2010 Pac 10 Fearless Predictions
Week 2 ... Sept. 11 Games
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Arizona
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Arizona St
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California
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Oregon
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Stanford
UCLA
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USC |
Washington
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Washington St
Fearless Predictions
- Sept.
11, Part 2
- Sept. 4
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Sept. 4, Part 2
GAME OF THE WEEK
Stanford (1-0) at UCLA (0-1) Sept. 11, 10:30 ET, ESPN
Here’s The Deal … It’s Year 3 of the Rick Neuheisel era in Westwood, and there’s a growing, uneasy feeling that UCLA isn’t much closer to league prominence than when the coach first arrived. Yes, the Bruins have amassed outstanding young talent through the recruiting process, but that’s small consolation for the 2010 edition. After opening with a disappointing 31-22 loss at Kansas State, the program is staring at a three-game stretch comprised of Stanford, Houston, and Texas. Uh-oh. The Cardinal began the year with a matter-of-fact blowout of Sacramento State, 52-17. A member of the handful of teams vying for a Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl berth, Stanford is hoping to make this the first step in a return trip to Pasadena in about 100 days.
Why Stanford Might Win: If you’re a Bruin these days, there’s not a lot, besides the young kids, to be excited about. The run defense was garroted for 313 yards by Daniel Thomas and Kansas State, and the offense was generally impotent. They’re quest to rebuild the defense won’t be helped by a visit from the Cardinal. Andrew Luck is widely considered one of the nation’s best young quarterbacks, throwing to talented receivers Ryan Whalen, Doug Baldwin, and Chris Owusu, who sat the opener. Everything is built around a veteran offensive line that gives Luck time and creates holes for the myriad Toby Gerhart wannabes.
Why UCLA Might Win: All was not lost in the first game for the Bruins. They did produce 193 yards on the ground, led by Johnathan Franklin, for an average of more than five yards a carry. The defense, while toothless against the run, got a tremendous push at the line of scrimmage, racking up nine tackles for loss and six sacks. If the UCLA offense is going to wake up, this might be its time. Stanford has ongoing problems on defense, which could allow QB Kevin Prince to maximize the size of his primary receivers, Nelson Rosario, Taylor Embree, and Josh Smith.
What To Watch Out For: The Cardinal has a budding superstar on defense, LB Shayne Skov, who sat out Week 1 with an injury. He’s expected back for Saturday, bad news for a Bruin offense that wants to establish the run. Though just in his second season on campus, the sophomore has the size and instincts of an upperclassman, two of the many reasons Stanford knows it’s mined a gem from the East Coast.
What Will Happen: This isn’t the same Stanford program that snuck up on the rest of the Pac-10 a year ago. No, this Cardinal team is expected to take advantage of a UCLA, which is working through problems on both sides of the ball. As it continues to search for a feature runner, Luck will carry the offense, tossing three touchdowns to three different receivers in a double-digit win to start the conference schedule.
CFN Prediction: Stanford 31 … UCLA 21 … Line: Stanford -5.5
Must See Rating: Boardwalk Empire – 5 … Going the Distance - 1 … 3
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Colorado (1-0) at Cal (1-0) Sept. 11, 3:30 ET, Fox Sports Net
Here’s The Deal … In the future, Colorado and Cal will play as members of the Pac-10 conference. On Saturday, they’ll meet in a non-conference game that could set the course for the first half of the season. With the clock ticking on Dan Hawkins’ career in Boulder, the Buffaloes began the year exactly the way it had to, suffocating rival Colorado State, 24-3. It’s been a while since Colorado copped a quality win away from home, so this trip west affords it an opportunity to build some confidence and begin changing the mindset around campus. A perennial fast starter, Cal opened with a comfortable 52-3 win over UC Davis that was little more than a walk through. Prone to raising expectations before falling flat during the Jeff Tedford era, the Bears realize that respect won’t come until they’re able to win the toughest games on the schedule.
