Pac-12 South Standings and 2016 Championship Game Forecast: Week 11

Nov 12, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Myles Gaskin (9) is tackled by USC Trojans defensive back Iman Marshall (8) and USC Trojans defensive back Marvell Tell III (7) during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Myles Gaskin (9) is tackled by USC Trojans defensive back Iman Marshall (8) and USC Trojans defensive back Marvell Tell III (7) during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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USC shocked the college football world Saturday with a 26-13 win over No. 4 Washington to keep the Trojans’ Rose Bowl hopes alive. They now sit second in the Pac-12 South standings.

Saturday served as a reminder that college football is the greatest sport on the planet, with five Top 10 teams losing.

That includes previously unbeaten Washington, who was throughly outplayed by Clay Helton’s USC Trojans. The 26-13 win kept their slim Rose Bowl hopes alive another week, despite not controlling their own destiny.

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Let’s look at how the Pac-12 South shapes up after Week 11 and going into Week 12…

Pac-12 South Standings (Through 11/12)

  1. Colorado (6-1)
  2. USC (6-2)
  3. Utah (5-2)
  4. Arizona State (2-5)
  5. UCLA (2-5)
  6. Arizona (0-7)

How will they make it to the Pac-12 Championship Game?

Colorado: Another week, another dominant performance for the Buffaloes, beating Arizona 49-24 in Tucson. With the win, CU runs its Pac-12 record to a South-best 6-1 and remains in the driver’s seat to get to Santa Clara. They can punch their ticket by simply winning their final two games, or can drop a game with help. If Colorado loses to Washington State, then they must beat Utah and hope USC gets upset by UCLA. If they beat Washington State but lose to Utah, then they can only advance with a USC loss to UCLA, along with a Utah loss to Oregon.Tiebreakers held: Arizona State, UCLA, ArizonaTo win the South: Win out OR Beat Utah, coupled with a USC loss to UCLA

USC: You could make the argument that the Trojans are playing the best football in the Pac-12 right now. But of course, that doesn’t decide who wins the division. USC’s scenario is rather simple. They can only take the South if they beat UCLA and hope that the winner of the Utah vs. Colorado game does so after losing this upcoming Saturday. Should both CU and Utah both lose this week, the Trojans could clinch the division with a win in the Rose Bowl over the Bruins.Tiebreakers held: Arizona State, Arizona, ColoradoTo win the South: Beat UCLA, while Utah & Colorado each lose once

Utah: The Utes rebounded after their loss to Washington with an emphatic 49-26 win at ASU that included a whopping 11 sacks. The victory ensured that Utah still controls their own destiny, but unlike Colorado, they cannot afford to drop the season finale. If they go 1-1 and lose to Oregon, Kyle Whittingham’s team can only make the Pac-12 Championship Game if both USC loses to UCLA and Colorado falters to Washington State.Tiebreakers held: USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona StateTo win the South: Win out OR Beat Colorado, coupled with a USC loss to UCLA

Arizona State: Losing to Utah on Thursday was another disastrous performance for the Sun Devils, who seem far removed from their 2013 Pac-12 South title.Tiebreakers held: UCLATo win the South: Wait for baseball season

UCLA: The Bruins finally snapped a four-game losing streak by getting a win over Oregon State, but they were eliminated from Pac-12 South contention last week.Tiebreakers held: ArizonaTo win the South: Wait for softball season

Arizona: Hey, basketball season started in Tucson on Friday.Tiebreakers held: Bueller…To win the South: Wait for March Madness