PAC-12 Week 9 Review – Colorado @ Oregon

The PAC-12 Week 9 Review starts with Oregon keeping their slim playoff chances alive with a 52-29 win over Colorado. The Ducks had the game dusted by half time, with four touchdowns and a field goal. Running backs Travis Dye and Byron Cardwell ran in the first two touchdowns for Oregon, before highly rated Freshman Troy Franklin grabbed his first TD of his career on a 28-yard pass from QB Anthony Brown. Travis Dye added his second TD, wedged between two passing touchdowns from Buffaloes QB Brandon Lewis. Those TDs were only Lewis’s 5th and 6th passing touchdowns of the season, showing how much of a struggle it has been threw the air for Colorado.

A field goal from Oregon kicker Camden Lewis to finish the half gave the Ducks a 17-point lead. Two more touchdowns in the 3rd quarter from Oregon buried any small chance of Colorado comeback. Travis Dye added his third touchdown on the day, then Devon Williams from a 25-yard Brown pass. QB Brown finished with figures of 25-31, 307 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns on the day. Colorado reduced the score with two 4th quarter touchdowns, the last the a 3rd passing touchdown from QB Lewis, finding Brenden Rice on 16 yard touchdown.

The Ducks had the final say when freshman running back Seven McGee ran in his first touchdown of his career. Fellow freshman running back Cardwell’s earlier touchdown was his first career score and also had a 127 rushing yards. All Oregon can do is keep winning if they want to have any chance of a playoff place. Next up they have PAC-12 North rivals Washington. The schedule doesn’t get much easier for Colorado, they play Oregon State next.

PAC-12 Week 9 Review – Washington State @ Arizona State

Washington State shocked Arizona State with a 34-21 win in Temple. Two garbage time touchdowns from the Sun Devils made the game look closer on paper than it was. The Cougars were excellent on defence but were helped into scoring positions by ASU. The Sun Devils turned the ball over 4 times in the first half, 3 from their first 3 possessions of the ball.

The first was a fumble from DeaMonte Trayanum, but the Cougars could not capitalize, as they were stuffed on 4th and 3 on the ASU 32-yard line. On the first play of their next drive, it was Bryan Thompson’s turn to fumble the ball after catching a pass from QB Jayden Daniels. This time Washington State did make them pay, when quarterback Jayden de Laura rushed in a touchdown. Next drive Daniels marched them down the field and into the WSU half, but saw a pass intercepted.

Cougars force turnover after turnover

Again, they were punished, but the Cougars had to work for it this time, going 84 yards down the field to score. Another fumble before the half from the Sun Devils resulted in another touchdown, this time de Laura found Calvin Jackson Jr. for a 45-yard TD. Jackson had 139 receiving yards from 8 catches on the day. He now is 2nd place in the PAC-12 for receiving yards on the season. Arizona State added a touchdown late on in the 1st half, when Daniels found LV Bunkley-Shelton to give them a lifeline going into the half. The defence held up well for the Cougars in the 3rd quarter, with Ron Stone Jr. having an excellent game.

They held ASU to 3 punts and picked off Daniels for the second time in the game. They added two field goals from kicker Dean Janikowski to stretch their lead to 27 going into the 4th quarter. Arizona State brought the game closer with two late TDs, one a passing touchdown from back up QB Trenton Bourguet, his first career TD. Washington State goes into their bye week on a high, then travel to Oregon. Arizona State play USC, with a win being important if they want to challenge for the PAC-12 South.

PAC-12 Week 9 Review – Oregon State @ California

Oregon State’s chances of a potential PAC-12 North title were dealt a blow, losing 39-25 to California. The Beavers started off the game with a fumble on the first play.Cal linebacker Marqez Bimage forced the ball out of running backs B.J. Baylor’s hands and recovered the ball himself. Starting on the Beavers 22 yard line, it didn’t take long for QB Chase Garbers to run in a 2 yard touchdown.

Garbers had a excellent day, throwing for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns and had his rushing TD. After both teams exchanged field goals either side of the 1st quarter, Damien Moore scored a touchdown for the Golden Bears to stretch the lead, which was a regular occurrence during the game. Beavers QB Chance Nolan connected with a 32 yard touchdown pass to receiver Trevon Bradford just before the half.

No time like the present

Just under 4 minutes of the second half gone and Garbers struck again. Finding Christopher Brooks to make it 2 score game again. Running back Deshaun Fenwick reduced the Bears lead to 7 points again, then the Beavers defence stepped up and forced a 3 and out for Cal. Oregon State had to punt themselves after 4 plays, this time the punt was blocked by Nick Alftin and went out of bounds at the Beavers 38 yard line. California needed one play to take advantage, a 38 yard pass from Garbers to Trevon Clark.

The Beavers scored again in the 4th quarter, Trevon Bradford getting his 2nd TD of the day. Cal scored on the next drive, while taken just under 6 minutes off the clock. The Beavers needed to score on the next drive for a chance to get back in the game. On the first play Chance Nolan was picked off, his second interception of the day. A big win for California who play winless Arizona next week. Oregon State will need to win out and hope Oregon drops a game in the process. Next up is Colorado for them.

