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Pac 10 Week One Fearless Predictions,
Part 2
|
Monday, September 1 |
|
Game of the Week
Tennessee (0-0) at UCLA (0-0),
8:00 EST, ESPN, Monday,
September 1
Why to watch: Last year,
California made a statement in
an opening day win over
Tennessee, and now UCLA is
trying to do the same.
Meanwhile, the Vols need this
win to show that they intend to
be a player in the national
title chase. The game itself
between the Vols and the Bruins
will almost be the undercard to
the debut of Rick Neuheisel on
the UCLA sidelines. Neuheisel
and offensive coordinator Norm
Chow were lured out of the NFL
to try and ignite a program that
hasn’t won the Pac-10 since 1998
and slipped further behind USC
under Karl Dorrell. However, the
anointed saviors will have their
work cut out for them,
inheriting a roster in
transition and a dicey
quarterback situation that’s
having the same injury issues as
last year. There are changes in
the Tennessee staff as well, and
they’re under just much
scrutiny. In the twilight of his
coaching career, Phil Fulmer
hired Dave Clawson to run a more
inventive offense that’ll spread
the field out in multiple sets.
Although the Vols have won 10
games three times over the last
five years, they’re trying to
get creative in order to get
over the hump. Like UCLA, it’s
been since 1998 that Tennessee
won a league championship and
the locals are getting restless.
Why Tennessee might win:
UCLA will have problems scoring.
New starting QB Kevin Craft
isn’t exactly green,
transferring over from San Diego
State, but he could have huge
problems against one of the
nation’s best pass defenses.
Eric Berry and Demetrice Morley
are the stars of an air-tight
secondary that’ll neutralize the
Bruins’ improving situation at
receiver and tight end. While
the Vol D-line will be
vulnerable early on, it might
not happen right away. The UCLA
offensive line is a patchwork
group that’s going to struggle
mightily if Craft isn’t able to
make plays deep.
Why UCLA might win: With
the return of Brigham Harwell
after being banged up, and the
maturation of Brian Price, the
strength of the Bruins will be
at defensive tackle. Add in the
Reggie Carter-led linebackers
and UCLA will be able to take RB
Arian Foster out of the game,
forcing QB Jonathan Crompton to
come up with big plays. The
successor to Erik Ainge,
Crompton has just one career
start and will be walking into a
carnival-like atmosphere in the
Rose Bowl. Neuheisel and his
staff have been focusing from
day one on the Vols; they’ve
been preparing like this is the
Rose Bowl.
Who to watch: The
Volunteers think so highly of WR
Gerald Jones they’ve developed a
package dubbed the G-Gun
specifically designed to get the
most out of his explosive skill
set. Clawson won’t waste any
time rolling it out on the
rebuilt UCLA D, lining up Jones
as a quarterback in a set
popularized by Darren McFadden
at Arkansas.
What will happen: While
it’s unrealistic for the new
Tennessee offense to click right
away, it houses more than enough
talent at the skill positions
and on the interior to move the
ball. The Vols will get a
blue-collar effort from Foster,
who’ll work his way into a
decent, but not explosive day,
while getting just enough from
Crompton to kick off the
Neuheisel era on a sour note.
However, UCLA will represent
itself well. If it’s possible,
this will be a good-looking
loss.
CFN Prediction: Tennessee
31 ... UCLA 23 ... Line:
Tennessee -7
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
4
-
Click here to receive ATS Consultants
FREE selections
|
|
Thursday, August 28 |
|
Oregon State (0-0) at Stanford
(0-0),
9:00 EST, ESPN2, Thursday,
August 28
Why to watch: Oregon
State and Stanford waste no time
kicking off the Pac-10 schedule,
meeting in a
nationally-televised affair
that’ll give the winner an early
jump on the rest of the league
and show which one plans to be
part of the fun. It’s not an
overstatement to say the loser
is realistically out of the race
before September has come
around. The Beavers have owned
the series of late, winning six
of the last seven meetings, but
Jim Harbaugh has the Cardinal
headed in the right direction in
his second season on The Farm.
