NCAA Offensive Player of the Year:
Winner: QB Cameron Newton, Auburn
Newton took an 8-5 team and has them playing in the National Championship Game. He's the highest rated passer in all of College Football and he's 13th in rushing (including leading the SEC in rushing....as a QB).He has 20 TD running the football, 28 passing and he even caught a TD pass against Ole Miss. What more is there to say? He was amazing to watch. His stats were incredible and his highlights were even more jaw-dropping. He was a sensation.
Runner-Up: RB LaMichael James, Oregon
Honorable Mention: QB Andrew Luck (Stanford), QB Denard Robinson (Michigan), QB Dan Persa (Northwestern), QB Ryan Mallet (Arkansas), QB Kellen Moore (Boise St), QB Andy Dalton (TCU), WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma St)
NCAA Defensive Player of the Year:
Winner: DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
He led the Nation in sacks with 15 averaging 1.15 per game. He was second in the Nation (to Ryan Kerrigan of Purdue) with 25 tackles for loss.
Runner-Up: DT Nick Fairley, Auburn
Honorable Mention: DE Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), CB Patrick Peterson (LSU), CB Jaron Hosley (Virginia Tech), LB Von Miller (Texas A&M), LB Luke Kuechly (Boston College)
NCAA Coach of the Year:
Winner: Chip Kelly, Oregon
Kelly has really developed Oregon into an offensive juggernaut. They score the most points at 49.3 per game and also gain the most yards at 537 per game. But they aren't a one-dimensional football team as their defense also ranks 12th in points allowed at 18 per game. Kelly has this machine running and he just fills in the pieces as needed.
Runner-Up: Jim Harbaugh, Stanford
Honorable Mention: Randy Edsall (UConn), Bret Bielema (Wisconsin), Gene Chizik (Auburn), Michael Haywood (Miami/OH), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Dan Mullen (Mississippi State), Doug Marrone (Syracuse), Gary Patterson (TCU), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State)
NCAA Coordinator of the Year:
Winner: Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Sure Malzahn has Cam Newton to thank but Malzahn did a great job this year molding his offense into an offense that best fits Cam Newton and his personnel. Malzahn would probably rather throw the ball all over the field but he saw what would help his team win and made some tweaks as the season went on.Without Malzahn, Auburn is not playing in the National Championship Game...it's that simple.
Runner-Up: Dana Holgorsen, Oklahoma State
Honorable Mention: Dick Bumpas (TCU), Mark Helfich (Oregon), Scott Shafer (Syracuse), John Chavis (LSU), Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), Bryan Harsin (Boise State), Kirby Smart (Alabama)
SEC Player of the Year:
Winner: QB Cam Newton, Auburn
Do we need to re-hash this? If he's the NCAA Offensive Player of the Year then we are also taking him for SEC Player of the Year.
Runner-Up: QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
Honorable Mention: DT Nick Fairley (Auburn), WR Alshon Jeffrey (South Carolina), RB Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina), CB Patrick Peterson (LSU), WR Julio Jones (Alabama)
Big Ten Player of the Year:
Winner: QB Denard Robinson, Michigan
This was a very tight race between Robinson and Persa but ultimately Robinson stats were just too good to ignore. As a QB Robinson rushed for 1702 yards (second to only Mikel Leshoure of Illinois who rushed for 4 more yards than Denard) averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Robinson also threw for 2570 yards. Without Robinson, Michigan doesn't go to a bowl game.
Runner-UP: QB Dan Persa, Northwestern
Honorable Mention: DE Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), RB Mikel Leshoure (Illinois), QB Kirk Cousins (Michigan State), QB Scott Tolzien (Wisconsin), QB Terrelle Pryor (Ohio State), WR Dan Sanzenbacher (Ohio State), RB Montee Ball (Wisconsin), RB James White (Wisconsin)
Big 12 Player of the Year:
Co-Winner: WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
Blackmon finished his freshman season with 20 receptions for 2 TD. This year he had 111 receptions for 1782 yards (and that's missing a game) and was a big reason for Oklahoma State exceeding everybody's expectations this year. Blackmon finished 3rd in the Nation in receptions, 2nd in receiving yards, 2nd in receptions per game and 1st in TD. He was a difference maker in the Big 12.
Co-Winner: QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma
What a difference a year makes. Landry really blossomed this year and helped the Sooners rebound from a disappointing 8-5 season to winning the Big 12 and playing in a BCS bowl game. Landry finished 2nd in the Nation in Passing Yards (only Bryant Moniz of Hawai'i had more) and passing TD with 38 (2nd again to Moniz).
Honorable Mention: WR Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), QB Robert Griffin (Baylor), QB Brandon Weeden (Oklahoma State), RB Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State), RB Daniel Thomas (Kansas State), LB Von Miller (Texas A&M)
ACC Player of the Year:
Winner: QB Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
The season could not have started out worse for Virginia Tech as they lost to Boise State and then fell victim of an unfathomable upset at the hands of James Madison. Behind Tyrod's Senior Leadership the Hokies rebounded and won 11 straight regular season games and went undefeated in the ACC. Taylor passed for 2743 yards and had a great TD to INT ratio (24 TD and only 5 INT). He finished the year as the highest rated passer in the ACC (a conference that also includes Christian Ponder, Russell Wilson, Kyle Parker and T.J. Yates). Tyrod also placed in the Top 15 in the ACC in rushing as he finished with 659 yards and 5 TD running the football.
Runner-Up: DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
Honorable Mention: QB Russell Wilson (NC State), QB T.J. Yates (UNC), CB Jayron Hosley (VT), RB Montel Harris (BC), WR Torrey Smith (Maryland)
Big East Player of the Year
Winner: RB Jordan Todman (UConn)
UConn rode Todman to their first BCS birth and Big East Championship. Todman had an incredible year and led the Big East in rushing and came in 3rd Nationally (only 11 yards behind Mikel Leshoure and 7 behind Denard Robinson) despite missing the game against Buffalo. Todman was a symbol of consistency as he rushed for over 100 yards in 10 of the 12 games he played and his lowest output of the year was 80 yards.
Runner-Up: QB Geno Smith (WVU)
Honorable Mention: RB Bilal Powell (Louisville), QB Ryan Nassib (Syracuse), WR Armon Binns (Cincy), DE Bruce Irvin (WVU), DT Jabaal Sheard (Pitt), CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (UConn)
Pac-10 Player of the Year
Winner: RB LaMicheal James, Oregon
James finished 3rd in the Heisman voting behind Cam Newton and Andrew Luck but we picked James over Luck (by the narrowest of margins). James was a Tour de Force for Oregon running up 1682 yards at 5.99 yards per clip and also scoring 21 TDs. James did all of this while also missing a game against one of the weakest opponents on Oregon's schedule. Like Todman, James was a model of consistency gaining over 100 yards in 9 of Oregon's 11 games played (so far) and he also gained over 90 yards in every game he played.
Runner-Up: QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
Honorable Mention: QB Darron Thomas (Oregon), RB Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon St), QB Nick Foles (Arizona), WR Juron Criner (Arizona), WR Jeff Maehl (Oregon)
Non-BCS Conference Player of the Year
Winner: QB Kellen Moore, Boise State
Moore has done everything that Boise State has asked him to do. He engineered a game winning drive in the season opening victory against Virginia Tech and put them in the same position against Nevada before a very make-able FG was missed. Moore was 2nd to only Cam Newton in Passer Rating and posted an incredible TD/INT ratio (35 to 6).
Runner-Up: QB Andy Dalton, TCU
Honorable Mention: QB Colin Kapaernick (Nevada), QB Bryant Moniz (Hawai'i), QB Dominique Davis (ECU), RB Vai Taua (Nevada), QB Ryan Lindley (SDSU), QB Chandler Harnish (NIU), WR Greg Salas (Hawai'i)
Showing posts with label Oregon Ducks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oregon Ducks. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Bowl Predictions Part 4 (1/7-1/10)
Here is the final part of our Bowl Season Predictions including the National Championship Game. In case you missed the first, second, and third rounds of bowl predictions just click on the links to catch up on what you missed. As of the printing of this blog Ross is 16-12 and I am 17-11 in our predictions.
Cotton Bowl (1/7 8pm on FOX)
LSU (10-2) vs. Texas A&M (9-3)
Kevin's Prediction: LSU 28 TEXAS A&M 27
As an SEC homer it's really tough for me to pick against the SEC. Especially against the SEC West. Yes, Arkansas lost but Ohio State was playing 5 guys who should have been sitting and Bobby Petrino is a gutless coward who deserves to lose every game he coaches. Back to LSU...there is just something about them. Under CRAZY Les Miles they just find a way to win. They have some pretty impressive victories this year against Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State, UNC and West Virginia. LSU's two losses were to Auburn and Arkansas and they haven't lost by more than 8 points all year long. A&M went through a rough stretch earlier this year when they lost 3 straight (also lost to Arkansas) but they have rebounded to win 6 straight including impressive wins against Oklahoma and Nebraska. This one is a coin flip and in a coin flip you go with the guy with the luck.
Ross's Prediction: LSU 27 TEXAS A&M 24
Cotton Bowl (1/7 8pm on FOX)
LSU (10-2) vs. Texas A&M (9-3)
Kevin's Prediction: LSU 28 TEXAS A&M 27
As an SEC homer it's really tough for me to pick against the SEC. Especially against the SEC West. Yes, Arkansas lost but Ohio State was playing 5 guys who should have been sitting and Bobby Petrino is a gutless coward who deserves to lose every game he coaches. Back to LSU...there is just something about them. Under CRAZY Les Miles they just find a way to win. They have some pretty impressive victories this year against Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State, UNC and West Virginia. LSU's two losses were to Auburn and Arkansas and they haven't lost by more than 8 points all year long. A&M went through a rough stretch earlier this year when they lost 3 straight (also lost to Arkansas) but they have rebounded to win 6 straight including impressive wins against Oklahoma and Nebraska. This one is a coin flip and in a coin flip you go with the guy with the luck.
Ross's Prediction: LSU 27 TEXAS A&M 24
The Big 12 has enjoyed an underwhelming bowl season (except for the efforts of the Oklahoma schools, really), which casts some doubt on the strength of Texas A&M. LSU, meanwhile, emerged with 10 wins from the toughest division in college football (the SEC West) -- no small feat, that, and a big reason why I'll back them to get the win here. But it will be close because that's the only way Les Miles know how to play 'em, with the Tigers pulling out a win after an onside kick, a fake punt, and a flea-flicker on a fourth-down conversion. Prepare for the latest Miracle now.
BBVA Compass Bowl (1/8 Noon on ESPN)
Pittsburgh (7-5) vs. Kentucky (6-6)
Kevin's Prediction: PITT 27 KENTUCKY 17
Kentucky didn't exactly close the year with a bang as they went 2-3 with their wins coming over mighty Vandy and Charleston Southern. Oh yeah, and Mike Hartline went out and got himself suspended for this game. If Hartline was playing I probably take Kentucky by 10, but he's not. Watch out for Randall Cobb but I think Pittsburgh, despite all of their coaching issues, finds a way to win this one.
