It's remarkable how a week can completely change your feeling about a season. For Cal, that's not a good thing. Just last week, after their surprisingly easy win over the Utes, it looked like the Golden Bears were finally getting things turned around after a slow start to conference play.
But just as easily as they saved their season during that 34-10 win, they might have just tossed it away again with a 31-14 loss to a UCLA team that, a week earlier, had been destroyed by previously winless Arizona.
Such is the life in the Pac-12. One week you're the hero and the next you're the goat.
Now Cal has to finish 2-2 in their next four to have a shot at a bowl game. With games at Stanford and at Arizona State still on the horizon, 5-7 is, once again, looking very probable.
But, with how erratic they've been this season (beating Fresno and Utah, hanging with Washington and then losing, badly, to both SoCal schools), I wouldn't count the Golden Bears out just yet.
The Pac-12 Power Poll after the jump...
Team of the Week: UCLA. In a must-win, the Bruins surprised a lot of people with their sheer dominance over what seemed like an improving Cal team.
Team of the Weak: Cal. What the hell, man?
Pac-12 North:
1. Stanford Cardinal (8-0): The Cardinal must have a freakin' leprechaun stowed away somewhere. Fitting their quarterback is named Luck...
2. Oregon Ducks (7-1): That showdown with the Cardinal looms, but first a tough trip to take on the streaky Huskies.
3. Washington Huskies (6-2): Arizona made it a bit more interesting than I would've expected, but all that matters is the win. Now the defense has to perform far, far better this weekend if they're going to beat the Ducks.
4. California Golden Bears (4-4): Cal is having an identity crisis right now and if the season's to be saved, they'll need to fix that quick.
5. Oregon St. Beavers: (2-6): Completely overwhelmed against Utah Saturday. Now, they're one loss away from missing the postseason in consecutive seasons since Mike Rikey's first sint through Corvallis.
6. Washington St. Cougars: Wazzu has dropped four straight since opening the season 3-1. But hey, at least they gave Oregon a bit of scare, right?
Pac-12 South:
1. Arizona St. Sun Devils (6-2): Okay, I'm ready to admit I've been a bit harsh on the Sun Devils. Still, I'm not completely sold they won't muck it up somewhere down the road.
2. USC Trojans (6-2): Comment vacated by the NCAA
3. UCLA Bruins (4-4): They needed that one and can now make waves with a win over ranked Arizona State.
4. Utah Utes (4-4): Finally, victory in the Pac-12. Can they now string together their first-ever conference win streak?!?
5. Arizona Wildcats (2-6): The Wildcats are starting to look just good enough now that they've hit the easier part of their schedule. Still, the only chance at a bowl game requires them winning out, which still seems unlikely.
6. Colorado Buffaloes (1-8): Without question the worst, most unluckiest team in the Pac-12.
Game of the Week: Oregon @ Washington. This game could produce a lot of points...