A message to those calling for the backup.

Posted: December 2, 2011 in BCS, Duck Football, NCAA Football, Pac-12
6

Apparently being great isn’t enough for Duck fans any longer, especially at the quarterback position.

Over the past decade and a half Oregon has seen some really good quarterbacks, and fans have cheered each of them on relentlessly. If you drop names like Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Kellen Clemens, Dennis Dixon or Jermiah Masoli around most Duck fans, they will have nothing but great things to say about each (minus off the field Masoli stuff).

Fans will be happy to rejoice the memories of Smith being taken third overall in the 1999 NFL darft, or Joey’s ten-story billboard in Times Square. Maybe they will revel in memories of Clemen’s leadership or what could have been had Dixon not gotten hurt in 2007. Heck, maybe it’s Masoli’s amazing ability to truck tacklers that gets fans excited instead. Whatever the memory and whomever the quarterback, Duck fans are quick to do what they do best; show their undying love for a great player who put on the forest green and lighting yellow.

Theses days however, great isn’t good enough. Only perfection is tolerated. Today the Ducks are being led by a quarterback who has accomplished more than any Oregon quarterback ever has, but fans still aren’t satisfied with his performance.

Attend a Duck game today or read fan comments and there is a not-so-quiet chatter calling for Darron Thomas to be pulled in favor of the backup Brian Bennett. Call it stupidity or call it being spoiled, but the outcry is absurd. At times, if fans would have started calling for Dixon or Harrington to be pulled in favor of the backup, they surely would have been booed right out of Autzen stadium.

Today, fans who call for the backup, instead of a guy who led the team to a perfect regular season a year ago and the program’s only trip to a national championship, not only aren’t booed, but they actually are supported. This phenomena completely baffles me every time I hear it, but you know what maybe I am wrong maybe I am the idiot.

Instead it is you, drunk guy  in the stands, ranting and raving about how bad Thomas is, you’re right:

An overall 23-3 record with losses to last year’s national champions, this year’s future national champions and a little team called USC with a just okay guy named Matt Barkley is just unforgivable. Going 17-1 in the Pac-10/12 and beating Andrew Luck twice is just awful. How dare Chip Kelly keep putting in this guy Thomas, what has he ever done for Oregon.

It’s not like he ever set the BCS National Championship game record for passing yards with 363 yards. Don’t worry he didn’t throw the longest pass in championship history to Jeff Maehl either.

The fact that he has thrown for 5,423 yards at Oregon with sixty touchdown passes to just 14 interceptions must have slipped your mind. Surely you remember his 658 career rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

You know what, guy who just starting watching football when it became the cool thing to do in Oregon last year, you are correct. I mean you know so much about the game right?

We should focus on the fact that Thomas has 607 fewer passing yards so far this season (in two fewer games). Of course the fact that he has thrown for three fewer touchdowns this year is important, let us disregard the fact that he has thrown four fewer interceptions. Also, the fact that he has done this without Jeff Maehl and Drew Davis, or three of his linemen  from last year, is irrelevant.

Your right, he doesn’t run near as much this season. How dare he right? It isn’t like Chip Kelly has asked him not run unless he absolutely has to. It isn’t like he has the best backfield in the nation to do his running for him.

You are totally right Brian Bennett looked amazing in his seven quarters of meaningful football this year, I will give you this for sure. But the Colorado Buffaloes and Washington State Cougars really don’t test just how good a quarterback is. Bennett’s ability to dismantle those two teams doesn’t mean he should be the starter.

Is that enough? Have I made my point? Have I showed you just how silly your calls for a redshirt freshman to be playing over quiet possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play at Oregon (yeah I said it) are? If not I could keep going, I really could.

Better yet, why don’t you go do some research yourself, I won’t even make you read.

Go watch a replay of his game against Stanford last year, only the biggest game of the regular season last year. Watch how Darron led the Ducks back from a 21-3 deficit against one of the best teams in the country, both with his feet and his arm.

Look up the highlights from when Boise State came to Autzen four years ago. That was when an 18 year-old kid named Darron Thomas almost led the Ducks back from a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter. He only threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns in one quarter. Yeah he threw one pick in the game. A game that started with him on the sidelines expecting to red shirt the 2008 season and third on the depth chart.

Re-watch the game against Tennessee last year or USC. The “natty” is worth a watch. The game against LSU where he was asked to throw 54 times, completed 32 of them against an defense full of NFLers. Not to mention LSU has a guy on defense who I think should at least be invited to the Heisman ceremony later this month, Tyrann Mathieu.

Brian Bennett has looked great in his appearances for the Ducks. Oregon fans should all be excited for the future the Ducks have with him as the quarterback, but not yet.

Thomas is still the Ducks’ best quarterback right now, and when his career at Oregon is all said and done he could be the greatest quarterback in school history. If Thomas stays healthy next year, he could potentially play 16 more games for the Ducks. At Thomas’ current pace of 214 yards per start, he would end his career with 8,859 passing yards at Oregon. Bill Musgrave currently holds the record for career passing yards at Oregon with 8,343 yards.

That is a long, long way away however.

What is here now is the first ever Pac-12 Championship game, and Oregon is hosting the game (no matter what Autzen looks like). Darron has the chance to lead the Ducks to their third-straight Pac-10/12 title, which would make him two-for-two.

So to those who cry for the backup I offer this piece of advice. Either smarten up or sober up, then sit back this Friday night and watch one of Oregon’s greatest quarterbacks ever lead your Ducks in this historic game.

One of the saddest stories ever in American sports…

Posted: November 9, 2011 in BCS, NCAA Football
Tags: , , ,
1

Joe Paterno was an American sports legend. He is a man known for his dedication to Penn State University and its football program. A man who holds the record for most wins in division one football and a man who helped turn a small agricultural school in central Pennsylvania into a well-respected university and football powerhouse. But now, that is gone.

Earlier today, Paterno announced that in wake of the recent developments that sexual abuse took place inside of Penn State’s football program, he would be stepping down from his head-coaching job once this season is over.

One of Paterno’s former assistant coaches, defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, has been accused of sexually abusing at least eight underage children. To make matters worse, it appears both Paterno and the university knew and did nothing about it.

Some of the alleged abuses took place on Penn State’s campus with children from Sandusky’s charity for foster children, The Second Mile. The abuses started in 1998 when a young boy’s mother reported sexual abuse to University Police. The claim was investigated; Sandusky acknowledged wrongdoing and no criminal charges were filed. Sandusky then unexpectedly retired in the summer of 1999 but was allowed to retain emeritus status at the school.

In 2000, a Penn State janitor, James Calhoun, witnessed Sandusky abusing a boy in the showers at the Lasch Football Building on campus. Calhoun told his fellow employees what he had witnessed, but never filed an official report on the matter. Calhoun was a temporary employee at Penn State at the time.

Then in 2002, a Penn State grad assistant reported that he had witnessed Sandusky abusing a young boy directly to Paterno. Paterno then reportedly passed the information along to Penn State’s athletic director Tim Curley. Curley and senior vice president of finance and business, Gary Shultz, later met with the grad assistant who witnessed the abuse and told him “they would look into it.”

Unfortunately it appears that is where Penn State’s investigation ended. No university officials or staff members ever took the matter to the police, and Sandusky was allowed to continue working with his charity on campus grounds and use Penn State facilities as late 2010.

Paterno did report the 2002 issue (the only one he was reportedly aware of) to his higher-ups, but that was it. At this point it is complete speculation as to what Paterno was actually told, what he actually knew and what he actually reported, but that doesn’t matter.

Even if Paterno only knew the tiniest of details, reporting the matter to Curley wasn’t even close to enough. While Paterno is in no way the biggest problem in this story (that title is reserved for the scum-bag Sandusky himself) it appears that he isn’t innocent either.