After winning an unexpected
three conference games, Stanford
is looking to build behind its
coach, who’s known for his
offenses, and an underrated
defense. Beating Oregon State in
the opener would be an ideal way
to launch the next stage of the
reclamation project. Although
there are holes to fill
throughout the two-deep, the
Beavers are hoping to retool
rather than rebuild this fall.
They just might be able to get
it done, provided the play under
improves dramatically. Dynamic
WR Sammie Stroughter is back
from a kidney injury and after
missing almost all of last year,
and now it’ll be up to QB Lyle
Moevao to take advantage.
Why Oregon State might win:
Yes, the Beavers lost their
entire defensive front seven to
graduation. No, they’re not
going to get abused up front. In
fact, with the return of Victor
Butler and Slade Norris at
defensive end, and a Brandon
Hughes-led secondary that’ll be
among the Pac-10’s best, the
unit should be a pleasant
surprise. Stanford has its own
uncertainty at quarterback and a
mess of problems on the
offensive line, at least there
should be issues early on. With
no semblance of a running game,
it shouldn’t have much success
converting on third downs or
keeping up in any sort of a
firefight.
Why Stanford might win:
For a second straight year, the
defense will revolve around
creating pressure and generating
turnovers. While not household
names, LB Clinton Snyder, DE
Pannel Egboh, and S Bo McNally
help form the backbone of a unit
that attacks from every angle
and punishes the opposition.
They’re well-known among the NFL
types. The Cardinal will attempt
to expose the weaknesses
on a
fragile Beaver O line that’s the
biggest concern of head coach
Mike Riley. If Moevao gets moved
from his comfort zone, he will
make costly mistakes. Stanford
will force them.
Who to watch: Even
as leading rusher Yvenson
Bernard was leaving the program,
Oregon State had few concerns
about the running game. At some
point, Ryan McCants will be
better. Until the passing game
comes around, the Beavers will
ride their 6-1, 236-pound
redshirt freshman, who has the
talent to respond with a
100-yard effort in the first
game of his career and be one of
the Pac 10’s breakout Pac 10
performers.
What will happen: While
the Stanford defense will keep
this game close throughout, the
Cardinal still lacks the
offensive punch to get over the
hump. Oregon State will put its
fate on the shoulders of McCants
and WR James Rodgers, who’ll
burn the over pursuing Stanford
D on fly sweeps and short
hitches.
CFN Prediction: Oregon
State 27... Stanford 19... Line:
Oregon State -3
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
2.5
-
Click here to receive ATS Consultants
FREE selections
|
|
Saturday, August 30 |
|
Oklahoma State (0-0) at
Washington State (0-0),
3:30 EST, Saturday, August 30
Why to watch: The Cowboys
and Cougars meet for the first
time in 56 years while kicking
off the Paul Wulff era in
Pullman. Actually, the game will
be played in Seattle, and it
should be entertaining for fans
of wide-open, innovative
offenses. Wulff returned to his
alma mater intent on installing
a no-huddle offense that’ll be
run from the shotgun 50 to 60%
of the time and will try to win
shootouts. His first triggerman
will be senior Gary Rogers, who
won the job in the spring and
has the arm to put up huge
numbers, and he’ll have the
chance against a suspect OSU
secondary. Oklahoma State
already has an electrifying
offense that can put up 40
points on anyone, and won’t
change much even thought
architect Larry Fedora is now
the head man at Southern Miss.
In a Big 12 brimming with great
quarterbacks, it’s easy to
forget that Zac Robinson
accounted for 32 touchdowns and
3,671 yards, while throwing just
nine picks.
Why Oklahoma State might win:
The Cowboy offensive line versus
the Cougar defensive line is a
mismatch. A big-time mismatch.
