The Best of the West offers fans a candid assessment of the top teams in the western third of the country — a collection of schools now scattered across five conferences: the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Mountain West.
The rankings will be published weekly on the Hotline throughout the regular season.
(All times Pacific)
1. Oregon (11-0/8-0 Big Ten)
Last week: 1Result: won at Wisconsin 16-13Next up: idleComment: No matter how dominant a team is, there’s always one scare. The Ducks survived Madison thanks to their defense, which also saved coach Dan Lanning from a barrage of criticism for the fake field goal. Now it’s time to rest, then get ready for Washington.
2. Boise State (9-1/6-0 Mountain West)
Last week: 2Result: won at San Jose State 42-21Next up: at Wyoming (4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network)Comment: The Broncos received good news and bad on the playoff front Saturday night as Brigham Young’s loss bolstered their case to be one of the four highest-ranked conference champions but Washington State’s loss weakened their resume.
3. Colorado (8-2/6-1 Big 12)
Last week: 4Result: beat Utah 49-24Next up: at Kansas (12:30 p.m. on Fox)Comment: The Buffaloes climbed the Best of the West rankings because Brigham Young (formerly No. 3) lost to a sub-.500 opponent, not because they handled Utah decisively. After all, the Utes are 1-6 in Big 12 play and record matters more to our evaluation than reputation.
4. Arizona State (8-2/5-2 Big 12)
Last week: 6Result: won at Kansas State 24-14Next up: vs. Brigham Young (12:30 p.m. ESPN)Comment: The double-digit victory in Manhattan was the best result of the Kenny Dillingham era, and it’s not even close. He should receive strong consideration for Big 12 Coach of the Year honors, if not the national version (although Indiana’s Curt Cignetti has that award essentially locked up).
5. Brigham Young (9-1/6-1 Big 12)
Last week: 3Result: lost to Kansas 17-13Next up: at ASU (12:30 p.m. on ESPN)Comment: A loss down the stretch was bound to happen. No team that regularly struggles to beat sub-.500 opponents is good enough to run the table, even in a conference devoid of powerhouse teams. And it might be the best thing that could have happened to the Cougars, if they recover quickly.
6. UNLV (8-2/4-1 Mountain West)
Last week: 8Result: beat San Diego State 41-20Next up: at San Jose State (Friday at 7 p.m. on FS1)Comment: Everything is going according to plan except for pesky Colorado State, which could block the Rebels from the Mountain West championship game — and the coveted rematch with Boise State.
7. Washington State (8-2)
Last week: 5Result: lost at New Mexico 38-35Next up: at Oregon State (4 p.m. on The CW)Comment: The Cougars’ fatal flaw is easy to pinpoint: In the losses to Boise State and New Mexico, they allowed 636 rushing yards. That’s right, folks. Six. Thirty. Six. In two games. And 7.5 yards per carry.
8. Washington (6-5/4-4 Big Ten)
Last week: 10Result: beat UCLA 31-19Next up: idleComment: The Huskies will finish 7-5 or, more likely, 6-6, and both fall within the reasonable range of outcomes. But as we noted previously, they won’t compete for the Big Ten title until they substantially upgrade the lines of scrimmage.
9. UCLA (4-6/3-5 Big Ten)
Last week: 7Result: lost at Washington 31-19Next up: vs. USC (7:30 p.m. on NBC)Comment: If the Bruins finish one game short of a bowl berth — they play Fresno State in the finale — it won’t be difficult to identify the game that got away: the loss at home to Minnesota on a touchdown with 27 seconds remaining.
10. USC (5-5/3-5 Big Ten)
Last week: 11Result: beat Nebraska 28-20Next up: at UCLA (7:30 p.m. on NBC)Comment: Two chances to win one game and secure a spot in the postseason: Can Lincoln Riley meet the moment? If not — if the Trojans lose to both of their rivals — the seat heat will approach surface-of-the-sun levels. And understandably so.
Related Articles
Saturday Night Five: Down goes BYU (and WSU, too), the case for Dillingham over Sanders and different results in the Bay Area
Drilling down on Washington: What’s next for the Huskies (short and long term) after bowl berth secured
Mailbag: Boise State as Big 12 target (adios, WSU and OSU), options for the Pac-12, control of the CFP, closed door for Cal and Stanford and more
On CFB media: Fox’s depleted inventory options, the ‘Big Noon’ plan and Colorado’s lower but enduring popularity
Washington State and the CFP: Five steps to postseason glory
11. Cal (5-5/1-5 ACC)
Last week: 9Result: lost to Syracuse 33-25Next up: vs. Stanford (12:30 p.m. on ACC Network)Comment: The result itself was poor and yet still better than the performance, which deserves a position on the short list of worst displays of the Justin Wilcox era. Add a loss to Stanford and the frustration with the eighth-year coach will reach unprecedented levels across Bear Territory.
12. Arizona (4-6/2-5 Big 12)
Last week: 14Result: beat Houston 27-3Next up: at TCU (12 p.m. on ESPN+)Comment: Yes, we’re sayin’ there’s a chance. TCU is mediocre, even in Fort Worth, and anything goes in the Territorial Cup. But quarterback Noah Fifita cannot miss open receivers with the same frequency we’ve seen over the past six weeks, and the defense must play with the energy it showed Saturday.
13. San Jose State (6-4/3-3 Mountain West)
Last week: 13Result: lost to Boise State 42-21Next up: vs. UNLV (Friday at 7 p.m. on FS1)Comment: The game was closer than we would have expected considering SJSU committed four turnovers to Boise State’s one. If they eliminate the mistakes and play with the same energy, the Spartans will beat UNLV.
14. Colorado State (7-3/5-0 Mountain West)
Last week: 15Result: beat Wyoming 24-10Next up: at Fresno State (7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network)Comment: Hard to believe this is the same team that lost at Oregon State in early October. Then again, it’s hard to believe the Beavers are the same team that beat CSU.
15. Utah (4-6/1-6 Big 12)
Last week: 12Result: lost at Colorado 49-24Next up: vs. Iowa State (4:30 p.m. on Fox)Comment: Of course the defense wilted in Boulder. Complementary football is essential to success, and it has been absent in Salt Lake City for most of the season. Defense can only carry a team for only so long before the mental and physical exhaustion takes hold.
*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716
*** Follow me on the social media platform X: @WilnerHotline