NCAA Football: Southern California at Colorado
USATSI

The Pac-12 championship race is heating up as the midway point of the season approaches. Oregon, Washington and USC remain unbeaten after Week 6, and some of the best games are ahead with the Ducks and Huskies squaring off in Week 7.

Despite a 6-0 start, the Trojans have looked vulnerable in conference play and were on upset alert last weekend against Arizona before reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams bailed out his team to keep the perfect season alive. Five of USC's final six games are against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25. 

Washington, the conference's highest-ranked team at No. 7 in the AP Top 25, has looked like one of the best units in the country. Star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. leads the Pac-12's best offense, and the Huskies defense ranks No. 4 among Pac-12 teams in points per game allowed. 

Colorado started the season 3-0 under first-year coach Deion Sanders before losing consecutive conference games to Oregon and USC. The Buffaloes have already exceeded expectations in "Coach Prime's" first season, and reaching bowl eligibility would be a massive win for a program that has posted one winning season in the last 18 years.

As we near the halfway point of the season, let's hand out grades to each Pac-12 team. 

Pac-12 report card
Arizona
The Wildcats are clearly improved in Year 3 of the Jedd Fisch era. Starting quarterback Jayden de Laura has been sidelined over the past two games, but backup quarterback Noah Fifita has played admirably in his absence. He nearly led the Wildcats to a comeback win against Washington and pushed USC to the brink last weekend. The goal: Get bowl eligible for the first time since 2017. Grade: B+
Arizona St.
The Sun Devils took a massive hit days before their season opener when the school announced a self-imposed bowl ban for the 2023 season. Granted, the Sun Devils weren't likely to be eligible for a bowl anyway in coach Kenny Dillingham's first season, which was viewed as a developmental year. Quarterback injuries have been tough to overcome, but better days are ahead for this 1-5 team. Grade: C

California
A blowout win over North Texas and a near-victory over Auburn made it seem as though Justin Wilcox's team was ready to turn the page. Fast forward to Week 6, and Cal is 3-3 overall and down to its No. 3 quarterback after injuries to Sam Jackson V and Ben Finley. Five of the Bears' final six games are against ranked opponents, but Wilcox may be out if this team can't finish strong. Grade: C
Colorado
Considering Colorado's preseason win total was set at 3.5 (via SportsLine consensus), this has already been a massive success. Sanders was tasked with rebuilding this roster from the ground up, and integrating more than 50 new transfers is no easy task. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been a stud despite nearly constant pressure and two-way star Travis Hunter should provide a massive boost when he returns from injury. A bowl appearance for the first time since 2016 is still in play. Grade: A
Oregon
The Ducks are a Tier 1 team in the Pac-12. Excluding a near loss to Texas Tech in Week 2, Oregon has dominated its schedule, winning by an average of nearly 48 points. Quarterback Bo Nix is a potential Heisman candidate, and the pass rush has already exceeded its sack total from last season after only five games. Washington and USC loom large in the second half of the season, though. Grade: A+
Oregon State
Even with a 10-win season in 2022, Oregon State is on pace to actually improve statistically on both sides of the ball in Jonathan Smith's sixth season. The Beavers play three consecutive unranked opponents starting next weekend before closing things out with Washington and Oregon. Despite the uncertainty of the team's conference future, Smith is building something special at his alma mater. Grade: A-
UCLA
The Bruins are coming off their biggest win of the season (vs. Washington State) and appear to have found their long-term starting quarterback in freshman Dante Moore. The anchor of the UCLA defense that ranks No. 1 in total yards allowed in the Pac-12 is edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who is third in the Pac-12 in sacks. Moore is still a work in progress, but developing your quarterback of the future while posting one of the conference's top defenses is something to celebrate. Grade: B+
USC
Williams is definitely in the running to repeat as the Heisman winner. He is arguably the most valuable player in the sport on an offense can score with anyone. The Trojans defense is a different story, however, and the reason for all the close calls lately. If things don't change fast, that could cost USC a potential College Football Playoff berth. Outside of a Week 1 win over Nevada, one of the worst teams in the FBS, the Trojans have yet to string together a complete performance. That's concerning with the meat of the schedule approaching. Grade: C
Stanford
The Stanford job was always going to be a tough rebuild because of rigorous academic requirements coupled with transfer portal limitations, but the first season under coach Troy Taylor has been underwhelming all the same. The Cardinal have lost four straight, including a stunner to Sacramento State, after starting the season with a win over Hawaii. A revolving door at quarterback with Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson indicates this team hasn't found a long-term answer at the position. Grade: D

Utah
I'm grading Utah on a curve here because of the injury to star quarterback Cameron Rising. The Utes started with a statement win over Florida and beat UCLA in a defensive slugfest, but the offense is a problem without Rising in the mix. For now, the hopes of a three-peat rests on the shoulders of backup Nate Johnson. That's not ideal after his brutal performance in the loss to Oregon State. Grade: B-
Washington
Washington has the No. 1 offense in the FBS in yards per game, which can be contributed to the jump Penix has made. It also helps that the defense ranks near the top of the conference. Outside of a near upset vs. Arizona, the Huskies have been the Pac-12's most complete team. Grade: A+
Washington St.
Wazzu's biggest storyline has been the development of quarterback Cameron Ward. Despite coming off his worst performance of the season in Week 6 -- a loss to UCLA -- he's improved his decision making, limited his turnovers and provided the state of Washington with another electric offense to watch. WSU has a favorable schedule the rest of the way and could jump right back in the mix for the Pac-12 Championship Game. Grade: A-