we did lose to Washington in the points game, but we out played them, it seems the CFP committee completely overlooked that. And yes, Utah wasn't playing at full strength, but that was a SUPER quality win. We're playing a powerhouse this week in the mighty Cal Bears, with a win over that great team I'm sure when the CFP meets again they'll elevate our Ducks to a top four ranking, if not they'll suffer the wrath of Mr. Knight!!
The SOS of teams ranked above the Ducks, especially Michigan, are not all that better. FSU's best win is over a 2-loss team at a neutral site. How's that Clemson win looking? Georgia has a brutal 3 game stretch coming up but Georgia does not have a victory over a committee-ranked team.
I'll take Oregon's 23 1st home game winning streak-breaking win at TX Tech over UW's beat down of a dysfunctional Michigan State team. I think TT will finish bowl-eligible. Not the case with Sparty.
Unlike UW, Oregon toyed with Stanford on the road.
I'm not sure Texas Tech will be making a bowl game, currently 3-5 with 2 of their next 4 games against ranked opponents, both games being away. Florida State has beaten only one sub-500 team, Southern Miss, all the rest of their wins against teams 500 or over. Ducks have victories over 3 sub 500 teams, and a victory against their new in-state rival Portland State, currently 500 and an FCS team. My "eye test" of the Ducks is that they are very good. I was at the Portland State game, PSU gave them a little tussle in the first quarter, but after that Oregon rolled. And I liked how they beat up Hawaii, outstanding!! Once the Ducks get to the Big 10 they'll still have cupcakes to beat, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, and of course Portland State.
If the Huskies lose a game they should win (say WSU) and Ducks win out (not an unsound premise from an actuarial perspective...certainly within one standard deviation of the mean probability wise). Then if the Huskies win the Pac 12 championship game do they get shut out? I think they (and thus the Pac 12 ) would. Everyone has been saying "The Huskies have a mulligan", because they beat Oregon. Do they? I'm a Duck fan, but also a Pac 12 fan. I just don't see a mulligan for anyone but Oregon. What if the Huskies are undefeated going into Pac 12 Champ game? (Also very possible), then lose by 3 to Oregon in Vegas? I'd bet an American dollar they both get shut out due to West Coast Bias. But, I'd bet lots of American dollars the Huskies get shut out. Beaver and Coug fans should be rejoicing not complaining. Very easy/clear path to the playoffs every year after this. They are going to laugh all the way to the bank
I think a 12-1 Pac-12 conference champ is in but it is better to lose early than late and to lose on the road to in UW's case to ranked SC or OR ST and not at home to Utah or WSU.
I cannot argue with these initial rankings (though I do understand why some feel a regional bias toward the B1G and SEC). To me Oregon is the best team in the Pac12 right now, notwithstanding the loss to Washington. We'll know for sure if they meet again in Vegas, which I hope they do. Now, how ironic the Pac 12 is being called from sea to shining sea the best conference in the land. Its just so sad - and seemingly unnecessary. Can you imagine the network interest now if the conference weren't already walking up to the gallows?
What Herbie said! A lot of love for Puddles last night.
MY GULPS? 5 B12 teams ranked. The Committee likes the B12 better than AP voters and could help Texas if it goes 12-1; especially if Bama defeats LSU on Saturday.
Amazing that Georgia with its schedule so dissed preseason, now has 3 Top 20 games in a row. With Ole Miss jumping Penn State, it looks to me like it is the SEC with the best shot to get 2 teams in the field. 12-1 conference champ Bama and a 12-1 Georgia which loses to Bama in a close SEC champ game. (We've seen this movie before.)
Based on last night's ranking, only UGA and UW have 3 games remaining against ranked opponents. Only UW plays 2 on the road with Utah at home in Seattle.
This is the 1st of 5 Committee rankings and a lot will change between now and December 3rd.
I had set lower expectations because of the matrix guy you had on your show yesterday with his #10 prediction for Oregon. So I’m thrilled because this confirms if we win out we are in!!! Let’s go Ducks. 💚💛🏈
I really wish the beavers had won last week. I’m hoping for an epoch showdown on Nov 24th. But if I’m being honest, I want the huskies to remain undefeated so we can deliver the blow in the championship.
Very exciting year. Heart still fractured over the PAC-12 demise (for now). I’m savoring every minute. May the best team win out!
That guy was obnoxious and wrong. The interview Canzano and Winer did with Rob Mullens was far more on point as to how the committee actually works.
Just to think, 6 points has cost us dearly!!!! And I just hope we can win AT LEAST 2 of the final four, three would be better, and of course, win all four would be FANTASTIC and a “dream” come true, (a long with a prayer or more) !!!
I think Oregon has the best chance of finishing the best with their final four(hate to say it). I think the Huskies can be beat, by not only us.
USC could get their heads out of their (you know where) and win this weekend, BUT, they allow far to many points to win any game, and if the Huskies are doing their best, they will stomp USC !!! Would that be nice to see the “FIGHT ON” out of the TOP 25....
we have the toughest 4 games left of anyone!!! OUCH, and it starts Saturday night in Colorado!!!
