What is the story about?
For most of the season, there wasn’t much movement in the Pac-12 pecking order. Then Week 7 happened.
Chaos is starting to creep into the conference. There were only three games this weekend, but they told us plenty about the contenders, the pretenders and everyone fighting for position in between. Boise State and Oregon State have established themselves as the favorites, while the rest of the pack is locked in an intriguing race for bowl eligibility and the chance to disrupt the hierarchy taking shape atop the conference.
With the second half of the season underway, the Pac-12 has suddenly become a must-watch league.
1. Boise State (5-1, 2-0)
- Last week ranking: 1 (↔️)
- Week 7 result: Bye
- What to know: Even without playing, Boise State's case to make the College Football Playoff strengthens with Group of Six contender like Memphis losing. The Broncos now start the second half of the season against arguably the worst team in the conference.
- Up next: at Washington State
2. Oregon State (5-2, 3-0)
- Last week ranking: 2 (↔️)
- Week 7 result: Win vs. Washington State, 48-30
- What to know: It’s now comical how Braden Atkinson and Jesse Legree are torching everyone in sight. In the battle of the former Pac-2 members, the quarterback threw for 347 yards and the freshman receiver became the first player to reach 1,000 receiving yards this season, leading the nation as the resurgence in Corvallis continues.
- Up next: Bye
3. Texas State (3-3, 1-1)
- Last week ranking: 4 (⬆️1)
- Week 7 result: Win vs. Colorado State, 66-27
- What to know: It was an emphatic way to get the first Pac-12 win in program history, running out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter en route to a 39-point victory. The Bobcats had a whopping 716 yards on offense, highlighted by Torrance Burgess Jr. running for a career-high 224 yards and four touchdowns. Brad Jackson also had a day, throwing for 213 yards and running for an additional 181 with four total touchdowns.
- Up next: vs. Utah State
4. San Diego State (3-4, 2-1)
- Last week ranking: 6 (⬆️2)
- Week 7 result: Win vs. Fresno State, 26-23
- What to know: Kicker Cooper DiLeva is a hero in San Diego after drilling a career-long 53-yard field goal in the final minute to secure a surprising win for the Aztecs. Really, the story of the day was the offense having one of its best days so far thanks to running back Lucky Sutton returning, and Stone Saunders stepping up when starting quarterback Jayden Denegal went down with an injury.
- Up next: at Colorado State
5. Fresno State (4-3, 1-2)
- Last week ranking: 3 (⬇️2)
- Week 7 result: Loss vs. San Diego State, 26-23
- What to know: Things are starting to unravel for Fresno State with back-to-back losses, and it hurts especially when the Bulldogs were the favorite against San Diego State. While it had a chance at the end of the game, the defense couldn't make key stops and the offense struggled staying on the field with a 4-for-13 mark on third down.
- Up next: Bye
6. Colorado State (2-4, 0-2)
- Last week ranking: 5 (⬇️1)
- Week 7 result: Loss vs. Texas State, 66-27
- What to know: Guess getting rid of your defensive coordinator doesn’t magically fix the defense. The Rams once again couldn’t stop anything, allowing Texas State to easily drop 66 points in a blowout, the fourth straight loss for Colorado State. That now marks three straight games giving up at least 56 points in what’s turned into a tough first year for Jim Mora.
- Up next: vs. San Diego State
7. Utah State (2-4, 1-1)
- Last week ranking: 7 (↔️)
- Week 7 result: Bye
- What to know: The Aggies were able to soak in their first Pac-12 win with the week off, and Bronco Mendenhall will have quite the task trying to start a win streak when its defense has to face a high-powered offense in Texas State, and the offense will have to try and keep up.
- Up next: at Texas State
8. Washington State (1-6, 0-3)
- Last week ranking: 8 (↔️)
- Week 7 result: Loss vs. Oregon State, 48-30
- What to know: Week 7 showed quite the contrast in how life is going for the old Pac-12 members, with the Cougars losing a third straight as it had to watch Oregon State's prolific offense rip it apart and continue to ascend. A bright spot was new quarterback Owen Eshelman did considerably well in his first start. Washington State is on the verge of already being eliminated from bowl game consideration.
- Up next: vs. Boise State
This article
originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pac-12 power rankings: Contenders emerge, pretenders exposed in Week 7