Why Colorado Might Win: Hawkins has access to as much talent as he’s had in his four years in Boulder. The Buffs have one of the nation’s best left tackles, Nate Solder, a receiving corps greatly enhanced by transfers, and one of the Big 12’s best corner tandems, Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown. While it may not be championship-worthy, it’s a nice foundation to build upon. That collection of receivers, which is headed by sure-handed Scotty McKnight and bolstered by Travon Patterson (USC) and Toney Clemons (Michigan), will be a step quicker than the vulnerable Cal secondary.
Why Cal Might Win: Colorado has question marks in the front seven and a penchant for being pilloried by quality running teams. The Bears will take advantage with a combination of Shane Vereen and Isi Sofele, game-breaking backs, who can get to the second and third level in a hurry. They’ll also enjoy an edge up front, where the Mitchell Schwartz-led line is capable of bullying opponents at the point of attack. The Cal run defense is capable of putting pressure on QB Tyler Hansen and putting the Buffs in plenty of third-and-long situations. It’s going to be tough for them to navigate a front seven sparked by DE Cameron Jordan, NG Kendrick Payne, and LB Mike Mohamed.
What To Watch Out For: Cal has wasted no time unleashing its newest weapon on offense, true freshman WR Keenan Allen. Showing right away why he won the starting job opposite Marvin Jones in the summer, the combustible rookie debuted with four catches for 120 yards and a score and three rushes for 38 yards and another touchdown. For obvious reasons, the Bear staff will continue searching for new ways to get the ball in his hands.
What Will Happen: Although Colorado might be finally heading in the right direction, pulling the upset in Berkeley is too tall of an order. Cal will be fueled by Vereen and the running game, which will churn out 200 yards and set up QB Kevin Riley for play-action to TE Anthony Miller on intermediate routes. The Buff offense, though better, isn’t ready to win games requiring it to score more than 30 points.
CFN Prediction: Cal 31 … Colorado 21 … Line: Cal -7.5
Must See Rating: Boardwalk Empire – 5 … Going the Distance - 1 … 3
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Syracuse (1-0) at Washington (0-1) Sept. 11, 7:00 ET, FSN
Here’s The Deal … While certainly not must-win territory, Washington had an awful lot to gain in last week’s trip to Provo. It fell short of the goal, losing to a rebuilding BYU team, 23-17, and continuing its woes away from home. The Huskies still have a ton to gain this season, returning back to Seattle determined to build some momentum and not let this promising season slip away. Syracuse enters Week 2 with an entirely different mindset. The Orange impressed in its opener nearly pitching a shutout and never getting challenged on the road. Sure, it was visiting a bad Akron team, but at a program with such a poor recent history, it’s progress in Doug Marrone’s second year. With an upset on Montlake, Syracuse can seriously start thinking about that long-awaited return to the postseason.
Why Syracuse Might Win: Yeah, the competition is about to get tougher, but the Orange looked an awful lot like a complete team in the opener. It ran the ball effectively with Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey, got a player of the week effort from QB Ryan Nassib, and yielded just 166 total yards. Syracuse is growing in confidence, and with DE Chandler Jones and linebackers Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue patrolling the front seven, will continue to be difficult to run on.
Why Washington Might Win: Husky QB Jake Locker has a lot to prove after failing to elevate his team in last week’s pivotal game at BYU. Don’t expect him to fall short for a second straight week, especially against a Syracuse defensive backfield that remains a weak link. He has plenty of weapons to test the Orange secondary, including Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar, James Johnson, and TE Chris Izbicki. The Syracuse offense lacks the firepower to keep up in a high scoring game, scoring just one touchdown in the first 52 minutes of last week’s game.
What To Watch Out For: The game-within-the-game when Washington is running the ball ought to be fantastic and play a big role in the final score. On one side, the Huskies will feature Locker and RB Chris Polk. On the other, the Orange will counter with Smith and Hogue, who go sideline-to-sideline as well as anyone in the Big East. If U-Dub gets rolling between the tackles, Syracuse’s chance for the upset shrinks considerably.
