What To Expect From College Football Week 6: PAC-12

PAC-12
The weakest league in Power 5 football needs to shape it up this weekend. Stanford had a shot for a huge out of conference win against Notre Dame, and lost. Washington had that shot in the opener against Auburn, and lost. USC had that shot with Texas, and lost. The one team that nobody wants to talk about, Colorado, is soaring, and everyone wants to forget that it's happening.

Stanford absolutely cannot afford another loss. Utah is a tough out, but they are already 0-2 in conference play, and they find themselves in dead last place in the PAC-12 South. Again, I reiterate that neither side can stand a loss this week in this game, and so we should expect a blood bath Saturday night.

Washington has it easy this week as they travel to take on a UCLA team that has devolved into an absolute train wreck. Washington has been solid, but not powerful since the Auburn loss, and here is a chance to completely dominate a game from start to finish, something they have not really done yet.

Oregon has to be kicking themselves with that Stanford loss in OT. They don't play this week, but they will be watching Washington closely, because the Ducks get their shot at the Huskies next week to have a shot at sticking around in the conference race as they are coming off a huge win against Cal last weekend.

Speaking of Cal, that loss to Oregon really stung, as it exposed issues on both sides of the football for the Golden Bears, and here we have another edition of Cal football that starts of strong and then fades in October. If they lose to a desperate Arizona team on the road this week, the race is simply over for the Bears, and it's another year of "here we go again" in Berkeley.

Washington State will look back on that loss to USC and really kick themselves all year, because they had that one in the bag. Now they find themselves in a can't lose spot every week. Oregon State should not present an issue for the Cougars this week, so call this one a reprieve.

I am still trying to figure out how Colorado continues to basically be ignored nationally, as they are the lone team in the conference that has not lost, and has been winning in impressive ways. The Buffs have a shot for a big divisional win this weekend against Arizona State, which would move them to 5-0 if they can pull it out. Arizona State has been better than we thought they might be, but not by much, and Colorado has simply been mostly dominant. If the Buffs win this week, watch them closely moving forward, because they get USC next week.

Coaches Who Need a Win This Week: With so many new faces, there is no real pressure on any one coach this week.