It's up to Washington & Oregon to save college football in the West

[AlaskaGuy]

2020 Pac-12 Football Team Rankings

 

[AlaskaGuy]

How each playoff contender has answered its offseason questions

Oregon (3-1)
Current FPI title odds: 0.7% (preseason: 1.2%)

Preseason Ifs ...
If ... a young pass rush becomes a good pass rush
If ... Oregon learns to handle success
If ... Justin Herbert turns flashes of brilliance into an actually brilliant season
If ... Oregon starts making an Oregon level of big plays again

What a hire defensive coordinator Andy Avalos has been for Mario Cristobal and the Ducks. Oregon currently ranks fourth in defensive SP+, playing solidly against the run and mostly dominating the pass. Oregon ranks 21st in overall sack rate -- 10th on blitz downs -- despite leaning mostly on young pass-rushers.

The other ifs remain unanswered at best. Oregon responded to a great start against Auburn (up 21-6 after 36 minutes) with a collapse. Herbert has been great against lesser Nevada, Montana and Stanford teams but couldn't make plays late against the Tigers. (He's currently 19th in Total QBR, up only slightly from last season's No. 24 ranking.) The run game isn't producing, and the big-play total is average. The defense is better than anyone could have hoped, but the offense lacks. Can the Ducks find a better rhythm before big games against Cal (Week 6) and Washington (Week 8)?


Washington (3-1)
Current FPI title odds: 0.1% (preseason: 0.3%)

Preseason Ifs ...
If ... Jacob Eason has developed behind the scenes
If ... UW is no longer atrocious at finishing drives
If ... a new secondary clears a high bar
If ... Chris Petersen finds where he misplaced his close-game karma

The Huskies have won three games by an average score of 48-18 and just trounced a BYU team that was coming off a victory over USC. They are ninth in SP+, and they remain a favorite in the Pac-12 race.

They also managed to lose their only close game, a second consecutive defeat to Cal. In that game, they showed an alarming lack of efficiency. They destroy you if you fall behind schedule, but they can't force you off schedule nearly as well (98th in standard-downs success rate).

Eason also sputtered in the loss. He's completing 73% of his passes and ranks 15th in Total QBR (ahead of Oregon's Herbert), but he took three sacks and threw a bad pick against Cal. If he and Washington play well in the coming games against USC, Oregon and Utah, the Cal loss probably won't matter. But it means everything for now.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

How each playoff contender has answered its offseason questions

Oregon (3-1)
Current FPI title odds: 0.7% (preseason: 1.2%)

Preseason Ifs ...
If ... a young pass rush becomes a good pass rush
If ... Oregon learns to handle success
If ... Justin Herbert turns flashes of brilliance into an actually brilliant season
If ... Oregon starts making an Oregon level of big plays again

What a hire defensive coordinator Andy Avalos has been for Mario Cristobal and the Ducks. Oregon currently ranks fourth in defensive SP+, playing solidly against the run and mostly dominating the pass. Oregon ranks 21st in overall sack rate -- 10th on blitz downs -- despite leaning mostly on young pass-rushers.

The other ifs remain unanswered at best. Oregon responded to a great start against Auburn (up 21-6 after 36 minutes) with a collapse. Herbert has been great against lesser Nevada, Montana and Stanford teams but couldn't make plays late against the Tigers. (He's currently 19th in Total QBR, up only slightly from last season's No. 24 ranking.) The run game isn't producing, and the big-play total is average. The defense is better than anyone could have hoped, but the offense lacks. Can the Ducks find a better rhythm before big games against Cal (Week 6) and Washington (Week 8)?


Washington (3-1)
Current FPI title odds: 0.1% (preseason: 0.3%)

Preseason Ifs ...
If ... Jacob Eason has developed behind the scenes
If ... UW is no longer atrocious at finishing drives
If ... a new secondary clears a high bar
If ... Chris Petersen finds where he misplaced his close-game karma

The Huskies have won three games by an average score of 48-18 and just trounced a BYU team that was coming off a victory over USC. They are ninth in SP+, and they remain a favorite in the Pac-12 race.

They also managed to lose their only close game, a second consecutive defeat to Cal. In that game, they showed an alarming lack of efficiency. They destroy you if you fall behind schedule, but they can't force you off schedule nearly as well (98th in standard-downs success rate).

