[BostonCard]

Per game metrics are silly because they depend so much on pace of play.  Pass yards per game is even more skewed by the opponent's run/pass mix,  You'll remember that in the Stanford/Washington game, Stanford had 8 possessions in the entire game because both teams were chewing up clock.  The better metrics are per possession or per play.

Cal's defense allows 2.3 points per opponents drive, 61st in the nation.
Washington's defense allows 2.0 ppd, 43rd in the country
USC AT 1.62 PPD, UCLA at 1.89 are better than both in the PAC-12

If you are interested in pass defense, look at yards per pass attempt, where Colorado leads the Pac-12 at 5.5 ypa.  Washington is tied for second with USC at 6.3 ypa, while Cal is 9th at 7.5 ypa (Stanford is dead last in the Pac-12).  Or you can look at opponents QBR, which takes into account both yards per attempt as well as TDs given up and interceptions. Here, Washington is 6th in the Pac-12 (125.4) and Cal is 9th (141.2); by comparison Colorado is tops in the league at 105.0, Stanford is 11th (148.6) and WSU is at the bottom (169.2!).

In yards per play given up, Washington is 5th (5.35 ypp) and Cal is 7th (5.69 ypp); UCLA leads the conference (5.1), Stanford is 10th (6.65) and Arizona is dead last at 6.74 ypp.

BC

[BostonCard]

Per game metrics are silly because they depend so much on pace of play.  Pass yards per game is even more skewed by the opponent's run/pass mix,  You'll remember that in the Stanford/Washington game, Stanford had 8 possessions in the entire game because both teams were chewing up clock.  The better metrics are per possession or per play.

Cal's defense allows 2.3 points per opponents drive, 61st in the nation.
Washington's defense allows 2.0 ppd, 43rd in the country
USC AT 1.62 PPD, UCLA at 1.89 are better than both in the PAC-12

If you are interested in pass defense, look at yards per pass attempt, where Colorado leads the Pac-12 at 5.5 ypa.  Washington is tied for second with USC at 6.3 ypa, while Cal is 9th at 7.5 ypa (Stanford is dead last in the Pac-12).  Or you can look at opponents QBR, which takes into account both yards per attempt as well as TDs given up and interceptions. Here, Washington is 6th in the Pac-12 (125.4) and Cal is 9th (141.2); by comparison Colorado is tops in the league at 105.0, Stanford is 11th (148.6) and WSU is at the bottom (169.2!).

In yards per play given up, Washington is 5th (5.35 ypp) and Cal is 7th (5.69 ypp); UCLA leads the conference (5.1), Stanford is 10th (6.65) and Arizona is dead last at 6.74 ypp.

BC