1. California
Okay, I said that as long as they were undefeated that USC should be on top. But teams don't just dominate Oregon like Cal did. DeSean Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, and Daymeion Hughes are among the top 20 players in the country. This team has a swagger. And USC is barely holding on. Cal takes over the new top spot in the power rankings.
2. USC
The defending conference champs and only undefeated team drop a spot to #2. Yes, they are still very good. And yes, Dwayne Jarrett is out, which may explain some of their woes. But they are barely holding on in these games. You have to think that Cal or Oregon will knock them off. They should look a lot better against Arizona State.
3. Oregon
I don't think that the offense is going to struggle very often the way it did against Cal. But the defense is beat up, and running backs are licking their lips. So far, their offense has won games for them. They better continue to play well, because their defense just isn't good enough to compensate.
4. Washington
I never thought that I'd have the Huskies ranked this high. But Ty Willingham has turned the corner with this program. And if the clock is managed correctly, they may have won at the Coliseum. They'll just take it out on the Beavers Saturday.
5. UCLA
Did you know that UCLA has the #2 ranked defense in the country? The real question: are they really that good, or is it because they have played Rice, Arizona, and Stanford. They'll find out at Autzen.
6. Washington State
I think that this team is a lot better than many are giving them credit for. Will Cal be overconfident coming into the Palouse?
7. Arizona State
Man, their annual implosion is so predictable. Question to Dirk Koetter--is your ass on fire yet?
8. Arizona
I'm not sure what to think of Mike Stoops. He seems to be a good recriuter, just not a very good coach. Looks like the Wildcats will remain a doormat.
9. Oregon State
I could ask the same question of Mike Riley that I did of Dirk Koetter. I don't see how Riley lasts until next season. The Beavers are just bad in every area of the game. Fans in Corvallis are asking "is it baseball season yet?"
10. Stanford
I'm considering circulating a petition to kick Stanford out of the Pac-10. Is it too late to get Temple on the schedule?
Go Ducks!!!
--Dave