GI BEAVERS.
10! Holy Neo!
Thanks John.
Actually, Utah plays at Washington on 11/11 (Washington has remaining road games at USC & OSU, and home games versus Utah & WSU).
The exciting aspect of the next 4 weeks is that every game for UO & UW is a CFP elimination game. Every game for USC, OSU & Utah (and possibly, UCLA) is a potential Pac-12 Championship elimination game. I can't remember a time with so much being on the line (with many still to play each other) for those teams with only 4 weeks to go.
goes back Harrington's last year at Oregon I believe...all three (UW, OSU, UO) finished with one loss, all beat each other (UW over OSU, UO over UW, OSU over UO)...good stuff!
That was not Joey's last year but 2000, his Junior Year. The next year Joey and Ken Simonton were on the cover of SI. In 2000 WA went to the Rose, Beavs to the Fiesta and Oregon to the Holiday.
Ducks are in great position but more importantly are playing the most complete football I have witnessed in 40 plus years. If they keep improving week to week this could get interesting.
They are playing great but pump the brakes...the 2010 and 2014 teams were steam rolling everyone!
The balance is what is most impressive with this team, compared to those other teams.
OSU is just as balanced but not quite as talented.
Agreed. As a duck fan that game worries me more than USC. Glad it's at Autzen
Another great article and a perfect reminder, this I supposed to be fun! I need to relearn a line from Bull Durham, just take it one game at a time and enjoy!
I hope to maintain this over the next month!
I loved that movie!
Today, Oregon looks like the best team in the Pac-12. However, football is very fluid in the Pac-12 and things could easily change dramatically Saturday. In fact, Cal is a much-improved team now that they have found their QB. They are dangerous. Could be particularly dangerous if the Ducks are looking past them towards USC the following week. It would mean a lot to Wilcox to win the finale for Cal in Autzen, where he and his family have a tremendous legacy. The Beavs had a trap game in Tucson last Saturday; Oregon has one in Autzen this week...and another two weeks from now with Arizona State the week before the Civil War. It will be very revealing how Oregon handles business this week.
I'm still doubtful Oregon and Washington are going to have a rematch in Vegas. It would be an outstanding curtain call on the final act of the Pac-12, particularly if Oregon beats Washington, but there are a lot of very dangerous and dicey games remaining for both the Huskies and Ducks. Nobody has a clue how this is going to end up - the conference is that good and unforgiving.
As Coach Lanning said, it takes execution, health and luck to get to the CFP. Let's all not get ahead of ourselves. There are a lot of obstacles for all these teams to overcome before the playoffs even begin. How lucky we PAC12 fans are to watch all this.
This is very exciting for the Pac! Dang of all seasons to shine; wish we were negotiating a TV deal now! I expected the Ducks to flip position with the Huskies, based on recent performances, but will have to wait for that in the pac championship game. November will be an awesome part of the season separating the real teams from the imposters. GO Ducks 🦆
John... You appear to be happier than I am. It seems to me that there is blatant regional bias impacting Washington. Michigan and Georgia have played NOBODY. (ABSOLUTELY NOBODY).
Washington's win over Oregon should put the Huskies in the top 3. But the committee stuck them down at #5.
Yes they have a clear path into the playoff. But they should not have to climb over others. They should already be ranked higher.
Washington likely would have made the top 4 if they hadn’t payed so poorly in their last two games. I think one clunker would have been allowed, but two in their last two games was a bridge too far for the committee. Nonetheless a win over ranked USC would count as another quality win and likely bump them up, with FSU playing lowly Pitt.
With all of the flack 2-loss SC has been taking, I think Troy will give UW all it can handle.
At 7-2 (5-1) SC is still very much in the conference race.
I agree that SC will give Washington a fight but only because WA hasn’t looked good in the last 2 weeks. I think Penix is hurt (against us).
IMHO, USC shouldn’t even be ranked! They only are because of their name.
Often, in the sports world, the team that everyone overlooks comes out of nowhere, as the dominoes fall, and ends up on top. USC is very much a team that could do it. Things would have to go just right - like they did for Utah last year when the Utes got some help from other teams in November - but the Trojans are far from finished in the Pac-12. In fact, only Washington is ahead of them in the standings right now.
Washington and Oregon: do not overlook USC...and do not look ahead at USC and forget about the team in front of you.
And do not forget Cal and a very good O. Lots of points put up at UW, USC, and vs. OR ST.
Puddles, stay out of the trap.
Washington will lose 2-3 games by the end here.....No way they beat Beavers in Corvallis.
The great teams find victory...irregardless
GO DAWGS
But play like it has in its last 2 games and UW will lose 3 of the next 4 games.
One win at a time 💪🏼
GO DAWGS
Yup, I like this tweet this evening
https://twitter.com/KeeganHall/status/1719495639242097139
I'm a huge Michigan fan, but I think they will fade down the stretch with the weight of the controversy hanging over them. My hunch is Michigan may be a one or two loss team by the time they get to TOSU and the BIG GAME!
