Jacob Thorpe

Not too much movement in this week’s rendition of our Pac-12 Power Rankings.

After an embarrassing loss to Stanford, followed by a welcome victory over California, the Washington State Cougars face a very different but equally difficult test heading into Saturday’s home game against Oregon State.

BERKELEY, Calif. – If it’s possible for a highly regarded defensive player to have a breakout game, then a pair of Cougars accomplished the feat on Saturday. Defensive tackles Kalafitoni Pole and Ioane Gauta led a defensive charge that saw Cal’s Bear Raid offense held to just 20 offensive points, including 14 on a pair of long passes because of breakdowns in the Cougars secondary. Pole and Gauta held the Golden Bears to just 79 net rushing yards, and piled up some impressive individual statistics. Gauta sacked Cal quarterback Jarred Goff twice, his first two solo sacks of the season. Pole recovered his first two fumbles of the season and forced one as well.

BERKELEY, Calif. – Washington State University took the monkey off its back, whipped it around, and flung it into San Francisco Bay. Thanks to a stellar game from quarterback Connor Halliday, the Cougars never trailed in a 44-22 dismantling of the Golden Bears, who had beaten WSU in their eight previous contests. Halliday was knocked out of last week’s game against Stanford in the third quarter, and it was anyone’s guess if the quarterback – who once finished a game with a lacerated liver – would be effective against the Golden Bears. Halliday answered those questions by throwing for three touchdowns and 521 yards – the most by a Pac-12 quarterback since WSU’s Alex Brink in 2005.

Washington State University took the monkey off its back, whipped it around, and flung it into San Francisco Bay.

BERKELEY, Calif. – Washington State’s football game against Cal today may as well be the Rose Bowl for what it means to the program. A win and coach Mike Leach’s team is right back on track to have a breakthrough season. But if the Cougars lose they’ll have to dig deep to take care of business in every winnable game left on the schedule.