SI Pac-12 Week 2 Power Rankings: UCLA Gets Major Boost
The Fan Nation and Sports Illustrated publishers of the Pac-12 have come together to for the latest update of the conference's hierarchy following Week 1.
UCLA football (2-0) took hold of the top spot in the latest edition of the SI Pac-12 Power Rankings after spending the preseason and Week 1 rankings at No. 6. The Bruins vaulted up to first place despite only receiving one first-place vote because none of the six voters had them ranked lower than second after beating No. 16 LSU 38-27 on Saturday night.
Cal Sports Report, which had UCLA at No. 6 in last week's rankings, had the team at No. 1 this time around. The other five publishers pegged the Bruins at No. 2, even All Trojans, which had them lower than any other voter at No. 7 a week ago.
The Pac-12 North finished 1-5 in Week 1 compared to the Pac-12 South's 5-1 combined record as a division.
Here are the full Week 2 power rankings, as well as some brief thoughts from each of the publishers:
SI PAC-12 FOOTBALL WEEK 2 POWER RANKINGS
1. UCLA (2-0), 67 points (1 first-place vote)
2. USC (1-0), 66 (3)
3. Oregon (1-0), 63 (2)
4. Utah (1-0), 55
5. Arizona State (1-0), 48
6. Colorado (1-0), 37
7. Cal (0-1), 35
8. Washington (0-1), 33
9. Stanford (0-1), 23
10. Oregon State (0-1), 20
11 (tie). Arizona (0-1), 11
11 (tie). Washington State (0-1), 11
DONNIE DRUIN, ALL SUN DEVILS
1. USC; 2. UCLA; 3. Oregon; 4. ASU; 5. Utah; 6. Washington; 7. Colorado; 8. Cal; 9. Oregon State; 10. Washington State; 11. Stanford; 12. Arizona
Comment: Man, what a wild weekend for the Pac-12. UCLA proved itself worthy of jumping a few spots in the rankings, while Washington's loss really stings for their chances to prove how legitimate they are. USC remains atop of my power rankings after Oregon hung on by a thread at home. It's still early on, but our power rankings are sure to see some massive shifts in the first few weeks of the season.
JAKE CURTIS, CAL SPORTS REPORT
1. UCLA, 2. Utah; 3. USC; 4. Oregon; 5. Arizona State; 6. Colorado, 7. Cal, 8. Oregon State, 9. Arizona, 10. Stanford, 11. Washington, 12. Washington State
Comment: Let’s imagine for a moment that there were no preseason polls, no preseason rankings and no preseason predictions. In that expectations vacuum UCLA’s two-game results are clearly the best of the conference, moving them from sixth to the top spot. In the same vein, Washington sinks big time, having lost its only game, at home, to an FCS team.
MAX TORRES, DUCKS DIGEST
1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. USC; 4. Washington; 5. Utah; 6. Arizona State 7. Cal; 8. Stanford; 9. Colorado; 10. Oregon State; 11. Arizona; 12. Washington State
Comment: Oregon narrowly escaped against Fresno State, but they did win, which is something no other Pac-12 North school can say. UCLA looked like the real deal in its upset of LSU. Washington drops a few spots, as the season got off to a rocky start with a loss to FCS Montana after the offense struggled to put points on the board.
SAM CONNON, ALL BRUINS
1. USC; 2. UCLA; 3. Oregon; 4. Utah; 5. Arizona State; 6. Colorado; 7. California; 8. Stanford; 9. Washington; 10. Oregon State; 11. Arizona; 12. Washington State
Comment: While many of the Pac-12 North’s losses were expected, Washington’s collapse against Montana wound up being a stain on the whole conference and Oregon’s was too close for comfort and cost them Kayvon Thibodeaux. The South certainly pulled its weight, so even if USC looked iffy for three and a half quarters, they proved capable of beating a good team in a grind-it-out game. Oh, and then there’s UCLA, who’s hotter than anyone else out West and looks legit moving forward.
CLAUDETTE MONTANA PATTISON, ALL TROJANS
1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. USC; 4. Utah; 5. Arizona State; 6. Colorado; 7. Washington 8. Cal; 9. Stanford; 10. Washington State; 11. Oregon State; 12. Arizona
Comment: UCLA moves up the ranks after an unbelievable win over the LSU Tigers. The Bruins drew back national attention for the Pac-12 conference, with all eyes on Chip Kelly and his team. Washington drops after a brutal loss to the Montana Grizzlies.
DAN RALEY, HUSKY MAVEN
1. USC; 2. UCLA; 3. Oregon; 4. Utah; 5. Arizona State; 6. Cal; 7. Colorado; 8. Washington; 9. Stanford; 10. Oregon State; 11. Washington State; 12. Arizona
Comment: The big news is UCLA is back, with Chip Kelly maybe moving his newer team past his old team in the standings this season. The shocking news is Washington lost. To an FCS opponent. At home. As a ranked team. I don't think the Huskies recover from this faceplant.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated
