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1. USC (11-1, 8-1) ◄►

Inching one step closer to the College Football Playoff, USC secured its first win over Notre Dame since 2016.

Caleb Williams may have convinced enough voters to win the Heisman, too, with three rushing touchdowns and a handful of highlight plays.

Facing Utah on a neutral field, Lincoln Riley must like his chances.

Often criticized as overrated due to a soft schedule and questionable defense, the Trojans have continued to prove the doubters wrong.

2. Washington (10-2, 7-2) ▲2

Despite having the same conference record as Utah and more overall wins, the Huskies were kept out of the Pac-12 Championship Game due to a three-way tie-breaker.

Ultimately, the loss to Arizona State in Tempe proved costly. Even so, the Dawgs have blown their preseason expectations out of the water.

Kalen DeBoer has a strong case to win the Conference’s Coach of the Year honor while Michael Penix Jr. might get invited to the Heisman ceremony.

The 10-win season could be enough to secure a Rose Bowl invitation, too, if USC makes the Playoff.

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3. Utah (9-3, 7-2) ◄►

For the fourth time in the last five seasons, Kyle Whittingham’s team returns to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

The consistent run has been accomplished through player development rather than high-level recruiting, a philosophy that is relatively rare in modern College Football.

With two-straight wins over USC and a 5-4 mark against the Trojans since 2014, the Utes will enter Allegiant Stadium full of confidence.

Many aren’t giving Whittingham’s team much of a shot, which may give Utah an extra layer of motivation to get the job done.

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4. Oregon (9-3, 7-2) ▼2

There’s no sugar-coating it: Dan Lanning’s coaching decisions cost Oregon the game.

Similar circumstances led to the Washington loss, too, arguably putting two of the Ducks’ three defeats solely on the head coach.

But even considering the aggressive decisions, the Oregon defense has been unacceptable. Changes should be made to the staff and scheme after the group finished 76th in the FBS in scoring defense.

And with Kenny Dillingham leaving to be the head coach at Arizona State, Lanning arguably faces the most pivotal decision of his young career to find a replacement.

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5. Oregon State (9-3, 6-3) ▲1

Without attempting a pass over the final quarter and a half of the game, the Beavers scored 28 points to come from behind against the Ducks.

The numbers from the game are shocking: Oregon State threw for just 60 yards passing, committed three turnovers, and was 3-for-9 on third down.

Yet, Jonathan Smith’s team forced Oregon to go 0-for-5 on fourth down and took advantage of all of UO’s coaching mistakes.

There probably won’t be another OSU-UO rivalry game like it and it easily falls under the Instant Classic label. As the cherry on top, the nine wins are the Beavers’ most since 2012.

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6.  UCLA (9-3, 6-3) ▼1

Somewhat lost in the mix during Rivalry Week, UCLA outlasted California in a seven-point win.

The victory secured a nine-win season and the highest win total of the Chip Kelly era. But the absence of defensive coordinator Bill McGovern over the final part of the season was arguably devastating.

Had the experienced coach been available, there’s a strong chance the Bruins would have beat both USC and Arizona.

Still, the nine wins are the most since 2014, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson left a legacy to be proud of.

7. Boise State (9-3, 8-0) ◄►

Some chinks in the armor might have been exposed against Utah State. The final score doesn’t indicate what transpired on the field, yet there’s no denying Boise State’s elite defense.

Still, the relative scare against the Aggies is a worrying look heading into the Mountain West Championship Game.

Taylen Green must have the game of his life on Saturday against the nation’s No. 27 scoring defense.

The first matchup with the Bulldogs was mostly meaningless, too, with Jake Haener unavailable for the game.

All in all, Andy Avalos can’t be feeling too comfortable as the title deciding matchup approaches.

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8. Washington State (7-5, 4-5) ◄►

The Cougars gave up a shocking 703 yards of total offense to Washington in the Apple Cup. Putting the Coug Raid’s consistent second-half struggles aside, the defensive performance against the Huskies can’t be swept under the rug.

UW was 11-for-13 on third down and made the Wazzu defense look like an FCS school. The 51 points allowed were the most given up by Washington State since 2019.

Jake Dickert doesn’t tolerate that type of outcome and some heads might roll over the offseason.

But even still, the struggles along the Cougar offensive line must be fixed for the 2023 season.

9. Fresno State (8-4, 7-1) ◄►

Jeff Tedford’s team blanked a respectable Wyoming squad in a warm-up for the Mountain West Championship Game.

The perception of the 2022 season has yet to be determined, but Jake Haener can build on his legacy with a win on Saturday.

The matchup with Boise State marks the fourth time the teams have faced off for the title over the last eight years. With a defense that is comparable to the Broncos, it’s not unreasonable to project a Fresno State victory.

