Reubenking's Roundup: Recapping Week 12 in Pac-12 Football

Can this conference get any crazier? No matter what game you were tuned into this weekend, you saw what makes the "conference of champions" so great — the fact that you really have no idea what you'll see when you tune into a game.

Let's jump right into this loaded and hectic weekend in the Pac-12.

Washington State Routs Arizona 44-18 in Foggy Palouse

The score makes this game seem a bit closer than it really was.

Washington State's offense showed a balanced attack against Arizona from start to finish. On his senior night, Max Borghi started off the scoring with a 26-yard touchdown run.

Then, it was Jayden de Laura's turn. He connected with Travell Harris for an eight-yard score on a beautiful throw to the back corner of the end zone.

Arizona quickly responded, flipping the field with a 71-yard sprint by Drake Anderson and then putting a touchdown on the board with a fourth-down throw from Will Plummer to Boobie Curry, who leaped over the defender to snag the pass.

Unfazed by the quick score, the Cougars scored even faster with a 38-yard run by Deon McIntosh and a 43-yard touchdown strike from de Laura to Calvin Jackson Jr.

After that, it was all Cougars. They scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half and also swatted an Arizona punt into the back of the end zone for a safety.

de Laura threw for 259 yards and four touchdowns, two to Harris and two to Jackson. Borghi, in his final game at Martin Stadium, put on a show for the home faithful with a career-high 139 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

With the win, the Cougars are bowl eligible even after the coaching switch in the middle of the season. And with Oregon's loss to Utah, interim head coach Jake Dickert still has this team in the hunt for a Pac-12 North title and can clinch the division with a win over Washington and an Oregon State win over Oregon next week.

Next Up:

Arizona - At Arizona State (7-4) at 1:00 p.m. on Pac-12 Network

Washington State - At Washington (4-7) on Friday at 5:00 p.m. on FS1

Colorado Slips Past Washington 20-17 Despite Offensive Struggles

This game might have been the weirdest of the weekend. Washington outgained Colorado 426-183 and had 22 first downs compared to the Buffaloes' nine first downs. The Huskies had the ball for more than 12 minutes more than Colorado did.

Yet the Huskies left Boulder with a 4-7 record — their first season with at least seven losses since going 5-7 in 2009 in Steve Sarkisian's first season at the helm.

Colorado put the first points on the board with a field goal, and Washington appeared primed to answer with a long drive that got down to the Colorado 3. On first-and-goal, Dylan Morris fumbled the snap under center and the football got kicked backward and was picked up by Buffaloes linebacker Jack Lamb, who ran it the other way for an 88-yard touchdown.

The story of the game for the Huskies offensively was moving the ball down the field with efficiency and then getting stalled by a turnover or settling for a field goal. Washington responded to the defensive touchdown with another long drive but settled for a field goal.

After five straight punts for both teams, the Huskies finally found the end zone with a Morris pass to Rome Odunze, who had 37 of their 40 yards on the drive to tie the game at 10.

Washington's defense was playing lights out, holding the Buffs to just one first down in their seven possessions after the opening drive field goal. But the Huskies' offense couldn't stop making mistakes after the defense would give the ball back.

The first four possessions for the Huskies in the second half resulted in: interception, missed field goal, fumble, interception. Colorado took the lead on a field goal after the fumble and then after Morris threw a pick in the end zone, the Buffs drove 80 yards and extended the lead to 20-10 with a Brendon Lewis touchdown run.

As has been custom for much of the Huskies season, the offense found a pulse in the fourth quarter when their back was against the wall. Morris found Ja'Lynn Polk, who had just one catch in the season, down the field for a 55-yard touchdown to make it 20-17.

The Huskies forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with two minutes left in the fourth. With the game on the line, Colorado's defense showed up on the final drive, batting down Morris' pass on third down and then blitzing him on fourth down and forcing an errant throw to seal the victory.

Next Up:

Washington - Home vs. Washington State (6-5) on Friday at 5:00 p.m. on FS1

Colorado - At No. 16 Utah (8-3) on Friday at 1:00 p.m. on Fox

UCLA Rolls Over USC 62-33 Behind DTR's 6 TDs

This game could not have began in a more bizarre manner. USC scored first on a field goal, and then it was as if neither team wanted to keep the football. Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a pick, then Jaxson Dart, in his first career start, chucked one deep, but was intercepted on a brilliant play by Quentin Lake.