Ross's Prediction: KENTUCKY 31, PITT 17
On one hand, you have a member of the SEC East, a division so mediocre its teams have gone 1-3 and lost to teams from C-USA and the ACC. On the other hand, you have a member of the Big East, a conference that is seemingly perpetually mediocre -- and especially so this year. Oh, and that team has major head coaching drama. The SEC East isn't very good -- but even they can beat an also-ran from the Big East that's mired in controversy.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (1/9 9pm on ESPN)
Nevada (12-1) vs. Boston College (7-5)
Kevin's Prediction: NEVADA 27 BC 21
BC's season has been one of streaks. They won two to start off the year, then they lost 5 straight games (all to bowl teams) and then they finished up with 5 straight wins (beating 3 really bad teams and 2 decent teams). All-in-all BC has had a disappointing year from a team that CFBZ picked to come in second place in the Coastal Division. Nevada has feasted on powers like Eastern Washington, Colorado State, Idaho, UNLV, San Jose State, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech (where can Georgia get one of these schedules?). But they've also won a few games against teams that actually play football (Cal, BYU, Fresno State and Boise State). I have a tough time picking a team to win that lost to Hawaii but I'm going to do it anyway. Kaepernick wins this one for Nevada in a nail-biter.
Ross's Prediction: NEVADA 38, BOSTON COLLEGE 20
Nevada got bushwhacked in their bowl game a year ago, but I don't think that will happen to this year's bunch. B.C. has a quality defense and has had an eon to prepare for the Nevada offense, but I think Colin Kaepernick and Vaia Taua will end their Wolfpack careers on a high note, with a decisive bowl win.
BCS National Championship Game (1/10 8:30pm on ESPN)
Auburn (13-0) vs. Oregon (12-0)
Kevin's Prediction: AUBURN 34 OREGON 28
I've pretty much been a non-believer in Auburn all year long up until the SEC Championship Game. I think I picked them to lose in pretty much every game up until that game. While Auburn is very close to a one-man team they do have a good supporting cast. Cam Newton has simply been amazing this year. They guy just doesn't feel the pressure. They learned how to win early in the year by holding on to beat Mississippi State and surviving Clemson in OT. They came from 13 down and forced 4 4th quarter turnovers to beat Spurrier and South Carolina in their regular season date. They held off a late rally by a game Kentucky squad. Maybe the game where people started taking them seriously was when they put 65 up against Arkansas in a PS3 like game. Auburn beat a good LSU team in a close game. Georgia jumped up on Auburn 21 to 7 in the 1st quarter but Cam and Auburn didn't blink and came back and won by 3 scores. The best comeback of the season was the one against Alabama. People turned off their TV sets after Bama took a 24-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. But Auburn showed us what they are made of and came back and beat the Tide by 1 point. If there is one thing I've learned about Auburn this year it's not to pick against them. They have a guy with big play power and incredible moxie in Cam Newton on the offensive side of the ball and they have the dirtiest, filthiest, nastiest defensive player in the game in Nick Fairley. Fairley would blindside his grandma after the whistle if he thought it would help his team win a game. Dude speared Aaron Murray in the back of his spine with his helmet five seconds after Murray released a pass (would have been a multiple game game suspension if it happened in the NFL). I really like Oregon ,but I Auburn has proved this year that I can't pick against them (as much as I want to).
Ross's Prediction: AUBURN 45, OREGON 42
I hope you like scoring because this should be a point orgy. Granted, we've said that in the past and wound up with a defensive struggle (see: Florida-Oklahoma two years ago), but this match-up seems unlikely to produce such an odd result; these two offenses are so potent and so high-powered that it's hard to see them getting slowed for long -- especially against defenses that aren't exactly ironclad. The thing to watch here will be the pace: Oregon wants to play at a furiously high tempo, and while Auburn is also capable of playing at a high tempo, they may want to slow things down a little to enable their defense to have a shot at making some plays. Like so many recent title games, this match-up pits one Heisman finalist (Cam Newton) against another (LaMichael James), although Oregon's success will probably depend more on how Darron Thomas fares throwing the ball than anything. Oregon has been a breathtaking team to watch this year and they've been very good -- but it's too hard to bet against the SEC at this point, or to pick against Cam Newton. I think he has the best performance in a title game since Vince Young five years ago and leaves us all staring, slack-jawed and wondrous at what we just saw.
I hope you like scoring because this should be a point orgy. Granted, we've said that in the past and wound up with a defensive struggle (see: Florida-Oklahoma two years ago), but this match-up seems unlikely to produce such an odd result; these two offenses are so potent and so high-powered that it's hard to see them getting slowed for long -- especially against defenses that aren't exactly ironclad. The thing to watch here will be the pace: Oregon wants to play at a furiously high tempo, and while Auburn is also capable of playing at a high tempo, they may want to slow things down a little to enable their defense to have a shot at making some plays. Like so many recent title games, this match-up pits one Heisman finalist (Cam Newton) against another (LaMichael James), although Oregon's success will probably depend more on how Darron Thomas fares throwing the ball than anything. Oregon has been a breathtaking team to watch this year and they've been very good -- but it's too hard to bet against the SEC at this point, or to pick against Cam Newton. I think he has the best performance in a title game since Vince Young five years ago and leaves us all staring, slack-jawed and wondrous at what we just saw.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Six Pack Games Of The Week: October 28-30
Every week, I’ll throw a spotlight on the six most interesting games of the weekend to tell you why these are the games you should try to catch, who’s going to win (and why), and what ramifications they could have on the rest of the college football landscape.
LAST WEEK: 3-3
OVERALL: 27-15
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28#16 Florida State (6-1, 4-0) @ NC State (5-2, 2-1) (7:30pm EST, ESPN)After the 47-17 beatdown that FSU took at the hands of Oklahoma back in early September, the Seminoles quietly rebounded to rattle off five straight wins and take control of the ACC's Atlantic division, opening up a multi-game lead on NC State and Maryland. Of course, much of that winning streak came on the back of some wins over unimpressive competition; Miami was not only the lone ranked team FSU dispatched in that run, they were the only team with a winning record that FSU beat. The schedule stiffens from here on out, though; every team left on FSU's schedule is (at present) at least a game over .500 and the second through fourth-place teams in the Atlantic (NC State, Maryland, Clemson) comprise three of their next four opponents. After a promising 4-0 start, NC State stumbled by losing two of their next three games (including an upset loss to East Carolina); if they want to have realistic shot at catching FSU in the division, they need to win this game. They key to this game is what FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops has whipped up to slow down NC State QB Russell Wilson; if Stoops is successful, this could be a cakewalk for the 'Noles. If not, this one could be a real shootout. I'm leaning towards the former.
THE PICK: FLORIDA STATE 34, NC STATE 20
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30Louisville (4-3, 1-1) @ Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-0) (12pm EST, ESPN3.com)Big East football? Yep, Big East football. Hey, someone has to win this league and get the automatic berth to a BCS bowl. Through two weeks, Pitt is the only Big East team undefeated in conference play -- but they have three non-conference losses, including a blowout at the hands of Miami and close road losses to Utah and Notre Dame. They may very well be the class of the Big East this year -- although that isn't necessarily saying a whole lot. Louisville's already equaled their win total from a year ago and all three of their losses have been close games against decent-ish foes (Kentucky, Oregon State, Cincinnati). Sandwiched around that most reecnt loss (Cincy) are two blowout wins (over dismal Memphis and rapidly-disintegrating UConn). Charlie Strong is getting things turned around there and a fair bit faster than many expected. That said, they probably aren't quite ready to win a game like this and genuinely contend for the Big East title just yet.
THE PICK: PITT 31, LOUISVILLE 21
#6 Missouri (7-0, 3-0) @ #14 Nebraska (6-1, 2-1) (3:30pm EST, ABC)For three straight weeks a top-ranked team has gone down (Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma). The results after that game for the upset-pullers has been mixed; South Carolina went on the road and dropped a weird game to Kentucky, while Wisconsin went on the road to Iowa and narrowly came out with a win. Fresh off their big home win over Oklahoma, now Missouri has to go on the road to face a tough road game against a good Nebraska team. Nebraska had a wild bounce-back game against Oklahoma State a week ago, winning a 51-41 shootout (apparently the vaunted Blackshirt defense was on vacation). Now Nebraska has a chance to wrest control of the Big 12 North from Missouri, to avenge a 52-17 drubbing they suffered the last time Mizzou came to Lincoln... and to give Missouri one final eff you on their way out the door to the Big Ten. Missouri's surprising success this season has come on the back of their defense, which is quite a change from a few years ago, when they just relied on their high-powered offense to put up a ton of points on teams. Still, it's hard to avoid a letdown after such a momentous win and going on the road to play Nebraska and Lincoln is not exactly an ideal follow-up venue.
THE PICK: NEBRASKA 28, MISSOURI 20
#5 Michigan State (8-0, 4-0) @ #18 Iowa (5-2, 2-1) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN)Every year there's a team that comes out of nowhere, rides some surprisingly strong play and good fortune to a gaudy record and national recognition. And more often than not, that team stubs their toe at some point. It's really, really hard to go undefeated in modern college football -- especially in one of the big six conferences. The weekly grind is intense, the pressure gets worse by the week, and all of your opponents start getting a little more amped to be the first squad to add a number to the loss column in your record. Teams that manage to navigate an entire season undefeated usually do so on the basis of having at least one truly elite unit (either offense or defense). The much-derided 2002 Ohio State team may have had only a patchwork offense, but they had a hellacious defense. The 2005 USC squad had a so-so defense, but one of the best offenses of the decade. And so on. After eight weeks you are what you are, and what Michigan State is is a good team -- perhaps even a very good team -- but not an elite one. Their defense is good, but not lockdown great. Their offense is good, but occasionally inconsistent. They've gotten exceptional special teams play and that can carry you a long way, but it's also not always a reliable means of scoring points. At least, this is what I tell myself as Sparty gets ready to play an Iowa team working with a make-shift LB corps and prone to some of the ugliest special teams breakdowns I've seen in the last decade of Iowa football. Iowa's back is against the wall -- a loss here and their high hopes for this season are officially toast -- and in spite of their now-obvious flaws, they do still have a very good defensive line (and the Spartan offensive line isn't the elite wall that the Wisco line was a week ago) and a surprisingly potent offense. They have the tools to win this game. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.
