Riley Suffers First Loss at Southern Cal
The Trojans looked poised to rumble to 7-0 for the first time since 2005 early against Utah.
Offensively, the Trojans took command early rolling to a 21-7 lead at halftime. One of my key points in my Maintenance Report last week was Caleb Williams not performing well in big games, as leading up to the Utah game historically Williams had faltered in such games. He adjudicated himself very well against Utah going 25 for 42 381 yards with five passing touchdowns adding 57 yards on the ground.
Williams was seen after the game emotional saying, “I’m going to be honest, I hate losing. I really, really, really, I hate it, simply, so, yeah, I had a little emotion.”
A bigger blow to the Trojans was wide receiver Jordan Addison‘s lower body injury as he was seen on crutches late in the game against Utah. Addison is in that conversation for best wide receiver in the nation, the Trojan wide receiver core is one of the deepest in the nation and should be okay without Addison. Much like Ohio State’s situation, missing Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it is only better one when you have your most explosive player competing.
Is Utah “Rising” At The Right Time?
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham adds another signature win to his hall of fame career with another big win over Southern Cal. “We were going to keep the ball in Cam’s hands,” the Utes said after the game. “And if we score and time is close to expiring, we were going for 2, no question.”
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The Utes faced a 21-7 deficit entering the second half and outscored Southern Cal 36-21 to complete the upset. After the game, Whittingham said of quarterback Cameron Rising, “Cam Rising is a competitor, warrior, you name it. He’s a champion,”
Utah had a Week 1 loss in The Swamp that can be forgivable, and losing to UCLA who seems to have finally realized Chip Kelly’s vision eliminates them from the College Football Playoff but are still in the thick of things for a Pac-12 championship. The schedule is extremely favorable with UCLA and Southern Cal in the rearview mirror, they have a clash November 19 in Eugene to face Oregon.
The Utes are in the Top 25 in both scoring and total offense, with Rising beginning to get focused for the conference title run, the Utes are rising at the right time and will be a player for a Rose Bowl berth.
Top Ten Clash in Eugene
Chip Kelly is taking his new monster he created with UCLA to the old monster he created in Oregon for the first Top 10 battle of Pac-12 teams since 2018.
Kelly said of his return to Autzen Stadium for the sixth Top 10 clash in Eugene,
“It’s always special going back there, it’s a special place in my life. There are a lot of great people there that have had a profound impact on my life, but I’m not playing the game. We’re totally focused. We’ll get in Friday around six and play at noon the next day. We all know what this entails, it’s a business trip, just like any other away game in this league.”
– UCLA coach Chip Kelly
It will be strength against strength with both teams possessing great ground attacks and ground defenses with accurate quarterbacks.
UCLA’ now has two resume-worthy wins up to this point. Their demolition of then-undefeated Washington was impressive enough, but this past weekend’s victory over Utah by a mark of 40-32 was the real eye-opener. The Bruins never trailed, put up 502 yards and averaged 8.23 yards per play, the most by a Bruins team since 2000.
Kelly has yet to win against his former team (0-3) and Oregon has won 14 of the last 17 meetings with UCLA including the last seven that have been played in Eugene.
Pac-12 Power Rankings
No. 1 Southern Cal
I get Utah just beat them, I didn’t think the Trojans would make it through the season unscathed. They are still the team to beat in the league.
No. 2 UCLA
I am growing more and more into a believer of Kelly’s Bruins, it was a little slow to get to this point but I feel they could be playing their bowl game at home this season.
No. 3 Utah
Watching the Southern Cal clash Saturday night, this team can really move the football and love the strategies they employ. Defensive tackle Junior Tafuna is so fun to watch and someone to keep an eye on.
No. 4 Oregon
The Ducks return to the Top 10 with a ground game led by Mar’Keise Irving and Noah Whittington averaging 241.9 yards per game.
No. 5 Oregon State
The work Jonathan Smith has done in Corvallis has to earn him some conference coach of the year honors. Without Chance Nolan the Beavers were able to grind it out on the ground and play defense. This is a program on the rise.
No. 6 Washington
The aerial show won by Michael Penix Jr. with 516 yards and four touchdowns have the Huskies thinking Tier-2 bowl game and potentially a New Year’s Day bowl.
No. 7 Washington State
Cameron Ward is the reason Washington State is in most games and winning them this year. He won’t get the transfer portal player of the year, but he should be up for strong consideration.
No. 8 Arizona
On the losing end of the quarterback duel with Washington, Jayden De Laura is a juggernaut for the Wildcats in the Top 10 nationally in passing yards and touchdowns. With a defense that gives up over 36 points per game, they aren’t going to win much but are your potential conference spoiler this year.
No. 9 Stanford
The Stanford Three Wish List is: Getting The Axe (Cal), defeating the University of Second Choice (Southern Cal), and defeating The Irish. They lost to Southern Cal early, and got the ND win. All they have to play for is getting The Axe and that will keep David Shaw safe.
No. 10 Cal
How do you lose to Colorado? It is perplexing.
No. 11 Arizona State
This is a program lost and trying to figure it out.
No. 12 Colorado
Welcome to the win club! One of the few times one can be positive about Colorado defeating one of the conference’s most perplexing teams this season.
