It's time to look at the top quarterback performers after another week of Pac-12 play. We'll revisit this ranking each Monday. Remember that we're weighing the past weekend's performance more heavily than an overall season track record, so expect some variation every week.
1. Luke Falk, Washington State Cougars: When it comes to overall statistical prowess, he still leads the pack by a wide margin -- 4,067 yards, 35 touchdowns, eight interceptions. But the Cougars' 31-27 road win at UCLA was so much more than a gaudy Falk stat line (though 331 yards and two touchdowns against the Pac-12's best pass defense is admittedly impressive).
This effort was a significant milestone for the Washington State program, which we shouldn't pity anymore. The Cougars are working toward a nine-win season, thanks to Falk's clutch play down the stretch at the Rose Bowl: His 21-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Marks with three seconds left will be remembered for a long time in the Palouse. That sealed a 75-yard drive that took only a minute in the clutch. We aren't dealing with same ol' Washington State.
2. Vernon Adams, Jr., Oregon Ducks: However, it does appear that we are again dealing with same ol' Oregon -- and that should be music to the Ducks' ears. Adams made the absolute most of limited pass attempts to lead his team to a 38-36 win at Stanford: He finished 10-of-12 for 205 yards and a pair of long touchdowns. Hey, 17 yards per attempt ain't bad.
Earlier in the week, Cardinal coach David Shaw had used the words "improvisational jazz" to describe Adams' play, and he burned Stanford with that style of frantic yet lethal play. Scoring bombs to Darren Carrington and Taj Griffin both showcased his pretty deep ball and loosened up the defense for 231 Oregon rushing yards.
3. Jared Goff, California Golden Bears: At long last, our preseason No. 1 guy is back on this list. He guided the Golden Bears back to bowl eligibility with an unstoppable performance. Yes, it did come in a 54-24 win against Pac-12 bottom feeder Oregon State, but 453 passing yards and six touchdown passes will earn a spot in these rankings regardless of the opponent.
Goff now has a chance to truly re-emerge on the national scene after Cal's four-game losing streak pushed his name into the background: The Bears are playing at Stanford with a chance to spoil their rival's Pac-12 championship hopes. This will be a defining moment in the junior's 2015 season.
4. Josh Rosen, UCLA Bruins: That was a gut-wrenching loss for the Bruins, but it shouldn't take away from another impressive performance from the true freshman. UCLA asked Rosen to throw 57 times, and although he didn't toss a touchdown, he ran for a 37-yard score that many thought would be the game-winner with just over a minute remaining. There's versatile talent here, as evidenced by Rosen's 410 combined yards of offensive production. He'll be the Bruins' cornerstone for years to come.
5. Kevin Hogan, Stanford Cardinal: His two fumbled snaps will long be emblematic of the Cardinal's loss, but Hogan did many things well throughout this game, so he deserves mention. Aside from those miscues, the execution of Stanford's game plan was virtually perfect. The Cardinal have shown tremendous explosive capability already this season, but they opted to carefully chew clock instead (they ended with over 42 minutes of possession). Hogan responded by orchestrating methodical drives with his arm and legs, throwing for 304 yards and rushing for 48 more as Stanford converted 12-of-17 third downs. His 22-yard touchdown scamper early on, featuring a combination of speed and some physical power, was particularly impressive.