THE PICK: IOWA 28, MICHIGAN STATE 24
Florida (4-3, 2-3) @ Georgia (4-4, 3-3) (3:30pm EST, CBS)Prior to last week's much needed bye week, Florida was mired in by far the worst three-game skid of Urban Meyer's Florida tenure; they'd lost three in a row (including a home to loss to, of all teams, Mississippi State) and been held under ten points in two of those losses. The Florida offense has been a FEMA-worthy disaster area all season, but it reached new lows in the embarrassing 7-point effort against Mississippi State. So has a week off been enough to work out the kinks and get them back to a level of, if not good quality, then perhaps just passable quality? To paraphrase Rick Pitino, Tim Tebow isn't walking through that door. Neither is Percy Harvin. The Florida offense remains an oddball collection of players who are very inconsistent (most of the receivers and running backs), just not that good (Emmanuel Moody), or a bad fit for the offense trying to be run (John Brantley). Oh, and they're still coached by Steve Adazzio, who looks increasingly overmatched in his OC position. On the other hand, Georgia has rebounded from their disastrous 1-4 start to rattle off three straight wins and improbably give them a shot at winning the SEC East. They've scored 40+ in all three games; clearly getting AJ Green back from his suspension and the continued development of Washaun Early and Aaron Murray has done wonders for them. That said, the Florida defense has been pretty good this year -- outside two 30+ point efforts conceded to Alabama and LSU, they've held every other foe to 17 points or less. And there is the little matter of Florida absolutely, positively owning Georgia -- they're 17-3 in the last twenty meetings. And they've had a bye week to sort things out and prepare for Georgia. But still... it's hard to completely overlook a half-season's worth of futility. If Georgia can't beat this Florida team, when will they ever beat Florida?
THE PICK: GEORGIA 27, FLORIDA 17
#2 Oregon (7-0, 4-0) @ USC (5-2, 2-2) (3:30pm EST, ABC)A year ago, Oregon's 47-20 destruction of USC served as a clear statement that the era of USC dominance in the Pac-10 was over. A year later, Oregon's now the team with the target on its back and the team with conference and national title ambitions. With two conference losses already (and the sanctions that prevent them from going to a bowl anyway), USC's been reduced to the unfamiliar role of spoiler -- but it's also a role they seem to have embraced (at least against a foe like Oregon). Oregon's coming off yet another lopsided destruction, a 60-13 evisceration of UCLA. USC's coming off a bye and a 48-14 dismantling of Cal that was undoubtedly their best win of the season. Will two weeks of prep time enable USC to engineer a defensive gameplan that allows them to stop Oregon's ridiculously powerful offense? Doubtful. USC's best bet is to take advantage of their own potent offense (Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, Ronald Johnson, and Allen Bradford are all on a roll right now) and hope to get enough turnovers or stops to win a shootout. Winning a shootout against Oregon is easier said than done, though.
THE PICK: OREGON 42, USC 34
LAST WEEK: 3-3
OVERALL: 27-15
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28#16 Florida State (6-1, 4-0) @ NC State (5-2, 2-1) (7:30pm EST, ESPN)After the 47-17 beatdown that FSU took at the hands of Oklahoma back in early September, the Seminoles quietly rebounded to rattle off five straight wins and take control of the ACC's Atlantic division, opening up a multi-game lead on NC State and Maryland. Of course, much of that winning streak came on the back of some wins over unimpressive competition; Miami was not only the lone ranked team FSU dispatched in that run, they were the only team with a winning record that FSU beat. The schedule stiffens from here on out, though; every team left on FSU's schedule is (at present) at least a game over .500 and the second through fourth-place teams in the Atlantic (NC State, Maryland, Clemson) comprise three of their next four opponents. After a promising 4-0 start, NC State stumbled by losing two of their next three games (including an upset loss to East Carolina); if they want to have realistic shot at catching FSU in the division, they need to win this game. They key to this game is what FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops has whipped up to slow down NC State QB Russell Wilson; if Stoops is successful, this could be a cakewalk for the 'Noles. If not, this one could be a real shootout. I'm leaning towards the former.
THE PICK: FLORIDA STATE 34, NC STATE 20
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30Louisville (4-3, 1-1) @ Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-0) (12pm EST, ESPN3.com)Big East football? Yep, Big East football. Hey, someone has to win this league and get the automatic berth to a BCS bowl. Through two weeks, Pitt is the only Big East team undefeated in conference play -- but they have three non-conference losses, including a blowout at the hands of Miami and close road losses to Utah and Notre Dame. They may very well be the class of the Big East this year -- although that isn't necessarily saying a whole lot. Louisville's already equaled their win total from a year ago and all three of their losses have been close games against decent-ish foes (Kentucky, Oregon State, Cincinnati). Sandwiched around that most reecnt loss (Cincy) are two blowout wins (over dismal Memphis and rapidly-disintegrating UConn). Charlie Strong is getting things turned around there and a fair bit faster than many expected. That said, they probably aren't quite ready to win a game like this and genuinely contend for the Big East title just yet.
THE PICK: PITT 31, LOUISVILLE 21
#6 Missouri (7-0, 3-0) @ #14 Nebraska (6-1, 2-1) (3:30pm EST, ABC)For three straight weeks a top-ranked team has gone down (Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma). The results after that game for the upset-pullers has been mixed; South Carolina went on the road and dropped a weird game to Kentucky, while Wisconsin went on the road to Iowa and narrowly came out with a win. Fresh off their big home win over Oklahoma, now Missouri has to go on the road to face a tough road game against a good Nebraska team. Nebraska had a wild bounce-back game against Oklahoma State a week ago, winning a 51-41 shootout (apparently the vaunted Blackshirt defense was on vacation). Now Nebraska has a chance to wrest control of the Big 12 North from Missouri, to avenge a 52-17 drubbing they suffered the last time Mizzou came to Lincoln... and to give Missouri one final eff you on their way out the door to the Big Ten. Missouri's surprising success this season has come on the back of their defense, which is quite a change from a few years ago, when they just relied on their high-powered offense to put up a ton of points on teams. Still, it's hard to avoid a letdown after such a momentous win and going on the road to play Nebraska and Lincoln is not exactly an ideal follow-up venue.
THE PICK: NEBRASKA 28, MISSOURI 20
#5 Michigan State (8-0, 4-0) @ #18 Iowa (5-2, 2-1) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN)Every year there's a team that comes out of nowhere, rides some surprisingly strong play and good fortune to a gaudy record and national recognition. And more often than not, that team stubs their toe at some point. It's really, really hard to go undefeated in modern college football -- especially in one of the big six conferences. The weekly grind is intense, the pressure gets worse by the week, and all of your opponents start getting a little more amped to be the first squad to add a number to the loss column in your record. Teams that manage to navigate an entire season undefeated usually do so on the basis of having at least one truly elite unit (either offense or defense). The much-derided 2002 Ohio State team may have had only a patchwork offense, but they had a hellacious defense. The 2005 USC squad had a so-so defense, but one of the best offenses of the decade. And so on. After eight weeks you are what you are, and what Michigan State is is a good team -- perhaps even a very good team -- but not an elite one. Their defense is good, but not lockdown great. Their offense is good, but occasionally inconsistent. They've gotten exceptional special teams play and that can carry you a long way, but it's also not always a reliable means of scoring points. At least, this is what I tell myself as Sparty gets ready to play an Iowa team working with a make-shift LB corps and prone to some of the ugliest special teams breakdowns I've seen in the last decade of Iowa football. Iowa's back is against the wall -- a loss here and their high hopes for this season are officially toast -- and in spite of their now-obvious flaws, they do still have a very good defensive line (and the Spartan offensive line isn't the elite wall that the Wisco line was a week ago) and a surprisingly potent offense. They have the tools to win this game. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.
THE PICK: IOWA 28, MICHIGAN STATE 24
Florida (4-3, 2-3) @ Georgia (4-4, 3-3) (3:30pm EST, CBS)Prior to last week's much needed bye week, Florida was mired in by far the worst three-game skid of Urban Meyer's Florida tenure; they'd lost three in a row (including a home to loss to, of all teams, Mississippi State) and been held under ten points in two of those losses. The Florida offense has been a FEMA-worthy disaster area all season, but it reached new lows in the embarrassing 7-point effort against Mississippi State. So has a week off been enough to work out the kinks and get them back to a level of, if not good quality, then perhaps just passable quality? To paraphrase Rick Pitino, Tim Tebow isn't walking through that door. Neither is Percy Harvin. The Florida offense remains an oddball collection of players who are very inconsistent (most of the receivers and running backs), just not that good (Emmanuel Moody), or a bad fit for the offense trying to be run (John Brantley). Oh, and they're still coached by Steve Adazzio, who looks increasingly overmatched in his OC position. On the other hand, Georgia has rebounded from their disastrous 1-4 start to rattle off three straight wins and improbably give them a shot at winning the SEC East. They've scored 40+ in all three games; clearly getting AJ Green back from his suspension and the continued development of Washaun Early and Aaron Murray has done wonders for them. That said, the Florida defense has been pretty good this year -- outside two 30+ point efforts conceded to Alabama and LSU, they've held every other foe to 17 points or less. And there is the little matter of Florida absolutely, positively owning Georgia -- they're 17-3 in the last twenty meetings. And they've had a bye week to sort things out and prepare for Georgia. But still... it's hard to completely overlook a half-season's worth of futility. If Georgia can't beat this Florida team, when will they ever beat Florida?
THE PICK: GEORGIA 27, FLORIDA 17
#2 Oregon (7-0, 4-0) @ USC (5-2, 2-2) (3:30pm EST, ABC)A year ago, Oregon's 47-20 destruction of USC served as a clear statement that the era of USC dominance in the Pac-10 was over. A year later, Oregon's now the team with the target on its back and the team with conference and national title ambitions. With two conference losses already (and the sanctions that prevent them from going to a bowl anyway), USC's been reduced to the unfamiliar role of spoiler -- but it's also a role they seem to have embraced (at least against a foe like Oregon). Oregon's coming off yet another lopsided destruction, a 60-13 evisceration of UCLA. USC's coming off a bye and a 48-14 dismantling of Cal that was undoubtedly their best win of the season. Will two weeks of prep time enable USC to engineer a defensive gameplan that allows them to stop Oregon's ridiculously powerful offense? Doubtful. USC's best bet is to take advantage of their own potent offense (Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, Ronald Johnson, and Allen Bradford are all on a roll right now) and hope to get enough turnovers or stops to win a shootout. Winning a shootout against Oregon is easier said than done, though.
THE PICK: OREGON 42, USC 34
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Six Pack Games of the Week: October 2
Every week, I’ll throw a spotlight on the six most interesting games of the weekend to tell you why these are the games you should try to catch, who’s going to win (and why), and what ramifications they could have on the rest of the college football landscape.
LAST WEEK: 4-2
OVERALL: 16-8
#21 Texas (3-1) vs. #8 Oklahoma (4-0) (@ Dallas, TX) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
For the second-straight year, one of these teams enters the game with a loss; a year ago it was an injury-ravaged Oklahoma team limping into Dallas with injuries to Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford (who returned for that game only to get reinjured), and a host of other players, as well as a pair of losses to BYU and Miami. This year, Texas can't point to any injuries as the source of their malaise, but after stumbling through less-than-impressive wins over the likes of Rice and Wyoming, the Longhorns finally spit the bit in a home meltdown to UCLA a week ago. Frailties both old (their disjointed offense and non-existent running game) and new (a surprisingly porous run defense) were exposed by the Bruins -- and the Sooners will no doubt have been taking notes. Then again, they haven't exactly been running a train on their opposition thus far, either, they're 4-0 but that's included some skin-of-their-teeth wins over Air Force, Cincinnati, and (somehow) Utah State... as well as an incongruous massacre of Florida State sandwiched in-between those games. This game figures to pit strength against strength (Oklahoma's oft-explosive offense against Texas' typically immovable defense) and weakness against weakness (Oklahoma's porous defense against Texas' terminally inconsistent offense). One of those battles will likely cancel out, so the team that can win the other battle (whichever it happens to be) should come out on top. Texas' problems thus far have seemed more troubling, so let's ride the Sooners here.