As of today Paterno will finish this season (a season in which Penn State has a chance of winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl), then retire. Things may change as more information is revealed however, and Paterno could be fired at any point really.

After an extremely turbulent college football offseason where we saw handfuls of schools go under NCAA investigations for major violations, we learned that Fiesta Bowl CEO, John Junker, had been using the bowl’s non-profit organization as a personal piggy-bank and we saw teams turn their back on tradition and chase the money as conferences realigned across the country; Paterno and his tenure at Penn State seemed like one of the few good stories in college football.

Paterno’s status at Penn State was once something others could idolize and admire, he was a man other schools wish they had on their campus. In just under 55 seasons as the head coach of Penn State; Paterno has won 409 games, gone to 37 bowl games, won two national championships, won a countless number of awards and has helped turn hundreds of young student-athletes into men.

Now, what was once one of the only bright-spots in a sport that is riddled with corruption is a complete and utter disgrace to not only college football, but to all American sports. Recruiting violations or football wrongdoings would have been one thing, but this, this is just egregious.

A man who would have been celebrated right up there with great coaches like John Wooden and Bear Bryant, will now be know for nothing more than the disgusting sex scandal that took place at Penn State under his watch.

Pac-12 Preview and Predictions: Week 10

Posted: November 4, 2011 in BCS, NCAA Football, Pac-12, Weekend Picks
0

The college football season has reached the home stretch. With just one month left until the conference championship weekend, teams will now use the month of November to jockey for Pac-12 positioning and bowl berths. As it sits right now the Pac-12 looks to be a two horse race, with the two teams on a collision course.

Right now Oregon and Stanford are both undefeated in conference play and sit atop the conference and the north division. The two teams will meet next weekend in what could be a battle for a Pac-12 championship, or at least a birth to the championship game.

Oregon will first have to travel to the always hostile Husky Stadium and get by a Washington team whose only losses have come to teams ranked in the top-ten. Stanford will travel to Corvallis to take on the Oregon State Beavers in what should be an absolute beat down.

Arizona State seems to have the south division wrapped up already, but only because USC isn’t eligible for the postseason. Arizona State got a scheduling gift by not having to play Stanford or Washington, who are two of the top teams in the conference. If the Sun Devils take care of business in their remaining pushover games, they should finish the season with a 10-2 (8-1) record and should be ranked near the top-ten for the Pac-12 championship game.

The season’s intensity really starts to ramp up from here on out and with all twelve conference teams in action this week, we will be one week closer to knowing who will play in the innagural Pac-12 Championship come December.

The last week I picked was week eight when I went 3-3. That brings my season record to 33-14. After a couple mediocre weeks of picking I hope to get myself back on track with this week’s six games.

Friday November 4th @ 6:00 P.M. in Boulder, Colorado

We will see one of two versions of the USC Trojans tonight when they take the field against the miserable Colorado Buffaloes.

The first would be a team absolutely destroyed by the heartbreaking triple overtime loss they suffered against Stanford last weekend. USC has no shot at the postseason or any bowls, so after suffering such a tough loss the Trojans may not have any fight left in them.

On the other hand we may see a Trojan team that is fired up over their close loss to one of the best teams in the country. If this is the Trojan team we see tonight it will be a bloodbath. USC is far superior in the talent department and with any motivation they will roll.

Even if we see the deflated USC squad they will still win more than likely. Colorado is winless in the Pac-12 and has been the league’s punching bag so far this season. The closest conference game they have played this year was against Wahington State, when they lost 31-27.

Colorado came into the year a bad team, but injuries have turned bad into miserable. The Buffaloes likely won’t win a conference game this year, but if they can it won’t be against the talented Trojans.

My pick: USC 38, Colorado 7

Score: USC 42, Colorado 17

Saturday November 5th @ 12:30 P.M. in Corvallis, Oregon

I think I may get a Beaver game right this week. Of my thirteen wrong picks so far this season, six of them were Beaver games. Win or lose I just don’t get their games right, however I think I have got this one.

A lot of experts are picking this to be a trap game for the Cardinal. They say that with Stanford coming off the emotional thriller against USC and with a top-ten matchup next weekend versus Oregon, that the Cardinal will forget to show up against the Beavers.

It wouldn’t be the first time a team forgot to show up in this series either. Last year when the Beavers traveled down to Palo Alto to take on Andrew Luck and the Cardinal, they just didn’t show up. The Beavers were one week away from one of the biggest Civil Wars ever and a chance to ruin Oregon’s national championship bid, but they forgot about Stanford. The Cardinal won the game 35-0 in the end and it was apparent that the Beavers were already thinking about their next game.

We won’t see Stanford return the favor this year however. Stanford is on a mission and they know what they have a chance to do this year. Their only real test still to come this season is the game against Oregon in one week.

Even though Oregon State is know for upsetting top-ranked teams at home, they are just too young and too inexerienced to keep up with Andrew Luck and pull off the upset. Plus Stanford isn’t USC. I’ll take Stanford big.

My pick: Stanford 49, Oregon State 17

Score: Stanford 38, Oregon State 13

Saturday November 5th @ 3:30 P.M. in San Francisco, California

This game appears to be the battle for last place in the Pac-12 North division. Both of these teams come into this game having lost four out of their last five, Washington State has lost four straight.

Both teams started the year with good records but it appears that was only due to their weak non conference schedules. Since starting Pac-12 play, Washington State has been outscored 186-119 and have had at least 27 points scored against them every game. California has been outscored 145-95 and they have given up at least 30 points in all four losses.

Both programs need a win desperately to say the least but if either team has any shot at going to a bowl, this game is crucial. Cal has a game against Oregon State next weekend, but then closes the season against Stanford and Arizona State. Assuming they won’t even come close to winning their final two games, this week and next week’s Beaver games are must wins.

Washington State’s road to a bowl game may be a little easier but they have to win three of their last four. With games against Arizona State and Washington still on the schedule, bowl season looks like a pipe dream for the Cougars.

Cal has the better defense in this one, but Washington State has the edge on offense and both have sporadic quarterbacks.  I think it will be the team that wins the turnover battle who wins this game. I’ll take Cal in a close one.

My pick: Washington State 24, California 27

Score: Washington State 7, California 30

Saturday November 5th @ 4:00 P.M. in Tucson, Arizona

Now we shift our attention to the bottom feeder game in the Pac-12 South division. While this may not be a battle for last place in the south it is only because Colorado seems to have that title wrapped up.

If it weren’t for Colorado however, this would be the battle for the bottom of the south as both schools only have one conference win this year. The way Utah’s schedule plays out they quiet possibly could finish 8-4 (5-4) and find themselves in a decent bowl like the Holiday Bowl. After this weekend’s game, the Utes play UCLA, at Washington State and Colorado; all very winnable games.

Arizona on the other hand would really have to do some work to become bowl eligible. Even if the Wildcats are able to  become eligible, the best they can go is 6-6 (4-5). That isn’t out of the realm of possibility however, after this weekend the Cats play at Colorado, at rival Arizona State and then against Louisiana-Lafayette. An upset win over ASU and a win today may be all that stands between the Wildcats and a bowl game.

The Wildcats are 1-1 since they fired Mike Stoops with their loss coming at Washington last weekend. Arizona had their chances to win the game but just couldn’t stop Washington’s offense in the end. As the coaching search heats up in Tucson, Tim Kish is fighting for a chance to keep the head coaching job.

I think Nick Foles is the difference and the Wildcats are able to get Tish his second win as head coach.

My pick: Utah 27, Arizona 38

Score: Utah 34, Arizona 21

Saturday November 5 @ 4:30 P.M. in Los Angeles, California

This game actually will decide the champion of the Pac-12 South.

