Parity has been a common theme in the Pac-12 this year. This past weekend’s games was the epitome of this theme.
All three of the conference’s ranked teams, including No. 7 Stanford 38-36 loss to Oregon and No. 10 Utah’s double-overtime loss in Tucson, Arizona, lost on Saturday, inevitably dashing any hopes of the conference having a representative in the College Football Playoff.
Here’s how the rest of the conference’s games played out in week 11.
USC 27 —Colorado 24
An exciting slate of conference games got off to an good start on Thursday night. USC (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) rebounded from a two-score deficit in the first half, to hold back an upstart Colorado (4-7, 1-6 Pac-12) team, 27-24. Cody Kessler’s three touchdown passes in the second half, and a blocked field goal by Trojans defensive tackle Delvon Simmons was the difference.
Colorado lost the game, but the Buffaloes also lost starting quarterback Sefo Liufau for the rest of the season. Liufau was replaced by Cade Apsey in the second quarter, and it was later determined that Liufau would have surgery. Liufau is expected to return in six-to-eight months.
Arizona 37 — No. 10 Utah 30
Arizona’s (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) Anu Solomon was on the bench and backup quarterback Jerrard Randall was off to a 0-for-4 throwing start as the second overtime started against Utah. So, of course, Randall threw a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the team’s second overtime possession to Nate Phillips for the game-winning score. Utah (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) had a chance to respond, but a fourth down pass into the end zone from Utes quarterback Travis Wilson ended up incomplete.
Washington State 31 — No. 19 UCLA 27
Washington State (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) quarterback Luke Falk had been crawling on the grass at the Rose Bowl earlier in the game in obvious pain. But Falk stayed in, and with three seconds left, he threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Gabe Marks to beat UCLA (7-3, 4-3 Pac-12). Josh Rosen led the Bruins to a lead with 1:09 left in the game, but Falk and the Cougars responded. UCLA out-gained Washington State 554 to 426 on the night.
Arizona State 27 — Washington 17
Arizona State (5-5, 3-4 Pac-12) cameback from a 17-point deficit to score 27 unanswered points and beat Washington (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) 27-17 at home on Saturday. It was the Sun Devils’ largest comeback in five seasons. Washington quarterback Jake Browning got off to a fast start, but he threw three second-half interceptions to aid the Arizona State comeback.
California 54, Oregon State 24
California (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12) and quarterback Jared Goff snapped a four game losing streak, beating Oregon State — the only winless team in conference play — 54-24. Goff completed 26-of-37 for 453 yards and six touchdowns in the rout of the Beavers. The combination of Nick Mitchell and Marcus McMaryion finished 15-of-36 for 194 yards and two touchdowns at quarterback for Oregon State (2-8, 0-7).
Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @JoeJHoyt.