After a great Week 3, the Pac-12 came into Week 4 with four teams ranked in the AP Top 25 (four in the Gridiron Top 25 too). There shouldn’t be any change to that number despite a wild weekend of conference play. The weekend featured thrilling games, incredible performances, and wacky plays. Here are six takeaways from all the action.
Bo Nix Overcomes Crucial Mistake
After a disappointing Ducks debut in Georgia, Bo Nix accounted for ten touchdowns in games against Eastern Washington and No. 12 BYU. But, his turnaround came in the comfy confines of Autzen Stadium. He still needed to prove his play could translate on the road in the Pac-12. Well, it did in Pullman, Washington.
In front of a soldout WSU crowd, Nix fought through adversity, which is what made this performance impressive. The Cougs didn’t allow Oregon to score a touchdown on four redzone trips in the first half. In fact, they capitalized on this Nix mistake that has often defined the QB’s CFB career.
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Nix didn’t sulk. He came out in the second half and balled out. He finished with one of the best statistical performances of his career. Nix threw for a career-high 428 passing yards and three touchdowns; including the two fourth quarter touchdowns that helped erase 12-point deficit. That’s incredible turnaround for a guy who had road woes at Auburn.
Star Potential on the Palouse
Speaking of Washington State, the Cougars have themselves a star at quarterback. Lost in the Ducks’ sensational 44-41 comeback win over WSU was the performance of Cam Ward. For about 58 minutes of the game, he frustrated Oregon defenders and dazzled viewers with his playmaking.
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Ward completed 37 of 48 pass attempts for 375 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He scored a touchdown on the ground too. Unfortunately, he threw a crucial pick-six with less than two minutes left in the game, which secured Oregon’s victory. However, he was the main reason the Cougs had the chance of knocking off another Top 25 team.
Ward can be erratic at times, but the star potential is there. It’ll be interesting to see how he and the Washington State offense continue to progress. They will be a tough out for anyone in the Pac-12.
What the Cal?
The California Golden Bears scored 49 points in a game? And against a conference opponent? That’s most points they’ve scored in a game since 2018, when they beat the Oregon State Beavers 49-7.
It’s rare to see Justin Wilcox win a shootout. However, that’s what happened as they beat the Arizona Wildcats 49-31. The Golden Bears’ running game was awesome. Running back Jaydn Ott had 274 rushing yards (the most in FBS this season so far) and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, transfer QB Jack Plummer threw for 245 passing yards and three TDs.
Everyone in the Pac-12 knows Justin Wilcox can coach an elite defense. The question has always been the offense. Maybe he’s finally figured out something that works on that side of the ball.
Self-Inflicted Wounds Spoil Oregon State Upset
The Oregon State Beavers had a wonderful gameplan against USC. Trent Bray and his defense bottled up Caleb Williams and USC’s explosive receivers; holding the Trojans to 17 points. Unfortunately, the Beavers offense let them failed to do enough.
The Beavers came into the USC contest averaging 45.7 points per game. They only scored 14 points Saturday night. That’s an incredible letdown. Unfortunately, it could have been avoided too.
Starting QB Chance Nolan threw four interceptions. The final one came with 35 seconds left while the Beavers were driving to force the game into overtime. Plus, the Beavers committed six costly offensive penalties that stalled out drives. Lastly, they had a missed field.
It doesn’t matter what the opponent is doing. Four interceptions, multiple penalties and missed field goal are too many errors to overcome. It’s super unfortunate because that might be as bad as USC plays all season. The Beavers can still be a factor in the Pac-12 Title race, but they missed a huge missed opportunity.
A Chink in the USC Offense Exposed
That flashy, explosive USC offense disappeared in Corvallis. Instead, the Trojans found themselves scrapping and clawing for every yard against the Beavers.
The Trojans’ offensive line allowed a lot of pressure. The Beavers were more physical and quicker than USC at the line of scrimmage. As a result, Caleb Williams spent a lot of time scrambling. As a result, Williams was uncharacteristically inaccurate. He had 20 incompletions, and he had only thrown 22 incompletions combined in the three games prior.
The Beavers did a great job making Williams uncomfortable because he missed a lot of easy throws even when the rush didn’t get to him. Offensive line play was a concern for USC coming into season. However, this is the first time it had a significant effect on the offense.
No Hangover for the Huskies
There was no letdown for the Washington Huskies a week after their 39-28 victory over No. 11 Michigan State. Kalen DeBoer had his squad ready for Stanford, who can always sneak up on teams (just ask Oregon last year).
The Huskies had a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter and held a 30-7 advantage at the end of the third. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for more than 300 passing yards once again. Meanwhile, running back Wayne Taulapapa had 120 rushing yards and a TD.
Washington has been the most consistent team in the Pac-12 through four games; beating all their opponents by double digits. DeBoer has his guys not overlooking anyone, which is a sign of a well-coached team. That’s remarkable because you not say that about this program a year ago.