If UCLA can pull off a win against the nineteenth ranked Sun Devils they will sit atop the south division tied with ASU and will hold the tiebreaker. If the Bruins are to win both teams would be 4-2 in the conference and the first tiebreaker for a division title is head-to-head competition.

Both teams have three winnable games after this weekend so the chance to represent the south in the Pac-12 Championship is really on the line today. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit could have the pick of the season if UCLA can some how manage to win the south as he picked them to play Oregon in the championship before the season began.

While a win today would mean UCLA is in the race for the south title, a win for ASU would not only be huge for their program, but it would also be huge for the conference. If ASU can win tonight and then continue on to win the rest of their games they will finish 10-2 (8-1). The Sun Devils then would likely finish somewhere in or near the top-ten in the BCS standings.

If ASU was say number ten in the BCS rankings heading into the Pac-12 Championship and faced off against a third ranked Oregon or Stanford, the Pac-12 would benefit greatly.

I think ASU wraps ups the south tonight and ends the Bruins hopes of playing in the first Pac-12 championship.

My pick: Arizona State 35, UCLA 17

Score: Arizona State 28, UCLA 29

Saturday November 5th @ 7:30 P.M. in Seattle, Washington

It has been eight years since the Huskies last beat the Ducks. It has also been eight years since the Huskies have come within 20 points of the Huskies, but this year things just feel different going into this heated rivalry.

For the past seven years Oregon has had the privilege of kicking the Dawgs while they have been down. The Washington program is finally starting to look like it has made the turn to becoming a good team in the Pac-12 once again.

We are only twenty years removed from the Huskies being crowned the AP National Champions and after almost a decade of suffering, Huskies fans finally feel like they are returning to glory.

As the program celebrates the twenty year anniverasry of its lone national championship and plays the last game ever at Husky Staduim as we know it tonight, the Huskies will try to do something Jake Locker was never able to do; beat Oregon.

However beating Oregon will be no easy task. Oregon hasn’t lost a Pac-12/10 game in two years (almost to the day), giving them 17 straight conference wins. The Ducks are fourth in the nation in scoring this year, and fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game.

Washington boasts the fourth best run-defense in the conference, but have yet to face a backfield half as deep as Oregon’s. Something many people don’t realize is that Oregon is ranked third in the Pac-12 in points allowed per game, despite the fact their defense is on the field 60% of the game. Oregon’s offensive time of possession (by percent of game time played) ranks dead last in the country.

Oregon’s rushing game is going to dominate and rain on the 20-year party in Husky stadium today. The Ducks win a game that starts close but ends in a double-digit difference.

My pick: Oregon 45, Washington 31

Score: Oregon 34, Washington 17

Pac-12 Preview and Predictions: Week 8

Posted: October 20, 2011 in Duck Football, NCAA Football, Pac-12, Weekend Picks
0

Last week the Pac-12 had a chance to improve its non-conference record with a pair of its teams taking on foes from opposing conferences. With the Pac-12′s record against other conferences being pretty weak thus far, a couple of wins would have gone a long away.

The Pac-12 didn’t quiet get the result it had hope for, only getting a split in the non-conference games. Utah traveled to the east coast and took down a team from a BCS conference in Pittsburgh. It was a solid win for the Utes and the Pac-12 conference with Pitt being a team that has already made some noise in their own conference, beating #19 USF earlier this year. The win also looks good for teams in the Pac-12 because Utah is now 3-0 out of conference, but 0-3 in conference; putting to bed some of the thoughts that Utah and Colorado could come into the conference and beat up on the existing teams.

The other game on the Pac-12′s non-conference sleight last week was BYU at Oregon State. Coming off their first win in the previous weekend many (including myself) thought that the Beavers may finally turn the corner and get on a little roll by beating a BYU team that had already been mercilessly beaten down by Utah. That was not the case however and BYU was able to get by the struggling Beavers in the end.

So a 1-1 split in the non-conference game last weekend puts the Pac-12′s season record at 20-12 against non-conference opponents, the only catch being that seven of those twenty wins are against FCS teams.

With three non-conference game remaining for the Pac-12, the best the conference can do is 23-12 (16-11 if you take away FCS games). This week USC will have a chance to beat Notre Dame for another non-conference win, as ten other Pac-12 teams face off against one another.

As for my picks, last week I put out an abbreviated version of my picks and went 4-2, with the two non-confernce games tripping me up. For the second week in a row my Oregon score was almost dead-on. My season record now sits at 30-11 (.732), with six games on the schedule this week.

Thursday October 20th @ 6 P.M. in Tucson, Arizona

Will we see the same Arizona team now that they are Stoops-less? Will they be a team motivated by the fresh start with an interim coach or will their struggles only worsen?

After having a bye week to regroup, the Arizona Wildcats will take the field without former head coach Mike Stoops for the first time in seven years. The often-animated Stoops could usually be found stomping around the sidelines with veins bulging, screaming at the top of his lungs. To most outsiders of the Wildcats, Stoops never seemed in control or someone players would enjoy playing for. Apparently Arizona finally agreed.

Stoops was fired after a loss on the road against Oregon State two weekends ago. The win was the Beavers’ first and only win of the season, while the loss left Arizona with a 1-5 record and a ten-game losing streak against FBS teams. Stoops replacement, Tim Kish, has been with the Wildcats since 2004 filling various position coach spots. Most recently Kish was the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator and had his defense ranked 117th in points allowed per game.

It will be interesting to see how the Wildcats respond to some calm along the sidelines, knowing they have to win all six of their remaining games to become bowl eligible. They will try to start that streak against a UCLA Bruin team who is coming off a nice win against the Washington State Cougars. The Bruins still technically have a chance to win the south division but they can’t afford any losses from this point on.

The game will pit two of the worst defenses in the Pac-12; UCLA ranks 10th in both points against and yards against per game and Arizona ranks dead last in both categories. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be an offensively charged game however, both teams rank in the middle of the Pac-12 offensively.

This one doesn’t look like a heart-stopper on paper, but we’ll just see. I think the Wildcats will have just enough pep in their step to give Kish a win in his first game as head coach. Having Nick Foles as a quarterback helps too.

My pick: UCLA 21, Arizona 31

Score: UCLA 14, Arizona 48

Saturday October 22nd @ 12:40 P.M. in Boulder, Colorado

The last time these two teams met there was a lot more on the line. The two teams played on January 1st, 2002 in the BCS Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. The Ducks were ranked #2 in both the coaches and AP polls, while Colorado was ranked #3 in both (somehow the BCS felt that #4 Nebraska was more deserving).

On that day the Joey Harrington lead Ducks walked all over Colorado, 38-16 and the teams haven’t met since. While Colorado fans may still have some anger towards the Ducks and want a little piece of revenge ten years later, this year doesn’t look good.

The Buffaloes come into the game 1-6 and badly beat up. Colorado is starting to feel the affects of a long Pac-12 season as the injuries are piling up; both Rodney Stewart (their leading rusher and starting running back) and Douglas Rippy (a middle linebacker who is leading the team in tackles) will be out for  this weekend’s game.

The Buffaloes rank dead last in points per game in the Pac-12 and eleventh in yards per game. The Buffs also give up the most points in the conference and surrender the fourth most YPG, while also giving up the most passing touchdowns (18) so far.

It is safe to say Colorado has falling quiet a bit since being ranked number three in all the land, unfortunately for them Oregon is right where they left them. While Oregon may not be number two in the country like back in 2002, they find themselves in the top-ten once again and as always they boast a very powerful offense.

The Ducks currently rank in the top five in the country in points per game, yards per game and all major rushing categories. The Ducks also sit atop the Pac-12 in all the same categories and after last weekend have at least 800 more total rushing yards than any other Pac-12 team.