Eason also sputtered in the loss. He's completing 73% of his passes and ranks 15th in Total QBR (ahead of Oregon's Herbert), but he took three sacks and threw a bad pick against Cal. If he and Washington play well in the coming games against USC, Oregon and Utah, the Cal loss probably won't matter. But it means everything for now.

I truly believe for Oregon it comes down to getting some of their big receivers healthy. Unfortunate that Devon didn't commit to Oregon initially, he could have been huge in the Auburn game.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[BoiseMike19]

I got UofW as the best in the PAC. Oregon is going to Oregon like you guys did against Cal at least once. Win out and it's yours.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Week 6 power rankings: Buckeyes, Sooners are contenders

Pac-12
In the driver’s seat: Oregon, Washington
Contenders: Utah, Arizona State
Potential fraud: Cal

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

I got UofW as the best in the PAC. Oregon is going to Oregon like you guys did against Cal at least once. Win out and it's yours.

We already did...opening weekend.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/25-college-football-games-look-forward-october-2019

5. Oregon at Washington (Oct. 19)
The Pac-12's playoff hopes may be dwindling but there's still a shot of impressing the committee for both the Huskies and Ducks as one of the most bitter rivalries once again embroils the Pacific Northwest. NFL scouts are bound to tune in for potential first-rounders Justin Herbert and Jacob Eason but don't discount the two very fast and physical defenses in a game that should determine a trip to the conference title game.

 

[TheReal_NU]

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/25-college-football-games-look-forward-october-2019

5. Oregon at Washington (Oct. 19)
The Pac-12's playoff hopes may be dwindling but there's still a shot of impressing the committee for both the Huskies and Ducks as one of the most bitter rivalries once again embroils the Pacific Northwest. NFL scouts are bound to tune in for potential first-rounders Justin Herbert and Jacob Eason but don't discount the two very fast and physical defenses in a game that should determine a trip to the conference title game.

You should start the pregame thread now.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Pac-12 North observations after first five weeks: Ducks, Huskies impressing so far

 

[78Cyclones]

The problem with Pac football is that it is not 1990 anymore! I was watching the 1990 UCLA @ Washington replay today, and the talent on both of those teams was incredible not to mention two Hall of Fame Coaches. Keith Jackson even commented on how Washington had picked up on recruiting in the past couple of years. In that vein, 1991 Washington Husky Greatness was inevitable! Not slamming on 2019 Pac Football, just remembering when the Pac was probably the best Conference in CFB in the late 80s / early 90s.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

The problem with Pac football is that it is not 1990 anymore! I was watching the 1990 UCLA @ Washington replay today, and the talent on both of those teams was incredible not to mention two Hall of Fame Coaches. Keith Jackson even commented on how Washington had picked up on recruiting in the past couple of years. In that vein, 1991 Washington Husky Greatness was inevitable! Not slamming on 2019 Pac Football, just remembering when the Pac was probably the best Conference in CFB in the late 80s / early 90s.

It was pretty good in the early 2000s as well.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

The problem with Pac football is that it is not 1990 anymore! I was watching the 1990 UCLA @ Washington replay today, and the talent on both of those teams was incredible not to mention two Hall of Fame Coaches. Keith Jackson even commented on how Washington had picked up on recruiting in the past couple of years. In that vein, 1991 Washington Husky Greatness was inevitable! Not slamming on 2019 Pac Football, just remembering when the Pac was probably the best Conference in CFB in the late 80s / early 90s.

For Washington Huskies Football, Chris Petersen Is The Reason For The Season

 

[BamaDude]

During the Oregon-Auburn game one of the commentators mentioned a stat that I was previously unaware of: The Pac-12 was 0-12 against ranked SEC teams since 2012 (or maybe 2011, I forget).

 

[BoiseMike19]

During the Oregon-Auburn game one of the commentators mentioned a stat that I was previously unaware of: The Pac-12 was 0-12 against ranked SEC teams since 2012 (or maybe 2011, I forget).

A lot of that could be individual match ups, but I don't think many argue the top of the SEC is and has been for quite some time considerably tougher than the top of the PAC. When was the last time a PAC team won the National Championship and two more PAC teams were even in the Top 15 discussion?

 

[BamaDude]

AG, glad to see you find my post to be tasty.