Pac-12 Football Review: Division leaders hold form for another week, but the pack gets tighter

The leaders of the division managed to keep themselves separated and out in front of the pack following another weekend of play. Meanwhile, the South continues to get interesting as the mid-tier teams continue to battle and in their quest to challenge for first place.

Below, we take a look at what we learned about all the teams from the Pac-12 on Saturday.

Arizona Wildcats (5-5, 2-5 in Pac-12)

No repeat this year.

The Wildcats entered the fourth quarter of their matchup on Saturday with a three-point advantage before the Trojans outscored them 21-10 in the final frame. With the loss, Arizona won't be able to repeat as division champions and it sends the team back to the drawing board as they lose for a third straight week.

Arizona State Sun Devils (4-5, 2-4)

Stumbling through the finish line.

The Sun Devils once again dropped a game against a North division opponent. The loss drops ASU to 2-4 in the conference, and with a sub-.500 record and with just three games remaining, the Sun Devils will need to win out in order to salvage what's been an unimpressive season.

California Golden Bears (5-4, 2-4)

Under duress.

The Golden Bears jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but surrendered 31 unanswered points to Oregon as they closed out the first half. Cal wasn't ready for the barrage of points that Oregon was able to unload, and it seems as though they've lost hold of the season after a strong start.

Colorado Buffaloes (4-6, 1-5)

Looking ahead.

The Buffs weren't able to hang with Stanford for too long in before the visitors managed to run away with the game. It's about getting a few more wins and achieving bowl eligibility at this point, and despite having to face tough conference competition, it's not out of question for Colorado to achieve that goal.

Oregon Ducks (6-3, 4-2)

Gaining momentum.

A sluggish start turned into a 31-0 run for the Ducks against a pretty talented team in Cal, setting a school-record with 777 yards in the process. If the Ducks can carry their form into next week's matchup with Stanford, the North can become a bit more interesting down the stretch of the year.

Oregon State Beavers (2-7, 0-6)

Sometimes, it's just not your day...

The Beavers were shutout by UCLA in a 41-0 domination. At home. There's not much to take away from this other than that next year, we can expect an improved roster with a new head coaching staff having a year under its belt at the helm. Still, it is concerning that the team didn't manage to put up much of a fight at this point in the year.

No. 11 Stanford Cardinal (8-1, 7-0)

Not looking back.

After squeaking out a victory over Washington State last weekend, the Cardinal rebounded with a dominant performance in Boulder on Saturday. The win sets up an all-important meeting against division rival Oregon to not only solidify Stanford as the top of the North, but also inch the team another step closer to potentially claiming a College Football Playoff spot.

No. 23 UCLA Bruins (7-2, 4-2)

Rolling ahead.

The Bruins were able to have their way with Oregon State after struggling to put away a lowly Colorado team on the road a week ago. Can the Bruins continue to build up momentum as the season nears a draw?

USC Trojans (6-3, 4-2)

Don't count them out.

The Trojans have now won three straight games and are building steam. Should Utah stumble at any time, it seems as though USC will be ready to claim the top spot in the South. Watch them closely.

No. 12 Utah Utes (8-1, 5-1)

Vegas, who?

The Utes were considered underdogs by Vegas betting lines by three points during the week; they responded with an 11-point win over Washington on the road which included a 24-point spurt in the second quarter. As Utah's dominance continues to be questioned, they were able to respond in a huge way on Saturday.

Washington Huskies (4-5, 2-4)

Still learning.

Four turnovers (despite forcing three) ended up being the cause of loss for the Huskies on Saturday. Considering their youth, days like this are expected, but we've seen what this group is capable of doing (and probably will continue to do) in the future.

Washington State Cougars (6-3, 4-2)

Old habits, different results.

The Cougars have been long-recognized for their pass-happy tendencies, but it wasn't until this year that the scoreboard began reflecting their success. Luke Falk's arm continues to be a weapon, and Washington State seems to be in good position moving forward with him under center.