Ohio State has defeated the #11 team at home and the #15 team on the road. Ohio State's SOS is nowhere close to being as bad as Michigan's SOS.
Michigan's best win to date is a toss-up between UNLV and Rutgers, with both games played in Ann Arbor.
Not necessarily true. Utah won a convincing game against Florida earlier this season but not a dominant one. Georgia steamrolled them.
Agreed on Michigan though.
John, You and your column are "hitting on all cylinders" currently. Accurate summation of the situations for the PAC-12 teams. Well done, and thank you.
Utah was missing its #1 QB and still beat Florida. Oregon demolished Utah and Washington got the win over Oregon. So.. Not sure what Utah has to do with this anyway. Washington is the team that was underrated by the committee.
Georgia meanwhile managed to get through UT Martin, Ball State, UAB, and the bottom of the SEC. Not impressive.
UW barely beat ASU and Stanford the past two games which is why they are not in the top 4
That’s SEC dominating schedules for you. Play just one or two ranked teams each year and demand others put you in the playoffs on strength of schedule. 🙄
Not a fan of the SEC but Georgia hasn't lost a game in forever...your grievance should be with Michigan, who has played the easiest schedule in CF history and cheated their way through it.
UGA's next 3 games in a row are vs. 3 top-20 committee-ranked teams.
Bama has played 7 Texas, defeated 10 Ole Miss, and 17 Tennessee, and plays 14. LSU on Saturday.
There is a reason why both the Pac-12 and the SEC have 6 ranked. The difference is that with an 8 game conference slate, Bama has Chattanooga left on its schedule.
The College Football Playoff bozo's really blew this one. How in their right mind could the Ducks not be ranked in the top 4!! Lunacy!!! How many other teams have the quality wins that the Ducks have? Beating our new in-state rival, Portland State, a top team in the Big Sky, isn't an easy feat. And with wins over powerhouses like Texas Tech and Hawaii, how can we be overlooked!! We also put a severe beating on those elitist brainiacs from Stanford. Yes, we did lose to Washington in the points game, but we out played them, it seems the CFP committee completely overlooked that. And yes, Utah wasn't playing at full strength, but that was a SUPER quality win. We're playing a powerhouse this week in the mighty Cal Bears, with a win over that great team I'm sure when the CFP meets again they'll elevate our Ducks to a top four ranking, if not they'll suffer the wrath of Mr. Knight!!
The SOS of teams ranked above the Ducks, especially Michigan, are not all that better. FSU's best win is over a 2-loss team at a neutral site. How's that Clemson win looking? Georgia has a brutal 3 game stretch coming up but Georgia does not have a victory over a committee-ranked team.
I'll take Oregon's 23 1st home game winning streak-breaking win at TX Tech over UW's beat down of a dysfunctional Michigan State team. I think TT will finish bowl-eligible. Not the case with Sparty.
Unlike UW, Oregon toyed with Stanford on the road.
I'm not sure Texas Tech will be making a bowl game, currently 3-5 with 2 of their next 4 games against ranked opponents, both games being away. Florida State has beaten only one sub-500 team, Southern Miss, all the rest of their wins against teams 500 or over. Ducks have victories over 3 sub 500 teams, and a victory against their new in-state rival Portland State, currently 500 and an FCS team. My "eye test" of the Ducks is that they are very good. I was at the Portland State game, PSU gave them a little tussle in the first quarter, but after that Oregon rolled. And I liked how they beat up Hawaii, outstanding!! Once the Ducks get to the Big 10 they'll still have cupcakes to beat, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, and of course Portland State.
Bwahaha....witty and true!!
If the Huskies lose a game they should win (say WSU) and Ducks win out (not an unsound premise from an actuarial perspective...certainly within one standard deviation of the mean probability wise). Then if the Huskies win the Pac 12 championship game do they get shut out? I think they (and thus the Pac 12 ) would. Everyone has been saying "The Huskies have a mulligan", because they beat Oregon. Do they? I'm a Duck fan, but also a Pac 12 fan. I just don't see a mulligan for anyone but Oregon. What if the Huskies are undefeated going into Pac 12 Champ game? (Also very possible), then lose by 3 to Oregon in Vegas? I'd bet an American dollar they both get shut out due to West Coast Bias. But, I'd bet lots of American dollars the Huskies get shut out. Beaver and Coug fans should be rejoicing not complaining. Very easy/clear path to the playoffs every year after this. They are going to laugh all the way to the bank
Yes. The playoff committee has said that they give credit to conference champions
I think a 12-1 Pac-12 conference champ is in but it is better to lose early than late and to lose on the road to in UW's case to ranked SC or OR ST and not at home to Utah or WSU.
And the loss if it happens, best be close.
It’s all in the Ducks hands!
Love it, John. I'm hoping at Autzen Saturday, they do a Special Recognition of Dave Wilcox!!
They're sporting a "64" decal on helmets this year
Bump UW up a couple spots. BTW the photographers you have do great work.
Destroy ASU and Stanford as it should have and UW is likely up at least 1 spot.