Pac-12 Football 2017: 5 teams that will be on upset alert in Week 5

With conference play beginning in earnest this weekend, here are some reasons why five Pac-12 football favorites might be on upset alert in Week 5.

This is now officially the time of year when we have a limited number of games to pick from in terms of choosing who might be on upset alert. While all but two of the Pac-12 teams are playing this weekend, they are playing against one another. Without any non-conference battles, that makes this an academic exercise.

That said, we might as well continue to dive in. This week, read ahead for a few reasons why the favorites will be pushed to the limit and on upset alert. (All point spreads courtesy of Sportsbook Review.)

Washington has won five in a row over Oregon State, and it hasn’t even been close in recent years. The defending Pac-12 champions head to Corvallis this weekend with a perfect record. But Chris Petersen’s team must play the rest of the season without receiver Chico McClatcher, who broke his ankle in the win over Colorado.

In the process, the Huskies offense becomes just a bit less dynamic. The receiving corps took a big hit, especially after they’d already lost John Ross from last season’s championship team. Jake Browning’s passing numbers had already tapered off some from a stellar 2016 campaign, and the loss of McClatcher will only exacerbate that glaring issue on offense for the Huskies.

The Huskies are the heaviest Pac-12 favorite of the weekend, as they will take the field at Reser Stadium giving 26.5 points to the Beavers on Saturday. But if the Beavers can put together a few drives, Washington ranks dead last in the Pac-12 in terms of red zone defense. They also have trouble killing the clock, which will give Oregon State plenty of tries to keep things close.

In the end, Washington should win this game comfortably. But given Oregon State’s run of poor luck in the series, the Beavers will be motivated to get into the heads of the visitors. If they can open the game with a timely turnover or two and a few long scoring drives, Washington could be on upset alert as darkness approaches in Corvallis.