Those three unblemished Pac-12 teams can’t afford a misstep this week. Not with Pac-12 South favorite Southern California falling out of the rankings after a loss to Stanford, which also led to the firing of coach Clay Helton. Not with Utah tumbling a week ago in a loss to rival BYU. Not with Washington off to a 0-2 start for the first time since 2008.
Think a Pac-12 team has a shot at the national title game?
“Honestly, I think it’s more important for the Pac-12 that USC make the right hire going forward, as far as like a really big-name coach and a really big-name staff. That’s something the whole conference can use to leverage the new TV deal, whatever that’s going to be,” Papadakis said. “That’s way more important than having an Oregon play, say, Georgia — unless somebody can win it all.”
The Ducks are riding high after a win at Ohio State — their first road victory over a top-five team since beating Stanford in 2011.
“Big game for Oregon; big game for the Pac-12,” Ducks coach Mario Cristobal said on the team’s website.
Next up: Stony Brook, an FCS team out of New York. The Ducks are looking to extend their winning streak at Autzen Stadium to 14 straight games.
The Sun Devils travel to Provo, Utah, to take on a tenacious BYU team, which has already beaten Arizona and Utah.
