Pac 10 Game of
the Week
Oregon
(3-0) at
Arizona
State
(3-1) 3:30 PM EST ABC Saturday
September 30th Why to watch:
Considering what it’s had to listen to
during the bye week, Oregon can’t wait
to get back on the field. Lost in the
furor succeeding the Oklahoma
officiating fiasco two weeks ago is the
fact that the Ducks are a pretty darn
good football team with the potential to
author a very special season. Behind an
exciting offense, they’ve risen to No.
12 in the Coaches’ Poll with a chance of
delivering the knockout blow this week
to one of the four teams with a
realistic shot at a Pac-10 title.
Arizona State is looking to pick up the
pieces after getting destroyed by Cal in
Berkeley. It’s not even October, yet
the Sun Devils are staring at a crucial
pitchfork-in-the-road game that’ll go a
long way to determining which direction
the 2006 season takes. Why Oregon might win: The Ducks
had to be frothing at the mouth watching
Cal move at will on the Arizona State
defense last weekend. They’re a
similarly diverse bunch that leads the
Pac-10 in total offense ranking second
in scoring offense and is equally
effective on the ground or through the
air. The speed of RB Jonathan Stewart
and quickness of QB Dennis Dixon will be
too much for a Devil D that consistently
looked a step two slow in Berkeley. Why Arizona State might win: The
lone silver lining for Arizona State in
last week’s loss was the hard running of
Ryan Torain, who’ll be much more than a
decoy against a pliable Oregon run
defense that’s allowing 171 yards a
game. The Sun Devils will look to
control the clock with Torain and Keegan
Herring, taking some pressure off
struggling QB Rudy Carpenter, who’s
thrown six picks in the last two games. Who to watch: At 6-5 and 245
pounds, Jaison Williams may be built
like a defensive end, but he’s coming of
age as Dixon’s first option in the
passing game. The sophomore has had 15
catches over the last two games, and
figures to be a handful for a Sun Devil
secondary that got burned a week ago for
four touchdowns passes. What will happen: Oregon is
cresting. Arizona State is overrated.
Until Carpenter regains his confidence,
the Sun Devils don’t have enough
firepower to go step-for-step with these
Ducks.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 35 ...
Arizona State 27 ...
Line: Oregon -2 Must See Rating: (5 skip the
birth of your first born - 1 Studio
60 on the Sunset Strip)
... 4
California
(3-1) at
Oregon State
(2-1) 4:00 PM EST Saturday
September 30th
Why to watch:
In the first Pac-10 showdown of 2006,
the Bears obliterated Arizona State
49-21 to become a bona fide contender to
USC’s league crown, while jolting the
Sun Devils back to reality. Cal has
spent the last three weeks eradicating
all that went wrong in the opener at
Tennessee and solidifying its spot in
the polls. All’s well in Berkeley these
days, thanks to the play of red-hot
quarterback Nate Longshore and a defense
with an appetite for turnovers. Oregon
State has been a product of its
competition, bullying Eastern Washington
and Idaho, but getting repeatedly
spanked by Boise State in front of
national TV audience. The Beavers can
alter their reputation this week by
shocking heavily-favored Cal for a
second straight year. Why Cal might win: The Bears now
have that offensive trinity that every
attack craves and every defense fears.
Longshore, RB Marshawn Lynch and WR
DeSean Jackson give Cal a playmaker at
each skill position, which explains the
Bears’ 44-point scoring average during
the current three-game winning streak.
In its only game versus a credible
offense, Oregon State allowed 340 yards
rushing, transforming Boise State RB Ian
Johnson into an overnight star. Why Oregon State might win:
Beaver RB Yvenson Bernard has all the
tools to victimize a suspect Cal run
defense, while keeping the opposing
offense pacing on the sidelines. The 94th-ranked
Bear unit got burned for 237 yards last
Saturday, something Bernard is capable
of duplicating behind a physical,
veteran offensive line. Who to watch: With its bevy of
stars on offense, it’s easy to forget
that Cal has a few studs on defense as
well. CB Daymeion Hughes, in
particular, has started the season as if
he plans to end it with a war chest of
individual honors. Hughes, who’s
already got five picks and touchdowns in
each of the last two games, will be
following the eyes of mistake-program
Matt Moore every time the quarterback
drops back to pass. Who will happen: Conference road
games are often landmines, but Oregon
State doesn’t have the defensive speed
or stoppers in the secondary to put the
brakes on this Cal freight train.
CFN Prediction: California 41 ...
Oregon State 21 ...
Line: California -9 Must See Rating: (5 skip the
birth of your first born - 1 Studio
60 on the Sunset Strip)
... 3
USC
(3-0) at
Washington
State
(3-1) 7:00 PM EST Saturday
September 30th
Why to watch:
The USC program that had become
synonymous in recent years with aerial
attacks and point-a-minute offenses now
resembles something straight out of the
John McKay era. A less combustible
Trojan team is winning football games in
2006 with a straight ahead running game
and a nasty defense. Whatever the
formula, it’s been working so far. On a
team that gets gutted by the NFL every
spring, a spate of injuries this month
is going to really test USC’s depth.
After losing its opener at Auburn,
Washington State has regrouped with wins
over Idaho, Baylor and Stanford. While
that’s hardly a murderers’ row, the team
will take all the wins it can get after
missing out on a bowl bid last year
after a slew of close losses. Tommy
Tuberville called the Cougars one of the
most athletic teams he’s faced in some
time, and they’ll need every ounce of it
in this step up in competition. Why USC might win: The
high-powered Cougar passing game is
about to get neutralized by a Trojan
defense that’s getting stingier each
week. The Rey Maualuga-led linebackers
will shutdown the Wazzu running game,
while the pass rush harasses QB Alex
Brink into mistakes. Through three
games, USC is No. 6 nationally in total
defense, allowing a mere ten points in
the first three quarters of those games.
Washington State might win:
Unlike the days when Matt Leinart and
Reggie Bush were in town, USC doesn’t
possess that knockout punch that
paralyzed lesser opponents. A shoulder
sprain to star pass-catcher Dwayne
Jarrett will hinder the offense further,
even if he tries to suit up. The
Cougars can hang with the Trojans long
enough for WR Jason Hill to get behind
the corners and pop a momentum-shifting
play. Who to watch: The answer to the
eight-month question of who’ll be the
Trojan feature back appears to be
Emmanuel Moody. The true freshman has
emerged from a crowded field, picking up
21 carries, 130 yards and his first
career touchdown Saturday night. If
John David Booty and the passing game
are tentative again, Moody will be the
offensive workhorse in Pullman. What will happen: Bolstered by
the home crowd and a slow start from USC,
Wazzu will be within one score until USC
builds distance with a defensive
touchdown late in the third quarter.
CFN Prediction: USC
31 ...
Washington State 16 ...
Line: USC -16.5 Must See Rating: (5 skip the
birth of your first born - 1 Studio
60 on the Sunset Strip)
... 3
