Crazy PAC-12 Season Gets Crazier

October 13, 2016 by CFP Staff

Chris Petersen knew that things wouldn't be easy when he became the Huskies coach, primarily because all anyone seems to care about is the fact that Washington has lost 12 straight to Oregon, and every question Chris fields has eventually come down to whether the Huskies will upset college football odds and finally overcome their Pacific Northwest rival.

Fortunately for Chris, he can finally put that issue to rest, the Huskies having beaten Oregon 70-21 in Eugene Last Week. Already in his third season in Seattle, Chris was quick to express his appreciation for the fact that he wouldn't have to answer the Oregon question anymore.

With their win, Washington's position in the Top 5 of the National Polls was cemented. More importantly, Chris' team proved that the PAC-12 conference would be just as ridiculous as some people predicted.

The underdogs have continued to dominate, shifting the status quo with each passing week by overcoming ranked opponents. California Coach Sonny Dykes hasn't seen a season as unique as this one in a long time, and it is definitely making the game so much more entertaining.

Looking at a country where the Southeastern Conference dominates the college football environment alongside a resurgent Big ten, it is interesting to see how potentially damaging the parity might be, especially with regards to reputation.

What cannot be denied is this: the PAC-12 hasn't been this unpredictable in a while. Oregon upset California just last week in overtime, this while USC eked out a victory over favorites Colorado, and that was before nationally ranked Utah lost to Cal in the final seconds.

With regards to why things have become so unpredictable, Geography is probably a factor. Try to keep in mind the ridiculous number of schools bunched in and around California.

California, if you didn't know, is teeming with talent; there are more than enough players to keep the colleges in the area well stocked. There are schools who have never really struggled to keep their rosters stocked, with great talent streaming in even as great talent leaves.

The rest of the Power Five Conferences, on the other hand, have to struggle for recruits emerging from talent hubs like Texas, with many of the least renowned programs at the bottom feeling largely left out.

Beyond Geography, you also have to keep the weather in mind; there are a number of schools situated in locations that allow them to play wide-open offenses throughout the 12 months of any given year.

Whether that is a viable excuse or not, it is clear that the Pac-12 has been eating its own tail, especially after missing out on the 4-team college football playoff last season. In just two weekends, fans have seen three ranked teams fall to unranked conference opponents, with only Washington seemingly having a credible shot at reaching the final four.

Weaker opponents are presenting stronger fronts than ever before. Now situated in the fourth place in most of the conference power rankings (and having only one other team in the Top 25), Dykes has suggested that maybe the PAC-12 should play eight conference games like the SEC.

Regardless of how the ranked and unranked winners of the season are feeling today, there is no denying the fact that fans are enjoying the frenzy and unpredictability of the PAC-12.