Oregon will most likely be without their top running back and Heisman hopeful LaMichael James and may also be without quarterback (and extreme darkhorse Heisman canidate) Darron Thomas. Chip Kelly and the Ducks keep injury news very close to the chest, but it appears as though LMJ is out and DT is a maybe. Both traveled to Colorado however and both say they want to play.

Even if the Ducks’ two stars don’t see the field, their backups are still plenty talented. After Thomas went out of last week’s game against a good Arizona State team, the Ducks suddenly found themselves down three points and without their two top-leaders. However, running backs Kenjon Barner and DeAthony Thomas, along with quarterback Brian Bennett, filled in quiet nicely for the absent Ducks. Any worries the Oregon faithful had were put to bed quickly as Bennett and the Ducks’ offense marched down the field for two long touchdowns drives in the third quarter.

It seemed pretty apparent that while there was a small drop in talent with Oregon’s two starters out, the drop wasn’t far. Oregon’s “backup trio” looked as though they could beat just about all the teams in the Pac-12 by themselves. Oregon’s football team has been very solid for a handful of years now, but its problem has always seemed depth. It appears that Ducks have finally solved that problem, at least at the “skilled positions”.

Even if LMJ and DT don’t play (which I hope they don’t) the Ducks will be just fine. Ducks should roll and all of the backups will see time I think.

My pick: Oregon 48, Colorado 17

Score: Oregon 45, Colorado 2

Saturday October 22nd @ 4:00 P.M. in San Francisco , California

Well one of these teams has to get their first conference win this weekend. California did beat a Pac-12 team earlier this season when they beat Colorado on the road, but the game wasn’t technically a conference game. Both teams have gone 3-0 in non-conference play however, but are struggling to find a win in the Pac-12.

Last week Utah traveled across the country and beat Pittsburgh. The Utes will now try to build off the road win and get their first ever Pac-12 win. Chances are good as their opponent has seemed to get worse every week.

After a 3-0 start the Cal Bears have lost three straight, with the last two games being blowouts. After traveling to Seattle and giving the Huskies a good game, Cal has since gone to Eugene and gotten torched by the Ducks, then got beat up by USC at home.

Cal’s quarterback, Zach Maynard, is only completing just over 50% of his passes and has thrown six interceptions already. He will have to play sharp if the Bears have a chance in this one, Utah has the second ranked defense in the Pac-12 and is also ranked second in passing defense.

The only team in the Pac-12 with a better pass defense is the Cal Bears. Jon Hays, who started the season as the backup, will have his hands full against a Cal team who has allowed the least passing yards in the conference. It also doesn’t bode well for Hays that he has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns this year.

If either of these teams have a shot at becoming bowl eligible, this weekend will be crucial. For Cal it is extremely important because they close out the season at Stanford and then at Arizona State. Assuming they lose both of those games, that only leaves Cal with four games to get three wins to become eligible . Utah on the other hand has six very winable games left on their schedule, giving them a decent chance to end up 9-3 and a chance at the South division.

I will take Utah to keep build off last week’s win and start their end of the season win streak.

My pick: Utah 31, California 17

Score: Utah 10, California 34

Saturday October 22nd @ 4:30 P.M. in South Bend, Indiana

The USC-Notre Dame rivalry just doesn’t seem to have the flair it used to. It wasn’t long ago when the infamous Bush-push that took place between these teams had national championship implications.

Both teams come into this year’s game with solid records, but due to the fact that USC can’t participate in postseason play the game hasn’t received the attention it normally does.

Notre Dame comes into the game 4-2 and on a four-game winning streak. The Fighting Irish opened their season with a loss to USF and then a loss in the first night game at The Big House. Since then however, the Irish have won four in a row and are now looking to beat the Trojans for the second straight season.

USC comes into the game with an impressive 5-1 record, but are lacking quality opponents up to this point. The only real good team the Trojans have faced so far this year was Arizona State and they lost that game. The Trojans are led by future NFL quarterback, Matt Barkley.

Barkley has thrown for 1782 yards and 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions this year. Barkley is in the top fifteen in the country in all the major passing categories and if he continues to play the way he has, he will find himself on some Heisman ballots.

This is a tough game to pick, the last two years the game has been decided by seven points or less. I really hate to say it, because my heart doesn’t want it to be true but I think Notre Dame will win a close one. For once I hope I am wrong.

My pick: USC 31, Notre Dame 33

Score: USC 31, Notre Dame 17 - Yay:)

Saturday October 22nd @ 5:00 P.M. in Palo Alto, California

It’s been a while since the Washington Huskies have had the nation’s attention. Tonight the Huskies will have all eyes on them as they travel to Stanford to take on the eighth ranked Cardinal.

The Huskies are ranked in the AP top-25 for the first time since September in 2009 and that didn’t last long. The Huskies were only ranked for one week before the Cardinal (led by Toby Gerhart) ended that dream. The last time Washington was involved in a game in which both teams were ranked was the opening game of 2003.

Washington will come into this week’s game ranked 22nd-25th (depending on what poll you look at) and looking to lay claim as a contender for the Pac-12 North title. The North race has become a three-team race that the Huskies are a pair of upsets away from winning. The Huskies will get Oregon at home in two weeks which makes this weekend’s game crucial for the Dawgs.

The Huskies are led by sophomore quarterback Keith Price who has been more than impressive so far this season. Price has 21 touchdown passes this year which leads the Pac-12. Price hasn’t thrown for less than three touchdowns in a game yet this season and is a big reason why the Huskies are averaging 37 points per game this year.

Price will face-off against a very worthy adversary this week in Heisman leader, Andrew Luck. Luck has the second most touchdown passes in the conference so far with 18 and has his team undefeated. The Cardinal also currently are on the country’s longest winning streak at 14 games.

This nationally televised game should have a great atomsphere, and should be an exciting game to watch. Tough one to call but I think the Cardinal will once again knock the Huskies out of the top-25 after only one week. Luckily for the Husky faithful, I think they’ll find their way back into the ranks later this season.

My pick: Washington 27, Stanford 35

Score: Washington 21, Stanford 65

Saturday October 22nd @ 7:30 P.M. in Pullman, Washington

ESPN’s Ted Miller put this game into perspective quiet nicely earlier this week, it seems like this is a game between two heading in opposite directions.

The Washington State Cougars seem to be a program who is heading in the right direction after being on the cellar of the Pac-10 for so many years. For the first time in a handful of years the Cougars look to be fighting a bowl game birth. The Cougars still have a pretty rough road ahead with games at Oregon and at Washington, with a home game against Arizona State in between. If the Cougars are serious about going to a bowl game, they have to beat the Beavers.

The Beavers on the other hand seem to be a team trending in the wrong direction right now. The Beavers are only two losses away from becoming bowl ineligible and haven’t looked good this year. The Beavers are only two years removed from back-to-back chances at Rose Bowl births; and after going 5-7 last season, now find themselves in danger of only getting one win this season.

I think Washington State will pull it out this weekend and take one step closer to becoming bowl eligible. I will be picking the Cougars which sits well for Beaver fans because when I pick them to win, they lose but when I pick them to lose, they win. The Beavers are responsible for five of my eleven incorrect picks so far this year.

My pick: Oregon State 24, Washington State 37

Score: Oregon State 44, Washington State 21

Went 3-3 on the weekend, Beavers always get me.

Ducks fall to Utes again, turn attention to Portland State series

Posted: October 19, 2011 in Ducks, Hockey, Oregon Hockey
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

The Oregon Ducks club hockey team fell just short again last Thursday, losing 3-2 to the visiting Utah Utes.

The second game of the two-game series between the Ducks and Utes was eerily similar to the first game. However this time the Ducks were able to get their first shot of the game just 27 seconds in (compared to 4:51 in the first game), but unfortunately that was the Ducks’ only shot of the first period.

