<
        >

          Pac-12 Blog

          Happy Halloween from the Pac-12

          Oct 28, 2015
          • Ted MillerESPN Senior Writer
            Close
            • Pac-12 reporter
            • Covered college football since 1997
            • Graduate of the University of Richmond
            Follow on Twitter

          The Pac-12 has its share of ghosts, ghouls and goblins. So to get you in the spirit of the Halloween weekend ...

          Haunted Houses: Pac-12 teams are 11-14 in home conference games this season.

          Scary movie -- Worst loss of the season: Utah's 62-20 win over Oregon was the most shocking result so far this season in the conference, and one of the biggest shockers in the nation. The Utes dominated statistically and creatively, as Utah added a trick, "Where the heck is the ball?" punt return for a touchdown. Oregon hadn't lost so badly at home since falling 54-0 to Washington in 1977. Utah's 62 points were the most the Ducks have ever allowed in Eugene.

          He's not a man! He's an octopus! Stanford receiver Francis Owusu might have produced the play of the year when he trapped a bomb from Kevin Hogan on the back of UCLA defense back Jaleel Wadood for a 41-yard touchdown.

          Rising from the dead: Everybody thought Stanford's decline as a national power was set in stone with its opening 16-6 loss at Northwestern. Nope. Stanford has now won six in a row by an average of three touchdowns and is the only undefeated team in Pac-12 play. At No. 8, it's also the conference's only top-10 team.

          Rising from the dead 2: Everyone thought Washington State's season was over and coach Mike Leach was on the hot seat after the Cougars lost 24-17 against Portland State, an FCS team, in the season opener. Nope. The Cougars are now 5-2 overall, are receiving votes in both human polls and are in the middle of the North Division race.

          Zombies! Two teams rising from the dead? It's the zombie matchup of the year on Halloween Night in Pullman, Washington! Stanford at Washington State, with first place in the North Division on the line.

          Nightmare at the Coliseum -- biggest debacle of the season: Not to take anything away from an inspired effort by Washington, but USC's 17-12 loss to the Huskies on Oct. 8 was shocking. The Trojans, widely viewed as national title contenders in the preseason, looked uninspired and poorly prepared. Of course, things only got worse with coach Steve Sarkisian's suspension and termination for alleged problem drinking.

          Trick or treat -- game with high stakes: On Nov. 21, the second to last weekend of the regular season, which is chocked full of big games, UCLA visits Utah. It's difficult to believe this matchup won't have major ramifications in the South Division race.

          Boo (boo) -- biggest loss because of injury: Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III entered the season as the most decorated defensive player in the nation. Obviously, there was little question that he was the leader of the Wildcats defense. So his knee and foot injuries that have killed his season -- at least so far -- are probably a critical reason Arizona, the defending South Division champs, is ranked 11th in the conference in both scoring and total defense this season.

          Boo (boos) -- biggest losses because of injury: UCLA's injury list is truly scary: DE Eddie Vanderdoes, LB Myles Jack, CB Fabian Moreau, RB Paul Perkins, LB Deon Hollins, OT Conor McDermott, OL Simon Goines, WR Mossi Johnson and RB Nate Starks, etc.

          Cursed team: USC is suffering through its second midseason firing of a head coach in two years, and, of course, neither Lane Kiffin nor Steve Sarkisian inspired much enthusiasm with the fan base. Maybe someone should exorcise Heritage Hall?

          Paranormal activity: There haven't been a lot of thrilling games this season, which is strange in the Pac-12, particularly after 43 were decided by eight or fewer points last year. This season? Just 18 so far, and only nine in conference play.

          Halloween costumes