Eight Pac-12 Teams Find a Place in This Week's AP Top-25 Football Rankings

It's the most Pac-12 schools ever in the poll in the same week, more than any conference nationally.

Just as 10 members of its conference have decided to go elsewhere beginning next season, the Pac-12 made history Sunday when eight teams found spots in the AP Top-25 football rankings.

The Pac-12 never had more than six teams ranked in the same poll, something it accomplished most recently last week. But Washington State and UCLA, at Nos. 23 and 24, respectively, joined the party this week to give the Top-25 a decidedly Pac-12 flavor.

According to the Associated Press, only the Southeastern Conference has put as many as eight teams in the Top-25, achieving that 21 times. The SEC placed a record 10 teams in the poll in September 20-15.

Cal made its most recent appearance in the AP Top-25 in 2019, when the Bears reached as high as No. 15.

Here’s how Pac-12 teams rank this week:

5. USC (3-0)

8. Washington (2-0)

12. Utah (2-0)

13. Oregon (2-0)

16. Oregon State (2-0)

18. Colorado (2-0)

23. Washington State (2-0)

24. UCLA (2-0)

Of course, only Oregon State and Washington State among the eight ranked Pac-12 schools may still be part of the conference a year from now. They are the league’s only two schools who haven’t defected to a new conference address.

USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon are bound for the Big Ten, while Utah and Colorado will move to the Big 12. Cal and Stanford recently accepted invitations to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Pac-12 has been impressive so far, compiling a non-conference record of 20-3. Only Cal, Arizona and Arizona State have suffered non-conference losses while Stanford lost 56-10 to USC in a Pac-12 matchup.

Five Pac-12 schools were in the preseason Top-25 with Colorado jumping in a week ago after its surprising win at TCU and WSU and UCLA joining this week.

The Trojans climbed one spot to No. 5, giving each Power 5 conference a team in the top-five for the first time in six years.

Georgia remains a decisive No. 1 with Michigan at No. 2 and Florida State climbing one spot to No. 3. Texas soared seven spots to No. 4 after its 34-24 win at Alabama, earning its highest ranking since 2010.

Cover photo of Washington State fans celebrating their win over Wisconsin by James Snook, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo