The Pac-12’s 2 top teams — No. 7 Washington and No. 8 USC — struggled to put away their opponents on Saturday, a day after No. 10 Utah fell at Oregon State.

Only No. 9 Oregon held strong, dominating Stanford in a 42-6 win.

But a win is a win for teams in the Playoff chase.

Here’s one thing I learned from every Pac-12 team in Week 5 …

Arizona: Noah Fifita gives Jedd Fisch some breathing room

Think Utah wouldn’t give anything for Noah Fifita right about now? While the Arizona football team couldn’t quite get over the hump in a 31-24 loss to Washington, the league’s top team, it was no fault of the Wildcats’ backup quarterback.

Fifita filled in admirably for Jayden de Laura, completing 27-of-39 passes for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 pick.

It was a solid performance for Fifita, who has played well in relief of de Laura dating back to last year. It’s too early to call it a QB controversy, but it’s a nice feeling if you’re Jeff Fisch.

Arizona State: Trenton Bourguet uncorks it for Sun Devils

Seeking an elusive 2nd win — and 2nd wind — ASU came just short in a 24-21 loss at Cal.

But Trenton Bourguet proved why he should’ve been named starter for Arizona State once more. The perpetually doubted Sun Devils senior had 344 passing yards on 26-of-41 attempts.

That was by far ASU’s best passing performance this year, and we’re almost halfway through the season.

Cal: Bears find ideal formula

When last we saw Jake Spavital in Cal colors back in 2016, the then-first-year offensive coordinator helped design an offense that was pass-first as an understatement, with Davis Webb totaling 4,300 passing yards and 37 touchdowns.

But the new-look Bears, who brought the former OC back for a second go-round this year, may have found a better formula to vie for bowl eligibility.

Saturday’s win over the hapless Sun Devils was a recipe in game control, with Cal rushing for 196 yards while holding ASU to 3-of-15 on 3rd downs. Another big day for Jaydn Ott, who had 165 rushing yards on 29 carries.

Colorado: Coach Prime turns to the youngsters

It wasn’t just true freshman wideout Omarion Miller who made an impact in Colorado’s surprisingly close home loss to USC on Saturday afternoon.

Yes, Miller stole the show with 7 catches for 196 yards and a score, all in the game’s final 22 minutes.

But 5-star freshman cornerback Cormani McClain picked up his first career pass breakup, 1 week after notching his first real playing time in a loss to Oregon.

With the Buffaloes’ depth dwindling (Travis Hunter and Shilo Sanders didn’t play Saturday), it’s not a bad idea to break in the young talent.

Oregon: Ducks turn on the jets in 2nd half

Last week in a 42-6 win over Colorado, Oregon hit 5th gear about 5 minutes into the game and never looked back. On Saturday at Stanford, things were surprisingly tight for the Ducks, who barely touched the ball in the 1st quarter as the Cardinal built a 6-0 lead.

Once the 2nd quarter hit in Palo Alto, though, Oregon hit Mach 5.

The Ducks scored 42 unanswered points, including touchdowns on all 4 second-half drives. Early, late — it doesn’t matter. Oregon scores points. Bo Nix threw a season-high 4 TD passes, giving him 15 in 5 games.

Oregon State: Damien Martinez needs to get his mojo back

There are few weapons on the Pac-12 more effective than Oregon State running back Damien Martinez. But even a sharp weapon goes dull sometimes.

Martinez managed just 65 yards on 16 carries in the Beavers’ 21-7 win over No. 10 Utah Friday, a good night by anyone else’s standards but a ho-hum day for the league’s best back. It was his second straight game sub-100 yards after 8 straight dating to last season.

Stanford: Running game struggles continue

It feels like 2 decades since Stanford last boasted a bountiful running game, even if it’s only been a half-decade.

What a difference 5 years — and 5-star linemen — make.

Stanford managed just 89 rushing yards on 46 attempts, a 1.9 yard-per-carry average, as none of the Cardinal ball carriers could get it going. EJ Smith averaged a respectable 4.2 carries, but only got 6 of them, while QB Justin Landon had 22 attempts for 32 yards.

UCLA: BYE

USC: Dorian Singer experiences the flip side of the transfer portal

Last year, Arizona wide receiver Dorian Singer had one of the best seasons by a pass-catcher in Wildcats history. The former walk-on had an astounding 1,105 yards as a sophomore, 2nd in the conference.

That big splash caught the attention of USC coaches who brought him in to help replace Jordan Addison.

But Singer has barely caused a ripple.

He has yet to catch more than 4 passes for 41 yards, though he did score his 2nd touchdown on Saturday against the Buffaloes. You have to wonder if joining the Trojans’ loaded wide receiver room was a great idea.

Utah: Jonah Elliss dominates again

Lost amongst the disappointment of Utah’s first loss of the season was the continued dominance  of Jonah Elliss, who has emerged as perhaps the premier pass rusher in the Pac-12, with all exceptions to UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Washington’s Bralen Trice.

But what Elliss is doing can’t be overlooked.

He had 2 more sacks on Friday, putting up to 7.5 on the year — most in the nation. He had 3 all of last year. With some of Utah’s defensive stars playing themselves back into shape, Elliss has made the most of his additional playing time.

Washington: Huskies don’t look top-10 in win over Arizona

With a margin for error razor thin to make it to the College Football Playoff, Washington got away with a sloppy win in Tucson against the feisty Wildcats, who were without their starting backfield as Jayden de Laura and Michael Wiley both sat.

The Huskies couldn’t capitalize on the Cats’ ill health, as they were pretty sick themselves. Washington committed 12 penalties for 124 yards and generally didn’t look like the team that had waltzed through its first 4 games.

Michael Penix threw for 363 yards — pushing his nation-high season total to 1,999 — but he failed to throw a TD pass for just the 2nd time since arriving.

Washington won’t get penalized in the rankings, but that’s the only penalty it’ll avoid.

Washington State: BYE