We’re 12 days from the game of the year between Washington and Oregon, but we got some sense of the Pac-12 pecking order after a wild Week 5.

Utah, not an offense to be found.

USC, not a defense to be found.

Washington survived a scare and Oregon survived a slow start and appear headed to the ultimate mid-year matchup.

Those are just some of the things I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 5 in the Pac-12 …

10. Alex Grinch is keeping the Trojans out of the Playoff

His players may take the blame for him and his head coach may not throw him under the bus, but something is rotten in Heritage Hall and it appears to be Alex Grinch.

In some ways, the USC defense looks much different from last year’s sieve-like unit. The Trojans are taking fewer chances, they’re wildly out of position less often than last year, and they’re getting around and off the field quicker.

But in some ways — mainly tackling and gap discipline — they look completely the same. And that is an utter indictment on Grinch.

The USC defensive coordinator, who followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma, has opened the head coach up to intense criticism and rightfully so.

The Trojans allowed more than 550 yards and 41 points to a Colorado team that managed all of 6 points against Oregon the week before and they was after USC built a 34-7 lead.

The Trojans now rank 69th in total defense. That’s one spot ahead of Hawai’i. Ouch.

9. The Pac-12 title game is all PNW

Oregon and Washington fans biding your time and biting your fingernails this coming weekend with both teams on a bye and awaiting the ultimate showdown at Husky Stadium in Week 7 — don’t fret. You’ll get to see them again.

The Week 7 Slugfest in Seattle is just a preview of the Pac-12 title game at this point. Utah is too hurt. Oregon State doesn’t have the QB play. USC has Alex Grinch. Washington State can’t hang with the Ducks and Huskies.

They are the two most complete teams in the conference. And the two best.

We’ll see them again come December.

8. The Pac-12 deserves 3 on the Heisman podium

Sam Hartman, down. Jayden Daniels, out. Jordan Travis? Drake Maye? JJ McCarthy? Blah, blah-er, blah-est.

If Quinn Ewers and the Texas Longhorns don’t stumble against No. 14 Oklahoma in Week 6, yes, he’ll be very hard to keep away from New York City come December.

But between USC’s Caleb Williams, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix, the Pac-12 could and should end up going 3-for-3 in Heisman finalists.

Williams tossed 6 touchdowns in a nationally televised 48-41 win at Colorado, taking over the national lead with 21. Penix topped 350 yards once again in a 28-21 win at Arizona, retaining his national lead in passing yardage (1,999). Nix went 27-of-32 passing with 4 touchdowns in Oregon’s 42-6 win over Stanford, and he ranks 2nd nationally behind Michigan’s McCarthy in completion percentage at 79.4%.

We’ve simply never seen this before in the Pac-12, or any other conference for that matter.

7. Colorado proved something to itself

In some ways, I would not have wanted to be Colorado after its putrid 42-6 showing at Autzen Stadium against the mighty Ducks last Saturday. I cannot imagine the public shaming and dressing down that Coach Prime delivered his team after that loss.

But I’m sure it would’ve lit a fire under me, and it’s clear the Buffaloes heard Prime loud and clear on Saturday against USC — even without 2 of their better players.

The Buffs’ resiliency against a vastly more talented, vastly more hyped roster in a 48-41 near-comeback says a ton about the job the coaching staff is doing in Boulder. If they close out ASU as expected in Week 6 to move to 4-2, a bowl bud in Year 1 is a distinct possibility, even with a tough schedule ahead.

6. An upset is lurking in a flat Week 6

Because we all know college football is scripted — just like the NFL — Saturday is shaping up to be the quiet scene in the horror movie when suddenly the boyfriend of the main character gets his throat slit.

With zero games between ranked teams, you can bet the scriptwriters are dialing up a scenario where UCLA challenges visiting Wazzu, Cal takes a bite out of the Beavers, Arizona State knocks the shades off Coach Prime and Arizona puts a scare into USC.

And just as the Halloween candy is starting to fly off shelves.

