It’s been a wild ride for teams in the West. With surprises throughout the year, the second season of realignment did not disappoint.
From Arizona’s success to BYU’s run to the Big 12 Championship Game, there are plenty of unexpected results to point to.
But how do all the teams stack up at the end of the year? That’s the ultimate question with no easy answers.
Here’s how I view the Top 10 Teams in the West at the end of the regular season.
1. Oregon (8-1, 11-1) ◄►
The entire season has led up to this point. Oregon has been No. 1 in these rankings every single week since the preseason.By returning to the Playoff, the Ducks have met expectations. But now the rubber hits the road.
The knock on Oregon’s program is that it can’t win the “big” games. Well, the next game UO plays is the definition of a “big” game. Last year, the Ducks got destroyed in the first round of the Playoff. That can’t happen again.
Oregon needs to advance. Otherwise, the program might be hitting a ceiling.
2. BYU (8-1, 11-1) ◄►
BYU deserves to be in the Playoff. A power conference team that finishes 11-1 with the only defeat coming on the road against a team currently ranked No. 5 in the Playoff poll should receive an invite.To leave them out would signal that brands matter more than resumes. The unfortunate reality is that it’s true: The Playoff Committee values television ratings over everything.
Can you imagine the pressure ESPN is putting on those committee members? Disney’s financial well-being is linked to the commercial ad sales from these games, and the SEC teams, along with Notre Dame, pull in more viewers.
BYU is fighting the entire system.
3. Utah (7-2, 10-2) ◄►
Style points went out of the window at the end of the year for Utah.The Big 12 is not respected by the national media or the Playoff Committee; otherwise, the narrow margins of victory to finish the year would have been more impactful.
As it stands, the Utes may drop another spot or two in the Playoff rankings, which would be relatively meaningless because the program is too far away from the at-large cut-off to matter.
The bigger picture, however, is that Utah has found itself in the Big 12. Finishing the year 10-2 with the lone losses coming to the top teams in the Conference, the Utes announced their return.
4. USC (7-2, 9-3) ◄►
Rome wasn’t built in a day. USC finished the year 9-3 with respectable wins over Michigan and Iowa, along with a notable road victory against Nebraska.The only questionable loss was the two-point defeat at Illinois, a game that the Trojans should have won.
The results this season set the foundation for the future. There’s still work to be done, as evidenced by the double-digit losses to Notre Dame and Oregon.
Yet, there are reasons for cautious optimism in L.A. heading into next year.
5. Arizona (6-3, 9-3) ▲1
Brent Brennan has Arizona on the brink of history. With a dominating victory over ASU in Tempe, the Wildcats are one win away from a 10-win season.UA has just four 10-win seasons in school history, coming in 1993, 1998, 2014, and 2023.
Projected to receive an invitation to the Holiday Bowl, this year has the chance to be one of the all-time greats. The defense is elite, Noah Fifita is setting program records, and the culture that’s been instilled is strong.
On top of that, recruiting is popping off, and the belief in Arizona football is returning.
6. Arizona State (6-3, 8-4) ▼1
The Territorial Cup was a disaster for Arizona State. The five turnovers and seven points scored were brutal.But even so, the season was a moderate success. Injuries derailed the progress and forced the fanbase into “what if” scenarios.
Yet, the wins over Texas Tech, Iowa State, and TCU are all respectable.
Losing a star quarterback is almost impossible to overcome. Combine that with several missed weeks from a star wide receiver, and it’s a small miracle that ASU ended up 8-4 with three wins over FBS teams above .500.
7. Washington (5-4, 8-4) ◄►
Washington’s position in the new college football landscape was crystallized this season. The Dawgs finished the regular season with just one win against FBS teams with a winning record.Jedd Fisch is still building, and the momentum is strong. But a dose of reality is needed for a fanbase that still has expectations of making the Playoff.
Right now, Washington is one tier above average in the Big Ten. The loss to Wisconsin stands out, and the margins of defeat to Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon can’t be ignored.
This isn’t the 2023 season. And many of the former Pac-12 teams are outpacing UW in the new era.
8. UNLV (6-2, 10-2) ▲1
Well, the computers liked UNLV enough to put the Rebels in the Mountain West Championship Game.The result doesn’t make sense from a head-to-head standpoint, with losses to both New Mexico and Boise State. But from the eye-test standpoint, UNLV’s appearance in the championship is legitimate.
The Rebels are playing their best football of the year, and they have a talented roster. You don’t win 10 games in the regular season unless you are elite. And the two losses came against opponents with a combined record of 17-7.
In other words, UNLV has no invalidating blemishes on its resume.
9. Boise State (6-2, 8-4) ▲1
The Broncos made the Mountain West Championship Game by the skin of their teeth.The victories over UNLV and New Mexico likely played critical roles in the computer rankings that ultimately decided the matchup.
The road win at Utah State to finish the year shouldn’t be overlooked, either, and probably impacted the metrics more than some might realize.
But at the end of the day, Boise State is hosting the championship with a 10-win season still up for grabs.
10. California (4-4, 7-5) ▲NR
That one was for JW.The Cal Bears ended the regular season in typical Cal fashion with a surprising victory over a ranked SMU team.
Nick Rolovich’s interview after the game confirmed where the credit was due: Justin Wilcox. The culture he built in the program, the coaches he brought in, and the players he recruited are why California won.
The Bears will finish the year with two great victories over ranked ACC opponents. If not for the disasters against Stanford and San Diego State, Wilcox would still be in Berkeley.
Dropped Out: SDSU
