Midseason finds a lot of surprises
The Pac12 is a jumble at the halfway point after some surprising early season results, but some themes have emerged.
First, Oregon has rebounded after the loss to Auburn in the opener and is in control in the North Division with a fivegame win streak. In the South, it’s anyone’s race to win.
Key games this weekend could make the picture clearer. The No. 12 Ducks (51, 30) visit No. 25 Washington (52, 22), while No. 17 Arizona State (51, 21) visits No. 13 Utah (51, 21).
If the Ducks win the rest of the way and claim the Pac12 title, they might have a sliver of a chance to make the College Football Playoff. But it’s a long shot.
The Utes, favored in the preseason to win the South, dropped a game to USC and now must find a way to separate themselves from a pack of teams that have two wins, including the Sun Devils, the Trojans and Arizona.
The Associated Press writers covering the Pac12 voted on the best — and worst — of the league so far. Here are some of the standout teams and players with the second half of the season looming: Coach of the midseason: It was unanimous, with Arizona State’s Herm Edwards getting the nod. Edwards surprised many when he led the Sun Devils to a winning record and a bowl game in his first season. This year he’s showing it might not be a fluke. The Sun Devils are a win from bowl eligibility again and are in the thick of the South standings.
“We have a lot of work to do still. We’re laying bricks, trying to stack them. We have to just keep playing (the freshman) and that’s what we’re trying to do. Are we there yet? No. It’s a journey. We’re going to a destination and we haven’t arrived yet,” Edwards said this week.
Offensive player: Oregon State’s Isaiah Hodgins stands out despite playing on a team with just two wins. Hodgins, a junior, ranks fourth nationally with an average of 118.2 receiving yards a game. Oregon State was shut down by Utah’s stout defense in a 527 loss last weekend, but Hodgins still managed eight catches for 77 yards.
The Beavers (24, 12) visit Cal (42, 12) on Saturday. Defensive player: Speaking of Cal, linebacker Evan Weaver swept the category. The senior inside linebacker has 84 tackles to lead the nation, and he’s been in double digits for five of the last six games. His careerhigh 22 tackles at Mississippi earlier this season tied the Golden Bears’ record. Top freshman: This one was unanimous, too. Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels has surpassed expectations. He’s averaging 301.3 yards of total offense per game, ranking first among freshmen nationally. He’s also averaging 268.3 yards passing to rank among the top 20 quarterbacks nationwide. He’s thrown eight touchdowns and one interception.
“We recruited him really hard out of high school,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “He’s a talented kid. He’s not the biggest guy, only about 180 pounds, so he hasn’t filled out yet, but he’s doing a really nice job running the offense.” Surprising player: Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon is leading the league — and the nation — in many statistical categories. He ranks first nationally in passing yards (2,612) and average yards per game (435.3), and he ranks second in the country with 25 touchdowns.
The Cougars (33, 03) host the Buffaloes (33, 12) on Saturday. Surprising team: Arizona State is better than most thought, while Washington State has been a disappointment. The Sun Devils were picked to finish third, but if they can stay on track — starting with the Utes this weekend — they might claim the South.
The Cougars have lost three straight after opening the season 30.
Anne M. Peterson is an Associated Press writer.