Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Pac-12 Week 6 power rankings: Washington State makes a statement

Wazzu announced its presence last week with its win against USC, but its 33-10 victory over Oregon reaffirmed the Cougars are for real. It's the Huskies and Cougars atop the power rankings for a second consecutive week, and it would take a significant upset for that to change anytime soon.

1. Washington (6-0, 3-0): Another week, another blowout win. The Huskies might not have an impressive list of wins in terms of the strength of their competition, but they are doing exactly what a national title contender should do against inferior opponents.

2. Washington State (6-0, 3-0): The Cougars, who held the Ducks to 10 points on Saturday, have quietly become one of the better defensive teams in the country, which is why -- paired with Mike Leach’s offense -- they’re a legitimate threat to make a run at the College Football Playoff.

3. USC (5-1, 3-1): At this point, it’s hard to take away much from a lopsided win against Oregon State. Next week, however, is an important test with Utah coming to town.

4. Stanford (4-2, 3-1): Over 150 yards rushing? Check. A 60-plus-yard touchdown run? Check. Bryce Love remains on track to receive an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

5. Utah (4-1, 1-1): The Utes’ 23-20 loss to Stanford came without starting quarterback Tyler Huntley. Would things have gone differently if he had been healthy?

6. UCLA (3-2, 1-1): After No. 5, there’s a clear gap in the rankings. Nos. 6 through 11 don’t have much separation, so we’ll slot the Bruins here because their win against Texas A&M is the most impressive on the board.

7. Oregon (4-2, 1-2): Without quarterback Justin Herbert, the Ducks’ usually explosive offense sputtered against Wazzu. They scored at least 35 points in their first five games but were limited to 10 on Saturday, including a scoreless second half.

8. Arizona (3-2, 1-1): Backup quarterback Khalil Tate rushed for 327 yards -- 327! -- in Arizona’s 45-42 win against Colorado. It was the Wildcats’ first road win in conference play since Oct. 17, 2015, which was also a win in Boulder.

9. California (3-3, 0-3): The Bears are looking less impressive by the week, as are their nonconference wins against North Carolina (1-5) and Ole Miss (2-3).

10. Colorado (3-3, 0-3): They’re a few plays from being 5-1, but the Buffs are in the same spot in the Pac-12 standings as Cal and Oregon State.

11. Arizona State (2-3, 1-1): With Washington, Utah and USC upcoming on the schedule, ASU can make some noise ... or it can fall into obscurity.

12. Oregon State (1-5, 0-3): The Beavers’ 38-10 loss to USC was their narrowest margin of defeat this season. Let that sink in.

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