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Pac-12 power rankings, Week 4: USC struggles, Washington rolls

By Brad Weiss

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 16: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #8 of the Washington Huskies is congratulated by a teammate after returning a punt for a touchdown against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Husky Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 16: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #8 of the Washington Huskies is congratulated by a teammate after returning a punt for a touchdown against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Husky Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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PULLMAN, WA – SEPTEMBER 16: Washington State wide receiver Tavares Martin Jr. (8) avoids the last-ditch tackle effort of Oregon State safety Landry Payne (13) to score during the game between the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars on September 16, 2017, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, WA. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PULLMAN, WA – SEPTEMBER 16: Washington State wide receiver Tavares Martin Jr. (8) avoids the last-ditch tackle effort of Oregon State safety Landry Payne (13) to score during the game between the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars on September 16, 2017, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, WA. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
6

Washington State Cougars (3-0)

Last week: W 52-23 vs Oregon State
Last rank: 8

The Washington State Cougars continue to roll this season, as they have gotten off to a 3-0 start. Quarterback Luke Falk shook off an injury and being held out late in the team’s comeback victory last week to throw for six touchdowns on Saturday. He picked apart the Oregon State defense like a surgeon and is showing why he is considered a first round prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft.

The biggest beneficiary of Falk’s huge game was wideout Tavares Martin Jr., who caught ten balls for nearly 200 yards through the air. He also found the end zone on multiple occasions, hauling in three of Falk’s six touchdown passes. This game was out of hand early, and with Nevada coming up next week, the Cougars should be 4-0 by the time they play host to USC in two weeks.

On the ground, the Cougars did very little damage, but they really did not have to. It was complete domination, as the defense stood tall and racked up three sacks as a unit. Washington State showed that they are a top-25 team for a reason, and with Mike Leach having complete confidence in Falk, they could surprise some of the higher-ranked teams on their schedule this season.

5

Oregon Ducks (3-0)

Last week: W 49-13 at Wyoming
Last rank: 6

The Oregon Ducks made a move for a new head coach this offseason, and through the first three games, it has certainly paid off. Willie Taggart has changed the culture of Oregon football in just a few short months, and his team is playing like a unit that could make serious waves in the Pac-12 this season. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to keep this train moving and will get a beaten down Arizona State team this weekend.

Sophomore quarterback Justin Herbert continues to grow as a passer and has really been building off a stellar freshman season a year ago. He accounted for two touchdowns in this game, but it was his star running back that carried the load. Royce Freeman is quietly putting together a Heisman-caliber season, and he found the end zone three times against Wyoming on Saturday.

In total, Freeman racked up over 150 yards on the ground, before giving way to his backup, Kani Benoit. Benoit reached the end zone twice on only eight carries and has been a perfect compliment to Freeman this season. This team is just a completely different squad than a year ago, which is a direct reflection of the change at head coach.

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