Sam Satre takes the puck along the Oregon Bench -Photo by Phil Johnson

The Utes defense was a huge reason for the shot discrepancy, doing a fantastic job of helping out their goaltender in the first period by blocking seven shots. Once again after the first period the Ducks found themselves in a hole in the shot department, down 14-1.

The Ducks also found themselves in a scoring hole once again after the first period, being down 2-0 at the first intermission. While the play during the first period seemed rather back and fourth, with a great deal more hitting than in the first game, the Ducks just couldn’t manage to get shots on net.

In the second period the hitting ramped up just a little more, but so did the penalties. There were 55 penalty minutes in the period, including two ten-minute misconducts and a five-minute misconduct. Exactly half of the penalty minutes came at the 11:20 minute mark, after a rather large scuffle right in front of Oregon’s bench erupted. Thirty of the period’s 55 penalty minutes were given to the Ducks, including 14 to Trevor McCarty alone.

Despite the onslaught of penalties in the period, the Ducks began to find a rhythm. The Ducks were able to register seven shots in the second period alone, more than any of their previous four periods against the Utes.

The Utes were still able to outshoot the Ducks in the period however, registering ten shots of their own.The Utes were also able to put another goal in the back of the net on a 2-man advantage at the end of the second period, giving them a 3-0 lead at the second intermission.

The Ducks answered early in the third period with a 2-man advantage goal of their own. With 15:26 left in the period, Zach Peters was able to bang one home for his first goal of the season; Patrick Thorton and Dougo Reese were credited with the assists.

As the period went on the Ducks continued to get their chances, and much like in the previous night, the Ducks’ ability to run three to four lines began to wear on the Utes’ legs. Late in the period the Utes began to take more and more penalties that are usually signs of fatigue. In the final twelve minutes of the game, the Utes had seven penalties, most of which were hooking and tripping penalties.

Connor McBride being chased up the ice by the Utes -Phil Johnson

The Ducks were able to get their second power play goal of the night with just 1:11 left in the game. Both Peters and Reese notched their second points of the game as they assisted the Connor McBride goal. The Ducks continued to pressure the Utes during the last minute, but ultimately fell just short once again.

The Ducks were outshot 36-15 in the game, a small improvement from the 48-17 differential the night before, but still not good enough. As the Ducks look forward to their next series against the Portland State Vikings, fixing the shot-total discrepancy will have to be goal number one.

The Ducks freshman goaltender, Daniel Cockriel, boasted and extremely impressive .929 save percentage over the weekend, stopping 78 of the 84 shots that came his way. If the Ducks can reduce the amount of shots that Cockriel faces, he could definitely be one of the best goaltenders in the Pac-8 this season.

The Ducks’ special teams will be crucial to their success moving forward as well. In the series with Utah, the Ducks went 4-for-20 on the power play and killed off all but two of their 18 penalty kill chances. Both ratios were rather impressive and if the Ducks can continue to capitalize on their own power play opportunities while shutting down the opposition’s power play chances, the wins will start to come.

This coming weekend the Ducks will travel to Portland to take on the Portland State Vikings. The Vikings have played in six games so far this season and are at least 2-2 (their website is awful and results against Western Washington aren’t found). The Vikings have two wins over Gonzaga at home and suffered two blowout losses to San Jose State last weekend. The Vikings lost by a total of 22-1 in their two-game trip to San Jose last weekend.

The Vikings are led by forward Anthony Libonati; who has six goals and three assists so far, having played in just the two games against Gonzaga. Oregon played the Vikings twice last season, winning both meetings by a combined score of 16-6. The Ducks will hope to get their first wins of the season against a Portland State team that they have historically done well against. The two teams have met ten times in the past four years; Oregon has a 9-1 record in the series.

So if you are in the Portland area this weekend go check out the Oregon Ducks when they take on the Portland State Vikings at the Winterhawks Skating Center located at 9250 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Beaverton, OR 97005. Wear your ducks gear and bring your noise-makers (duck lips aren’t banned in Portland) as this rivalry is always a heated one and the Ducks could use your support.

Pac-12 Week 7 abbreviated picks

Posted: October 15, 2011 in Duck Football, Ducks, NCAA Football
0

Oregon Hockey games, Timbers final home game and ESPN’s College Gameday in Eugene; it’s been a fun last few days for me in sports with lots of driving and little sleep, unfortunately I have run out of time to do my weekly Pac-12 picks. Figured I would throw some picks down and just bypass the insight this week. I’ll be back at it fully next week for week 8.

My Picks:

Utah pulled of an overtime thriller at home last year against Pitt. They haven’t looked good so far this year, think Pitt will get revenge, barely.

Utah 24, Pittsburgh 27

Colorado has looked awful so far this year, Washington has looked like a team that may have something to say about Oregon and Stanford’s dominance in the North.

Colorado 10, Washington 35

The Beavers finally got the monkey off their backs last weekend when they grabbed their first win of the season. BYU is an up and down team with a nice win over Ole Miss but an absolutely embarrassing loss to Utah. I think the Beavs will build off last week’s win.

BYU 24, Oregon State 31

Washington State has looked pretty good at times this year, a big improvement from the past couple years for sure. Stanford however is in another class and should handle the Cougs relatively easily.

Stanford 41, Washington State 21

Ducks are 4-1 with ESPN’s College Gameday in town, it’s a night game in Autzen Stadium and the usually crazy Ducks fans have been called out by the media this week for their weak second half showings lately. Duck fans will have a chip on their shoulder this week (haha get it) and will make things rough for ASU’s Brock Osweiler. Ducks will also see more Cliff Harris this week, which will make fans happy. Expect a heavy dose of Kenjon Barner and Tra Carson at RB, with DeAnthony Thomas and David Paulson getting slot receptions still. Huff is rumored to be fully healthy for the first time this year. Even without LMJ, Ducks pull away late win comfortably.

Arizona State 31, Oregon 45

Ducks lose season opener, look to avenge loss tonight

Posted: October 13, 2011 in Ducks, Hockey, Oregon Hockey
0

The Oregon Ducks club hockey team lost to the Utah Utes in last night’s season opener here in Eugene. While an opening game loss is tough for the Ducks to swallow, there were some positives to build on going into tonight’s game against Utah.

Judging by the first ten minutes of last night’s game it was very apparent that the Utes were playing in their seventh game this season and that the Ducks were playing together for the first time this year. It took the Ducks just under five minutes to record their first shot in the game and at the point the Utes already had six shots.

Photo by Phil Johnson

The Utes were able to score on their fourth shot of the game, just 2:43 into the first period. The goal came on a shot from the point that went through a great deal of traffic before getting by Ducks’ freshman goaltender, Daniel Cockreil. While the Utes were able to continue to pepper Cockreil with shots throughout the period (recording 20 shots in the first period), the early screened shot was the only shot to find the back of the net.

The Ducks finished the first period with just three shots to the Utes twenty, but managed to kill off two Utes power plays, including a 40 second tw0-man advantage. The Utes looked much sharper in the first and looked to be in a groove that the Ducks hadn’t had the chance to find yet. However, lead by great goaltending and a great diving save by defenseman Dougo Reese; the Ducks found themselves only down one goal after the first period.

The game seemed to even out some in the second period after an early scare. Just ten seconds into the second period the Utes were able to jam a puck into the back of the net, but fortunately for the Ducks the whistle had already blown and the score remained 1-0.

After that the rest of the second period was much more balanced and it looked as though the Ducks were starting to find a rhythm. However that changed in the final two and a half minutes of the period, when the ice seemed to tilt towards the Utes once again. The Utes were able to get five of their eleven second period shots in the last two minutes of the period; finally slipping another goal by Cockreil with just 1:16 left in the period.

