Oregon Moves to No. 11, and Justin Herbert Re-Enters the Heisman Conversation
While the Oregon Ducks all-but sealed their spot atop the Pac-12 North with a comeback win over the Washington Huskies on Saturday afternoon, they also moved up slightly in the AP Top-25, going from No. 12 to No. 11.
There wasn't much movement in the Top 10 this week, although No. 6 Wisconsin was upset on a last-second field goal, dropping them down below the Ducks. However, the rest of the rankings stayed relatively stagnant, with many teams taking care of business.
Along with the Ducks getting closer to the top 10, quarterback Justin Herbert also threw his name back into the mix for the Heisman Trophy award, with his four touchdown passes and 280 yards through the air. A semi-sluggish start to the season saw Herbert fall out of favor with both the Heisman voters and NFL scouts who originally believed that the Oregon QB would be a top draft pick in 2020.
Now with an impressive 21-1 touchdown-to-interception ration on the season, as well as a 6-1 record and almost-guaranteed appearance in the Pac-12 Conference championship game, Herbert has re-entered his name into the conversation. There will likely be few opportunities for Herbert to rise up in the conversation until late in the season though, with a lack of major games on the schedule. After the latest week of action, the Pac-12's national standing looks bleak, with only two other teams in the Top-25 — No. 12 Utah and No. 24 Arizona State. Up next, the Ducks host Washington State.