After the second week of the football season, a record eight teams from the Pac-12 cracked the AP Top 25. It’s the most teams the Pac-12 has ever seen on the poll at the same time. Oregon snuck out of Lubbock, Texas, with a win. But what did the other teams do?
Washington State (2-0) stuns No. 19 Wisconsin (1-1) 31-22 for another upset-win over the Badgers
Fans rushed the field in Pullman after beating a ranked Wisconsin team for the second straight season. Washington State — now ranked No. 23 — pounced on three fumbles to pull off a thrilling win and build some series momentum for its Week 3 game against Northern Colorado (0-2).
No. 22 Colorado (2-0) rolls past Nebraska (0-2) in 36-14 home opener
The Buffaloes are alive! After a slow first start against the Huskers, the Colorado offense got going in the second frame for its second straight win. Both Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff and ESPN’s College Gameday will be in Boulder for the Buffs’ Week 3 matchup against Colorado State (0-1). The Rams were initially the only game Colorado was supposed to win in a season in which it’s already surpassed its 2022 win total.
No. 8 Washington (2-0) thumps Tulsa (1-1) 43-10
It would be foolish for any team to overlook what the Huskies are doing right now. A Washington offense that’s expected to be one of the nation’s best this season impressed again by collecting 563 yards and six scoring drives against Tulsa. The Huskies’ first real test will come next Saturday as they play Michigan State (2-0) on the road.
No. 12 Utah (2-0) escapes Waco with 20-13 win over Baylor (0-2)
Oregon’s win over Texas Tech wasn’t the only nail-biter that the Pac-12 came out on the right side of in Texas this week. A late score, interception and another score turned what seemed like an impending loss into a surprising win. The Utes are desperate to get quarterback Cameron Rising back from his lower body injury, and hope he can return for next week’s game against Weber State (2-0).
No. 6 USC (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12) earns first conference win 56-10 over Stanford (1-1, 0-1 Pac-12)
So far, the biggest question in the conference is whether any other team can catch the Trojans. Quarterback and Heisman-favorite Caleb Williams had more total touchdowns (four) than incompletions (two) on another night where Lincoln Riley’s squad balled out. Stanford will look to regroup next week against Sacramento State (2-0) while USC enjoys a well-deserved bye week.
No. 16 Oregon State (2-0) rolls past UC Davis (1-1) 55-7 for second-straight 2-0 start
So far, D.J. Uiagalelei has been the leader the Beavers were needing in 2023. He led his new squad in an offensive explosion that’s setting Oregon State right up there with all the contenders the 2023 Pac-12 has to offer. The Beavers host San Diego State (2-1) next week as they look to continue to rise in the national rankings.
UCLA (2-0) hands San Diego State its first loss in 35-10 win
Dante Moore’s second game went much better than his first. UCLA’s freshman quarterback racked up 290 passing yards and three touchdown passes on Saturday evening while the Bruin defense held the Aztecs to just 259 yards of total offense. Now ranked No. 24, UCLA will look to stay undefeated against North Carolina Central (2-0) next Saturday.
Arizona (1-1) falls 24-31 in overtime to Mississippi State (2-0)
Too many Wildcat turnovers — four interceptions and a fumble — sunk Arizona in its first loss of the 2023 season. Despite being underdogs, the Wildcats hung with the Bulldogs until the end, but their mistakes were just too severe to overcome. Arizona can bounce back in Week 3 with a win over the University of Texas El Paso (1-2).
California (1-1) loses low-scoring game to Auburn (2-0) 14-10
A sloppy game that saw just 503 yards of total offense and nine punts went the way of the Tigers on Saturday night. A very winnable game fell through Cal’s grasp as a team needing every win it can get for bowl-eligibility hopes turned the ball over thrice. The Golden Bears will host Idaho (2-0) next week.
Arizona State (1-1) drops 27-15 loss to Oklahoma State (2-0)
Kenny Dillingham suffered the first loss of his head-coaching career as his Sun Devils fell to a talented Cowboys team on the road. ASU looked better than last week and are on the right path for a challenging matchup with Fresno State (2-0) next Saturday.
