The Seattle Times’ Pac-12 power rankings: UCLA rises to the top

The nonconference portion of the season is over for the majority of teams in the Pac-12, and the conference title contenders (hello, Stanford) are starting to come into focus while the pretenders are beginning to slip (see ya, ‘SC) as conference play begins in earnest this week.

Here is the first installment of a new feature ranking the Pac-12 top to bottom, as chosen by Seattle Times college football reporters Percy Allen, Adam Jude and Stefanie Loh:

	1. UCLA (3-0)
Even when the freshman quarterback Josh Rosen had a bad day – 3 INT — the Bruins found a way to get it done. They look like the cream of the conference at the moment.
	2. Stanford (2-1, 1-0)
Gritty performance last week by QB Kevin Hogan who played second half of 41-31 win at then-No. 6 USC on a bad ankle. However, he won’t practice until Thursday and is questionable for Saturday.
	3. Oregon (2-1)
After a week layoff, looks like QB Vernon Adams Jr. will return despite broken finger on throwing (right) hand. But will the Ducks’ defense show up?
	4. Utah (3-0)
Are the Utes for real? We’ll find out Saturday night in Eugene.
	5. USC (2-1, 0-1)
Pst. Those whispers you hear are the Trojan-haters saying that, once again, USC was overrated in the preseason.
	6. Arizona (3-0)
Hard to know what to make of the reigning South champs. No one’s had an easier early schedule than the Wildcats.
	7. Cal (3-0)
If the Golden Bears are serious about breaking their four-year bowl drought, they need to take care of business the next two weeks before four-straight games against ranked opponents.
	8. Arizona State (2-1)
In the preseason, many pegged the Sun Devils as the top challenger to USC in the South, but ASU was whipped by Texas A&M, needed a late surge to beat Cal Poly and wasn’t all that impressive in a win over New Mexico either.
	9. Washington (2-1)
The rushing attack is dreadful (107 ypg), but the Huskies’ run defense (93 ypg) has been formidable.
	10. Washington State (2-1)
It’s hard to figure out what kind of team the Cougs are after an erratic non-conference performance. That defense, however, is rounding into form. They lead the Pac-12 with nine sacks.
	11 (tie). Colorado (2-1)
Colorado has struggled against Mountain West teams, losing to Hawaii and needing OT to edge Colorado State. This doesn’t bode well for how the Buffs project against Pac-12 competition.
	11 (tie). Oregon State (2-1)
The Beavers, like UCLA and UW, have turned the offense over to a true freshman, and Seth Collins has done well to lead them to two wins. They would do even better to win two more in the Pac-12, but that’s a dubious proposition.

Game of the week: Several good matchups to choose from, and ESPN’s “College GameDay” is heading to Tucson for the showdown between No. 9 UCLA and No. 16 Arizona. But we’re especially curious to see what happens when No. 18 Utah and No. 13 Oregon play in Eugene on Saturday night. The Ducks are always tough at home, but the uncertainty of Vernon Adams Jr.’s injured finger adds intrigue against the sort of lunchpail team that can give Oregon trouble. Utah has its own QB question with Travis Wilson’s shoulder injury, but there’s no question the Utes will rely heavily on star running back Devontae Booker. A year ago, the Utes smelled an upset before a bizarre turn of events — on a play you may never see again — turned them back. If they can pull it off this week, the Pac-12’s pecking order would change dramatically.