LRT Pac-10 Power Rankings week 14

Here we are, the end of the regular football season for the Pac-10. Rivalry week was full of excitment, two schools playing for bowl berths, another for a spot in the National Championship game. Incredibly with USC’s defeat of UCLA (in the last Pac-10 game ever) all five road teams won. Not sure if thats ever happened before, I’m going to have to go back through the records to double check.

Tommorow the BCS bowl pairings will be announced and then like dominos the rest of the bowls will make their picks. The Pac-10 finished the season with four bowl eligible teams, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, and Washington. Oregon is undoubtedly headed to the BCS Championship Game, and there is a good chance the Drunken trees will land in one of the other BCS Bowls, either the Orange or Sugar. Assuming that happens the Alamo will get first choice of Washington and Arizona and the Holiday will get the remaining team. Now on to the rankings.

Note: I’ve included Utah and Colorado in italics.

1. Oregon
12-0 (9-0 Pac 10)
LW: 1
They say money can’t buy happiness, but don’t tell Duck fans that. The renaissance of Oregon football thanks in part to generous support from Nike CEO Phil Knight, the coaching talent of Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly, and the talent they have assembled in Eugene has led this team to reach heights the team has never before achieved and a shot at their first ever national title, and an end to the monopoly the SEC has had on it. Can the Ducks speed counter the SEC pedigree of Auburn? I’m betting they can.

2. Stanford
11-1 (8-1)
LW: 2
Stanford was off this week, now they just have to wait to see where they are headed, BCS Bowl or Alamo.

2.5. Utah
10-2 (7-1 Mountain West)
Utah finished off its regular season last week with a tight win over rival BYU. The Utes are headed to Vegas for the Maaco Bowl, likely against their MWC replacement Boise State.

3. USC
8-5 (5-4)
LW: 6
I ended up jumping the Trojans over Washington thanks to a solid performance in the Battle for Victory Bell and the return of QB Matt Barkley. I have no doubt the Trojans would be headed to San Antonio if they were bowl eligible.

4. Washington
6-6 (5-4)
LW: 4
It’s been a long eight years for Husky fans, but with a gutsy win in the colds of Pullman, WA the Huskies secured their first Bowl bid since the 2002 Sun Bowl (I was at that game) and fulfilled the goal of Jake Locker when he decided to stay. Two years ago the Huskies were 0-12, arguably the worst team in a BCS league. Can Head Coach Steve Sarkisian keep up the rebuilding? The Pac-12 North is going to be a tough neighborhood with the top two teams in the Pac-10 to contend with next season. For now though the question is whether the dogs will end up in the Alamo or Holiday bowl.

5. ASU
6-6 (4-5)
LW: 5
It was a fight to the finish in the Territorial Cup this year and the Sun Devils won by the skin of their teeth. They blocked an extra point at the end of regulation to force over time and followed it up with another blocked extra point in the second overtime secured the win for the Sun Devils. Sadly because their six wins include two against FCS opponents ASU will be staying home for the Holidays.

6. Arizona
7-5 (4-5)
LW: 4
A bad end to what started out as a fantastic season for the Wildcats, after a 7-1 start Arizona dropped its last four against the top of the Pac and its rival ASU, albeit the loses to USC and ASU were incredibly tight. Still, thanks to a tight Pac-10 middle and the Trojans being in-eligible for a bowl, Arizona will be going to the Holiday bowl or the Alamo Bowl to finish their 2010 season.

8. Oregon State
5-7 (4-5)
LW: 4
The Beavers were all that stood between their rival Ducks and a National Championship berth. The Ducks made mistakes early on, but the Beavers weren’t fully able to take advantage of them, committing turnovers and mistakes of their own. Oregon State scored the first and last TD’s of the game but it wasn’t enough, they lost by 17 and their hopes at a bowl game.

7. Cal
5-7 (3-6)
LW: 8
Cal was off this week and enters the off season with lots of questions. One big question that remains is whether Jeff Tedford will be their coach again next year.

8.5. Colorado
5-7 (2-6 Big 12)
The Buffs ended their season last week with a loss to Nebraska, but look to have named a new head coach and new offensive coordinator.

9. Washington State
2-10 (1-8)
LW: 9
The three weeks of preparation were not enough to get the Cougars a win in the Apple Cup against Washington, but they came damn close, tying up the game with 4:26 to go. Unfortunately for the Cougars, Jack Locker hit Jermaine Kearse for a 27 yard TD pass with 44 seconds remaining and the Cougs couldn’t come back in those final seconds. WSU has clearly improved over the past year, but will those 2 wins this season (just 5 in 3 years) be enough to keep coach Paul Wulff in the Palouse?

10. UCLA
4-8 (2-8)
LW: 10
Another disappointing season for the Bruins ends with a lopsided loss to rival USC. Rick Neuheisal joins fellow Pac-10 bottom dwelling coaches on the hot seat. Will Slick Rick be back for the Bruins next season? As a Trojan, I can only hope so!