THE PICK: OKLAHOMA 27, TEXAS 20
#11 Wisconsin (4-0) at #24 Michigan State (4-0) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
Both teams are 4-0, but they haven't really been tested that much -- they beat up on some MAC/WAC/Sun Belt-level opposition (and beat the holy piss out of some I-AA squads last week) and scraped by their one "real" opponent by the skin of their teeth (Wisco needed a blocked XP to beat Arizona State, while Michigan State needed that awesome fake field goal to beat Notre Dame in OT). It's also unclear how good or bad their "real" opponents are -- Arizona State's only two losses are to two top 10-ish teams (Wisco and Oregon) and they could have won both if Steven Threet could have stopped being Steven Threet for a few plays, while Notre Dame's three losses are to teams that are a combined 12-0. Wisco got a lot more preseason love than Sparty, but they looked sluggish until they opened up a can of whup-ass on Austin Peay. Michigan State has developed a really balanced offense and has some very good defensive players (like LBs Greg Jones and Eric Gordon, to name a few guys)... although their secondary can be shredded (just ask Dayne Crist and the Domers). I think Sparty has a really good shot to pull off the upset here, as long as they're not looking ahead to next week's big showdown with Michigan.
THE PICK: MICHIGAN STATE 34, WISCONSIN 31
Virginia Tech (2-2) at #23 North Carolina State (4-0) (3:30pm EST, ABC)
Raise your hand if you had NC State pegged to be atop the ACC. Lower your hand if you're an alum or a relative of one of the players. If your hand is still raised, you're a goddamn liar. But it's the ACC so the only reasonable expectation is for the unexpected to reign. This is a league where Wake Forest was champion as recently as four years ago; there is no brand of madness too mad for them (except maybe Duke going undefeated and playing for the crystal football -- that's just stupid talk) In any event, now that Virginia Tech has escaped the cruel clutches of foes from the WAC and CAA, they're rounding into their usual form for ACC season: a punishing defense (they shut out Boston College 19-0 a week ago) married to a "just enough to get by" offense (again, just 19 points a week ago). NC State survived a road trip to UCF (28-21), then zipped by supposed tests against Cincinnati (30-19) and Georgia Tech (45-28). As always, a belief in ACChaos is our guiding light here; the question is which team is more chaos-friendly? VT is the traditional bet in the ACC, so let's throw our chips in against 'em. Just because. ACChaos means we'll likely be proven wrong (again).
THE PICK: NC STATE 27, VIRGINIA TECH 20
#22 Penn State (3-1) at #17 Iowa (3-1) (8:05pm EST, ESPN)
I'm not going to lie and pretend I'm not a bit biased about this one... but it has been a really good game more often than not. Going back to 2000, the game's only been decided by more than a touchdown three times (2003, 2007, and last year, although that was a closer game than the 21-10 score indicated) and four games have been decided in the final minutes or OT. Sometimes it's an ugly, defensive slog (2004 and the infamous 6-4 game or last year's rain-soaked showdown), but they're usually exciting, intense games. It's turning into a pretty healthy rivalry and I'm a little sad that the Big Ten's new divisional format will probably lead to the game being played less often than it is now. As far as this game, it's the reversed situation from the last few years, when Penn State went into the game as the favorite with big dreams; Iowa's favored in this one. Most of the match-ups favor them (especially their defensive line versus PSU's offensive line), but that doesn't always mean a lot in this series. I understand if most people aren't watching this one -- it is on the same time as Florida-Bama and Oregon-Stanford after all -- but it should be worth flipping to during commercial breaks or at timeouts. Penn State has some solid players on both sides of the ball, but for the most part they're in rebuilding mode this season, while this is a season Iowa has been building to for a few years. Barring another special teams meltdown, Iowa should win this one.
THE PICK: IOWA 27, PENN STATE 13
#9 Stanford (4-0) at #4 Oregon (4-0) (8:00pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
What do we expect out of this one? Points, points, and, oh yeah, more points. A year ago, Stanford won this game 51-42 and there isn't a whole lot of reason to expect differently from this game: Oregon's offense and its ridiculous almost point-a-minute scoring rate barely seems to have skipped a beat without Jeremiah Masoli at the helm and Stanford's offense has been bulldozing opponents even without the Albino Rhino (Toby Gerhart) keying the attack. NFL #1 draft pick-to-be Andrew Luck is leading the way for a balanced offense and the overlooked defense is looking pretty solid, too: they shut out the UCLA team that went into Austin and picked up 34 points and a win last week and they made mincemeat out of Notre Dame, too.
This game is also intriguing for the contrast in styles; Stanford just wants to line up and smash you in the mouth over and over again, while Oregon wants to use speed and misdirection to slice you to ribbons. Neither team has faced an offense as potent as the one they'll be facing on Saturday night. It's tough to distinguish between these two evenly-matched teams, but Stanford seems to have done better against slightly stronger competition (that UCLA win gets better and better) and Oregon did have trouble stopping what was suppsoed to be a mediocre Arizona State offense a week ago (at least until Steven Threet gifted them with turnover after turnover to end promising drives). The atmosphere in Autzen will be insane, but for now give us the team that likes to punch and get punched.
THE PICK: STANFORD 38, OREGON 34
#7 Florida (4-0) at #1 Alabama (4-0) (8:00pm EST, CBS)
One of these teams has (mostly) looked like a juggernaut, rolling through overmatched opponents and pummeling sad sack opponents. The other... has not. Alabama cruised through their early games, then faced their stiffest test yet in a road game at Arkansas, where they fell behind 17-7 at halftime and 20-7 late in the third quarter, before their brutally tough running game and an opportunistic defense (aided and abetted by Ryan Mallett's awful implosion) took over in the fourth quarter. On one hand, their failings in that game could be construed as a sign of weakness; on the other, their ability to battle back is impressive... and they aren't going to face many quarterbacks or passing offenses good enough to exploit the weaknesses in their secondary. The question this week is: can Florida do it? Their moribund offense woke up last week behind the Tebow-esque rhinoceros runs of Trey Burton, but doing that against Kentucky is one thing; doing that against Alabama's defense is another matter entirely.
Additionally, there's been a lot of hype for this game as the third part of the epic Bama-Florida trilogy that began with the last two SEC Championship Games, which seems a bit unfair. There was a great deal of similarity between the Florida and Alabama squads that tangled in those title games, but this year's been a ton of turnover on both sides for this game, with Alabama losing basically their entire starting defense and Florida losing huge swaths of players on both sides of the ball (including some guy named Tim). What happened in those two SEC title games probably isn't going to mean a whole lot for this particular game. As for this game... I don't really believe the Florida offense has truly turned a corner just because they lit up Kentucky and while the Florida defense will make some big plays and keep the game close for a while, I don't think they can withstand the punishment for an entire game.
THE PICK: ALABAMA 24, FLORIDA 14
LAST WEEK: 4-2
OVERALL: 16-8
#21 Texas (3-1) vs. #8 Oklahoma (4-0) (@ Dallas, TX) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
For the second-straight year, one of these teams enters the game with a loss; a year ago it was an injury-ravaged Oklahoma team limping into Dallas with injuries to Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford (who returned for that game only to get reinjured), and a host of other players, as well as a pair of losses to BYU and Miami. This year, Texas can't point to any injuries as the source of their malaise, but after stumbling through less-than-impressive wins over the likes of Rice and Wyoming, the Longhorns finally spit the bit in a home meltdown to UCLA a week ago. Frailties both old (their disjointed offense and non-existent running game) and new (a surprisingly porous run defense) were exposed by the Bruins -- and the Sooners will no doubt have been taking notes. Then again, they haven't exactly been running a train on their opposition thus far, either, they're 4-0 but that's included some skin-of-their-teeth wins over Air Force, Cincinnati, and (somehow) Utah State... as well as an incongruous massacre of Florida State sandwiched in-between those games. This game figures to pit strength against strength (Oklahoma's oft-explosive offense against Texas' typically immovable defense) and weakness against weakness (Oklahoma's porous defense against Texas' terminally inconsistent offense). One of those battles will likely cancel out, so the team that can win the other battle (whichever it happens to be) should come out on top. Texas' problems thus far have seemed more troubling, so let's ride the Sooners here.
THE PICK: OKLAHOMA 27, TEXAS 20
#11 Wisconsin (4-0) at #24 Michigan State (4-0) (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
Both teams are 4-0, but they haven't really been tested that much -- they beat up on some MAC/WAC/Sun Belt-level opposition (and beat the holy piss out of some I-AA squads last week) and scraped by their one "real" opponent by the skin of their teeth (Wisco needed a blocked XP to beat Arizona State, while Michigan State needed that awesome fake field goal to beat Notre Dame in OT). It's also unclear how good or bad their "real" opponents are -- Arizona State's only two losses are to two top 10-ish teams (Wisco and Oregon) and they could have won both if Steven Threet could have stopped being Steven Threet for a few plays, while Notre Dame's three losses are to teams that are a combined 12-0. Wisco got a lot more preseason love than Sparty, but they looked sluggish until they opened up a can of whup-ass on Austin Peay. Michigan State has developed a really balanced offense and has some very good defensive players (like LBs Greg Jones and Eric Gordon, to name a few guys)... although their secondary can be shredded (just ask Dayne Crist and the Domers). I think Sparty has a really good shot to pull off the upset here, as long as they're not looking ahead to next week's big showdown with Michigan.
THE PICK: MICHIGAN STATE 34, WISCONSIN 31
Virginia Tech (2-2) at #23 North Carolina State (4-0) (3:30pm EST, ABC)
Raise your hand if you had NC State pegged to be atop the ACC. Lower your hand if you're an alum or a relative of one of the players. If your hand is still raised, you're a goddamn liar. But it's the ACC so the only reasonable expectation is for the unexpected to reign. This is a league where Wake Forest was champion as recently as four years ago; there is no brand of madness too mad for them (except maybe Duke going undefeated and playing for the crystal football -- that's just stupid talk) In any event, now that Virginia Tech has escaped the cruel clutches of foes from the WAC and CAA, they're rounding into their usual form for ACC season: a punishing defense (they shut out Boston College 19-0 a week ago) married to a "just enough to get by" offense (again, just 19 points a week ago). NC State survived a road trip to UCF (28-21), then zipped by supposed tests against Cincinnati (30-19) and Georgia Tech (45-28). As always, a belief in ACChaos is our guiding light here; the question is which team is more chaos-friendly? VT is the traditional bet in the ACC, so let's throw our chips in against 'em. Just because. ACChaos means we'll likely be proven wrong (again).
