![[Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Mercer](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/98e147d5176efe20f3ee68cb6ef5d2655cdf6a71d1951f68dfdf5c1ac2b66f01.jpg "[Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Mercer")
UCLA got a BYE week this week after taking care of LSU last game. I think the Bruins are a good football team and will also benefit from playing weaker competition in the PAC-12. Their game with Arizona State later this year will probably decide the South Division of the PAC-12. The winner will likely play Oregon for the PAC-12 title. At this point in the season, I would pick them to win the division.
We learned two things this week about Oklahoma. The offense is scary good, and their week one opponent might not be as bad as we thought they were. Tulane’s offense is also very good. In the BIG 12, Oklahoma’s defense only needs to be average anyway. With Texas being exposed again and the rest of the conference being average at best we can assume Oklahoma will run away with the BIG 12 title this year. Probably with one loss to a team they shouldn’t have lost to. It is tradition at this point.
Oregon got caught looking ahead to Ohio State week one. That is the only explanation I have for the night and day difference between the team last week and this week. The defense was still good even without arguably their best two defenders. Kayvon Thibodeaux is going to be a top pick in next year’s draft and the Ducks were able to find success without him. The Ducks may be for real. If they can finish out the season without any of the typical Oklahoma-esque losses they should be a lock to break the PAC-12’s streak without having a Playoff team.
In one of the ugliest games I’ve seen in a long time, the Aggies found a way to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit by scoring their first TD of the game to take the lead late. They did lose their starting QB to injury, but eight of the first nine drives were 3-and-outs for TAMU. That will not bring success deep into an SEC schedule. At the end of the day they did eke out a win and that has to count for something, and the defense is still one of the best in the country. Alabama football is still circled on the Aggie’s calendar so watch out for that game.