Jacob Thorpe’s Week 10 Pac-12 Power Rankings

PULLMAN – Two years ago, the Pac-12 had its Year of the Quarterback. Only two teams did not return a starter entering 2014, and Marcus Mariota, Sean Mannion and Brett Hundley were all selected in the ensuing NFL draft. Jared Goff would go on to be the No. 1 overall pick, Cody Kessler starts in the NFL Kevin Hogan and Connor Halliday won games and broke records.

This year has turned out to be the Year of No Quarterbacks. Outside the Washington schools, there has been very little stability behind center in the Pac-12. USC and Oregon gave the starting job to the wrong people at the start of the year, and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon State and UCLA have been beset by injuries.

Poor quarterback play is the No. 1 reason the Pac-12 has had a subpar 2016 and if the conference is going to rebound next year, it will be because emerging studs like UO’s Justin Herbert and USC’s Sam Darnold bring back the passing game.

1 Washington (8-0, 5-0; last week: No. 1) – Washington passes its first big test, ending 10 weeks of grumbling about its soft schedule.

2 Utah (7-2, 4-2; last week: No. 4) – The Utes were unable to pull the upset against UW, but Joe Williams is currently the best running back in a conference full of good ones.

3 USC (5-3, 4-2; last week: No. 2) – The Trojans are on a course to absolutely demolish some lesser Big Ten team in the Foster Farms Bowl.

4 Washington State (6-2, 5-0; last week: No. 3) – The Cougar have two more weak opponents at home before they have to start playing to their potential in both halves.

5 Colorado (6-2, 4-1; last week: No. 5) – The Buffaloes did nothing during their bye week to improve or diminish their prospects. For a week, they simply were.

6 Oregon (3-5, 1-4; last week: No. 10) – The Ducks are a much better team when the quarterback is freshman Justin Herbert, who looks likes a future Heisman contender.

7 Stanford (5-3, 3-3; last week: No. 8) – Against Arizona the Cardinal finally scored 30 points for the first time all season. That Stanford is ranked No. 7 shows just how bad the bottom of the conference is.

8 California (4-4, 2-3; last week: No. 9) – Cal will awkwardly remember 2016 as the year it beat No. 11 Texas, No. 18 Utah, Oregon, and still lost eight games.

9 Arizona State (5-4, 3-3; last week: No. 7) – The Sun Devils have proved to be a paper tiger with three consecutive losses two more almost certainly on deck.

10 UCLA (3-5, 1-4; last week: No. 6) – Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin. On Jim Mora’s future.

11 Oregon State (2-6, 1-4; last week: No. 11) – Of the Pac-12’s bottom feeders, the Beavers seem to have the most fight left in them.

12 Arizona (2-6, 0-5; last week: No. 12) – At least the Wildcats get OSU and ASU to end the season. Maybe they can build some momentum heading into 2017.