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FOUR SCORE: The Pac-12 once again saw 4 teams in the AP Top 25 this week and had 4 teams in the Top 20 for the 4th straight week.  USC checks in at #7 this week, their 6th straight week in the Top 10.  UCLA moved up 7 spots this week to #11, the Bruins highest ranking since September 27, 2015 when they were #7.  OREGON is #12 for the second straight week and is the highest ranked 1-loss team in the poll.  Following their loss to UCLA, UTAH drops to #20 but is still the highest ranked 2-loss team in the poll.

HONOR ROLL:  It was quite the week for UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson.  The redshirt senior won Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week for 2nd straight week, the first Bruin to do that since RB Johnathan Franklin in 2012.  Thompson-Robinson was also honored nationally as the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week as well the Rose Bowl Game Pac-12 Player of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week (along with ASU’s Trenton Bourguet).

During UCLA’s 9-game win streak, DTR has 22 pass TD and 7 more on the ground.  The Las Vegas native is now UCLA’s career leader in TD passes while also 2nd in completions and 3rd in passing yards.

WELCOME BACK: The College Sports Communicators released their first watch list for the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award.  7 athletes from Pac-12 schools made the list:  LB Justin Flowe (Oregon), TE Cam McCormick (Oregon), DL Isaac Hodgins (OSU), LB Laiatu Latu (UCLA), CB JaTravis Broughton (Utah), QB Michael Penix, Jr. (Washington), RB Richard Newton (Washington).

BREAKING THE SCOREBOARD:  5 of the 15 FBS teams who average at least 40.0 PPG this season reside in the Pac-12, more than twice as many as any other conference.

•   9.  Oregon - 42.0 PPG
• 10.  UCLA - 41.5
• 12.  Washington - 41.0
• 14.  Utah - 40.3
• 15.  USC - 40.2

WEEK 8 SCHEDULE:  Game time and TV assignments announced (all times local)

Saturday, October 22nd

• 12:30 p.m. PT - UCLA at Oregon (FOX or FS1)
•   1:00 p.m. PT - Arizona State at Stanford (Pac-12 Network)
•   5:00 p.m. PT - Colorado at Oregon State (Pac-12 Network)
•   7:30 p.m. PT - Washington at California (ESPN)

AROUND THE PAC-12

CALIFORNIA (3-2, 1-1) at COLORADO (0-5, 0-2)

Sat., Oct. 15 • 12:OO pm MT • PAC-12 NETWORK

CALIFORNIA: Have won the last 2 meetings in this series, including a 26-3 victory in Berkeley last season when they held Colorado to 104 total yards.  Have not won in Boulder since 2011.  RB Jaydn Ott 532 rush yards this season, 2nd most among FBS true freshmen this season.  Ott is 1 of 4 FBS RB with 2 runs of 70+ yards this season.  QB Jack Plummer 135 straight passes without an INT, school record is 185 by Jared Goff in 2014.  Have forced a turnover in 18 straight games, tied with Georgia State for longest active streak in FBS.

COLORADO:  Won last 2 meetings against Cal in Boulder (2013, 2017).  1st game with Mike Sanford as interim head coach.  The last time Colorado had an interim head coach was also against California with Kurt Roper in the 2018 season finale.  Colorado’s 5 opponents this season area a combined 22-6.  QB Owen McCown and Center Van Wells are the first true freshmen to start together at those positions in program history when they both started against Arizona.  19 different players have caught a pass this season, tied for the most in school history (1999, 2004).

ARIZONA (3-3, 1-2) at WASHINGTON (4-2, 1-2)

Sat., Oct. 15 • 2:30 pm PT • PAC-12 NETWORK

ARIZONA: Looking for first win over Washington since 2015 and first win in Seattle since 2007.  WR Jacob Cowing ranked in Top 5 in FBS in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TD but had did not have receiving TD last week for first time all season.  QB Jayden de Laura 15 pass TD this season, most by an Arizona QB since Khalil Tate in 2018.  3-0 this season when committing 2 or fewer turnovers.  40 plays of 20+ yards this season, tied for most in Pac-12 and 7th most in FBS.  19-31 on 3rd down over the last 2 games, had been under 50% the previous 4 games.

