Still Not Convinced Oregon Is Best the Pac-12 Has to Offer

A 46-point loss still lingers in the background when rating the Ducks.

Memories are short when it comes to the University of Oregon football team.

While the Ducks' most recent body of work has been impressive, especially in hosting and thumping previously unbeaten UCLA 45-30 this past weekend in Eugene, there's still that ugly little matter of opening day.

Georgia. 

Season opener.

49-3. 

It's a blemish that likely will cost the Webfoots (6-1 overall, 4-0 Pac-12) any consideration for a playoff berth, even if they win out. It's not something you easily dismiss in the college football ranks that still are all about appearances.

The Ducks have a schedule that favors them, but to be totally convincing we need to see them manhandle Washington at home on Nov. 12 before elevating them beyond everyone in the conference standings.

Oregon followers will tell you that's blasphemy and so be it. 

Beat the Huskies, currently No. 5 in the FanNation/SI Pac-12 poll and scary good on offense, and you have our vote. 

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SI PAC-12 POWER RANKINGS/WEEK 9

1. Oregon 6-1, 4-0 . . . (6) 83 

2. UCLA 6-1, 3-1 . . .  72

3. USC 6-1, 4-1 . . . (1) 71

4. Utah 5-2, 3-1 . . .  68 

5. WASHINGTON 6-2, 3-2 . . . 53

6. Oregon State  6-2, 3-2 . . . 52

7. Washington State 4-3, 1-3 . . 42 

8. Arizona 3-4, 1-3  . . . . 30

9. Stanford 3-4, 1-4 . . . 27

10. Cal 3-4, 1-3 . . . 25

11. Arizona State 2-5, 1-3 . . . 16

12. Colorado 1-6, 1-3 . . . 7

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JAKE CURTIS, CAL SPORTS REPORT

1. Oregon, 2. USC, 3. UCLA, 4. Utah, 5. Washington, 6. Oregon State, 7. Washington State, 8.. Stanford, 9. Cal, 10. Arizona, 11. Arizona State, 12. Colorado

Comment: Seems like a different team is No. 1 each week, and that trend is likely to continue. Still waiting for one of the top four teams to lose to one of the eight other squads, but it’s going to happen. Also waiting for a Pac-12 team to play a little defense.  First team to get a stop wins the conference.

MAX TORRES, DUCKS DIGEST

1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. USC; 4. Utah; 5. Washington; 6. Oregon State; 7. Washington State; 8.. Cal; 9. Arizona; 10. Arizona State; 11. Stanford; 12. Colorado

Comment: Oregon solidified itself as the Pac-12's top team. At least for now. Anything less than domination these next two weeks against Cal and Colorado will be a let down. The defense needs to continue improving before they return to Eugene where they'll host rival Washington.

KEVIN BORBA, ALL CARDINAL

1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. Utah; 4. USC; 5. Washington; 6. Oregon State; 7. Washington State; 8. Arizona; 9. Stanford; 10. Cal; 11. ASU; 12. Colorado 

Comment: Oregon has to be the top team in the Pac-12 right now, and they are looking like the hottest team in the country. Stanford squeaked by in what was a hideous win over Arizona State, but the team finally has some momentum on the year. Unfortunately they have to play a tough UCLA team this week, and the injury bug striking the Cardinal again will not help. The defense and kicker Josh Karty are currently carrying  this team. 

SAM CONNON, ALL BRUINS

1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. Utah; 4. USC; 5. Oregon State; 6. Washington; 7. Washington State; 8.. Arizona; 9. Stanford; 10. Cal; 11. Arizona State; 12. Colorado

Comment: The top four teams in the conference are still the top four teams in the conference, and now that Oregon beat UCLA, the round-robin between them will go on hiatus for a few weeks. It's tough to really put them in a definitive order since they've all cannibalized each other a little bit recently, but maybe an upset at the hands of Washington, Oregon State or a bottom feeder could show some of their true colors in the near future.

WYATT ALLSUP, ALL TROJANS

1. Oregon; 2. UCLA; 3. USC; 4. Utah; 5. Oregon State; 6. Washington; 7. Washington State; 8.. Arizona; 9. Stanford; 10. Arizona State; 11. Cal; 12. Colorado

Comment: Oregon has quietly had a very strong season, getting the job done in all of the games it was supposed to win. Getting outclassed by Georgia in Week 1 took the heat off this team and lowered the expectations, but maybe the Ducks are as good as they always have been. As of now, this is the team to beat in the conference. One of USC or Utah will likely have a shot to prove its case as the Pac-12’s finest in a championship matchup against Oregon unless UCLA wins out. 

COLE BAGLEY, ALL UTES

1. Oregon; 2. Utah; 3. USC; 4. UCLA; 5. Oregon State; 6. Washington; 7. Washington State; 8.. Arizona; 9. Cal; 10. Stanford; 11. Arizona State; 12. Colorado

Comment: Nearly every week Oregon has gained momentum and proven that their performance against Georgia was just an unfortunate fluke. Following their dominant victory over UCLA this past weekend, the Ducks now sit at the top of the conference and have a great chance to find themselves back in the Pac-12 Championship game in December. For now, the only thing really standing in their way is a November 19 matchup with Utah that very well could decide who goes and who stays, assuming those teams win the rest of the games on their schedule.

DAN RALEY, INSIDE THE HUSKIES

1. USC; 2. Oregon; 3. Utah; 4. UCLA; 5. Washington; 6. Oregon State; 7. Washington State;  8. Stanford; 9. Cal; 10. Arizona; 11. Arizona State; 12. Colorado

Comment: By now, we can see the Pac-12 is broken into three tiers — 4 championship contenders, 4 teams just looking for a bowl game and 4 teams not going anywhere. With a month to go, will we see any movement? I like both Oregon schools and I wasn't sure what to make of them when the season began. I don't see much difference between the top four teams in the standings. The UW has plenty of offense to always be entertaining, but not enough to D to rise out of the middle tier. 

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