The Bruins take it right back! 🔒@UCLAFootball comes up with a big time interception 🔥

Sponsored by @Allstate #AllstateGoodHands pic.twitter.com/fUze7X5XXA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 20, 2021

On the next drive, DTR forced a throw to midfield to Chase Cota, who could only watch in disappointment as Chris Steele dove for the pick.

There were SIXTEEN combined possessions in the first half, and only two of them lasted for longer than three minutes. UCLA went 94 yards in just under two and a half minutes for the first touchdown of the day on a 45-yard dart from DTR to Kazmeir Allen.

USC re-took the lead with a Vavae Malepeai touchdown run, but that would be the last lead the Trojans would enjoy.

The Bruins caught fire in the second quarter, scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions — two passing from DTR and one rushing. Then they scored two more touchdowns in the third and three more in the fourth. USC once came within nine points after a 44-yard touchdown pass from Dart to Gary Bryant Jr., but the Bruins outscored them 28-7 after that, slamming their foot on the gas pedal all the way to the end.

After he was intercepted on each of his first two pass attempts, Thompson-Robinson completed 16 of his 20 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns, and he also ran in two more touchdowns.

Allen had three total touchdowns — two through the air and a 100-yard kick return in the third quarter after the Bryant touchdown. Kyle Philips also had two touchdown catches, and Zach Charbonnet enjoyed a career day with 167 rushing yards and a touchdown.

In his first career start, Dart completed 27 of his 47 passes for 325 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Next Up:

UCLA - Home vs. California (4-6) at 7:30 p.m. on FS1

USC - Home vs. No. 13 BYU (9-2) at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

Cal Offense Explodes in 41-11 Domination vs. Stanford in 124th "Big Game"

In their last three games, the Stanford Cardinal have been outscored 128-32. Even with starting quarterback Tanner McKee back from injury, the first half was an offensive nightmare for Stanford.

First five possessions for Stanford: interception in the red zone, turnover on downs, turnover on downs, three-and-out, punt. Cal wasn't doing so hot on offense at first either with turnovers on its first two drives, but Chase Garbers ended the scoring drought with a 84-yard dart to Trevon Clark, who burned the Cardinal secondary and walked into the end zone.

Cal scored once again on another 80-yard drive capped off by a Garbers toss to Christopher Brooks in the end zone.

After trailing 14-3 at halftime, Stanford got run out of its own stadium in the second half. Cal scored on each of its first five possessions in the second half, including a 76-yard TD run by Marcel Dancy on the first of his two touchdowns in the half.

Cal ran all over Stanford's defense, racking up a season-high 636 total yards of offense (284 passing, 352 rushing). Cal's 636 yards were the most since putting up the same number against Oregon on Oct. 21, 2016, and 352 rushing yards was the most in a game since rushing for 431 yards against Washington on Dec. 6, 2008.

The Golden Bears' 30-point win on the road is their biggest road victory in the series since winning 48-15 back in 1975. After losing nine straight games against Stanford, Cal has now won two of its last three in the series.

Next Up:

California - At UCLA (7-4) at 7:30 p.m. on FS1

Stanford - Home vs. No. 5 Notre Dame (10-1) at 5:00 p.m.

No. 23 Utah Blows Out No. 3 Oregon 38-7 to Clinch Pac-12 South

To read how this game played out, check out Nick Battey's recap.

Next Up:

Oregon - Home vs. Oregon State (7-4) at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN

Utah - Home vs. Colorado (4-7) on Friday at 1:00 p.m. on Fox

Oregon State Beats Arizona State 24-10 to Stay In Thick of Pac-12 North Race

After Oregon's loss to Utah, the Oregon State Beavers had to be licking their chops.

The already bowl eligible Beavers could pull within one game of the Pac-12 North with a win on Saturday against the Arizona State Sun Devils, who were no longer in contention for the South.

Rocking the throwback uniforms, the Beavers began strong with an interception of Jayden Daniels. They couldn't capitalize on the following drive off the turnover, but they put up points on each of their next three drives, including a touchdown pass from Chance Nolan to Tre'Shaun Harrison and a touchdown scamper from Nolan.

Trailing 17-0 at halftime, Arizona State sliced the lead with a field goal. Oregon State punter Luke Loecher fumbled the snap and Arizona State recovered deep in Beavers territory, and then DeaMonte Trayanum punched it in two plays later to make it 17-10.

The Sun Devils' defense took the field looking for a stop to give the ball back to the offense for a chance to tie. They forced the Beavers to make a decision on fourth-and-2 just inside ASU territory, and Nolan handed it off to Jack Colletto, who ran free for a 47-yard touchdown that proved to be the dagger.