At the very least, FSU has a stronger offense and a far more experienced quarterback leading the way.

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10. Arizona (5-7, 3-6) ▲1

It took six years, but Arizona finally won back the Territorial Cup.

The five wins in Jedd Fisch’s second season equal the cumulative win total the Wildcats posted over the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons combined. If not for the head-scratching loss to California, Fisch’s team would be bowl eligible.

The rebuild continues, though, with the focus shifting to keeping the productive offensive players on the roster.

Wide receiver Dorian Singer and running back Jonah Coleman might need NIL deals to stick around and Arizona’s various collectives know it.

Look for Fisch to be aggressive in the transfer portal, too, as some substantial roster turnover could occur.

11. BYU (7-5) ▼1

Ending the season on a three-game winning streak, BYU has a chance to reevaluate its staff before entering the Big 12 next year.

Demoted defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki resigned and additional staff changes appear likely.

The Cougars’ defense was atrocious this season and not close to the caliber that a competitive Power Five team needs to field.

In many ways, the staff changes open the door to the future and put Kalani Sitake in a position to take BYU to the next level.

Hiring the right candidates will be critical, yet the next few years remain bright in Provo.

12. San Diego State (7-5, 5-3) ◄►

Brady Hoke’s defense did what it needed to do, but his offense failed to show up against Air Force.

The defeat was disappointing, but considering the state of the program at the start of the year, a 7-5 mark is welcomed.

Matched up with Middle Tennessee State in the Hawaii Bowl, the Aztecs get an appealable postseason destination.

Questions remain, however, about the direction of the program after the disastrous start to the year.

This offseason could be one of the most impactful the program has faced in several seasons.

13. Cal (4-8, 2-7) ◄►

Failing to reach bowl eligibility for the eighth time since the Pac-12 expanded in 2011, California appears to be at a crossroads.

Justin Wilcox is 10-18 over the last three years and appears to be trending in the wrong direction.

With an open offensive coordinator position to fill, it’s fair to say the hire will make or break his tenure in Berkeley.

If another mistake is made and the offense remains ineffective, the patience of the California administration might run out.

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14. Arizona State (3-9, 2-7) ◄►

Kenny Dillingham takes over as a first-time head coach in what appears to be a strong hire. The creative offensive guru should invigorate Arizona State’s traditional recruiting and hit the transfer portal with success.

Building the staff will be crucial, yet there’s a palpable buzz around the program that seems to have negated one of the worst seasons in program history.

The impending NCAA sanctions remain, though, and it might be wise for the ASU administration to self-impose some penalties to get ahead of what’s coming.

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15. Stanford (3-9, 1-8) ◄►

David Shaw resigned after leading the Cardinal to their third losing season over the last four years. The somewhat unexpected departure presents a pivotal decision for the Stanford administration.

Finding the right person to take over and begin the rebuild process could prove challenging.

Still, with academics to attract top talent, the right person could turn it around relatively quickly.

Embracing NIL will probably be needed and the Tree might bring in someone comparatively young to embrace the new landscape.

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16. Colorado (1-11, 1-8) ◄►

Plenty of smoke is billowing around Colorado and Deion Sanders.

Sanders has reportedly been offered the position and the Jackson State coach confirmed it himself.

Whether or not he accepts the job remains to be seen, but his hiring would be a calculated risk. Most college football programs are stepping-stone jobs and CU is no exception.

If Sanders finds success over a year or two he will likely jump at a better offer.

Still, the Buffs would gladly take it considering the downtrodden state of the program.

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How our Senior Football Writers and Broadcasters Voted

1	USC	USC	USC	USC	USC	USC	USC
2	UW	UW	Utah	Utah	UW	Utah	Utah
3	Utah	Oregon	UW	UW	Oregon	UW	UW
4	UCLA	Utah	OSU	UCLA	Utah	Oregon	Oregon
5	OSU	OSU	UCLA	Oregon	OSU	UCLA	OSU
6	Oregon	UCLA	Oregon	OSU	UCLA	OSU	UCLA
7	WSU	WSU	BSU	BSU	BSU	WSU	BSU
8	Fresno St	BSU	Fresno St	WSU	Fresno St	Arizona	Fresno St
9	BSU	Fresno St	WSU	Fresno St	WSU	Cal	BYU
10	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	BYU	BYU	BSU	SDSU
11	SDSU	Cal	Cal	Arizona	SDSU	BYU	WSU
12	BYU	ASU	BYU	SDSU	Arizona	SDSU	ASU
13	Cal	BYU	SDSU	Cal	Cal	Fresno St	Arizona
14	ASU	SDSU	ASU	ASU	ASU	ASU	Cal
15	Stanford	Stanford	Stanford	Stanford	Stanford	Stanford	Stanford
16	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado