Pac-12 in AP Poll: Colorado Comes in at No. 22

Six Pac-12 teams in top 25. Cal gets no votes in AP poll, but is 30th in ESPN's FPI. Two Colorado players in Heisman race

Six Pac-12 teams are ranked in the top 25 in this week’s Associated Press college football media poll released Tuesday, and that includes Colorado, which is ranked No. 22.

The Buffaloes were picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 and did not receive any votes in the AP preseason poll, but they jumped into the top 25 this week after upsetting then-No. 17 TCU 45-42 on the road on Saturday. 

Suddenly coach Deion Sanders, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way performer Travis Hunter are the talk of college football. And both Colorado players have put themselves in the Heisman Trophy race.  In fact, four of the top five favorites for the Heisman Trophy, according BetOnline, are from the Pac-12.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, is the favorite at 9-to-2, but Colorado's Hunter and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. are tied as the second favorites at 9-to-1, along with Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. Shedeur Sanders has the fifth best odds at 14-to-1.

Shedeur Sanders was this week's Pac-12 offensive player of the week, and Hunter was the conference defensive player of the week.

The other Pac-12 teams that are ranked are USC at No. 6, Washington at No. 8, Utah at No. 12, Oregon at No. 13 and Oregon State at No. 18.

The Pac-12 is the only conference that has not suffered a loss yet (13-0), and the Pac-12 is tied with the Southeastern Conference for the most top-25 teams with six apiece.

Cal posted a 58-21 victory over North Texas in its opener, but the Bears did not receive any votes in the AP poll. The Bears are ranked 30th in the country in ESPN’s Power Football Index, which now calculates that Cal will finish with 6.9 wins and 5.1 losses, in other words 7-5, which would get the Bears into a bowl game.

Auburn, which will play at Cal on Saturday night, is not in the top 25 but did received three voting points in this week’s poll.

Cover photo of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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