What Will Happen: Syracuse is not the pushover it was at the end of the Greg Robinson era. Marrone has the school pointed in the right direction. Still, it’s asking a lot for the Orange to go out to the Pacific Northwest and pick off an angry Washington team. The Huskies will get an inspired effort from Locker, pulling away from an average and inconsistent Syracuse offense.
CFN Prediction: Washington 30 … Syracuse 16 … Line: Washington -13
Must See Rating: Boardwalk Empire – 5 … Going the Distance - 1 … 2
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Oregon (1-0) at Tennessee (1-0) Sept. 11, 7:00 ET, ESPN2
Here’s The Deal … In last week’s openers, Oregon and Tennessee won by a combined score of 122-0. Okay, so their victims were New Mexico and Tennessee-Martin, respectively, but the outcomes were still rather impressive. This is the first meeting between the Ducks and the Vols, an intriguing non-conference match up and a rare trip to the south for the visitors. No. 8 Oregon completely deconstructed the Lobos last Saturday, 72-0, despite starting young Darron Thomas behind center and being without star RB LaMichael James. Nothing will put a long and tumultuous offseason in the rear view mirror faster than a nationally-televised win in SEC country. Tennessee was never threatened in its opener, an ideal situation for a school in transition. Not only is a new coach, Derek Dooley, being broken in for a second straight year, but the two-deep is littered with youth and new starters. The bar is unusually low in Knoxville, but that’ll change if the Vols pick off a ranked team.
Why Oregon Might Win: Don’t be fooled by the uniforms. This is not your typical Tennessee squad, in terms of overall talent. The defense is good, but not great. And the offense lacks pop, especially now that receivers Gerald Jones and Denarius Moore are injured. Yes, this is going to be a tough environment for Thomas, but he’ll get plenty of support from a tremendous offensive line, James, and RB Kenjon Barner, who went ballistic a week ago. If the Volunteers can’t fill the lanes in run defense, Neyland Stadium could be quiet before halftime. An aggressive Oregon D will attack a very young Tennessee line with a combination of Kenny Rowe off the edge and blitzes from linebackers and safeties. It could be a long night for inexperienced QB Matt Simms.
Why Tennessee Might Win: The Volunteers are determined to establish a power running game, which will serve two purposes. First, by running 213-pound Tauren Poole and David Oku, Tennessee will be attacking the softest area of the Oregon defense, the interior of the line. Plus, a ball-control attack keeps the Duck offense pacing on the sidelines and reduces the risk of turnovers. Thomas was sharp a week ago, but he’s never had to perform in front of 100,000 rabid fans belting out the words to Rocky Top. It’s going to be a daunting challenge that’s exacerbated by the new Vol defensive coordinator. It was Justin Wilcox who devised Boise State gameplan that held Oregon to eight points in the 2009 opener.
What To Watch Out For: New Tennessee DE Malik Jackson is the one Vol who’s seen Chip Kelly’s spread up close and personal when he was a member of USC. He’s also provided the Ducks with some bulletin board material, taking swipes at the system and suggesting it won’t be nearly as potent without QB Jeremiah Masoli. He’s probably right, but he probably also needs to check his edit button in the days leading up to a huge game.
What Will Happen: It’s Knoxville. At night. Nothing should be taken granted, even when Tennessee is not Tennessee. That said, it’s going to be hard to put a cap on an Oregon offense that’s so prolific on the ground. There’ll be some punts mixed in, but eventually James, Barner, or Thomas will bust through the line and change the tempo of the game. Once the Vols are trailing, there’s too much uncertainty on that offense to bank on a rally in the second half.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 34 … Tennessee 24 … Line: Oregon -13
Must See Rating: Boardwalk Empire – 5 … Going the Distance - 1 … 4
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Sept.
11, Part 2