North
1. Oregon
Sitting at No. 2 in both the AP and BCS polls, the Ducks have separated themselves from the rest of the Pac-12 as the top tier of the conference. Oregon is averaging 632.1 yards per game and 55.6 points per contest, both good for second in the nation. Even in the Ducks’ lowest scoring game of the season against the Bruins last Saturday, they still put up 42 points, including 28 straight points in the second half. Oregon is a likely shoo-in to the Pac-12 Championship game, with its only remaining challenges coming from No. 5 Stanford, which toppled the Ducks last season, and Oregon State.
2. Stanford
A loss to Utah on Oct. 12 signified Stanford’s slight regression this year, after being an elite team last season. However, a bounce-back win over then-No. 9 UCLA the following week reaffirmed that the Cardinal are still a step ahead of the Bruins. Senior running back Tyler Gaffney has proven himself a solid replacement to Stepfan Taylor, with 866 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year. Stanford, however, will have to play the rest of the season without starting defensive end and team captain Ben Gardner, who injured his left pectoral muscle.
3. Oregon State
After breaking onto the scene last year as one of the nation’s biggest surprises, Oregon State has continued its success this season, though not quite at the same level. Although currently unranked, Oregon State has just two losses on the year, including an eight-point loss to Stanford last weekend. Led by junior quarterback Sean Mannion, whose 3,268 passing yards lead the nation by nearly 400 yards, the Beavers face a challenging end to the regular season, with Arizona State, Washington and Oregon still looming on the schedule.
4. Washington
Although the Huskies started the season strong with a 38-6 win over then-No. 19 Boise State and a 4-0 record out of the gate, they’ve hit a road block with three consecutive losses to Stanford, Oregon and Arizona State. Senior quarterback Keith Price’s prospects have mirrored that of his team. After throwing for nine touchdowns in the Huskies four wins to open the year, Price had just five touchdown throws in their three losses, as well as a significant dip in completion percentage. Washington is a fringe top-25 team currently, but if Price can return to form, the Huskies could sneak their way back into the rankings.
5. Washington State
Washington State finished last season on an positive note, despite its 3-9 record, defeating then-No. 25 Washington in the season’s final game. Some of that momentum seems to have carried over this year as the Cougars have already surpassed last year’s win total, and currently are 4-4, boasting the No. 6 passing offense. But with two straight losses and a 2-3 Pac-12 record, Washington State still has a ways to go before coach Mike Leach turns the program around.
6. Cal
Cal’s first season under new coach Sonny Dykes has been underwhelming to say the least. Cal’s sole win on the year came against Portland State, a non-Football Bowl Subdivision team, in a game the Golden Bears nearly lost. Cal trailed in the third quarter before eking out a 37-30 victory. The lone bright spot for Cal has been the play of freshman quarterback Jared Goff, who is sixth in the nation in passing yards – but he still hasn’t escaped criticism, with a high interception to touchdown ratio and a relatively low completion percentage. With four games left on its schedule, Cal likely has just one winnable game – against Colorado – left.
South
1. Arizona State
Although UCLA is ranked higher in the polls, No. 25 Arizona State has been the stronger team of late. In its last game against then-No. 20 Washington, Arizona State dominated the contest, winning 53-24 and forcing Washington into -5 rushing yards on the game. But while defense was a main factor in that win, the Sun Devils’ success has been predicated on their offense, as the team’s 45.4 points per game ranks No. 6 in the nation. Nov. 23’s matchup against UCLA could be the game that determines the Pac-12 South title.
2. UCLA
After climbing as high as No. 9 in the rankings, the Bruins have fallen back to Earth in the past two weeks. UCLA suffered consecutive losses to ranked opponents in Stanford and Oregon, exemplifying that the Bruins are not yet at the same level as those two teams. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley is in the midst of a multi-week slump, and if he continues to put up performances like his 64 pasing yards against Oregon, the Pac-12 South division title could slip away.
3. Arizona
While the Wildcats currently have the same overall and conference record as UCLA and Arizona State, they rank third here due to their relatively easy schedule to this point. Arizona’s only game against a top-25 ranked team was a 31-13 loss to then-No. 16 Washington. The Wildcats’ remaining schedule features three potentially ranked opponents – UCLA, Arizona State and Oregon – so they are likely to experience a drop in the Pac-12 standings.
4. USC
A year removed from a preseason No. 1 ranking, USC’s performance shows the team is far from title contention. Despite having the nation’s No. 16 defense in terms of points allowed, the Trojans’ struggles on offense have held the team back. USC ranks 90th in points scored and 76th in total yards. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Cody Kessler hasn’t found much success as Matt Barkley’s replacement, with just 1,560 passing yards on the season.
5. Utah
The Utes are one of the Pac-12’s biggest enigmas. Their success against unranked opponents, their near wins over UCLA and Oregon State and their victory against then-No. 5 Stanford point to Utah being a challenging opponent. However, consecutive losses to Arizona and USC suggest the opposite. With just one Pac-12 win and games against Arizona State and Oregon remaining, Utah’s chances of making up ground in the Pac-12 South are slim.
6. Colorado
Perennially one of the Pac-12’s worst teams, Colorado’s fortunes haven’t changed much this season. The Buffs are winless in the Pac-12 and have struggled on both offense and defense all season. Coach Mike MacIntyre’s first season at the helm has left Colorado with little reason to be excited for the future. Junior wide receiver Paul Richardson is one of the team’s lone bright spots, with 914 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on the year.
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff.