UCLA 30 - California 21 (Pick: California 37-13)

As bad a loss as Jeff Tedford has suffered since leaving for Strawberry Canyon. The Bruins have to be the most improbable conference unbeaten in the country. after losing to the likes of Utah and Notre Dame, they remain at the top of the Pac-10. Rod Serling must be writing this script.

Stanford 21 - Arizona 20 (Pick: Stanford 27-23)

The reading of the desert tea leaves grows darker with each passing week. How much longer before the Arizona administration does what Nebraska did after realizing it isn't just the coach that needs to be re-evaluated, the person who hired the guy needs to do some ?splainin too and if the answers ain't right, send him packing. Under Jim Livengood the Arizona athletic program has enjoyed numerous successes, i.e, Lute Olson and men's basketball, Mike Candrea and ladies softball. But there is no denying his fingerprints are all over one of the most inadequate football programs this side of South Bend.

USC 38 - Notre Dame 0 (Pick: USC 35-3)

Maybe Mike Stoops can get Notre Dame on the schedule. Quick. I'll bet Livengood would make the phone call...

Oregon 55 - Washington 34 (Pick: Oregon 43-14)

Just for a moment allow yourself to imagine Jake Locker as Dennis Dixon's understudy this season and ready to take the helm next year. Not to demean Nate Costa - all indications are his experience in the spread offense will serve him well after Dennis graduates, but Locker proved to be something else. On a team with zero other weapons, he gave the Ducks fits for three quarters. But the reality is that Neuheisal and Gilbertson sank that program so deep by the time enough help shows up Locker will be long gone.

Week 9

Arizona @ Washington

Their loss to Stanford looks for all the world to be the terminal event for the Wildcats. The Huskies probably aren't that much better a football team on talent alone, but in all of their losses they haven't shown any inclination to play less than their hardest. That's enough an advantage in my book. Huskies 27 - 20.

Stanford @ Oregon State

Generally a bye week is beneficial for a team, a week to heal and two weeks to prepare for the next opponent. In Corvallis the week away from the grid-iron did not give the Beavers any respite from the soap opera dramatics - player eligibility issues the latest distraction. Whatever their shortcomings, the Cardinal have been beating teams they probably shouldn't and it isn't hard to imagine them doing so again this week. But let's give the Beavs the benefit of the doubt for the moment - and allow the afterglow of their stunner in Berkeley to shine for one more week, Beavs 24-17

California @ Arizona State

USC @ Oregon

It's hard to know which is more startling to ponder. in 41 years this will be the first match-up of two top-10 teams at Autzen Stadium or for the first time since 2001 the Trojans are the betting underdog. Easier for the noggin to comprehend is that this year's Trojans don't pack the same punch as their teams of the past few years and clearly the Ducks carry more of a wallop. Defensively, USC is loaded with NFL caliber players at nearly every position and if they don't play up to those expectations, Oregon scores 42. The USC offense has been inconsistent primarily due to injuries and though several of the injured are expected to return, shaking off the accumulated rust won't be easy in Autzen, the Duck defense shouldn't surrender more than 28 points. Yup, 42-28 sounds about right.

UCLA @ Washington State

The Bipolar Bruins are going down in the Palouse. They've played out the string longer than they had any reasonable expectation for the charade to last. It will be too cold, the Bruins are still too hung over from their upset of California and they have too many injured quarterbacks. WSU 23-17