PAC-12 Week 1 Review
The 2023 season will be the swansong for the PAC-12 as we know it before ten of the twelve members, initially led by USC and UCLA announcing their intention to join the Big Ten, depart for other conferences in 2024. But ‘The Conference of Champions’ has decided to go out with a bang by recording an undefeated Week 1, the first time a Power Five conference has done so since 1980. With the conference standing at 13-0 (USC are 2-0 following a Week 0 win over San Jose State) let’s take a look at the standout performances and what to look forward to from Week 2.
PAC-12 Week 1 Results:
Utah 24 v Florida 11
Arizona State 24 v Southern Utah 21
Stanford 37@ Hawaii 24
Colorado 45 @ TCU 42
Oregon 81 v Portland State 7
Washington 56 v Boise State 19
Cal 58 @ North Texas 21
USC 66 v Nevada 14
Washington State 50 @ Colorado State 24
Arizona 38 v Northern Arizona 3
UCLA 27 v Coastal Carolina 13
Oregon State 42 @ San Jose State 17
Standout Games:
Colorado @ TCU
This was the headline grabber as the ‘Prime-Time’ era well and truly begins in Colorado. Head coach and Hall of Fame NFL cornerback Deion Sanders guided the Buffaloes to a stunning upset over TCU after entering the game as firm underdogs (they went 1-11 in 2022) against last year’s National Championship finalists. However, they made us all believers as they flipped the narrative on its head with QB, and Coach Sanders’ son, Shedeur Sanders passing for more than 500 yards for the first time in the school’s history en route to a 45-42 victory.
Sanders was supported by strong performances by his team mates. Freshman RB Dylan Edwards was solid on the ground but also lead the team with 135 receiving yards including a 75-yard touchdown off a screen pass. But it was Travis Hunter who grabbed the national spotlight, playing an entire team’s worth of snaps as he went both ways at wide receiver and cornerback (more on him later). Whether this win was a fluke or the Buffaloes are real contenders, they’ll certainly be a team to watch going forward.
Utah v Florida
Last year’s PAC-12 champions kicked off their 2023 campaign with a convincing 24-11 win over SEC opponents Florida. The Utes entered the game missing multiple starters, including starting QB Cam Rising. He was replaced by walk-on Bryson Barnes who kicked things off with a 70-yard touchdown pass to WR Money Parks on their first play from scrimmage, earning himself a scholarship in the process. Bryson split time under centre with Nate Johnson as Utah doubled down on defence in Rising’s absence. Utah suffocated Florida’s rushing attack, holding them to just 13-yards on the ground.
Florida QB Graham Mertz made his debut after transferring from Wisconsin. Mertz wasn’t the issue for Florida as he passed for 333-yards. Rather, the Gators hampered themselves with a slew of mistakes, incurring nine total penalties. This included four penalties in the first half and only eight yards gained in the second quarter. Unlike Florida, Utah demonstrated they have a culture of executing efficiently and not making unnecessary mistakes to incur damaging penalties.
Washington v Boise State
After a shaky first quarter, QB Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies were able to solve what the Boise State defense was showing them, with Penix Jr. laying on a 450-yard, five-touchdown performance, equalling his career high for TDs and just one shy of the school record as they routed Boise State 56-19. Washington turned it on from there, scoring 28 points and gaining 206 total yards in the second quarter alone.
WRs Jalen McMillen and Rome Odunze both turned in strong performances, racking up 95-yards and 2 TDs, and 132-yards and 1 TD respectively. McMillen even managed a nine-yard pass completion on a trick play. The Broncos put up a bit of a fight with QB Taylen Green throwing for 244-yards but they were never really in it.
Whilst Washington announced themselves as competitors, there are still areas for improvement. The Huskies relied heavily on their passing game and will need to improve on a rushing attack that accrued just 78-yards if they are to become a well-balanced offensive threat.
Performance of the Week: Travis Hunter -Colorado
Suggestions that Travis Hunter may be in with a shot at the Heisman Trophy this season are hyperbolic at this stage but his performance against The Horned Frogs on Saturday was nothing short of spectacular. In searing heat, Hunter was on the field for more than 110 snaps, closer to what an entire team would play rather than a single offensive or defensive player.
TCU fans could be heard shouting to their QB to target Hunter, probably expecting a moonlighting WR to be the weak link in the secondary. He proved them wrong by jumping the route and picking off the pass. On top of the interception, Hunter also recorded three tackles and three passes defended. Then, whilst his defensive colleagues were having a breather, Hunter made eleven receptions for 119 yards at WR. Hunter, who wears a D on his jersey that coach Sanders said stands for ‘Dawg’, will certainly be an exciting player to watch as the season progresses.
Games to Look Forward To in Week 2:
USC v Stanford
One of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in college football will come to an end on Saturday as The Cardinal make their way south to The Coliseum for the final PAC-12 contest between USC and
Stanford before they head off to the Big Ten and ACC respectively. The schools first played against each other in 1905 and the head-to-head record currently sits at 64-34-3 in The Trojan’s favour. Expectations are that USC will make it 65, with Stanford not winning more than four games per season since 2018.
The Trojans have averaged 61 points over their first two games but those matchups were against lesser, non-conference opponents. Stanford, coming off a stout 37-24 victory over Hawaii in Honolulu, will provide USC’s first in conference opponent of the season and will test a defence that has been allowing far more yards and points than head coach Lincoln Riley will be happy with. Stanford have settled on Ashton Daniels at QB. Daniels put up respectable figures in his first college start last week as he went 25 of 36 and totalled 248 yards and two TDs.
Whatever happens on the defensive side of the ball, USC have the X-Factor of Caleb Williams. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner has already shown several flashes of magic this season, turning broken down plays into huge gains with his elusiveness on his feet and his accuracy through the air. This has the potential to be a high-scoring affair.
Colorado v Nebraska
The eyes of the nation will be on Boulder, Colorado as Coach Sanders makes his home debut. The Buffaloes welcome Nebraska to continue an inter-conference rivalry that has spanned nearly forty years. These two teams don’t like each other at all and appears that Colorado have the upper hand heading into the Week 2 matchup.
Former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and his Cornhuskers could not hold on to a 10-3 fourth quarter lead against Minnesota last week. Nebraska was strong against the run but, in a late game defensive collapse, allowed the Golden Gophers to cut them apart through the air on their way to a 13-10 victory. However, this is not a bad defense. If Colorado can repeat the level of offensive production they displayed last week then they may convert the remaining doubters into believers.