Last week was a momentous occasion for the Oregon Ducks: They finally were mentioned inside the top 10 by Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, one of the most respected voices in the sport. Oregon had been on the outside looking in for a while, but after its win over the UCLA Bruins, Klatt couldn’t help moving the Ducks into the rankings.
This week is almost as important: A trio of Pac-12 teams moved into the top 10 following a chaotic Saturday that saw seven ranked teams lose.
Why is this important? Because it gives the Pac-12 some respect after several down years out west. The conference is tied with the SEC — Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama — for most teams inside the top 10, according to Klatt, and ahead of the Big Ten — Ohio State and Michigan.
Of course, the three SEC teams are much higher in the rankings than the three Pac-12 teams, but after the past half-decade out west, you take what you can get.
Here’s how Klatt sees the rankings shaking out after Week 8: