Pac-10 Coaching Boards - Week 4

Ok, can we disband the Pac-10? This rating system is damn near impossible. The group of coaches from 2-8 have gone 4-8 in the past two weeks, and that includes an inter-conference Arizona over UCLA win.

1. Pete Carroll
USC W - Ohio State (9/13)
Two games in four weeks makes for some ill will from this college football fan. Carroll got by Ohio State without a sweat, and the Pac-10 should pose less of a threat. Arguably the best coach in college football, Carroll (outside of the 2004 season) always seems to drop the game they should win - and they were close to doing that to the '04 UCLA as well. Carroll takes on Mike Riley and the Oregon State Beavers tonight - don't expect a replay of the 2006 game.

2. Mike Bellotti
Oregon W - Purdue OT (9/13), L - Boise State
Do I really have to pick a No. 2 coach? Wow, what a horrible few weeks for the Pac-10. Bellotti and Oregon drop their first game to a WAC team in 18 tries, and Boise State wins in Eugene for their first win ever over a BCS team on the road. Still, its better than what the other Pac-10 coaches have done recently.

3. Jeff Tedford
Cal L - Maryland (9/13)
Do I really have to name a No. 3? There should really be a tie for No. 8 with six coaches competing for it. I give Tedford the nod because his team's loss came two weeks ago... unfortunately it was at Maryland, who is in my grabbag of ACC teams that are horrible and wear red. I don't know what I'll do if this team drops this weekend's game to Colorado State.

4. Dennis Erickson
Arizona State L - UNLV (9/13), Georgia (9/20)
Dennis keeps this spot despite the two recent losses, but things need to turn around quickly for the Sun Devils. Arizona State gets two weeks to lick their wounds from the UGA butt-kicking and the embarrassment of losing to UNLV. Unfortunately they have to travel to Cal. The previously ranked Devils might easily open the season 2-3 before facing USC at the Coliseum on Oct. 11. Make that 2-4.

5. Mike Stoops
Arizona L - New Mexico (9/13), W - UCLA (9/20)
Stoops was able to have his team rebound from the embarrassing loss at New Mexico to beat conference foe UCLA last week, and it wasn't really close. Mike shoots up the rankings, but still I'm very skeptical as to whether he can stay. He should be able to hold this spot for at least a month - only Washington and Stanford await a 10/18 visit from Cal.

6. Rick Neuheisel
UCLA L - BYU (9/13), L - Arizona (9/20)
Perhaps I gave too much credit for the win over Tennessee; turns out the Vols aren't that good. I'm giving Neuheisel the benefit of the doubt as he is starting a LT at quarterback. Seriously though, more losses like the one to Arizona will have the ship sink to the top tier of the Pac-10... watch out Ty.

7. Jim Harbaugh
Stanford L - TCU (9/13), W - San Jose State (9/20)
Yes Stanford defeated Oregon State to open the season, but Harbaugh and the Cardinal have been virtually hapless since. A win over San Jose State doesn't alleviate the stigma of being TCU's only victory of the season. Harbaugh can move up quickly though, with games at Washington and Notre Dame in the next two weeks.

8. Mike Riley
Oregon State W - Hawaii (9/13)
Riley and the Beavers host USC tonight, for the Trojans return to the scene of the 2006 OSU victory. Things will go slightly different this time around. OSU hasn't played since beating Hawaii, but unfortunately neither has USC - and the Trojans have a little bit better head coach preparing for the game, and more importantly, a lot better players. STill, Riley probably doesn't deserve to be this low.

9. Ty Willingham
Washington L - Oklahoma (9/13)
Huskies open the season 0-3, yet Ty moves up. Well, guess they should have scheduled Portland State to make it 1-3.

10. Paul Wulff
Washington State L - Baylor (9/13), W - D-1AA Portland State
Not only aren't these Cougars close to being sexy, their damn near hideous. WSU beat up on Portland State last weekend, but are still 0-3 against teams with a pulse... wait, does Baylor have a pulse? Make that 0-2. Wulff has Cal and UCLA in the next two weeks; don't expect the coach or the win total to increase.