PRESS PICKS (Week 8): Bad timing for Pac-12 with top QBs leading teams to new heights
STAFF REPORT
As we prepare for another weekend of college football, we notice the AP Top 25 is loaded with teams from the Pac 12.
More importantly, the three teams in the Top 10 and six in the top 16 all have one thing in common.
They have transfer quarterbacks that are much better at their new home.
On Saturday, eighth-ranked Oregon will visit No. 7 Washington with both featuring QBs that were good at their former schools, but are setting records in their new duds.
Michael Penix, Jr. was known at Indiana for almost pulling off the biggest upset in Hoosier football history, coming up inches short of a touchdown to beat Ohio State back in 2020. He is now leading the nation in several offensive categories and leading the Huskies to a possible Pac 12 championship.
Not to be outdone, Bo Nix is well known around these parts, first as the son of former Auburn great Patrick Nix and then making a name for himself at Auburn. Due to some sort of disgruntlement, he chose to go to Oregon where he has become one of the top Heisman candidates by starting the year with an 80-percent completion rate.
One of these two will probably be in New York in December when the most coveted college award is handed out.
Joining the choice will most likely be last year’s winner, Caleb Williams of USC, who also is having a tremendous year under center. In case you forgotten, he started at Oklahoma with his coach, Lincoln Riley.
Then add the likes of DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State, who left Clemson in a huff; Shedeur Sanders of Colorado, who followed his father to Boulder…. All were highly rated quarterbacks coming out of high school but are at their second college and flourishing.
Washington State Cam Ward didn’t leave a Division I program but also became one of the top transfer quarterbacks in the country.
The sad news for the conference - had this all happened a couple of years ago, the exodus may have been averted. Instead, the majority of teams are headed elsewhere, leaving this season as one of the best for the league in recent history. And most likely the last.
While it’s not guaranteed, chances are good the Pac 12 will have a representative in the College Football Playoff this season for the first time since Washington made it in 2016.
Pac 12 football is actually worth staying up late to watch again. Last week’s USC-Arizona overtime game was one of the most interesting of the 2023 season.
There are other games on the docket that will be paid attention to, unlike in previous years when no one cared.
All of this proves the old adage - timing is everything.
For the first time in Press Picks history, there is a four-way tie for first place with Mike Peacock joining Wesley Lyle, Graham Dunn and Doug Amos at the top.
2023 Overall Standings (Last week)
1. Wesley Lyle 84-21 (12-3) .800
Graham Dunn 84-21 (12-3) .800
Doug Amos 84-21 (12-3) .800
Mike Peacock 84-21 (13-2) .800
5. Tim Gayle 82-23 (12-3) .781
6. Lindsey Bonner 78-27 (10-5) .743
7. Michael Butler 76-29 (12-3) .724
8. Rosie Langello 73-32 (9-6) .695
9. Barry McKnight 67-38 (6-9) .638
10. Rick Hendrick 65-40 (8-7) .619
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
84-21 (12-3) .800
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Beauregard
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Oregon
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
84-21 (12-3) .800
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Lanier
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Southern Cal
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Washington
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
84-21 (12-3) .800
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Lanier
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Southern Cal
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Washington
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
84-21 (13-2) .800
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - Auburn
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Oregon
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director WAKA Ch. 8)
78-27 (10-5) .743
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - PCA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - Florida
Missouri at Kentucky - Missouri
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Texas A&M
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Southern Cal
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Washington
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
76-29 (12-3) .724
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Lanier
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - PCA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Beauregard
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Southern Cal
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Washington
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
73-32 (9-6) .695
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Carver
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Lanier
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - Auburn
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - Florida
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Texas A&M
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Oregon
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
67-38 (6-9) .638
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Beauregard
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - Auburn
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - Oregon St
Oregon at Washington - Oregon
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
65-40 (8-7) .619
Wetumpka at G.W. Carver (Thur) - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama Christian at Prattville Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Beauregard - Elmore County
Arkansas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at LSU - LSU
Troy at Army - Troy
Florida at South Carolina - South Carolina
Missouri at Kentucky - Kentucky
Texas A&M at Tennessee - Tennessee
Southern Cal at Notre Dame -Southern Cal
Miami, Fla. at North Carolina - North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon St - UCLA
Oregon at Washington - Washington