Week Seven
Saturday, October 17
California 45 - UCLA 26 (pick: California 17-10)
Straight from the good news bad news department. the Bears offense comes back to life after flat lining against Oregon and USC is clearly a plus. But giving up 26 (and 448 total yards) to that offense??? Doesn't bode well for Cal's chances against Arizona, Oregon State, Stanford. maybe even Washington.
USC 34 - Notre Dame 27 (pick: USC 32-13)
This was a 21-point thumping disguised as a down to the wire classic. USC's defense took the fourth quarter off after the Trojans had built a 34-14 lead, then two of the dumbest penalties in the history of college football gave the Irish the ball on the USC four with a chance to tie. Gotta be tough to be a Domer - eight straight losses to the Trojans and whatever the final score the gap between the programs is growing.
Arizona 43 - Stanford 38 (pick: Arizona 27-18)
More points on the board than one would have thought, but the takeaway is that neither team boasts a defense that can be depended upon, especially late in the game. (Here's a stat for ya. Total Yards - Arizona 553, Stanford 584). Stanford has made something of an art form of giving up fourth quarter leads and surrendering 14 fourth quarter points to the Wildcats did them in.
Arizona State 24 - Washington 17 (pick: Washington 23-17)
The replay only made the Husky defensive breakdown that much more confusing. Never in the history of the game and the safety left the middle of the field to go double cover the wideout on the left side - at a very basic level that is never to happen. But that is exactly what the Washington player did. Adding insult to injury, had the Huskies done a better job of managing their last possession, Arizona State wouldn't have even had the opportunity to try for the home run ball. A really bad loss for the Huskies, Arizona State may not win another game this season.
Week Eight
Saturday, October 24
Washington State at California
Dr Feelgood - he live right down my street, he said come on over.
Nils Lofgren "Cry Tough"
That's gotta be the riff on the mind of the Bears as the inept Cougars come to town. Jahvid Best and the rest of the California offense are going to pound WSU from the first down to the last. Cal knows it, WSU knows it and you know it. Bears 53-13
Oregon at Washington
It is the Washington defense that will be the difference in this game. and that's not good news for the Huskies. Whoever does get the bulk of the snaps at quarterback for Oregon will be given a game plan to run at the Huskies relentlessly. Just move the chains and keep quarterback Jake Locker, Washington's most dangerous weapon, where he will do the least harm. on the bench. Oregon 37 - 13.
UCLA at Arizona
Arizona will run roughshod over UCLA and although it is only his second season, Rick Neuheisal will be facing some pointed questions about the UCLA program. And a bad loss to a team that has seldom been a power in the Pac-10 is going to make it much more difficult for him to provide a response.
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Oregon State at USC
Upset special? If any Oregon State team in the next fifty years is going to beat SC in LA it might be this one. It would take a near perfect game by the Beavers to do so, but OS did exactly that last season against the Trojans so you can't rule out the possibility entirely. But the pick is with SC - 28-17
Arizona State at Stanford
A train wreck in the making for Arizona State. A Stanford win could well grease the skids on the rest of the season for the Sun Devils and after stumbling in Tucson last weekend, the Cardinal should regroup to do just that. Trees 34-17.