London Woes for USC – Arizona @ USC

USC saw off Arizona 41-34, with a second half fight back coming up short for the Wildcats. The big news coming out of the game was the injury to star USC wide receiver Drake London. London had 81 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half, before leaving the field on a stretcher, after injuring his ankle when tackled in the end zone for his 2nd touchdown in the 2nd quarter.

The touchdowns from London were 2 of 5 scored by the Trojans in the first half. The first was scored by running back Keaontay Ingram on a 3 yard run. The other two were hauled in by Gary Bryant Jr. Both Bryant’s touchdowns were thrown by QB Kedon Slovis, while London’s were thrown by Jaxson Dart.

Dart who had just come back from injury, split reps with Slovis during the game. 35-14 at the half, the second half was very much a different game. The Wildcats started the half with a missed 51 yard field goal from kicker Lucas Havrisik. On the second play of the Trojans drive, linebacker Anthony Pander picked off Kedon Slovis and ran the ball home for a 40 yard defensive touchdown.

Slow Second half for USC

USC then added their first of two field goals from kicker Alex Stadthaus. The only scores of the 2nd half for the Trojans. In the 4th quarter Arizona reduced the score to 7 points. First QB Will Plummer scrambled past defenders to score a 16 yard touchdown. Then despite making their way into the USC 10 yard line, the Wildcats had to settle for a field goal.

The two teams exchanged field goals late in the 4th quarter and any chance of a famous comeback were shot down, when USC recovered the onside kick. Arizona still go searching for their first win when they welcome California next week. USC, who have struggled all season, will now have to cope with out star receiver Drake London when they play Arizona State next.

PAC-12 Week 9 Review – Washington @ Stanford

A late touchdown from Washington gave them a big win, beating rivals Stanford 20-13. It was the Huskies only touchdown of the day, with all the other points coming from the boot of kicker Peyton Henry. All four times the Huskies had to settle for field goals after being inside the red zone, one of the problems that has held them back on offence this season. Stanford who looked after the ball well earlier in the season, turned the ball over 3 times. Only once they put Washington in good field position, when Stanford QB Tanner McKee was sacked by freshman linebacker Carson Bruener who is a guy to watch going forward.

McKee fumbled the ball and it was recovered by fellow Freshman linebacker Sav’ell Smalls at the Stanford 34 yard line. The Huskies defence limited Stanford to just 265 offensive yards and only 71 rushing yards, an area that they have struggled to combat this season. Nearly all off Stanford’s offensive yards came from 3 drives. The first a 58 yard one resulting in a field goal. The second was a tough one to take after going 60 yards to the Huskies 15 yard line, only for McKee to be picked off. The third time resulted in the Cardinals only touchdown, McKee rushing in to cap a 75 yard drive.

Ground game wins for Washington

Washington had 375 offensive yards, with 229 coming on the ground. Running back Sean McGrew had over 100 yards rushing, while fellow running back Cameron Davis fell just short with 99 yards on the ground. It was through the air where Washington scored their winning touchdown. QB Dylan Morris finding receiver Jalen McMillian on a 20 yard pass, on what looked like broken coverage from the Cardinal defence. A big win for Washington, who play top team in the PAC-12 Oregon next week. Stanford will need to win their last 4 GAMES for a winning season. They play Utah next.

PAC-12 Week 9 Review – UCLA @ Utah

In the big PAC-12 South game, Utah took the spoils with a 44-24 win over UCLA. With Arizona State losing earlier in the day, this game became even bigger. With both teams just behind the Sun Devils in the South. The Bruins were dealt a blow before the game when number 1 QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was ruled out after being a game time decision.

In came back up Ethan Garbers, the brother of California QB Chase. It was the Utah offence who started with the ball first and they started hot, going 75 yards down the field in 3 minutes and 34 seconds. Running back Tavion Thomas finished the drive off with a 10 yard rushing touchdown. UCLA added a field goal, after failing to convert from 1st and goal at the Utes 9 yard line. Utah went 75 yards down the field again, finished off on the ground by Thomas again.

Zach Attack

Zach Charbonnet reduced the score to 4 again with a 30 yard rushing touchdown. Again Utah got the ball back and went down the field again from their own 25 yard line. Just when it started to feel like groundhog day, Utes quarterback Cam Rising found Dalton Kincaid in the endzone. A 4 point deficit soon became 18 when Garbers had a pass intercepted by Nephi Sewell, who returned it to the UCLA 17 yard line. Two plays later and Thomas had his 3rd touchdown of the day. Rushing in a 10 yard TD to make it 28-10 at the half. The Bruins huffed and puffed in the second half. Ultimately they could never get close enough to the lead Utah had built up.

Twice UCLA brought the score back to 11 with touchdowns from Michael Ezeike and Greg Dulcich. But first Cam Rising extended it to 18 again. Then after a Utah safety, Thomas added his 4th touchdown of the day. Thomas had a career day, with 160 rushing yards to go with his 4 touchdowns. This win put Utah on top of the PAC-12 South, with UCLA needing a lot to go their way to get to the Championship game. Utah do have a potential banana skin on the road to Stanford. UCLA have their second bye week before playing struggling Colorado.

Written by Jordan Merritt @Jordm87