THE PICK: NC STATE 27, VIRGINIA TECH 20
#22 Penn State (3-1) at #17 Iowa (3-1) (8:05pm EST, ESPN)
I'm not going to lie and pretend I'm not a bit biased about this one... but it has been a really good game more often than not. Going back to 2000, the game's only been decided by more than a touchdown three times (2003, 2007, and last year, although that was a closer game than the 21-10 score indicated) and four games have been decided in the final minutes or OT. Sometimes it's an ugly, defensive slog (2004 and the infamous 6-4 game or last year's rain-soaked showdown), but they're usually exciting, intense games. It's turning into a pretty healthy rivalry and I'm a little sad that the Big Ten's new divisional format will probably lead to the game being played less often than it is now. As far as this game, it's the reversed situation from the last few years, when Penn State went into the game as the favorite with big dreams; Iowa's favored in this one. Most of the match-ups favor them (especially their defensive line versus PSU's offensive line), but that doesn't always mean a lot in this series. I understand if most people aren't watching this one -- it is on the same time as Florida-Bama and Oregon-Stanford after all -- but it should be worth flipping to during commercial breaks or at timeouts. Penn State has some solid players on both sides of the ball, but for the most part they're in rebuilding mode this season, while this is a season Iowa has been building to for a few years. Barring another special teams meltdown, Iowa should win this one.
THE PICK: IOWA 27, PENN STATE 13
#9 Stanford (4-0) at #4 Oregon (4-0) (8:00pm EST, ABC/ESPN2)
What do we expect out of this one? Points, points, and, oh yeah, more points. A year ago, Stanford won this game 51-42 and there isn't a whole lot of reason to expect differently from this game: Oregon's offense and its ridiculous almost point-a-minute scoring rate barely seems to have skipped a beat without Jeremiah Masoli at the helm and Stanford's offense has been bulldozing opponents even without the Albino Rhino (Toby Gerhart) keying the attack. NFL #1 draft pick-to-be Andrew Luck is leading the way for a balanced offense and the overlooked defense is looking pretty solid, too: they shut out the UCLA team that went into Austin and picked up 34 points and a win last week and they made mincemeat out of Notre Dame, too.
This game is also intriguing for the contrast in styles; Stanford just wants to line up and smash you in the mouth over and over again, while Oregon wants to use speed and misdirection to slice you to ribbons. Neither team has faced an offense as potent as the one they'll be facing on Saturday night. It's tough to distinguish between these two evenly-matched teams, but Stanford seems to have done better against slightly stronger competition (that UCLA win gets better and better) and Oregon did have trouble stopping what was suppsoed to be a mediocre Arizona State offense a week ago (at least until Steven Threet gifted them with turnover after turnover to end promising drives). The atmosphere in Autzen will be insane, but for now give us the team that likes to punch and get punched.
THE PICK: STANFORD 38, OREGON 34
#7 Florida (4-0) at #1 Alabama (4-0) (8:00pm EST, CBS)
One of these teams has (mostly) looked like a juggernaut, rolling through overmatched opponents and pummeling sad sack opponents. The other... has not. Alabama cruised through their early games, then faced their stiffest test yet in a road game at Arkansas, where they fell behind 17-7 at halftime and 20-7 late in the third quarter, before their brutally tough running game and an opportunistic defense (aided and abetted by Ryan Mallett's awful implosion) took over in the fourth quarter. On one hand, their failings in that game could be construed as a sign of weakness; on the other, their ability to battle back is impressive... and they aren't going to face many quarterbacks or passing offenses good enough to exploit the weaknesses in their secondary. The question this week is: can Florida do it? Their moribund offense woke up last week behind the Tebow-esque rhinoceros runs of Trey Burton, but doing that against Kentucky is one thing; doing that against Alabama's defense is another matter entirely.
Additionally, there's been a lot of hype for this game as the third part of the epic Bama-Florida trilogy that began with the last two SEC Championship Games, which seems a bit unfair. There was a great deal of similarity between the Florida and Alabama squads that tangled in those title games, but this year's been a ton of turnover on both sides for this game, with Alabama losing basically their entire starting defense and Florida losing huge swaths of players on both sides of the ball (including some guy named Tim). What happened in those two SEC title games probably isn't going to mean a whole lot for this particular game. As for this game... I don't really believe the Florida offense has truly turned a corner just because they lit up Kentucky and while the Florida defense will make some big plays and keep the game close for a while, I don't think they can withstand the punishment for an entire game.
THE PICK: ALABAMA 24, FLORIDA 14
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Pac-10 Preview
2009 Standings
Oregon 10-3 (8-1)
Arizona 8-5 (6-3)
Oregon State 8-5 (6-3)
Stanford 8-5 (6-3)
USC 9-4 (5-4)
California 8-5 (5-4)
Washington 5-7 (4-5)
UCLA 7-6 (3-6)
Arizona State 4-8 (2-7)
Washington State 1-11 (0-9)
Returning Leaders: Passing
Kevin Riley, Cal, Sr (209 of 382 for 2850 yds, 18 TD, 8 INT)
Jake Locker, Washington, Sr (230 of 395 for 2800, 21 TD, 11 INT)
Matt Barkley, USC, Soph (211 of 352 for 2735, 15 TD, 14 INT)
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Soph (162 of 288 for 2575, 13 TD, 4 INT)
Nick Foles, Arizona, Jr (257 of 400 for 2465, 19 TD, 9 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
LaMichael James, Oregon, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Chris Polk, Washington, Jr (226 carries for 1113 yds, 5 TD, 4.9 ypc)
Shane Vereen, Cal, Jr (183 carries for 952 yds, 12 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
James Rodgers, OSU, Sr (91 rec for 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (78 rec for 522 yds, 1 TD, 6.0 rec/game)
Ryan Whalen, Stanford, Sr (57 rec for 926 yds, 4 TD, 4.4 rec/game)
Jeff Maehl, Oregon, Sr (53 rec for 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Jermaine Kearse, Washington, Jr (50 rec for 866 yds, 8 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Mike Mohamed, Cal, Sr, LB (111 total, 8.54 tackles/game)
John Boyett, Oregon, Soph, S (90 total, 6.92 tackles/game)
Mason Foster, Washington, Sr, LB (85 total, 7.08 tackles/game)
Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Wash St, Jr, LB (84 total, 7.64 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Kenny Rowe, Oregon, Sr, DE (11.5 sacks)
Ricky Elmore, Arizona, Sr, DE (10.5)
Nick Perry, USC, Soph, DE (9.0)
Thomas Keiser, Stanford, Jr, DE (8.0)
Cameron Jordan, Cal, Sr, DE (8.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Rahim Moore, UCLA, Jr, S (10 interceptions)
Trevin Wade, Arizona, Jr, CB (5)
Talmadge Jackson, Oregon, Sr, CB (4)
Akeem Ayers, UCLA, Jr, LB (4)
Around the Interweb
Who is your pick to win the Pac-10?
Scout.com's Oregon State site BeaverFootball.com:
It's hard not to pick Oregon, they have so much coming back. But the quarterback is so pivotal to that offense and team and Jeremiah Masoli had it down to a science. But with Masoli running afoul of the law and having been kicked off the team, the Ducks I think may falter in the chase for the crown. In the end, USC, allow they can't go to a bowl, finishes atop the Pac-10 standings.
Anthony from the USC based blog The Trojan Empire:
With 7 teams receiving first-place votes from the media, parity is evident in the Pac 10. I'm going to stray from the popular pick, which is Oregon, and choose the Beavers of Oregon State. Mike Riley's teams are notorious for slow starts, and have a difficult slate to begin the season, but once they enter Pac 10 play, they will entertain two of the conference favorites at home (USC, Oregon), while also welcoming the Golden Bears. Oregon appears a a world-beater at home, but no so much away from Autzen. USC has lost the last two games played in Corvallis, and if not for late Reggie Bush heroics, there would have been a third.
UCLA based blog The Trojan Haters Club:
One thing’s for sure – usc will not be representing the Conference in the Postseason this year. Even with all the defections, Lane Kiffin — a mediocre Head Coach at best — still has more talent on his roster than anyone else. But usc’s ban leaves Oregon in the driver’s seat to play in the Rose Bowl Game, even without dynamic stoner QB Jeremiah Masoli. The Ducks seemed like the Class of the Pac-10 last season.
Breaking Down The Pac-10
Arizona Wildcats
Chris (Prediction: #7): The only reasons I have Arizona falling this far is that I'm not sold on the offense's ability to win shootout games in this league. The offense is perfectly adequate, but adequate won't do it in a league this stacked offensively. Also there are some questions defensively, as the Wildcats only return 4 starters from a pretty good defense a year ago, and will also have to deal with switching to a completely different scheme. This all adds up to not being a contender for the Pac-10 title.
Ross (Prediction: #6): They lose a ton on defense (7 starters), return a ton on offense (8 starters), lose both coordinators... but they have a favorable schedule (5 conference home games and two of the conference road games are winnable ones @ UCLA and @ Washington State). If you wanted to swap them with Washington, I wouldn't argue.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Chris (Prediction: #9): Offensively the Sun Devils will struggle...but not as much as most people think. Who can forget that Steven Threet was adequate at Michigan two years ago before transferring away from Rich Rod's option heavy spread? Threet may not be the Sun Devils' savior in 2010, but 2011 may be a different story, especially if linebacking sensation Vontaze Burfict sticks around for the party. The Sun Devils' 2010 storyline: O will struggle and D will be good...not 2009 good, but good.
Ross (Prediction #9): LB Vontaze Burfict is one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately, his teammates kinda suck.
California Golden Bears
Chris (Prediction: #6): Separating the teams in the middle of the Pac-10 is like choosing the hottest girl at a Curves...in other words, it's difficult and extremely agonizing. To pick Cal over Arizona, I have to believe that Cal's pass defense will improve drastically (despite only returning one starter and probably starting a freshman). I don't, but in a quarterback's league, no guy has more experience than Kevin Riley. Riley will use that experience to exploit Pac-10 secondaries alongside one of the nation's best up-and-coming running backs in Shane Vereen. Also, Jeff Tedford coached teams play too well for the Bears to fall any further.
Ross (Prediction: #5): This seems to be in the default range that Cal is settling into under Tedford: good, but not great. Kevin Riley's back for a third year as starter, but he's shown little that makes you think he could lead them to the promised land. Still, the bottom rarely falls out on Tedford teams and they should have a strong offense.
