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THE WEST COAST — The Pac-12 standings are starting to shape up as the championship game is less than a month away.
USC and Arizona put on a show in a classic edition of #Pac12AfterDark while Utah ended its losing streak by annihilating UCLA. Stanford and Washington State played in a snow-filled showdown, and Oregon State tried its best to get its first conference win but fell short.
Here’s a look at how the Conference of Champions performed in Week 10.
Arizona (6-3, 4-2 Pac-12) at USC (8-2, 6-1)
Score: USC 49, Arizona 35
Game recap: Down 22 points, it didn’t seem like Arizona could make the comeback and fight for victory. However, #Pac12AfterDark had another plan. USC led 28-6 halfway through the third quarter before quarterback Khalil Tate led the Wildcats to erase their deficit in 11 minutes with four touchdowns. Tied with eight minutes left to play, Trojans running back Ronald Jones found the end zone twice to put USC ahead.
Key stat: Tate became the first Pac-12 quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Conference implication: Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold improved to 11-0 at the Coliseum. USC is first in the South and will likely face Washington in the league’s championship game next month.
Arizona’s first game as a ranked team resulted in a loss, but props to the Wildcats for giving it their all in what was an epic comeback. There are a lot of positives to take away from its second-half performance.
Next opponent: USC travels to Colorado on Saturday. Arizona hosts Oregon State on Saturday.
Colorado (5-5, 2-5) at Arizona State (5-4, 4-2)
Score: Arizona State 41, Colorado 30
Game recap: Colorado put the first points on the board and kept its lead throughout the first half, but dropped passes, a blocked punt and missed tackles hurt the Buffs later in the game. Trailing by 10 in the third quarter, Arizona State turned to its running game to power through Colorado and snag the program’s 600th win.
Key stat: Sun Devils running back Demario Richard had 141 of his 189 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.
Conference implication: Arizona State’s offense found its run game again while its defense managed to stop big plays. The Sun Devils are on their way to a bowl game.
Colorado made getting to a bowl a little harder with this loss. The Buffs need one more win for bowl eligibility with two games left to play.
Next opponent: Arizona State travels to UCLA on Saturday. Colorado hosts USC on Saturday.
Oregon (5-5, 2-5) at Washington (8-1, 5-1)
Score: Washington 38, Oregon 3
Game recap: Oregon’s only score came in the middle of the first quarter. After a slothful start, Washington got on a roll after Dante Pettis’ 64-yard punt return for a touchdown, becoming the NCAA career leader in punt return touchdowns. The Huskies continued to add touchdowns and denied the Ducks to enter the end zone.
Key stat: Oregon passed for 31 total yards.
Conference implication: Washington’s defense came into the game allowing an average of 71.6 yards per game. Although it allowed 247 yards on the ground from the Ducks, the Huskies made sure their opponent didn’t own the game with its rushing attack. Washington now sits atop the North standings, ahead of in-state rival Washington State, and will likely face USC in the Pac-12 championship game.
Oregon didn’t give itself much of a chance with cautious play calling. Quarterback Braxton Burmeister threw only 13 times against a team that was missing two starters at cornerback. Now, the Ducks sit just above Oregon State at the bottom of the division.
Next opponent: Washington travels to Stanford on Friday. Oregon enters its bye week.
Oregon State (1-8, 0-6) at California (5-5, 2-5)
Score: California 37, Oregon State 23
Game recap: Oregon State trailed early in the first half but cut California’s lead to 23-20 late in the third quarter. The Beavers were flagged with an unsportsmanlike penalty on the succeeding kickoff, setting up a 25-yard pass for a Bears touchdown. Oregon State tried to make a push with a touchdown of its own, but settled for a 31-yard field goal with six minutes left to play, running out of time and giving California the win.
Key stat: California didn’t punt once for the sixth time in school history and first time since 2004 (USC).
Conference implication: California is staying strong for a bowl game. Finished with their home schedule, the Bears now head into a bye week before meeting Stanford and UCLA. The team will need to keep its balanced offense, something that looks promising after running back Patrick Laird’s career performance.
Oregon State is looking better than it did earlier in the season. The Beavers are also looking more confident, using some trickery on their first scoring drive. The defense kept things close in the third quarter but couldn’t hold it throughout the game’s last 15 minutes.
Next opponent: California enters its bye week. Oregon State travels to Arizona on Saturday.
Stanford (6-3, 5-2) at Washington State (8-2, 5-2)
Score: Washington State 24, Stanford 21
Game recap: After a 14-7 halftime lead, Washington State drove to Stanford’s 13-yard line on the second half’s first drive. The Cougars were forced to settle for a field goal, giving the Cardinal some hope to stay in the game. Stanford feared its chance to stay in the game would disappear when quarterback K.J. Costello fumbled the ball, but it bounced back into his hands and he ran 14 yards for a touchdown. Stanford’s luck continued when it intercepted Washington State on fourth-and-1, returning it for 52 yards for a score. The Cougars answered with a touchdown of their own to take the lead, followed by an interception to seal the win.
Key stat: Washington State quarterback Luke Falk threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the Pac-12’s all-time passing record holder (Sean Mannion—13,600).
Conference implication: While it is bowl-bound, Washington State needs to win at Utah and Washington in the next two weeks to win the North. The Cougars finished the season undefeated at home with seven wins in Pullman, Washington.
Though he broke free for a 52-yard touchdown, running back Bryce Love was hindered from an ankle injury and held to 69 yards. Stanford hoped to win for a chance at the division title but now sits behind both Washington schools.
Next opponent: Washington State travels to Utah on Saturday. Stanford hosts Washington on Friday.
UCLA (4-5, 2-4) at Utah (5-4, 2-4)
Score: Utah 48, UCLA 17
Game recap: Utah got on the scoreboard first after recovering a fumble on a punt return in the first quarter. Despite the Utes’ 17-10 lead going into halftime, neither team impressed in the first half. Utah got the ball first in the second half and running back Troy McCormick caught a 75-yard touchdown to get the Utes rolling in what would be an exciting half for them. The home team scored on its first three drives of the third quarter to put the game away.
Key stat: Utah finished with 506 total yards and held UCLA to 249.
Conference implication: Both teams came into the game with a 4-4 record, but Utah desperately needed to end its four-game losing streak. The offense was much more balanced, led by quarterback Tyler Huntley, who looked as comfortable as he did in the beginning of the season. The Utes’ priority is getting seniors to a bowl game. It’s doable, especially if head coach Kyle Whittingham keeps his team playing like it did on Friday.
UCLA suffered heartbreak in every sense of the word. Yes, the loss stings, but the Bruins suffered season-ending injuries to senior wide receiver Darren Andrews and junior defensive lineman Ainuu Taua, both “blowing out their knees.” In addition to getting banged up with other injuries, UCLA will work with a next-man-up mentality to get through the rest of the season.
Next opponent: Utah hosts Washington State on Saturday. UCLA hosts Arizona State on Saturday.







