Around the Pac-12: Week 12

Story posted November 17, 2021 in CommRadio, Sports by Dylan Price

This week featured some close calls for a few power players in the PAC-12 like No. 23 Utah and Arizona State.

Stanford and Colorado both lost, falling to 3-7, and are officially out of the running for the postseason.

Oregon State is bowl eligible for the first time since 2013, and No. 3 Oregon continued its hot streak, setting up a division-clinching clash against the Utes this weekend.

Arizona Shows Some Life, No. 23 Utah Holds On

Speaking of the Utes, this win was not necessarily easy for them. Arizona quickly answered back to Cameron Rising’s early score.

At the end of the first, the Wildcats even held a lead. The better team took control though, established a rhythm and won the game.

Rising had an excellent game throwing for 294 yards and two touchdowns while adding one on the ground as well.

Utah did not play its best game, as it got penalized eight times for 85 yards, and its defense struggled to contain Arizona at points.

Arizona did play its best, though, only getting penalized five times for 33 yards. Quarterback Will Plummer had 223 yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing score, but the Wildcats couldn’t contain the Utes and fell short of an upset.

For a Wildcats team that just broke a 20-game losing streak just a week and a half ago, this was a momentum building loss. For the Utes, they have to tighten up their defense before they face Anthony Brown and the Ducks, or it could be a long evening for them.

Stanford Continues its Skid

Just five games ago, Stanford pulled off a massive upset. A little over a month later, the team looks disheveled and lacks an identity.

The Cardinal turned the ball over three times in this game and were held to only 230 yards.

Oregon State quarterback Chance Nolan put up 257 yards, two passing scores and a rushing touchdown, and the Beavers combined for 219 rushing yards and three total rushing scores against the Cardinal.

Stanford, without quarterback Tanner McKee struggled mightily. Three different quarterbacks took snaps combining for 94 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.


Regardless of their offensive struggles, Nolan had all day in the pocket for the Beavers, the defense looked lifeless, and the team was in the midst of a massive slump that could just put coach David Shaw on the hot seat.

Arizona State Roars Back To Stay In The Hunt

Arizona State came out of the gates very slow, losing 17-7 going into the half.

At the start of the fourth, Washington still held a two-score lead. Then, the Sun Devils picked up steam and dropped 21 points in the fourth to stay in the running for the South Division.

The Sun Devils did not look good in this game, turning the ball over twice, and quarterback Jayden Daniels had only 90 yards passing.

Daniels did add a touchdown on the ground and another through the air, but the story of the day was the rushing attack, more specifically running back Rachaad White who carried the rock 32 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns. White also added 5 receptions for 53 yards.

His monster game kept them in the conversation to make the PAC-12 Championship, but a few things will need to fall their way first, starting with Utah losing this weekend.

Game of the Week: No.3 Oregon travels to No.23 Utah

Arguably the biggest game of the year in the PAC-12 takes place this weekend as the Utes host the Ducks.

Both teams will look to win, clinch their respective division and secure a spot in the PAC-12 Championship.

This matchup could be rehashed in a few weeks in the championship game, but Utah will look to not only secure its spot before the Ducks, but spoil its conference rival’s playoff hopes.

 

Dylan Price is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email dvp5625@psu.edu.