Oregon Ducks
Chris (Prediction #1): At first I was skeptical about Oregon's contention (in the Pac-10 and nationally) without returning 2-year starter Jeremiah Masoli, but then a familiar name appeared in the starting lineup...one Nate Costa. Costa may not be a Masoli (which at this point we can't take as completely a bad thing, right?), but with all of the skill position talent at his disposal, and a completely intact offensive line, I have faith in Costa. Add in 8 returning starters on an improving defense and your have your conference champs. Oh wait, and did I mention LAMICHAEL JAMES!? How many guys in recent history can you remember who didn't start the season and finished with 1,500 yards rushing. Yeah, that's right, THIS GUY! They will ride on James' coattails all year, and James (who quickly became one of the nation's best) will lead them to Pac-10 glory.
Ross (Prediction: #1): Even without Masoli, this team is loaded on offense (9 returning starters, including the entire offensive line) and features a lot of returning faces on defense, too. If they get decent performance out of whoever emerges at QB, they should again be very, very good. The one concern: the schedule has them going to USC, Cal, and Oregon State, three difficult road games.
Oregon State Beavers
Chris (Prediction #4): The Rodgers' brothers are going to rewrite a lot of Oregon State records together. That doesn't necessarily equal Pac-10 contention, but if they stay healthy, there's no arguing that they can make a run at the Rose Bowl. The key will be sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz (assuming he's the starter). If the Rodgers' brothers have to drag him along for the whole ride, it's unlikely the Beavers will even crack the top half. But the offensive and defensive talent is such that if Katz is just efficient and the Beavers' staff plays not to lose (a risky way to play believe it or not) they should finish high enough to warrant a good bowl and season they can be proud of.
Ross (Prediction #2): Definite potential to be atop the league, given how much they return on offense (8 overall, including 4/5 of the offensive line and the marvelous Rodgers brothers) and the fact that Riley has developed into one of the most consistently good and reliable coaches in the Pac 10. They also have a fairly favorable schedule, with three of their top opponents (Cal, USC, Oregon) all coming to Corvallis. Breaking in a brand-new QB is a worry, though.
Stanford Cardinal
Chris (Prediction: #3): Even if the Cardinal lost Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart, they return the Pac-10's most efficient passer...yes, sophomore Andrew Luck...not that kid named Clausen. The Cardinal may have snuck up on some teams last year, but this year teams will be wary from the get-go. Luck will have to turn that efficiency into even more productivity after losing his backfield mate, and especially with a suspect defense, will have to win more shootouts this year than a year ago. But don't sleep on Coach Jim Harbaugh. He is almost ready to contend annually for the Pac-10 hardware.
Ross (Prediction #4): There are reasons not to like them, like their porous defense, the fact that their star player and leader (Toby Gerhart) is gone, and the fact that they have a slew of potentially difficult road games (@ Notre Dame, @ Oregon, @ Washington, @ Cal)... but they also have arguably the best QB in the conference (Andrew Luck) and he has a lot of weapons back and Harbaugh has done such an incredible job of turning that program around that it's hard to bet against him.
UCLA Bruins
Chris (Prediction: #8): The Bruins have improved under Rick Neuheisel, and enjoyed some tempered success. However, this group is too young to contend for anything and the upward trend will at least be put on hold this year. That doesn't mean watching that other team from Los Angeles couldn't be exciting too. For one thing, the Bruins boast preseason All-Conference pick Rahim Moore, who last year picked off a PHENOMENAL 10 passes! $20 on him not topping that total this year to anyone who will take it, but if he does, doesn't that validate my they can be exciting claim?
Ross (Prediction: #8): They return a lot on offense and another year with Norm Chow should only help them progress on that front; unfortunately, they're going to need to outscore most of their opponents because they return little on defense and just lost one of their best players (Datone Jones) to an injury.
USC Trojans
Chris (Prediction: #2)- Many have the Trojans winning the Pac-10, especially now with Jeremiah Masoli moving on to Ole Miss, but I'm not sold. First off, how will the Trojans perform under the damper of not being able to play in the postseason? What about the other restrictions imposed by the NCAA? What about their enigmatic new head coach Lane Kiffin, who although has shown some impressive recruiting tactics, has yet to prove himself to be a great coach. Or how about their savior of a quarterback? You know, the kid who sort of kind of did something that was almost amazing but not really (beating Ohio State by giving the ball to Joe McKnight on pass plays to pad his stats on that final drive). Also, as a Pac-10 assistant correctly pointed out, Barkley didn't really improve with time. He makes too many mistakes, as was highlighted in his senior year of high school when he threw more picks than TD's...yet still managed to be a top prospect. Add to that the Trojans numbers last year (especially offensively where they struggled mightily for USC standards) and their sub-par defensive stats, and you've got the classic case of over-hyped team! The only reason that I am ranking them this high is that yes they are USC, and yes they have talent, especially at running back. If they can utilize their running backs' talent, get Matt Barkley to start throwing to his teammates and improve upon what is likely to be the worst SC defense of the last ten years, they have a chance to even be #1 in the Pac-10 next year. But any injuries become truly perilous, because their two-deep is just slathered with freshmen.
Ross (Prediction: #3): The bottom is going to drop out soon enough, but in the meantime they still have quite a bit of talent in the two-deeps and the ability to play the "us against the world" card while it's still fresh. On the other hand, Kiffin's track record as a HC isn't exactly great, they have a few tricky road games (@ Stanford, @ Oregon State), and this team will have a lot of distractions to try and overcome.
Washington Huskies
Chris (Prediction: #5): Despite not buying into the Jake Locker is the best quarterback in America circus (he's very good, but at least on the college level he's a poor man's Tebow...which pains me to say), it is impossible to ignore the offensive firepower they return. Add in what should be an improved defense, and you've got a team destined to finish in the top half of the conference.
Ross (Prediction: #7): The Huskies have a lot back on both sides of the ball (10 on offense, 8 on defense), good coaching, and made a lot of progress last year. A higher finish certainly wouldn't be a big surprise; I'm holding off until I see them win a few more games and prove that they can get over the hump. They're right on the cusp, though.
Washington State Cougars
Chris (Prediction: #10): Not very many people know how bad the Cougars were last year, because in an improved Pac-10 there was plenty of good to focus in on...which left the magnifying glass off the Cougars at the bottom. Not only did they not win a Pac-10 game, going 0-9, the Cougars failed to score 20 points on any team not named SMU...which represented their one win on the season. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-10 in every major offensive and defensive category, and save passing offense (which ranked 100th nationally), they finished every major offensive or defensive category ranked below 115. The team brings back 11 starters total. A total which doesn't include their leading passer, rusher, or a returning punter or kicker. You can look at that one of two ways...the first, it's a lot of new blood that can possibly improve upon their dismal showing from a year ago. The second way...it's going to be an even rougher season in the basement of the Pac-10. I tend to side with the second one.
Ross (Prediction: #10): Someday they'll be good again. Probably. Maybe. In any event, it ain't happening this year. Their goal should be getting their average margin of defeat under 30 ppg -- then they can start thinking about inching towards respectability again.
CFBZ Predicted Pac-10 Finish
1. Oregon Ducks
2. Oregon State Beavers
3. USC Trojans
4. Stanford Cardinal
5. Washington Huskies
6. Arizona Wildcats
7. California Golden Bears
8. UCLA Bruins
9. Arizona State Wildcats
10. Washington State Cougars
Oregon 10-3 (8-1)
Arizona 8-5 (6-3)
Oregon State 8-5 (6-3)
Stanford 8-5 (6-3)
USC 9-4 (5-4)
California 8-5 (5-4)
Washington 5-7 (4-5)
UCLA 7-6 (3-6)
Arizona State 4-8 (2-7)
Washington State 1-11 (0-9)
Returning Leaders: Passing
Kevin Riley, Cal, Sr (209 of 382 for 2850 yds, 18 TD, 8 INT)
Jake Locker, Washington, Sr (230 of 395 for 2800, 21 TD, 11 INT)
Matt Barkley, USC, Soph (211 of 352 for 2735, 15 TD, 14 INT)
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Soph (162 of 288 for 2575, 13 TD, 4 INT)
Nick Foles, Arizona, Jr (257 of 400 for 2465, 19 TD, 9 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
LaMichael James, Oregon, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Chris Polk, Washington, Jr (226 carries for 1113 yds, 5 TD, 4.9 ypc)
Shane Vereen, Cal, Jr (183 carries for 952 yds, 12 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
James Rodgers, OSU, Sr (91 rec for 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (78 rec for 522 yds, 1 TD, 6.0 rec/game)
Ryan Whalen, Stanford, Sr (57 rec for 926 yds, 4 TD, 4.4 rec/game)
Jeff Maehl, Oregon, Sr (53 rec for 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Jermaine Kearse, Washington, Jr (50 rec for 866 yds, 8 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Mike Mohamed, Cal, Sr, LB (111 total, 8.54 tackles/game)
John Boyett, Oregon, Soph, S (90 total, 6.92 tackles/game)
Mason Foster, Washington, Sr, LB (85 total, 7.08 tackles/game)
Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Wash St, Jr, LB (84 total, 7.64 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Kenny Rowe, Oregon, Sr, DE (11.5 sacks)
Ricky Elmore, Arizona, Sr, DE (10.5)
Nick Perry, USC, Soph, DE (9.0)
Thomas Keiser, Stanford, Jr, DE (8.0)
Cameron Jordan, Cal, Sr, DE (8.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Rahim Moore, UCLA, Jr, S (10 interceptions)
Trevin Wade, Arizona, Jr, CB (5)
Talmadge Jackson, Oregon, Sr, CB (4)
Akeem Ayers, UCLA, Jr, LB (4)
Around the Interweb
Who is your pick to win the Pac-10?
Scout.com's Oregon State site BeaverFootball.com:
It's hard not to pick Oregon, they have so much coming back. But the quarterback is so pivotal to that offense and team and Jeremiah Masoli had it down to a science. But with Masoli running afoul of the law and having been kicked off the team, the Ducks I think may falter in the chase for the crown. In the end, USC, allow they can't go to a bowl, finishes atop the Pac-10 standings.
Anthony from the USC based blog The Trojan Empire:
With 7 teams receiving first-place votes from the media, parity is evident in the Pac 10. I'm going to stray from the popular pick, which is Oregon, and choose the Beavers of Oregon State. Mike Riley's teams are notorious for slow starts, and have a difficult slate to begin the season, but once they enter Pac 10 play, they will entertain two of the conference favorites at home (USC, Oregon), while also welcoming the Golden Bears. Oregon appears a a world-beater at home, but no so much away from Autzen. USC has lost the last two games played in Corvallis, and if not for late Reggie Bush heroics, there would have been a third.
UCLA based blog The Trojan Haters Club:
One thing’s for sure – usc will not be representing the Conference in the Postseason this year. Even with all the defections, Lane Kiffin — a mediocre Head Coach at best — still has more talent on his roster than anyone else. But usc’s ban leaves Oregon in the driver’s seat to play in the Rose Bowl Game, even without dynamic stoner QB Jeremiah Masoli. The Ducks seemed like the Class of the Pac-10 last season.