5. Noah Fifita is going to be a beast, either for Arizona or against it

When I watch Noah Fifita sling it for Arizona, I always think I’m watching the 7th- or 8th-best QB in the conference. The kid can throw the football.

Will he be throwing it for Arizona next year? I wonder. Jayden de Laura isn’t necessarily NFL material, at least not this year, and he could return to Tucson once again next year. Would Fifita be game to ride the pine again?

He might be too talented. He went 23-of-39 for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns against a Huskies defense that had been chewing up opposing passing games.

For now, he’ll settle on being the best backup in the Pac-12. For now.

4. Cal can beat Oregon State in Week 6, but only by beating the Beavers at their own game

Anyone who watched the Bears’ 24-21 nail biter over Arizona State on Saturday saw the recipe that Jonathan Smith and the Beavers have employed the past couple of years. Jaydn Ott rushed for 165 yards and Cal had both a crucial late-game interception and a big 4th-down stop.

Strong defense plus terrific running game equals success.

It’s like that Spider-Man meme come to life.

And if the Bears can do it again Saturday, Oregon State is in trouble.

3. Trenton Bourguet should’ve been the man all along for Kenny Dillingham

What we also learned Saturday is the regularly dismissed Bourguet should’ve been ASU’s guy all along.

How many 300-yard game does this guy need to prove he belongs? True freshman Jaden Rashada has the potential and Drew Pyne has the “Notre Dame” resume to bolster his brand, and all the former walk-on Bourguet does is ring up 300-yard games.

In the 6 games he’s finished with 20-plus passing attempts, he has 4 300-yard games, including Saturday against Cal.

‘Nuff said. Let the dude work.

2. This is the first time I’ve *ever* doubted Kyle Whittingham

In my personal rankings of favorite things, I have the Utah head coach somewhere between pizza and Friday Night Lights. In other words, he’s up there.

Having attended and covered San Diego State during Utah’s first big push in the mid-2000s, then covered UCLA for the L.A. Daily News during the Utes entry into the Pac-12, then served as Pac-12 columnist for the Arizona Daily Star during the team’s ascension in the mid- and late-2010s, I’ve seen Whittingham’s rise, if not first hand, then second hand.

I truly appreciate the guy.

But I’m not sure I can defend what’s going on in SLC and that offense …

Whittingham won’t make excuses, so I’ll make them for him: The Utes have been totally shredded by injuries. Cam Rising, Brant Kuithe, Ja’Quinden Jackson — the list goes on. But their backups have simply not been up to snuff, and that falls on Whit and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig.

Bryson Barnes so clearly wasn’t the guy. Nate Johnson has been eased along in a way that didn’t prepare him for the difficult path the Pac-12 presents. It’s one thing to be conservative, it’s another thing to hamstring an offense.

The way the Utes have looked the last 2 weeks, totaling just over 400 yards and 14 offensive points? I never would’ve expected that.

1. If he’s not ready by the bye, Cam Rising should recuperate and return to dominate the Big 12 in 2024

Living in the exact same town in which he played high school football, I’ve watched Cam Rising play the game for going on 8 years now, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a future long-time NFL pro. I’ve seen a high school star at Newbury Park High, and an ideal college leader, humble and unassuming. I’ve seen an absolute coach-in-the-making, that’s for sure. But between the injuries he’s suffered and an arm that isn’t quite NFL standard, I just don’t portend a long, fruitful starting career for the Utes’ star. I’d love to be wrong, of course.

So now, nearly halfway into what has become a frustrating season, I’m wondering if the best course of action would be to shelve Rising, let him entirely focus on getting healthier across the board, then convince him to return to Salt Lake City to dominate a wide-open Big 12 next year.

Even 3 years ago, I would’ve had the exact opposite take. Go get that bag, young man. But the new NIL landscape has changed the game, to the point where Rising could earn a nice chunk of change next year, ushering in a new era for the program. If the Utes can take over a retooled, Texas-and-Oklahoma-less Big 12 next year, that sets the stage for a huge future.

Perfect for when Rising takes over for Morgan Scalley as head coach in 2034.