The first ten minutes of the third period continued to be a back and forth affair, with the Utes still outshooting the Ducks overall. The Ducks’ penalty kill continued to play well, killing off a both of the Utes’ third period power plays. However, the Utes were able to notch their third goal midway through the period. With just under nine minutes left in the game the Ducks found themselves down 3-0 and being outshot very badly.

Then around the seven minute mark the Ducks’ began to find their stride. The Ducks’ attempts to run four lines throughout the night was finally catching up to the Utes as they began to show signs of fatigue. The Utes began to take penalties and the Ducks were able to capitalize.

-Phil Johnson

With 5:50 left in the third period, Nick Keuhl was able to knock home the Ducks’ were first goal right after a well-timed Ducks timeout. Then after another pair of penalties by the Utes, Patrick Thorton was able to jam home the Ducks’ second power play goal of the night; bringing the score to 3-2 with just 48 seconds remaining.

The Ducks were then able to give the home crowd something more to get excited about, continuing to pressure the Utes during the final 48 seconds of play. In the end however, the Utes were able to hold off the Ducks’ final attacks and get away with the 3-2 win.

While a loss isn’t the outcome the Ducks were looking for to open their season, they showed a lot to their fans in the loss. Although the Ducks were badly outshot, 48 to 17, they were able to get more shots each period as they got their game-legs back. The Ducks penalty kill was an impressive eight-for-eight on the night and freshman goalie, Daniel Cockreil showed signs of great things to come with an .938 save percentage on the night.

Tonight the Ducks will face-off against the Utes once again, this time with a game under their belt. Expect the Ducks to come out with revenge on their minds, looking to prove that last night’s loss was more about rhythm than talent. The puck will drop at 8:00 p.m. and the Lane Events Ice Center. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children and UO students.

Oregon Hockey kicks off 2011-12 season at home against Utah.

Posted: October 12, 2011 in Ducks, Hockey, Oregon Hockey
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

The University of Oregon club hockey team will kick off their 2011-2012 season this week with a series against Pac-8 newcomers, the Utah Utes.

The Utes, also known as the Skatin’ Utes, followed their school’s scholarship sports and came to the Pac-8 after being considered an independent team for the past few seasons. The Utes, who started their club hockey team in 2006, finished with a 16-20 record last season, a slight drop from their 16-17 campaign in 2009-10.

This year the Utes are returning their top-eight scorers from last season, including last year’s leading scorer, Beau Bertagnolli.  Bertagnolli had 33 goals and 56 assists in 39 games last year. So far in his third season with the Utes, Bertagnolli has ten goals and eight assists through six games, once again leading the team in scoring.

The Utes also return a great deal of fire power from last year’s team with a pair 50-point scorers. Both Michael Vrtis and Colton McDonald notched 51 points last season. Vrtis also brings a great deal of leadership to the table as he is playing in his sixth season for the Utes and his final term of eligibility.

The Utes come into the series in Eugene boasting a 5-1 record and currently riding a five-game winning streak. The Utes have taken three out of four from the Boise State Broncos, while also laying beat downs on their two tough in-state rivals; BYU and Utah State. The Utes have struggled with their cross-state foes in past seasons, but laid down a pair of double digit wins on them already this year.

While the Utes are already six games into their schedule, this week’s games will be the first for the Ducks this season. While the Ducks aren’t returning all of their top-eight scorers from last year’s team, they are still returning a great deal of scoring power. The Ducks will return ten of their top twelve scorers from last year, including the second leading scorer from a season ago, Zach Peters. Peters, along with fellow forwards Derek Wolson and Patrick Thorton leave plenty of scoring potency up front for the Ducks.

The Ducks’ leading scorer from last season, Kevin Trihey, will still be contributing to the team, only this year it will be from the bench. Trihey will be assuming the role of assistant coach this year alongside new head coach, Rich Salahor, who was the Ducks’ assistant coach last season.

Jeff Kraus laying down a hit against U-dub last season. Photo by Phil Johnson

The Ducks also are returning their captain from last season, Dougo Reese. Reese had 19 points last year and was the top scoring defender. The Ducks also return a great deal of leadership in a fifth year player Jeff Kraus and in returning grad Jarrett Cicirello. Cicirello didn’t play last year as he returned to his home town of Pittsburgh for a year after graduating in 2010, but he in now back going to school and looking to continue his contributions to Oregon hockey.

The 2011-12 Ducks team also has some new faces this year with six rookies making the squad. One name that will sound familiar to those that have been following the program for while is rookie Trevor McCarty. Trevor is the younger brother of long-time Duck, Tyler McCarty. Tyler scored 32 goals and 27 assists in his time with the Ducks, he currently ranks ninth all-time in goals scored for the Ducks. Trevor is also no stranger to the Lane Events Ice Center, as he comes to the Ducks after spending time with the local junior team, the Eugene Generals.

The Ducks will have their hands full this week as it appears the Utes are a recharged program ready to make some noise in their first Pac-8 season. This week will be a huge chance for the Utes to prove they are ready for the challenge.

This week will also be a great chance for the Ducks to gauge where they are after only three official team practices this season. With two tough showcases and a handful of tough road games on the schedule this season, home games will be extra important for the Ducks this season.

If you would like to watch the Ducks in this crucial early-season matchup head on out to the Ice Center at the Lane Events Center at 796 W. 13th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402. Game are tonight, Wednesday the 12th at 8:15 p.m. and tomorrow Thursday October 13th at 8:00 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults and $2 for kids and Oregon Students. For more information about the team, players and upcoming games go to the team’s official site here.

Pac-12 Preview and Predictions: Week 6

Posted: October 6, 2011 in BCS, Duck Football, NCAA Football, Pac-12, Weekend Picks
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Week six in the Pac-12 means another five conference games and a chance for teams to either make up ground in the standings or fall further behind.

Last weekend Washington State got their first conference win, while USC, Stanford, Arizona State and Washington all got their second conference win. Oregon State and Utah both dropped to 0-2 in conference, while Arizona dropped to 0-3 deeming them virtually out of the Pac-12 South race. Colorado lost their first Pac-12 game, while UCLA sits at 1-1 in conference.

As of now the Pac-12 conference power definitely sits in the North division. The North clearly has the two best teams in the conference (Stanford and Oregon) and also boasts a conference record of 6-3 so far, compared to the South’s record of 5-8. While the race for the North title is wide open, Arizona State gets closer to being able to claim the South each week. With USC being ineligible for postseason qualification, the Sun Devils are a few victories away from a virtual clinch of the South division.

Last weekend my picks went 4-1 for the second week in a row with Washington over Utah being the game that tripped me up. That brings my season total to 23-7 (.767), with the usual tough handful of games on the schedule this week, see how I fair.

Thursday October 6th @ 6:00 PM in Eugene, Oregon

Last year when the Oregon Ducks were on their magical journey to the BCS National Championship, it was the California Bears whom turned out to be the Ducks’ biggest hurdle. The Ducks had to win the tough game in a way that was different than they were used to; it took defense, special teams and a long clock-killing drive to put the Bears away 15-13.

The Ducks come into this year’s matchup as the top scoring team in the nation (52.0 PPG) and ranked sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game (299.5). Oregon’s top back, LaMichael James, is coming off two consecutive games with over 200 rushing yards and is the nations top rusher and punt returner. In the Ducks’ last game two weeks ago; James set the Oregon single game rushing record with 288 yards against the Arizona Wildcats.

Just like Oregon, Cal comes into this week’s game after a bye weekend. The Bears’ last game was an eight-point loss to the Washington Huskies up in Seattle. Cal has a 3-1 (0-1) record on the year with wins over Fresno State, Colorado and Presbyterian. They are also surprisingly ranked 15th in the nation in scoring, averaging 39.5 PPG.