Breaking Down The Pac-10
Arizona Wildcats
Chris (Prediction: #7): The only reasons I have Arizona falling this far is that I'm not sold on the offense's ability to win shootout games in this league. The offense is perfectly adequate, but adequate won't do it in a league this stacked offensively. Also there are some questions defensively, as the Wildcats only return 4 starters from a pretty good defense a year ago, and will also have to deal with switching to a completely different scheme. This all adds up to not being a contender for the Pac-10 title.
Ross (Prediction: #6): They lose a ton on defense (7 starters), return a ton on offense (8 starters), lose both coordinators... but they have a favorable schedule (5 conference home games and two of the conference road games are winnable ones @ UCLA and @ Washington State). If you wanted to swap them with Washington, I wouldn't argue.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Chris (Prediction: #9): Offensively the Sun Devils will struggle...but not as much as most people think. Who can forget that Steven Threet was adequate at Michigan two years ago before transferring away from Rich Rod's option heavy spread? Threet may not be the Sun Devils' savior in 2010, but 2011 may be a different story, especially if linebacking sensation Vontaze Burfict sticks around for the party. The Sun Devils' 2010 storyline: O will struggle and D will be good...not 2009 good, but good.
Ross (Prediction #9): LB Vontaze Burfict is one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately, his teammates kinda suck.
California Golden Bears
Chris (Prediction: #6): Separating the teams in the middle of the Pac-10 is like choosing the hottest girl at a Curves...in other words, it's difficult and extremely agonizing. To pick Cal over Arizona, I have to believe that Cal's pass defense will improve drastically (despite only returning one starter and probably starting a freshman). I don't, but in a quarterback's league, no guy has more experience than Kevin Riley. Riley will use that experience to exploit Pac-10 secondaries alongside one of the nation's best up-and-coming running backs in Shane Vereen. Also, Jeff Tedford coached teams play too well for the Bears to fall any further.
Ross (Prediction: #5): This seems to be in the default range that Cal is settling into under Tedford: good, but not great. Kevin Riley's back for a third year as starter, but he's shown little that makes you think he could lead them to the promised land. Still, the bottom rarely falls out on Tedford teams and they should have a strong offense.
Oregon Ducks
Chris (Prediction #1): At first I was skeptical about Oregon's contention (in the Pac-10 and nationally) without returning 2-year starter Jeremiah Masoli, but then a familiar name appeared in the starting lineup...one Nate Costa. Costa may not be a Masoli (which at this point we can't take as completely a bad thing, right?), but with all of the skill position talent at his disposal, and a completely intact offensive line, I have faith in Costa. Add in 8 returning starters on an improving defense and your have your conference champs. Oh wait, and did I mention LAMICHAEL JAMES!? How many guys in recent history can you remember who didn't start the season and finished with 1,500 yards rushing. Yeah, that's right, THIS GUY! They will ride on James' coattails all year, and James (who quickly became one of the nation's best) will lead them to Pac-10 glory.
Ross (Prediction: #1): Even without Masoli, this team is loaded on offense (9 returning starters, including the entire offensive line) and features a lot of returning faces on defense, too. If they get decent performance out of whoever emerges at QB, they should again be very, very good. The one concern: the schedule has them going to USC, Cal, and Oregon State, three difficult road games.
Oregon State Beavers
Chris (Prediction #4): The Rodgers' brothers are going to rewrite a lot of Oregon State records together. That doesn't necessarily equal Pac-10 contention, but if they stay healthy, there's no arguing that they can make a run at the Rose Bowl. The key will be sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz (assuming he's the starter). If the Rodgers' brothers have to drag him along for the whole ride, it's unlikely the Beavers will even crack the top half. But the offensive and defensive talent is such that if Katz is just efficient and the Beavers' staff plays not to lose (a risky way to play believe it or not) they should finish high enough to warrant a good bowl and season they can be proud of.
Ross (Prediction #2): Definite potential to be atop the league, given how much they return on offense (8 overall, including 4/5 of the offensive line and the marvelous Rodgers brothers) and the fact that Riley has developed into one of the most consistently good and reliable coaches in the Pac 10. They also have a fairly favorable schedule, with three of their top opponents (Cal, USC, Oregon) all coming to Corvallis. Breaking in a brand-new QB is a worry, though.
Stanford Cardinal
Chris (Prediction: #3): Even if the Cardinal lost Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart, they return the Pac-10's most efficient passer...yes, sophomore Andrew Luck...not that kid named Clausen. The Cardinal may have snuck up on some teams last year, but this year teams will be wary from the get-go. Luck will have to turn that efficiency into even more productivity after losing his backfield mate, and especially with a suspect defense, will have to win more shootouts this year than a year ago. But don't sleep on Coach Jim Harbaugh. He is almost ready to contend annually for the Pac-10 hardware.
Ross (Prediction #4): There are reasons not to like them, like their porous defense, the fact that their star player and leader (Toby Gerhart) is gone, and the fact that they have a slew of potentially difficult road games (@ Notre Dame, @ Oregon, @ Washington, @ Cal)... but they also have arguably the best QB in the conference (Andrew Luck) and he has a lot of weapons back and Harbaugh has done such an incredible job of turning that program around that it's hard to bet against him.
UCLA Bruins
Chris (Prediction: #8): The Bruins have improved under Rick Neuheisel, and enjoyed some tempered success. However, this group is too young to contend for anything and the upward trend will at least be put on hold this year. That doesn't mean watching that other team from Los Angeles couldn't be exciting too. For one thing, the Bruins boast preseason All-Conference pick Rahim Moore, who last year picked off a PHENOMENAL 10 passes! $20 on him not topping that total this year to anyone who will take it, but if he does, doesn't that validate my they can be exciting claim?
Ross (Prediction: #8): They return a lot on offense and another year with Norm Chow should only help them progress on that front; unfortunately, they're going to need to outscore most of their opponents because they return little on defense and just lost one of their best players (Datone Jones) to an injury.
USC Trojans
Chris (Prediction: #2)- Many have the Trojans winning the Pac-10, especially now with Jeremiah Masoli moving on to Ole Miss, but I'm not sold. First off, how will the Trojans perform under the damper of not being able to play in the postseason? What about the other restrictions imposed by the NCAA? What about their enigmatic new head coach Lane Kiffin, who although has shown some impressive recruiting tactics, has yet to prove himself to be a great coach. Or how about their savior of a quarterback? You know, the kid who sort of kind of did something that was almost amazing but not really (beating Ohio State by giving the ball to Joe McKnight on pass plays to pad his stats on that final drive). Also, as a Pac-10 assistant correctly pointed out, Barkley didn't really improve with time. He makes too many mistakes, as was highlighted in his senior year of high school when he threw more picks than TD's...yet still managed to be a top prospect. Add to that the Trojans numbers last year (especially offensively where they struggled mightily for USC standards) and their sub-par defensive stats, and you've got the classic case of over-hyped team! The only reason that I am ranking them this high is that yes they are USC, and yes they have talent, especially at running back. If they can utilize their running backs' talent, get Matt Barkley to start throwing to his teammates and improve upon what is likely to be the worst SC defense of the last ten years, they have a chance to even be #1 in the Pac-10 next year. But any injuries become truly perilous, because their two-deep is just slathered with freshmen.
Ross (Prediction: #3): The bottom is going to drop out soon enough, but in the meantime they still have quite a bit of talent in the two-deeps and the ability to play the "us against the world" card while it's still fresh. On the other hand, Kiffin's track record as a HC isn't exactly great, they have a few tricky road games (@ Stanford, @ Oregon State), and this team will have a lot of distractions to try and overcome.
Washington Huskies
Chris (Prediction: #5): Despite not buying into the Jake Locker is the best quarterback in America circus (he's very good, but at least on the college level he's a poor man's Tebow...which pains me to say), it is impossible to ignore the offensive firepower they return. Add in what should be an improved defense, and you've got a team destined to finish in the top half of the conference.
Ross (Prediction: #7): The Huskies have a lot back on both sides of the ball (10 on offense, 8 on defense), good coaching, and made a lot of progress last year. A higher finish certainly wouldn't be a big surprise; I'm holding off until I see them win a few more games and prove that they can get over the hump. They're right on the cusp, though.
Washington State Cougars
Chris (Prediction: #10): Not very many people know how bad the Cougars were last year, because in an improved Pac-10 there was plenty of good to focus in on...which left the magnifying glass off the Cougars at the bottom. Not only did they not win a Pac-10 game, going 0-9, the Cougars failed to score 20 points on any team not named SMU...which represented their one win on the season. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-10 in every major offensive and defensive category, and save passing offense (which ranked 100th nationally), they finished every major offensive or defensive category ranked below 115. The team brings back 11 starters total. A total which doesn't include their leading passer, rusher, or a returning punter or kicker. You can look at that one of two ways...the first, it's a lot of new blood that can possibly improve upon their dismal showing from a year ago. The second way...it's going to be an even rougher season in the basement of the Pac-10. I tend to side with the second one.
Ross (Prediction: #10): Someday they'll be good again. Probably. Maybe. In any event, it ain't happening this year. Their goal should be getting their average margin of defeat under 30 ppg -- then they can start thinking about inching towards respectability again.
CFBZ Predicted Pac-10 Finish
1. Oregon Ducks
2. Oregon State Beavers
3. USC Trojans
4. Stanford Cardinal
5. Washington Huskies
6. Arizona Wildcats
7. California Golden Bears
8. UCLA Bruins
9. Arizona State Wildcats
10. Washington State Cougars
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Oregon Ducks
2009 Record: 10-3 (8-1 in Pac-10)
2009 Bowl: Rose Bowl (lost to Ohio State 26 to 17)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #11
Head Coach: Chip Kelly (10-3 at Oregon, 80-17 at Montana)
Non-Conference Schedule: New Mexico (9/4), at Tennessee (9/11), Portland State (9/18)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 36.2 points per game (1st in Pac-10, 8th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 231 (1st in Pac-10, 6th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 180 (9th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 412 (2nd in Pac-10)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 23.8 points per game (4th in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 128 (6th in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 207 (4th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 336 (4th in Pac-10)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.15 per game (5th in Pac-10)
Penalties: 61 yards per game (9th in Pac-10)
Returning Starters
Offense: 9
Defense: 9
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Nate Costa, Sr (20 of 33 for 197 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: RB LaMichael James, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD, 6.7 ypc, 118 ypg)
Receiving: WR Jeff Maehl, Sr (53 rec, 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Tackles: FS John Boyett, Soph (90)
Sacks: DE Kenny Rowe, Sr (11.5)
Interceptions: CB Talmadge Jackson, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Lindy's: #15
Mark Schlabach: #4
Rivals: #3
Scout: #11
Sporting News: #11
Sports Illustrated: #6
Athlon Sports: #9
2010 Pre-Season Pac-10 Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Alamo Bowl (vs. Texas A&M)
Oregon has had a wild ride lately but to their credit they weathered the storm last year and won the conference by posting an 8-1 Pac-10 record. Oregon had one of the best offenses in the Pac-10 last year and were in the Top 10 in the Nation in scoring and rushing. How will they fare in Chip Kelly's 2nd year at the helm? We caught up with David from Addicted To Quack to learn more about Oregon football.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
The obvious strength, and what Oregon has been known for since Chip Kelly took over the offense, is that we are going to run the ball. A lot. The whole offensive line is back. LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner are back (and we’ll bring in 5* running back Lache Seastrunk to boot). But maybe less talked about is how good the defense is. This isn’t LSU or Florida where there are potential all-Americans at every position, but Oregon was the best defense in the Pac-10 by pretty much every metric last season, and that was with massive injuries to the secondary. Losing Will Tukuafu and Blake Ferras on the defensive line will hurt, but those are the only two major losses on defense (the secondary is more than deep enough that we won’t feel the loss of TJ Ward), and new DE Dion Jordan tore up spring camp. This is a team that returns almost every starter from a Rose Bowl team. Its pretty loaded.
