If last week’s Pac-10 football games taught us anything, it’s this: The conference hierarchy is still a mess.
You have Oregon and USC at the top, and Washington State on the bottom. From No. 3 through 9… well, take your pick. Stanford was making a case for No. 3 in the pecking order before blowing a 15-point lead to Arizona. Washington looked like it had turned things around with some impressive showings (knocking off USC) before self-destructing against ASU.
How will it shake out? It might be one of those seasons where home-field advantage and turnovers decide the majority of these games.
ASU already lost to Oregon State and still has games against USC and Oregon remaining. Assuming losses to those two, the Devils must win two of the following four games to become bowl eligible: at Stanford, vs. Cal, at UCLA, vs. Arizona. Anything more than two wins and they could be in the mix for third or fourth place in the Pac-10, which is a lot better than many predicted coming into the season.
PAC-10 STANDINGS
(Overall record in parentheses)
Oregon (5-1)……..3-0
USC (5-1)…………..2-1
ASU (4-2)………….2-1
Arizona (4-2)……..2-1
Oregon St. (4-2)…..2-1
Stanford (4-3)……..3-2
Washington (4-3)…2-2
California (4-2)…….1-2
UCLA (3-3)………….0-3
Wash. State (1-5)….0-4
The Sun Bowl would be nice for ASU.