WASHINGTON: Have won last 5 meetings with Arizona including a 21-16 victory in Tucson last season despite trailing 13-0 at halftime and 16-7 at the start of the 4th quarter.  4-0 at home this season, best home start since going 6-0 at Husky Stadium in 2018.  QB Michael Penix Jr. 300+ pass yards in all 6 games this season, 2nd longest streak in UW history (Cody Pickett 7 straight in 2002).  RB Cameron Davis 3 rush TD last week, had 2 rush TD all last season.  WR Rome Odunze 3 straight games with 100+ rec yds, first UW player to do that since Sonny Shackelford in 2006.

STANFORD (1-4, 0-4) at NOTRE DAME (3-2)

Sat., Oct. 15 • 7:30 pm ET • NBC

STANFORD: Have won their last 3 meetings against an unranked Notre Dame team, the last coming in South Bend in 2016.  Defense had season-high 4 sacks last week against an Oregon State offense that allowed only 2 sacks the previous 5 games this season.  QB Tanner McKee with multiple pass TD in 4 of 5 games this season.  WR Brycen Tremayne career-high 6 receptions last week for 82 yards and multiple rec TD for first time in his career.

NOTRE DAME: Have won last 3 meetings including 45-14 on the Farm last season.  Beat BYU in Las Vegas last week for their 3rd straight win since starting 0-2.n Have won their last 10 night games at home, with the last loss coming to Georgia in 2017.  Michael Mayer leads all FBS TE with 33 receptions this season and had 11 catches for 118 yards and 2 TD last week.  QB Drew Pyne 3-0 with 8 pass TD, 1 INT in 3 games since taking over as starter after injury to Tyler Buchner.

#7 USC (6-0, 4-0) at #20 UTAH (4-2, 2-1)

Sat., Oct. 15 • 6:00 pm MT • FOX

USC: Won last meeting in Salt Lake City, 33-17 in 2020, the last road team to win at Utah.  6-0 start for the first time since 2006.  Looking to snap a 6-game losing streak against ranked opponents with their last win coming in 2019 against Utah.  RB Travis Dye season-high 149 rush yards, 100+ rush yards in 4 of last 5 games.  DL Tuli Tuipulotu with 4.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks last week, now leads FBS in sacks (7.0) and tied for most TFL (12.5).  24 sacks this season, most in FBS.  Did not force a turnover last week for the first time this season, lead FBS with +14 turnover margin.

UTAH: Won last year’s meeting in Los Angeles, 42-16, the Utes first ever win at the Coliseum.  11-game home win streak, tied for the 2nd longest in the Kyle Whittingham era.  CB Clark Phillips III with a Pick 6 in back-to-back games, 4 career INT returned for TD ties school record.  Defense has 10 INT this season, same as they did all of last season.  QB Cameron Rising 2 rush TD last week, first career game with multiple rush TD.  WR Devaughn Vele 19 receptions for 244 yards in last 3 games, 8 receptions for 112 yards in previous 3 games.  479 total yards last week, most yards in a loss since 2013.

WASHINGTON STATE (4-2, 1-2) at OREGON STATE (4-2, 1-2)

Sat., Oct. 15 • 6:00 pm PT • PAC-12 NETWORK

WASHINGTON STATE: Have won the last 8 meetings with Oregon State, their longest streak since winning 10 in a row from 1983-93.  Have won 9 of their last 10 regular season games against unranked opponents and 7 straight against unranked conference opponents.  RB Jaylen Jenkins 130 rush yards last week, first 100-yard game by a WSU freshman since DeMaundray Woolridge in 2005.  49 TFL this season, 4th most in FBS.

OREGON STATE: Looking for first win over WSU since 2013 and first win at home over the Cougars since 2012.  4-2 start for 2nd straight season.  Beat Stanford 28-27 with 56-yard Tre’Shaun Harrison TD with 13 seconds remaining, 2-1 in games this season where winning score was made in final 90 seconds of game.  First 1-point road win since 1985 at Washington.  QB Ben Gulbranson 20-28 for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns in first career start last week.

BYE WEEKS

ARIZONA STATE: Knocked off #21 Washington 45-38 last week, their first win over ranked opponent this season.  1 of 3 FBS teams to have played at least 4 ranked opponents so far this season (Texas Tech - 5, Arkansas - 4).  RB X Valladay 8 runs of 20+ yards this season, most in Pac-12 and T-4th in FBS.  QB Trenton Bourguet first ASU QB with 2+ pass TD off the bench since Mike Bercovici in 2014 vs. Arizona.

#11 OREGON: 49.8 PPG over 5-game win streak, first time scoring 41+ points in 5 straight games since 2015-16.  Will host #12 UCLA after the bye, Ducks have a 22-game home wins streak which is the 3rd longest active streak in FBS.  306 rush yards and 7 rush TD last week, most in a conference game since Oct. 2012.  QB Bo Nix is only FBS QB this season with 12+ pass TD and 8+ rush TD.

#12 UCLA:  Enter bye week on a 9-game win streak, tied for 2nd longest in FBS behind Clemson (12).  Longest win streak since winning 20 straight from 1997-98.  6-0 for first time since 2005.  QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson 2nd in FBS with 74.8 comp% and career-high 9.26 yards/attempt.  RB Zach Charbonnet career-high 198 rush yards last week, UCLA 11-0 since start of last season when Charbonnet has 100+ rush yards.

PAC-12 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

TOP OF THE PACK: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (CALIFORNIA) had 2 pass TD and  0 INT in a loss to the Giants in London.  It was the 100th time in Rodger’s career that he threw at least 2 touchdowns and 0 INT in a game, joining Tom Brady as only the 2nd player in NFL history to do so.

38 and COUNTING: The 2nd of Rodger’s TD on Sunday went to Packers TE Marcedes Lewis (UCLA), Lewis’ first since November 2020.  The former Bruin became just the 7th player in NFL history to score a receiving TD at the age of 38 or older.  It was also the 38th career receiving TD for Lewis, tying him with 1947 All-American Tom Fears for the most ever by a former UCLA player.  Lewis already has the most NFL receptions (427) by any former Bruin.

CONTINUOUS CHARGING: Chargers QB Justin Herbert (OREGON) threw for 228 yards and a score in a win at Cleveland.  It was the 26th consecutive game with a TD pass, the 3rd longest streak in franchise history and second longest active streak in NFL.  Herbert has a TD pass in 36 of his 37 career NFL games.

ALL SAINTS:  Saints DE Cameron Jordan (CALIFORNIA) had 1.5 sacks against the Seahawks for his third straight game with at least half a sack.  Jordan now has 110.0 career sacks, passing Greg Townsend for 24th in NFL history and 2nd most among active players.

CAROLINA ON OUR MINDS:  Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (STANFORD) had 54 yards rushing and 50 more receiving on 7 catches in a loss to the 49ers.  McCaffrey had a 19-yard TD run, his 50th carer touchdown from scrimmage, tying him for 5th in franchise history.  It was also his 32nd career rushing TD, one short of John Elway for the most by a former Stanford player.  McCaffrey has 4 straight games with 100+ total yards, the first time he’s done that since 2019.

MARVIN’S ROOM:  Jaguars WR Marvin Jones Jr. (CALIFORNIA) hauled in a season-high 7 receptions for 104 yards against the Texans.  It was the 14th time in his 11-year career Jones had reached 100 receiving yards in a game.  Jones became the 7th former Cal player to reach 7,000 career receiving yards in the NFL.

NO DUCKING DEFOREST:  Colts DT DeForest Buckner (OREGON) had 8 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 pass defended and a forced fumble in their win over the Broncos.  It’s the 9th time in his career he’s had 2 or more sacks in a game and his 47.0 career sacks are the 2nd most ever by a former Duck (George Martin - 96.0).