A rapid recap of the Week Four action …
Theme of the Week I: Thrillers
Of the four conference games, three were decided by three points or less and two had finishes befitting 100-year-old rivalries. That those came in back-to-back fashion in high-exposure windows on Friday (FOX broadcast for Cal-Stanford and ESPN primetime for Oregon-OSU) means plenty of eyeballs were on the Pac-12 for more than six consecutive hours.
Theme of the Week II: Adios, CFP
Combine Oregon’s loss with USC’s cancellation, and the conference’s ultra-slim playoff hopes have been extinguished … as long as the CFP remains on schedule. The only hope for the Pac-12 at this point is major stretch-run disruption that forces a delay into late January, allowing the conference to add games and bolster resumes.
Theme of the Season: Disruption
Three teams were unable to play last week (Arizona State, USC and Washington State) leading to the first non-conference game of the season, Colorado’s victory over San Diego State. The Pac-12 has now lost nine games over four weeks, with two created (Cal-UCLA and Utah-Washington) for a net of minus-seven conference matchups. And given where things stand on this Monday morning, with USC, Washington State, ASU and Stanford all facing various COVID-related challenges, we should expect another wild week.
Game of the Week: Stanford 24, Cal 23
The first Big Game ever played on a Friday wasn’t necessarily easy to watch for 56 minutes, but the finish was impossible to forget. The Bears went 90 yards for what appeared to be the tying touchdowns on a short run by Christopher Brown with 58 seconds left, but Stanford secured the win with a blocked extra point by defensive lineman Thomas Booker.
Game of the Year: Oregon State 41, Oregon 38
The signature win for OSU coach Jonathan Smith had everything in triplicate, including a 13-point underdog rallying from 12-points down to topple the undefeated conference favorite. And the finish — with OSU’s touchdown, the controversial officiating, Tristan Gebbia’s injury, Chance Nolan’s one-play appearance — was beyond gripping.
Offensive Player of the Week: OSU tailback Jermar Jefferson.
The junior sliced and diced the Oregon defense for 226 yards, 7.8 yards-per-carry and two touchdowns. Jefferson is second in the nation in rushing at 168.8 ypg and the favorite for Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. Honorable mention for OPOW: UCLA tailback Demetric Felton, who rushed for 206 against Arizona before a late-game injury.
Defensive Player of the Week: Washington linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui
The sophomore had three sacks against Utah, bringing his total to seven in three games (in addition to three forced fumbles). Yes, it’s a small sample size, but his 2.3 sacks/game and one forced fumble/game both lead the country. He’s our current frontrunner for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and I’m not sure it’s close.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Stanford’s Thomas Booker
A blocked PAT in the final minute to preserve victory in a rivalry game and secure your team’s first win of the season … easy call. Although for this rivalry, Booker’s block doesn’t even make the short list for greatest special teams plays.
Not-So-Special Special Teams of the Season: Cal
The Bears muffed a punt and had two kicks blocked against Stanford. That would be bad enough except the comedy routine was on the scene a week earlier in Corvallis, where a late-game blocked punt led to Oregon State’s winning touchdown. They say special teams are one-third of the game, but they account for two-thirds of Cal’s losses.
Not-So-Special Defense of the Season: Oregon
The Ducks were supposed to have a stout front seven but instead have been a turnstile: They’re No. 103 nationally in yards-per-play allowed (6.37) and No. 112 in yards-per-rush allowed (5.4) — and all against teams that were playing rookie or backup quarterbacks. It seems Troy Dye was even better than we thought.
Comeback of the Week: Washington
The Huskies trailed 21-0 at halftime, then dominated Utah in the third and fourth quarters and took the lead on a touchdown pass with 36 seconds left. It was the first comeback of 21 points or more for UW since 1989.
Clincher of the Week: Colorado
The Buffaloes defeated San Diego State for their third win of the season. Because one game has been canceled, they have clinched the .500 record needed for postseason eligibility under Pac-12 rules. For the first time since 2016 — and only the second time since 2007 — they’re in the postseason. If there is a postseason.
Corner Turning of an Era: UCLA
For the first time in Chip Kelly’s three years on the job, it’s possible to see progress in Westwood. The Bruins are 2-2 and would be 4-0 if they hadn’t given away so many points and possessions in Boulder and Eugene. Felton is fabulous, but what stands out is the front seven: Those guys are big, fast and hard to block.
Rank Rankings of the Week: AP and Coaches polls.
Somehow, the voters have Oregon ahead of Washington — by two spots in the AP and by three in the Coaches — even though the Ducks have a loss, the Huskies do not, and UW beat the team that just beat Oregon. It doesn’t help that Washington’s games have all ended at 11 p.m. (or later) Eastern. But still …
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