Pac-12 Power Rankings: Stanford shines, Colorado somehow wins again, Cal and UCLA survive

The Pac-12 is looking deep after three weeks of play

1. UCLA Bruins

Previous Ranking: 2

Had USC beat Stanford, I still think the Bruins would have taken the No. 1 spot this week. BYU needed two Hail Mary's to get to 2-0, but the Cougars are still a very good team. Josh Rosen showed he was vulnerable this past weekend, but with Paul Perkins behind him and the experience on defense, UCLA can take command of the top spot with a win at Arizona.

2. USC Trojans

Previous Ranking: 1

I had USC running the Pac-12 this year, and a loss to Stanford, especially after watching two weeks of the 2015 season, came as a shock. Cody Kessler is probably one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the nation, as he is still just one of two quarterbacks in the nation to throw for 10 touchdowns and no interceptions (Anu Solomon is the other). They'll face ASU in Tempe this weekend, who is still struggling to find their identity. This is a must-win game for USC, who already has their back against the wall after their first Pac-12 game.

3. Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking: 3

I can't buy into Oregon because of their defense. They have given up 28+ points in all three games, two of which include Eastern Washington and Georgia State. They put up 61 points without Vernon Adams., so they have a nice little system going for them. They host No. 18 Utah this week, which I would expect to be a closer game than most would expect. But until USC loses again, it's hard to see Oregon move up.

4. Arizona Wildcats

Previous Ranking: 5

The defense is making gradual improvements, albeit against mediocre opponents. They'll need to step it up big time against UCLA this weekend, and make a few key stops to win it. With Jerrard Randall finding his way on the field more and more, the offense is more explosive than ever, and hopefully we see Randall touch the ball 5-8 times this Saturday. A win against UCLA could give Arizona a huge jump in the rankings.

5. Utah Utes

Previous Ranking: 4

Utah keeps winning, and they could give Oregon some trouble. Their quarterback situation is shaky, but DeVontae Booker is a beast in the backfield, and their defense comes up with big time plays. There is really no reason to move them down anymore, unless a team like Cal or Stanford starts to dominate. They have a big game against Oregon this weekend in Eugene, and I think Utah can make this game closer than most would think.

6. Stanford Cardinal

Previous Ranking: 8

Stanford's loss at Northwestern is starting to look a lot better than it did in week one. Stanford always plays USC tough, but I don't think that's the same Stanford team we can expect to see week in and week out in the Pac-12. They have a fairly favorable schedule, avoiding Arizona State and Utah in their rotation, which could help them in the Pac-12 standings in the long run.

7. California Golden Bears

Previous Ranking: 6

The Pac-12 is looking pretty solid after three weeks, especially considering the fact that Cal is stuck in the 6-8 range in these power rankings. They went to Austin and came out with a win, and are now 3-0 as they start heading into the brunt of their schedule. Cal is pretty darn good team for being stuck at No. 7 this week, and depending on what the Cardinal do, they could climb back into the six spot.

8. Arizona State Sun Devils

Previous Ranking: 7

Arizona State has the potential to be the third best team in the conference, but they have yet to show it. They struggled quite a bit against New Mexico, and ASU fans are still displeased with their performance. For Arizona State to be at No. 8 right now, I think that says a lot about the depth of the Pac-12. They're hosting USC this weekend, and it's a must-win for both teams, as there are major Pac-12 South implications involved, especially considering USC's loss last week.

9. Washington Huskies

Previous Ranking: 9

Washington might not be as bad as they were made out to be, as Jake Browning is proving that he can lead the offense with confidence. They host Cal this weekend, which could be a pretty interesting game.

10. Washington State Cougars

Previous Ranking: 11

Washington beat a Wyoming team that is still winless, but the win at Rutgers is what keeps Wazzu from the bottom two spots. They're off next week, so we'll see what Oregon State can do to potentially jump the Cougars.

11. Oregon State Beavers

Previous Ranking: 10

Oregon State took care of San Jose State, and I think they have a shot against Stanford at home, catching the Cardinal off guard after their big win in Los Angeles this weekend. After checking out the box score for Oregon State, I totally forgot that Storm Woods was still there, who torched Arizona back in 2012. So maybe Oregon State's offense could be half way decent with Seth Collins running the show.

12. Colorado Buffaloes

Previous Ranking: 12

I just can't get behind Colorado being higher than any other team. Sefo Liufau is a fairly decent quarterback and they have pretty good weapons to operate with. They still have another non-conference game thanks to Hawaii, so they'll bring in Nichols State this weekend, before drawing Oregon, Arizona State, and Arizona in consecutive weeks. Ouch.

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