Cal’s junior quarterback Zach Maynard has been the team’s offensive star so far, already throwing for over half (10) of the total touchdowns he threw for last season (18). A big part of Maynard’s success has come at the hands of his top two targets, Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones. The two receivers have combined for 53 receptions, 873 yards and six touchdowns.

Oregon currently boasts the top passing defense in the Pac-12, making the dynamic Cal passing trio versus the Oregon secondary the key matchup of the game. On the other hand the Cal Bears have only allowed 313 total rushing yards in their first four games. Considering this fact, look for Ducks quarterback, Darron Thomas, to be a key factor in tonight’s game as well. Thomas will need to stretch the field early to open up some running room for James and the quick Oregon backfield.

Last year Cal was able to give the Ducks their biggest test of the year; I don’t see that being the case this year. The first real game at Autzen Stadium this year, a nationally televised night game and yet another new jersey combo being released for the Ducks will have the wild Oregon fans as loud as ever and will be too much for the Cal offense to handle.

My pick: California 17, Oregon 42

Score: California 15, Oregon 43

Saturday October 8th @ 12:30 P.M. in Corvallis, Oregon

You don’t have to go back very far at all to find a time when a matchup between the Arizona Wildcats and the Oregon State Beavers had huge implications on the then “Pac-10” title chase. In 2009 both teams finished 6-3 in the Pac-10 and were in the title hunt until the last game of the season. Even last year when the teams met, Arizona was ranked ninth in the country.

This year however things have changed and the once important matchup has lost its mojo. The teams are a combined 1-8 on the year, with the lone win being Arizona’s win over FCS opponent, Northern Arizona. The teams are a combined 0-5 in the conference and both look as though they could be at the bottom of their respective divisions.

Arizona gets a bit of a pass for their record so far as they have arguably played three of the toughest teams in the Pac-12 already (Stanford, Oregon and USC), not to mention they played sixth ranked Oklahoma State in a non-conference game. With six rather winnable games left on Arizona’s schedule, there is still hope for the Wildcat faithful that a bowl is within reach; however a nine-game losing streak against FBS opponents doesn’t exactly instill confidence in that possibility.

The Beavers get no such pass however. They have had a couple tough games thus far in which a loss is excusable (at Wisconsin and at Arizona State), one tough Pac-12 matchup against a UCLA team on the rise, but they also have one unforgivable loss at home against an FCS opponent. The loss to Sacramento State seemed to be one that really set the program back and that they are still trying to recover from.

This weekend will be a great chance for that recovery with a demoralized Wildcat team coming to town. The Beavers have the second best pass defense in the Pac-12, which may be able to combat the top passing team in the conference in Arizona. It will take everything the Beavers have to stop the lethal passing game of Arizona, led by Nick Foles. Foles has already passed for nearly 2.000 yards and has 14 touchdowns on the year.

This is a tough one to pick, I want to believe that both teams have it in them to turn their season around and start winning some games; I just can’t decide which team that will be. Due to Arizona’s ability to move the pass through the air so efficiently, I think Arizona will win. It doesn’t help that I have been burned picking the Beavers twice before this season. My pick: Arizona 38, Oregon State 24

Score: Arizona 27, Oregon State 37

Saturday October 8th @ 12:30 P.M. in Salt Lake City, Utah

So far Utah has been rather disappointing in their first season in the Pac-12. They have lost their first two Pac-12 games, and really looked lost in their 17-point loss to the Washington Huskies last week. Granted their quarterback, Jordan Wynn, suffered a shoulder injury just before halftime, but once he was out the Utes really seemed to lose their way.

It appears Wynn will be out for a couple weeks at least, leaving DII transfer Jon Hays to lead the offense. Hays went 10 for 16, throwing for 156 yards, one touchdown and a pick in his relief of Wynn against the Huskies. Hays first DI start will be a tough one as Arizona State’s defense has only allowed five passing touchdowns, while recording seven interceptions so far this year. The Sun Devils rank seventh in passing yards allowed in the Pac-12, but they are the only team with more interceptions than touchdowns allowed in the conference.

Last weekend the Sun Devils offense got off to a slow start, scoring no points and only gaining 58 total yards in the first quarter. Then after spotting the Beavers thirteen points the Sun Devils offense finally woke up in the second quarter, going on to score 21-straight points. The Sun Devils may have been overlooking the Beavers last week, but don’t expect them to do the same this weekend when they travel to Utah.

If Utah wants to have a shot they will have to take advantage of Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler. The giant quarterback ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in passing but has thrown six interceptions, which leads the Pac-12. If Utah can create some pressure and get Osweiler to throw some picks, they could have a chance.

Unfortunately I think Utah’s rough welcome to a major conference will continue and they will move to 0-3 in the Pac-12. Arizona State will be looking to get an early start and never look back.

My pick: Arizona State 35, Utah 17    

Score: Arizona State 35, Utah 14

Saturday October 8th @ 4:30 P.M. in Palo Alto, California

Colorado is the other new team in the conference and they too are getting off to a disappointing start thus far. The Buffaloes are 0-2 against Pac-12 teams, but only one has counted as a conference game. Things won’t be getting any better for the Buffaloes this weekend as a trip to Palo Alto to play against Andrew Luck will most likely have an unfavorable outcome.

Colorado and Stanford are the top two teams in the Pac-12 when it comes to yards allowed per game, so the game could at least start low scoring. The problem is while Colorado ranks highly in yards allowed, teams are able to score on them; they are ranked ninth in points allowed. A game against one of the Heisman front-runners won’t help that stat either. Luck leads the Pac-12 with a quarterback rating of 178 and is ranked eighth in yards per game.

Scoring will also be a tough task for the Buffaloes, they are ranked 89th in the nation in scoring while Stanford is ranked sixth in scoring defense, only allowing 11.5 points per game.

Not much else to really say about this one, I think Stanford will roll.

My pick: Colorado 10, Stanford 35

Score: Colorado 7, Stanford 48

Saturday October 8th @ 7:15 P.M. in Los Angeles, California

Washington State may be the most surprising team in the Pac-12 so far this season. Already a quarter of the way through the season, the Cougars find themselves 3-1 and still in the running for a Pac-12 title, or at least a good bowl. The fact that the Cougars record is so good is not the surprising part, the fact that they have done so without their starting quarterback is.

Jeff Tuel went down in the first game of the year and has only attempted two passes this season. The young man who came in as Tuel’s relief, Marshall Lobbestael, has been able to accomplish what everyone thought Tuel would. Lobbestael is second in the Pac-12 in yards per game and has thrown 13 touchdowns to three interceptions. Last weekend Lobbestael led the Cougars to a road win, only their second conference road win since 2007.

This weekend Lobbestael will be looking to lead the Cougars to their second straight conference win, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2006; they also haven’t won two-straight road conference games since 2003. The Cougars will have to do so against a UCLA team who has shown flashes of greatness this year, but who has also shown flashes of awful at times.

Last weekend the Bruins were only down 7-0 to Stanford after the first quarter and were only down 17-7 at half time. The Bruins could have been much closer as well if they hadn’t failed on a goal-line attempt from inside the five-yard line. Some people have the Bruins as their dark-horse team in the Pac-12 South, so if they have any real chance at a birth in the inaugural Pac-12 Championship, this weekend is a must win game.

The problem for the Bruins is the fact they ranked 105th in points allowed per game, giving up just over 33 PPG. The Cougars are tenth in the country in scoring, averaging 44.5 PPG. The Cougar offense will be too much for the Bruins to match and the Cougars will finally break some of their terrible streaks. My pick: Washington State 38, UCLA 24

Pac 12 Preview and Predictions: Week 5

Posted: October 1, 2011 in BCS, NCAA Football, Pac-12
0

It is week five in the college football season and the Pac-12 conference schedule is in full swing.  The Pac-12 is 19-11 in non-conference games, and frankly hasn’t looked very good. It is now time for teams to make their moves inside the conference as they fight to get to the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game.

