By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
It only takes one game. That’s it.
A single result. One eye test. One play.
That’s all that’s needed to instantly change the perceptions and the narratives.
From California’s disaster against San Diego State to Arizona State’s crucial win at Baylor, the season changed over the weekend.
Here’s how I view the Top 10 Teams in the West heading into Week Five.
1. Oregon (1-0, 4-0) ◄►
The Ducks took care of business against Oregon State.
The victory sets up a colossal showdown with No. 3 Penn State this week.
Oregon hasn’t looked as good as some were expecting after the beatdown of Oklahoma State. The team has failed to cover in back-to-back games and enters Happy Valley as an underdog.
But the mild underperformance over the last two weeks will be forgotten with a victory over the Nittany Lions.
2. USC (2-0, 4-0) ▲1
Lincoln Riley and the Trojans keep winning games. The victories over Purdue and Michigan State are noteworthy, albeit expected.
It’s fair to say USC has yet to play anyone good. The next stretch of the season is a different story, however. No. 23 Illinois, No. 19 Michigan, No. 22 Notre Dame, and Nebraska are the next four teams up.
We still don’t know what the ceiling of this year’s team is.
The results in the next four games will tell us all we need to know.
3. BYU (0-0, 3-0) ▲1
The only real question around BYU this year was at the quarterback position. Well, Bear Bachmeier put a lot of those concerns to bed against East Carolina.
It’s not just the stats or the margin of victory. It’s the eye test. And he passed it.
Now, the perception around the program is different. The Cougars have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to win games in the Big 12.
With all the talk around Utah, Iowa State, and Texas Tech, it would be amiss if BYU wasn’t mentioned in the same vein.
4. Washington (0-0, 3-0) ▲2
It took a little too long for the defense to get stops against Washington State.
But Jedd Fisch’s offense is clearly elite, and the Huskies are a threat. The final score was what we needed to see.
Yet, like USC, the Dawgs haven’t played anyone good. Let’s see what they can do with No. 1 Ohio State this weekend.
After that, it will be easier to gauge how the rest of the year will go.
5. Arizona State (1-0, 3-1) ▲2
Arizona State is back. The Sun Devils went into Waco and came away with a critical win.
The victory changes the dynamic of the rest of the year. Baylor is a respectable team and beating the Bears on the road re-establishes expectations.
But there’s no time to look back. TCU comes to Tempe this Friday ranked in the Top 25.
Arizona State should win and send a message to the voters that are keeping the Sun Devils out of the Poll.
6. Utah (0-1, 3-1) ▼4
Don’t worry, that Big Ten invite is sure to come any day now.
The Utes have dropped to 2-8 in Big 12 play after their fanbase spent years telling everyone how they were too good for the Big 12 and were going to run the league.
The holier-than-thou attitude alienated every other fanbase in the Conference, making Utah rivals with all 15 other teams. And now in Year Two, the Utes still haven’t won a Big 12 game at home.
Yikes. You reap what you sow.
7. UNLV (0-0, 4-0) ▲1
Technically, UNLV is 4-0 and in position to make the Playoff. But the reality is that the Mountain West has been outclassed by the American Conference.
The final bid goes to the highest-rated champion of the Group of 5, and that’s clearly going to whichever team wins the American this year. The league’s resume speaks for itself.
Otherwise, an undefeated Running Rebel team would be viewed much differently.
It doesn’t help that UNLV has been escaping with close wins against perceived inferior opponents, either.
8. Boise State (1-0, 2-1) ▲1
Beating Air Force was a step in the right direction. The Broncos put up a lot of points, and the victory came on the road.
The win might not gain respect nationally. But it’s noteworthy from a regional standpoint.
If anything, it was a confidence-building result that begins to shift the narrative back towards Boise State and away from UNLV.
Beat Appalachian State convincingly, and the shift will edge even closer to completion.
9. Arizona (0-0, 3-0) ▲1
Arizona is difficult to handicap.
On one hand, it could be argued that the Cats haven’t played any quality opponents. Kansas State is not very good this year and Hawaii is not widely respected.
But, on the other hand, Arizona is 3-0 and has substantially improved coaching. The offensive scheme is capable of winning games, and the defense is strong.
How the team looks against No. 14 Iowa State this week will be informative.
10. California (0-0, 3-1) ▼5
Don’t act surprised. This is what Cal does. Every. Single. Year.
Was it expected to happen against San Diego State? No. But does it even change anything? Not really.
The ACC isn’t getting multiple bids to the Playoff this year and the only path is to win the league. It wasn’t a conference game, so everything is still left to play for.
The loss does show a fundamental problem with the program, likely attributable to its head coach. But burn the tape and move on. There are a lot of games left to be played.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.