ASU basketball and Arizona made cases for the top while Oregon plummeted in back-to-back defeats. Here’s how it shaped our latest Pac-12 Power Rankings.
Can the Pac-12 still make a name for itself?
Once recognized as a conference abundant of returning talent and intriguing prospects, the league has collapsed one month into the season. And while a lot of blame can be deflected toward the struggles of its top contenders, the problems lie much deeper.
Just last week, three teams (USC, Stanford, Oregon) had opportunities to defeat ranked opponents in the same night. And just like each of the previous weeks, all fell and failed to give the Pac-12 credibility.
This week, two big opportunities exist for Washington and Arizona State. After getting blown out by No. 8 Auburn in their second game, the Huskies have a chance to make amends tonight with a matchup against No. 1 Gonzaga in Spokane.
As for the Sun Devils, they’ll look to add on to what might be the conference’s best victory, a neutral site win over 15th-ranked Mississippi State, in Friday’s matchup against No. 6 Nevada. With ASU being the final unbeaten team in the Pac-12, they can still become the team that carries the conference’s integrity.
And while the Sun Devils aren’t 100 percent healthy, they might be the conference’s best hope in making a deep NCAA Tournament run. If Louis King gets healthy for Oregon, the Ducks might be in that same conversation.
It’s a big week, and besides ASU and UW, each team has a lot to prove. Let’s take at where everyone stands in this week’s power rankings.