Last week Oregon, Arizona State, Washington and UCLA got their first Pac-12 wins, while Oregon State, USC and California were handed their first conference losses. Arizona lost its second confernce game while Colorado went on the road to Ohio State to pick up another non-conference loss. With five conference games on the schedule this week, its really time for the race to heat up.

Last week my picks went 4-1, bringing my season record to 19-6. With some tough games on the schedule this weekend, we’ll see how I hold up this weekend.

Saturday October 1st @ 12:30 PM in Los Angeles, California

Arizona has played three top-ten teams in a row, and they have gotten whooped three times in a row. If the Wildcats have any shot of being relevant in the Pac-12 and if they plan to go bowling this winter; this week is a must win game.

Arizona’s defense has looked less than impressive so far, giving up an average of 43 points per game in their last three games. Quarterback Nick Foles has been about the only bright spot for the Wildcats, throwing for nearly 1,500 yards and ten touchdowns so far. Unfortunately the Wildcat offense has looked very one dimensional, with their leading rusher only accounting for 180 yards so far this season.

USC comes into the game having already played two conference games, a win over Utah and a loss to Arizona State. The Trojans are also led by their quarterback, Matt Barkley. Barkley has passed for almost 1,200 yards and ten touchdowns in what could be his last year in the college ranks. The Trojans are 3-1 this year with two non-conference wins, and with sanctions keeping them out of any postseason play, the Trojans are virtually playing just for pride.

Since the Trojans can’t be ranked in the Coaches Poll or the BCS, preseason goals had to be to go unbeaten and try and to sit atop the AP poll at the end of the season. After suffering their first loss this past weekend, it will be interesting to see how the Trojans react. Will they still play with heart and try to achieve the best record possible, or will the loss and lack of postseason chances hurt their motivation?

Neither Barkley or coach Lane Kiffin like to lose so I would anticipate seeing a fired up USC team. The Trojans are still playing for recruits and Barkley is still playing to impress NFL scouts. I think USC will hand the Wildcats their ninth-straight loss to an FBS team. My pick: Arizona 21, USC 27

Saturday October 1st @ 12:30 PM in Boulder, Colorado

The last time that Washington State traveled to Colorado (2003) both teams were at the start of a long downhill slide from greatness. In the early 2000′s both teams were competing for conference titles (in separate conferences those days) and both were playing in BCS games. Since those days however both teams have become bottom-feeders in their conferences and are now looking to get back to the good ol’ days.

Washington State comes into the game after a nice bye weekend while Colorado is returning home after a tough trip to Columbus, Ohio. Both teams last game were losses and both teams desperately need a win.

Colorado is 1-3 and looking for their first Pac-12 win in their first home conference game. The Buffaloes running game will be key in this one, as they really need to get their top-back Rodney Stewart into the endzone. Stewart has 72 carries in four games, but is yet to get into the endzone. The Buffaloes will also have to fix some gaps on the defensive side of the ball if they want to win, they are allowing 30.4 points per game thus far, ranking them 80th in the nation.

The Buffaloes will try and sure-up their offense against a Washington State team that can score. The Cougars are averaging 49 points per game so far, albeit their competition hasn’t been stellar. Senior fill-in quarterback Marshall Lobbestael has filled in nicely for the cougars, but has been asked to do a little too much. Lobbestael has attempted 93 passes in just three games, 42 in their last game alone. If the Cougars want to win this weekend, and if they want to keep their backup healthy, they need to get the running game going more often. With two running backs averaging over eight yards a carry it could be their key to success.

It just doesn’t seem as though Colorado’s defense will be able to get enough stops against the Cougs to claim their first conference win. The game will be close to start with the excitement of the first Pac-12 game in Colorado, but ultimately the Cougars will pull away. My pick: Washinton State 42, Colorado 31.

Saturday October 1st @ 4:00 PM in Salt Lake City, Utah

This weekend will mark the first major conference football game held in the state of Utah. The Utah Utes will host their first Pac-12 game of the year, hoping their wild student section can help lead them to their first win in the new fancy conference. The student section, known as the MUSS (mighty Utah student section), is notoriously loud and has helped the Utes in their 41-7 home-record in the past eight seasons.

There will be plenty to cheer about as the Washington Huskies come to town. The Huskies are 3-1 for only the second time since 2003 and are looking to gain some of the respect they had in the 90′s back this year. The Huskies only loss came at the hands of the eighth ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. Quarterback Keith Price has replaced the fan favorite, Jake Locker, quiet well so far. Price has thrown for fourteen touchdowns so far this year and has quickly made the Husky faithful forget about Locker.

The Utes come into the game ranked in the top-fifteen in team defense. Utah is only allowing 14.3 points per game with a quarter of their season played. The Utes will also be looking to use one of the more balanced offenses in the Pac-12 to do their scoring. Led by their quarterback Jordan Wynn, the Utes are putting up just over 31 points per game. Running back, John White IV, has rushed 61 times this year scoring five touchdowns and averaging 6.2 yards a carry. While there is a whole flock of capable receivers catching Wynn’s passes.

The home crowd and the excitement of the Pac-12 opener will be just enough for Utah to grab the win in what will be the best Pac-12 game this weekend. Close and exciting. My pick: Washington 27, Utah 31

Saturday October 1st @ 7:30 PM in Tempe, Arizona

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.”

The Beavers have done just that to me this season; made me look foolish. I picked the Beavs to beat Sacremento State earlier this year in what I thought was a no-brainer. They fooled me in that one and frankly shame on them. Then last week I once again picked them to beat the UCLA Bruins at home, once again I was wrong, shame on me.

I will not be fooled a third time however. The Beavers travel down to Tempe this weekend to take on the 25th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils and I don’t think anyone is picking them to win. It is unfortunate what has happened to the Beavers this year, but they truly have hit rock-bottom. The opportunities for victories are quickly shrinking for the Beavers, and this weekend definitely isn’t one of them.

After an embarrassing loss on the road in Illinois two weeks ago, last week the Sun Devils once again looked like the team that caught people’s attention when they upset Missouri on national television weeks ago. Last week the Sun Devils dismantled the USC Trojans 43-22, laying their claim as the top team in the Pac-12 South at least for now.

Look for the Sun Devils to continue to roll and the Beavers to continue to fall. My pick: Oregon State 9, Arizona State 41

Saturday October 1st @ 10:30 PM

Kirk Herbstreit really went out on a limb this preseason when he picked the UCLA Bruins to win the Pac-12 South. UCLA made him look pretty silly in their losses to to Texas and Houston, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still pull it off.

The Bruins come into their game against the sixth-ranked Cardinal with a Pac-12 win under their belt already and looking to send a message. If they could somehow pull off the epic upset over Stanford that message would be heard loud and clear. While the Bruins don’t even have to win this weekend to still grab the Pac-12 South, it sure would help. However, Bruins fans shouldn’t hold their breath.

Stanford comes into the game off a bye and have yet to be challenged so far this season. In the Cardinal’s three games so far this year they have won by a combined 138-27. As is the case with many of the Pac-12 schools, Stanford is led by their quarterback, Andrew Luck. Luck is the leading Heisman Trophy candidate and the trophy is really his to lose. If Luck can carry the Cardinal to an undefeated season and continue to put up the solid numbers he has, the Trophy is his.

I really don’t think UCLA has a chance in this one, it shouldn’t be close. The Bruins allow over 30 points a game and with Andrew Luck leading the opposing offense that number will surely be reached. My pick: UCLA 14, Stanford 45

——–

So there you have it; my preview, thoughts and predictions for week five in the Pac-12. The conference schedule is in full swing. Don’t see any real upsets this weekend but have two for sure locks with Stanford and Arizona State both going to win big.

Older Entries