Pac-12 surprise plot points for every team in September
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Our friends at Buffaloes Wire might soon prepare for the story we had to cover last year: a miseason coach firing and subsequent coaching search. Karl Dorrell might not make it through the 2022 season. The ax could fall very soon in Boulder, in which case Buffs Wire will study the coaching carousel. We’re not there yet, however.
In the meantime, Buffaloes Wire is helping us out with Pac-12 coverage. The team at Buffs Wire came out with a thoughtful article on the biggest surprise for each Pac-12 team in the month of September. There is just one Pac-12 game left this month: Washington at UCLA on Friday night, Sept. 30.
The Pac has four top-15 teams: No. 13 Oregon, No. 12 Utah, No. 6 USC and No. 15 Washington. Colorado is still winless.
Here’s Buffaloes Wire’s look at the big surprises of the first month of the 2022 Pac-12 football season:
UCLA: CHIP KELLY HOT SEAT
Yes, this is a little bit of a surprise. How can a coach whose team is undefeated be mentioned on a hot seat? However, the Bruins have beaten four not-so-good teams, and this includes a 1-point victory over South Alabama at home. The Bruins have a tough stretch of Washington, Utah and Oregon coming up.
WASHINGTON: AIR FLAIR
Did you know that Washington is second in the United States in passing yards per game (368.8)?
CAL: JACK PLUMMER
Cal’s offense just took a blowtorch to Arizona. Plummer has thrown for 975 yards and eight touchdowns. The Golden Bears are 3-1.
UTAH: BALANCE
From Buffaloes Wire:
Tavion Thomas has 61 carries for 282 yards and four touchdowns, and the pass catchers are extremely balanced.
Here are the stats:
OREGON STATE: TOUGHNESS DESPITE LIMITATIONS
How many people thought Oregon State would almost beat USC despite a minus-four turnover differential? That’s a surprise for sure. This is a tough team.
WASHINGTON STATE: CAM WARD A NOT-SO-PLEASANT SURPRISE
Five interceptions in September, including a pick-six against Oregon, represent a disappointing month for the hyped signal-caller. USC faces him on Oct. 8 and hopes he doesn’t deliver his best game of the year.
ARIZONA: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
The Wildcats have already exceeded last year’s win total under Jedd Fisch.
STANFORD: TANNER McKEE NOT LIGHTING IT UP
Just 814 passing yards with four picks in September? That’s not what the Cardinal and David Shaw wanted.
USC: DEFENSE
Sep 17, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive lineman Solomon Byrd (51) and linebacker Eric Gentry (18) celebrate after a fumble recovery ]af] in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It’s crazy, right? The Trojans are No. 1 in interceptions in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with 11. They are tied for first in total takeaways, with 14. The defense saved Lincoln Riley, Caleb Williams, and the rest of the USC offense. It’s arguably the biggest surprise in Pac-12 football through one month of play in 2022.
OREGON: GROUND GAME
No Travis Dye, no problem: The Ducks average 198.3 rushing yards per game.
ARIZONA STATE ACTUALLY PULLED THE TRIGGER
Think about it for a minute. It is a surprise this happened so early, given that ASU kept Herm employed this past offseason. The Sun Devils stuck with Herm when they should have fired him. We did expect him to be gone, but probably not before Week 4. That’s the surprise here. The Sun Devils actually made the move.
COLORADO: OWEN McCOWN
Colorado’s quarterback room has been a jumble and a theater of uncertainty, but Owen McCown was the team’s leading passer against Minnesota, and he was named the starter against UCLA. He was not terrible.
