Week Thirteen

Saturday, November 28

Arizona 20 -Arizona State 17 (pick: Arizona 34-10)

Uninspired play by the Wildcats following their double overtime elimination from the Rose Bowl race gave the Sun Devils every opportunity for the upset. A horrific fumble of a punt gave Arizona the winning field goal in the game's last seconds, a game they didn't deserve to win.

Washington 30 - Washington State 0 (pick: Washington 34-13)

ESPN Pac-10 Blogger Ted Miller is prolific - so you will have to scroll down the page to see the statistical ineptitude that is Washington State football in 2009. The silver lining one could suppose is that the Cougars can only improve - but the key stat is attendance and that number has more bearing than on future success than perhaps the others. As bad as Washington was last season, this year's Cougs were worse.

Stanford 45 - Notre Dame 38 (pick: Stanford 48-17)

Stanford tried to give the game away. if only freshman quarterback Andrew Luck was as ineffective when Oregon was in town. but Toby Gerhart wasn't going to be denied. The Heisman talk is deserved, he has been a load for everyone in the Pac-10 - but Heisman trophies don't go to players on teams in the Emerald Bowl.

USC 28 - UCLA 7 (pick: USC 38-17)

Ever been to a movie where the only part worth watching was the last two minutes? Ditto here. Pete Carroll and Rick Neuheisal added another wrinkle to the cross town rivalry it could probably have done without.

Week Fourteen

Thursday, December 3

Oregon State at Oregon       

Center stage for two programs that have more similarities than differences and is the most widely discussed topic across the state since the Baghwan hijacked Antelope. Whichever team goes to the Rose Bowl will have the added pleasure of having beaten the best the competition could offer to do so. Either Oregon or Oregon State will represent the Pac-10 capably against Ohio State, either team could shred Ohio State or many of the other top ranked teams this season. Loses to Boise State and Cincinnati mostly cancel out. The conference season was six on one and a half dozen of the other. Reverse the home schedules and one probably still arrives at a similar measure. After these two teams there is a distinct fall-off to which ever team you may favor for the number three slot - USC, California, Stanford, Arizona.

Last years result has no bearing on this contest. Oregon hit the Beavers right between the eyes with a 2X4 and Oregon State never recovered. Oregon is capable of doing the same but Oregon State is just as likely to respond as Arizona did against Oregon - shut down Oregon's offense for a quarter and score a couple of touchdowns.

So where does one find a decisive advantage? In the order of the schedule. Oregon has been playing better football teams in the past month (USC, Stanford ASU, Arizona) than has Oregon State (UCLA, Cal, Washington, Washington State) and the Ducks beat the best team of either group on the road. Oregon 38-27

Saturday, December 5

Arizona at USC

The first thought is to go with the Trojans. Arizona was lucky to beat ASU last weekend and USC is probably the better team. Neither team is playing for a spot on the national stage - a significant change for USC, not so much for Arizona. With the Holiday Bowl a far bigger prize in the eyes of Arizona we will hold our nose and pick the Wildcats 27-24.

California at Washington

Could this be a trap game for the Bears? Following an emotional upset of Stanford in the Big Game and win or lose not the best of bowl game destinations is in store for the holidays. It is a straggler game on the schedule that should have been played in October not December and won't attract any attention outside the two local markets - if even there. And the Huskies are coming off a decent performance in their Apple Cup victory. So could the Ted-Heads get upended on Montlake? Not if Ben Vareen runs the football like he did against Stanford - 193 yards and three TDs - and he probably will. Bears by a dozen, 25-13.