Pac-12 power rankings, Week 5: Stanford surges, Oregon chokes, USC battles back

For the Oregon Ducks, the worst-case scenario played out in front of their home fans this past weekend against Stanford. The Ducks had the game in hand, up 31-7 at one point, but the Cardinal came all the way back, beating the Ducks in overtime, and knocking them out of the ranks of the unbeatens.

Arguably the biggest play of the game came in the third quarter when a touchdown was overturned, sending the momentum back Stanford’s way. When it came time for the extra period, the Cardinal were able to find their way to the end zone first, and then picked off Oregon star quarterback Justin Herbert in the end zone to seal the victory on the road.

For Herbert, despite the big interception, he continues to play at an incredible level and is likely headed to the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. His favorite target in this one was Dillon Mitchell, who caught 14 balls for 239 yards receiving, but it was not enough to beat the No. 7 team in the country. Oregon has another tough matchup this weekend, as they hit the road to take fellow top-25 team Cal.

The Colorado Buffaloes are knocking on the door of the AP Poll, as they were the team that got the most votes but did not make it this week. If they can take care of business against the UCLA Bruins this weekend, which they should be able to do soundly, they should be ranked for the first time this season going into their matchup with Arizona State in two weeks.