Pac-12 power rankings, Week 2: Utah holds top spot, Oregon falls

The Pac-12 had a chance to make a mark early on this season when Auburn hosted Oregon Saturday, but the Ducks were unable to pull out a victory.

The Pac-12 was on full display this past weekend, as the Oregon Ducks went to Auburn to take on the No. 16 ranked Auburn Tigers in the biggest game on the college football slate. Unfortunately, the Ducks were unable to beat the Tigers, thanks to freshman quarterback Bo Nix taking over the game in the second half.

Here is our latest Pac-12 power rankings.

The 100th Holy War rivalry game took place on Thursday night, as the Utah Utes took on the BYU Cougars on the road. Zack Moss ran all over the Cougars defense, racking up 187 and a touchdown, while the Utes defense proved to be just as good as advertised. If the defense plays the way they did in the second half all season long, this is the team that could come out as Pac-12 champions.

After nearly two years without starting a college football game, quarterback Jacob Eason looked like he did not miss a beat, leading the Washington Huskies to a blowout victory over Eastern Washington. Eason was on fire all night long, completing 27-of-36 passes for four touchdowns, including two to Aaron Fuller. This was a game that was never in doubt but keep an eye on the health of preseason All-American center Nick Harris, who left with a knee injury.

While he had to wait for his chance to run Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, Anthony Gordon certainly made the most of his opportunity this past weekend. After throwing only five career passes in his college career, Gordon threw five touchdowns in his first start against New Mexico State, proving the Cougars are in good hands with the senior. Gordon completed his first 15 passes, leading the Cougars to a blowout victory in front of the home fans.

Heading into the 2019 college football season, the Stanford Cardinal had some big pieces to replace but knew they had a strong quarterback in K.J. Costello, and one of the better offensive tackles in the country in Walker Little. However, after this weekend, they could be without both, as Costello and Little were injured in the Cardinal’s 17-7 victory against Northwestern. If they are out an extended period of time, this team is going to struggle.

In the biggest game on the college football schedule in Week 1, the Oregon Ducks traveled to Auburn to take on the Tigers from the SEC. While the Ducks hung in early and had plenty of chances to put the game away, they never were able to seal the victory, and in the end, freshman Auburn quarterback Bo Nix did them in. This was a tough loss for both Oregon and the Pac-12. Star linebacker Troy Dye led the defense with 15 tackles.

Sophomore quarterback JT Daniels suffered a torn ACL in the win over Fresno State and will be out for the year. Freshman Kevon Slovis replaced him and played okay but the team shifted to a run-heavy attack. Running back Vavae Malepeai finished the game with 134 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but all eyes will be on Slovis as he takes over as the starting quarterback.

Year 2 of the Herman Edwards Era got kicked off on the right foot, as the Arizona Sun Devils won their 21st straight home opener, beating Kent State easily. True freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels did not let the moment get too big, throwing for two scores, and running another in, as the Sun Devils looked very balanced on both sides of the ball. Running back phenom Eno Benjamin rushed for over 100 yards and had a receiving touchdown in the game.

The California Golden Bears got a strong effort from quarterback Chase Garbers this past weekend, as the team hung on for a 27-13 victory over UC Davis. Garbers hit Kekoa Crawford twice for the scores, and the defense was led by star linebacker Evan Weaver, who was joined by Kuony Deng with double-digit tackles. The Golden Bears looked good on both sides of the ball, especially at running back, where Christopher Brown Jr. replaced Patrick Laird in style by rushing for nearly 200 yards and a score.

If the Colorado Buffaloes want to do anything in the Pac-12 this season, they need a big year from senior quarterback Steven Montez, and he gave them a solid effort in game No. 1. Montez threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the Buffaloes victory over Colorado State, while Alex Fontenot starred on the ground, scoring three times. Mikial Onu had two interceptions in the game, as the Mel Tucker Era got off to a rousing start in Colorado. Future first rounder Laviska Shenault Jr. had a touchdown in the game.

The Arizona Wildcats got the 2019 Pac-12 kicked off with a loss, as they went to Hawaii and lost to the Rainbow Warriors by the score of 45-38. There was no shortage of offense in this one, and the Wildcats actually almost pulled it out,  thanks to a valiant effort by star quarterback Khalil Tate. Tate threw for over 350 yards and three scores, while adding over 100 yards on the ground, but the Wildcats defense really struggled against Hawaii. Arizona never led in the game.

The Oregon State Beavers had a tall task ahead of them in Week 1, as they hosted a stellar offensive team in the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Beavers actually hung in early, holding a 10-7 lead after one quarter, but it was all downhill after that. Quarterback Jake Luton had a solid game, throwing for 251 yards and three scores without an interception, but this is still a work in progress. Sophomore phenom Jermar Jefferson rushed for only 87 yards against the Cowboys defense.

It took five straight losses for Chip Kelly to get his first win as head coach of UCLA last season, and it looks like he may be in for another tough run in Year 2. The UCLA Bruins were embarrassed by the Cincinnati Bearcats on the road this past week, as the turnovers definitely hurt them, with Dorian Thompson-Robinson throwing two interceptions, and losing two fumbles. This is a program that just is not there yet in terms of talent, and Kelly suddenly looks like an average college football coach.