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Pac-12 power rankings – Week 7: USC back on track, Stanford heating up

By Brad Weiss

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Sam Darnold #14 hands of the ball to Ronald Jones II #25 of the USC Trojans against the Oregon State Beavers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Sam Darnold #14 hands of the ball to Ronald Jones II #25 of the USC Trojans against the Oregon State Beavers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images) /
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BOULDER, CO – OCTOBER 07: Quarterback Steven Montez #12 hands the ball off to Phillip Lindsay #23 of the Colorado Buffaloes against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field on October 7, 2017 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO – OCTOBER 07: Quarterback Steven Montez #12 hands the ball off to Phillip Lindsay #23 of the Colorado Buffaloes against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field on October 7, 2017 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
10

Colorado Buffaloes (3-3)

Last week: W 45-42 vs. Arizona
Last rank: 8

In one of the bigger upsets of the Pac-12 slate in Week 6, the Colorado Buffaloes lost a bad one at home against the Arizona Wildcats. The game started out in the Buffaloes favor, as they injured the Wildcats starting quarterback Brandon Dawkins on the first drive of the game. However, that would prove to be the worst thing they could have done, as the Wildcats backup, Khalil Tate, came in and ran all over the Buffaloes defense.

When all was said and done, Tate had set the FBS record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback with 327. It was an incredible effort considering the Buffaloes have made a name for themselves in recent years based on the play of their defense. The offense for Colorado was incredible in this game, but Tate was just too much in this one.

Quarterback Steven Montez threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns, while doing a nice job protecting the ball. Star running back Phillip Lindsay rushed for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the game, as there was pretty much no defense played in this one. Colorado fell to 0-3 in Pac-12 play with the loss, and now has a serious uphill climb if they hope to defend their Pac-12 South title from a year ago.

9

Arizona Wildcats (3-2)

Last week: W 45-42 at Colorado
Last rank: 11

It was an incredible day for an Arizona Wildcats quarterback in this one, and shockingly, it was not Brandon Dawkins. Dawkins has played so well for the Wildcats this season, really carrying the team when they could get nothing done on the ground. On Saturday, Arizona got it going on the ground, but it was the feet of the team’s backup quarterback that led the way.

Dawkins was injured on the first drive of the game, and had to sit out the rest of the way. That proved to be exactly what the Wildcats needed, as backup quarterback Khalil Tate came in and was responsible for five touchdowns in the game. Tate set the FBS record for rushing yards by a QB, running for 327 yards against the Buffaloes, while scoring four times on the ground.

Tate also hit Shun Brown for a touchdown pass, running his total to five TDs in the game. For the Wildcats, it was a huge victory, and they will now play host to UCLA this weekend. The Wildcats have lost five straight to the Bruins, but are playing much better football this season, and just may have enough firepower on offense to pull out the upset.

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