The major weakness of this team at this point is the quarterback position. With Jeremiah Masoli suspended for the season, either senior Nate Costa (who won the job a couple of years ago before an ACL injury) or sophomore Darron Thomas will get the job. Neither of those QBs have a ton of game experience, but both are very talented. Costa is probably safer, but Thomas is more talented and the higher risk/reward type player. Regardless, our ability to run the read option will be somewhat compromised. That said, Masoli did not have the strongest and most consistent arm, and the hope is that we can make up for whatever is lost with Masoli’s running ability with an improved passing game.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
We open up with New Mexico, which may be one of the worst teams in Division 1 football. But our second game is a road trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. And while Tennessee may be down, they are still an SEC team with SEC talent, and going into Neyland Stadium in front of 100k+ is never an easy task. Tennessee has a myriad of problems—new coach, new quarterback, etc., and I fully expect the Ducks to go into Neyland and take care of business. But its definitely a game where if you don’t bring it, you’ll get knocked off.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Fear? We’re Oregon. We don’t fear anybody. Now, there are teams that are talented enough to beat you. And USC is still the most talented team in this league. Therefore, if I had to put money on somebody beating the Ducks, that road trip down to LA would be my bet. They are loaded at every position, and we haven’t played terribly well there in quite some time. Playing Oregon State in Corvallis is no easy task, either, and they will be aiming for us as we’ve knocked them out of the Rose Bowl two years running. We respect those teams very much. But we fear no one.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
I’m going to give credit to the offensive line right here. They were a much maligned, jumbled, and inexperienced unit going into last year, which was painfully obvious in the Boise State debacle. But that group really gelled as the season went on, developing into the best line in the conference. With this whole unit back, there should be no shortage of holes for LaMichael James to run through.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
LaMichael James. Ran for over 1500 yards as a freshman. Was also one of the fastest sprinters in the Pac-10 this season for the track team. This team is full of great players. James is the star.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
That’s hard to say, because the defensive system is designed so that everyone has to work together. The best defensive player is probably safety John Boyett, who can make plays all over the field. But the most impactful is probably Kenny Rowe, pass rush extraordinaire. 11 sacks speaks for itself. He puts a ton of pressure on the QB and puts everyone else in position to make plays.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
It has to be the quarterback. This offense should once again be amazing, but we have to have consistent play at that position.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
There are two guys that I’ll talk about here, and both could pay huge dividends in the receiving game. Redshirt freshman Diante Jackson was injured for a lot of spring, but he was maybe our most heralded recruit last season and at 6’2”, is the kind of big target that we missed in our passing game last year. Also, JUCO transfer Brandon Williams will see a lot of time at tight end. He’s a big dude at 6’4” and really had a fantastic spring. Both of those weapons should make the passing game much more dynamic this season.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I think I mentioned earlier that we lost a couple of guys on the defensive line, and that the returning players are a bit small? Freshman Ricky Heimuli comes in next fall. He is Oregon’s most highly touted D-line recruit since Haloti Ngata, and at 6’4” and nearly 300 pounds, could be the big stuffer up the middle that we’ve been looking for.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
This should be another very good season. Its probably the most talented squad Oregon has ever had. The biggest problem I see is that the schedule doesn’t align as nicely as it did last season, as we have to go to USC, to Berkeley, and to Corvallis. I think we roll through our fairly mediocre non-conference schedule but, realistically, its going to be tough to make it through the conference schedule without probably two losses. So I say a 10-2 regular season. In an average Pac-10 year, that’s probably enough to win the league and get Oregon back to Pasadena. 11 wins very possible, but would be quite surprising. In my mind, 10 regular season wins is a success. Less than that is a disappointment with this group.
Thanks again to the Oregon SB Nation website Addicted To Quack. Follow them on twitter @AddictedToQuack.
Next Up: UTEP Miners
2010 Previews
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
Conference USA- Houston Cougars
MAC- Temple Owls
Mountain West- Utah Utes
Pac-10- Washington Huskies, USC Trojans
2009 Bowl: Rose Bowl (lost to Ohio State 26 to 17)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #11
Head Coach: Chip Kelly (10-3 at Oregon, 80-17 at Montana)
Non-Conference Schedule: New Mexico (9/4), at Tennessee (9/11), Portland State (9/18)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 36.2 points per game (1st in Pac-10, 8th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 231 (1st in Pac-10, 6th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 180 (9th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 412 (2nd in Pac-10)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 23.8 points per game (4th in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 128 (6th in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 207 (4th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 336 (4th in Pac-10)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.15 per game (5th in Pac-10)
Penalties: 61 yards per game (9th in Pac-10)
Returning Starters
Offense: 9
Defense: 9
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Nate Costa, Sr (20 of 33 for 197 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: RB LaMichael James, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD, 6.7 ypc, 118 ypg)
Receiving: WR Jeff Maehl, Sr (53 rec, 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Tackles: FS John Boyett, Soph (90)
Sacks: DE Kenny Rowe, Sr (11.5)
Interceptions: CB Talmadge Jackson, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Lindy's: #15
Mark Schlabach: #4
Rivals: #3
Scout: #11
Sporting News: #11
Sports Illustrated: #6
Athlon Sports: #9
2010 Pre-Season Pac-10 Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Alamo Bowl (vs. Texas A&M)
Oregon has had a wild ride lately but to their credit they weathered the storm last year and won the conference by posting an 8-1 Pac-10 record. Oregon had one of the best offenses in the Pac-10 last year and were in the Top 10 in the Nation in scoring and rushing. How will they fare in Chip Kelly's 2nd year at the helm? We caught up with David from Addicted To Quack to learn more about Oregon football.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
The obvious strength, and what Oregon has been known for since Chip Kelly took over the offense, is that we are going to run the ball. A lot. The whole offensive line is back. LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner are back (and we’ll bring in 5* running back Lache Seastrunk to boot). But maybe less talked about is how good the defense is. This isn’t LSU or Florida where there are potential all-Americans at every position, but Oregon was the best defense in the Pac-10 by pretty much every metric last season, and that was with massive injuries to the secondary. Losing Will Tukuafu and Blake Ferras on the defensive line will hurt, but those are the only two major losses on defense (the secondary is more than deep enough that we won’t feel the loss of TJ Ward), and new DE Dion Jordan tore up spring camp. This is a team that returns almost every starter from a Rose Bowl team. Its pretty loaded.
The major weakness of this team at this point is the quarterback position. With Jeremiah Masoli suspended for the season, either senior Nate Costa (who won the job a couple of years ago before an ACL injury) or sophomore Darron Thomas will get the job. Neither of those QBs have a ton of game experience, but both are very talented. Costa is probably safer, but Thomas is more talented and the higher risk/reward type player. Regardless, our ability to run the read option will be somewhat compromised. That said, Masoli did not have the strongest and most consistent arm, and the hope is that we can make up for whatever is lost with Masoli’s running ability with an improved passing game.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
We open up with New Mexico, which may be one of the worst teams in Division 1 football. But our second game is a road trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. And while Tennessee may be down, they are still an SEC team with SEC talent, and going into Neyland Stadium in front of 100k+ is never an easy task. Tennessee has a myriad of problems—new coach, new quarterback, etc., and I fully expect the Ducks to go into Neyland and take care of business. But its definitely a game where if you don’t bring it, you’ll get knocked off.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Fear? We’re Oregon. We don’t fear anybody. Now, there are teams that are talented enough to beat you. And USC is still the most talented team in this league. Therefore, if I had to put money on somebody beating the Ducks, that road trip down to LA would be my bet. They are loaded at every position, and we haven’t played terribly well there in quite some time. Playing Oregon State in Corvallis is no easy task, either, and they will be aiming for us as we’ve knocked them out of the Rose Bowl two years running. We respect those teams very much. But we fear no one.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
I’m going to give credit to the offensive line right here. They were a much maligned, jumbled, and inexperienced unit going into last year, which was painfully obvious in the Boise State debacle. But that group really gelled as the season went on, developing into the best line in the conference. With this whole unit back, there should be no shortage of holes for LaMichael James to run through.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
LaMichael James. Ran for over 1500 yards as a freshman. Was also one of the fastest sprinters in the Pac-10 this season for the track team. This team is full of great players. James is the star.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
That’s hard to say, because the defensive system is designed so that everyone has to work together. The best defensive player is probably safety John Boyett, who can make plays all over the field. But the most impactful is probably Kenny Rowe, pass rush extraordinaire. 11 sacks speaks for itself. He puts a ton of pressure on the QB and puts everyone else in position to make plays.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
It has to be the quarterback. This offense should once again be amazing, but we have to have consistent play at that position.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
There are two guys that I’ll talk about here, and both could pay huge dividends in the receiving game. Redshirt freshman Diante Jackson was injured for a lot of spring, but he was maybe our most heralded recruit last season and at 6’2”, is the kind of big target that we missed in our passing game last year. Also, JUCO transfer Brandon Williams will see a lot of time at tight end. He’s a big dude at 6’4” and really had a fantastic spring. Both of those weapons should make the passing game much more dynamic this season.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I think I mentioned earlier that we lost a couple of guys on the defensive line, and that the returning players are a bit small? Freshman Ricky Heimuli comes in next fall. He is Oregon’s most highly touted D-line recruit since Haloti Ngata, and at 6’4” and nearly 300 pounds, could be the big stuffer up the middle that we’ve been looking for.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
This should be another very good season. Its probably the most talented squad Oregon has ever had. The biggest problem I see is that the schedule doesn’t align as nicely as it did last season, as we have to go to USC, to Berkeley, and to Corvallis. I think we roll through our fairly mediocre non-conference schedule but, realistically, its going to be tough to make it through the conference schedule without probably two losses. So I say a 10-2 regular season. In an average Pac-10 year, that’s probably enough to win the league and get Oregon back to Pasadena. 11 wins very possible, but would be quite surprising. In my mind, 10 regular season wins is a success. Less than that is a disappointment with this group.
Thanks again to the Oregon SB Nation website Addicted To Quack. Follow them on twitter @AddictedToQuack.
Next Up: UTEP Miners
2010 Previews
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
Conference USA- Houston Cougars
MAC- Temple Owls
Mountain West- Utah Utes
Pac-10- Washington Huskies, USC Trojans
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
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