With four starters back,
including all-stars David
Washington and Russell Okung,
it’ll dominate a pedestrian
Wazzu front, giving Robinson the
time he needs to connect with WR
Dez Bryant and elite
pass-catching TE Brandon
Pettigrew. When Robinson isn’t
knifing through the Cougar D,
he’ll be handing off to Kendall
Hunter, JUCO transfer Beau
Johnson, and Keith Toston,
who’ll more than make up for the
loss of Dantrell Savage.
Why Washington State might
win: Oklahoma State can
score, but Washington State can
keep pace with the running of
Dwight Tardy and a passing
attack that’ll go right after
the Cowboys’ weakest areas.
Rogers isn’t your typical
first-year starter; he’ll have a
field day hooking up with
Brandon Gibson, one of the
nation’s best wide receivers.
What better way to debut a fancy
offense than against a defense
that doesn’t generate pressure
and has no answers against the
pass?
Who to watch: While you
don’t get better by losing
Savage and Adarius Bowman, Gundy
is confident that Hunter and
Bryant will be just as explosive
in time. Both played
extensively—and well—as true
freshmen, laying the groundwork
for monster sophomore seasons.
Bryant, in particular, will
feast on a bad Cougar secondary
that yields way too many big
plays.
What will happen:
Washington State will move the
ball, but it doesn’t have the
depth or talent to win a
shootout with a fully-developed
attack like the one at Oklahoma
State. The Cowboys’ balance will
produce more than 500 yards of
total offense in a quality road
win against a decent Pac-10
opponent on its home turf.
CFN Prediction: Oklahoma
State 41 ... Washington State 28
... Line: OSU -6
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
3
-
Click here to receive ATS Consultants
FREE selections
Michigan State (0-0) at
California (0-0),
8:00 EST, ABC, Saturday, August
30
Why to watch: Okay, so
it’s not the Rose Bowl or Ohio
State vs. USC, but it is an
intriguing and important
showdown between a Big Ten and
Pac-10 teams with something to
prove. Michigan State is looking
to build on last year’s opening
statement from head coach Mark
Dantonio, who guided the way to
a 7-6 mark (and it wasn’t far
off from being much, much
better) and the first bowl berth
since 2003. Already excited
about the path of the program,
Spartan fans will be downright
giddy with a victory at Cal and
six winnable games to follow.
Even more excited would be the
Big Ten as a whole, as it’s in
need of a splashy win with all
the negative publicity
surrounding it over the
off-season. The Pac 10 could
also use a big win, too. Ever
since imploding down the stretch
last year, the Bears have been
trying to relocate its formula
for success. One of the Pac-10’s
biggest mysteries heading into
September, they can’t afford a
slow start, or even a hint of
proof that there’s still a
hangover from last year’s 2-5
finish. Rejoice, linebacker
fans. Cal’s Zach Follett and
Worrell Williams, and Michigan
State’s Greg Jones and Eric
Gordon each have all-conference
skills.
Why Michigan State might win:
The balanced Spartan offense
will give headaches to a Bear
defense that’s soft on the front
line and doesn’t get much of an
up-field push. The backfield of
QB Brian Hoyer and RB Javon
Ringer will thrive with the time
and the space to make things
happen. Hoyer is an underrated
passer who made nice strides in
his first season as the starter.
Ringer will be the best skill
position player in the stadium,
a dynamite playmaker when he’s
not on the shelf, and he’ll get
even more opportunities this
season. MSU has adopted the
rugged personality of Dantonio,
a no-nonsense, blue-collar
approach that Cal doesn’t see
often in the Pac-10.
Why Cal might win: Even
with the expected emergence of
Cincinnati transfer, and now
burgeoning star MSU DE Trevor
Anderson,
Cal’s
O line should be a strength. C
Alex Mack and LT Mike Tepper
lead the way for one of the
nation’s best front walls; it
doesn’t give up sacks often, or
even much in the way of
pressure. With all day to throw,
newly anointed starting QB Kevin
Riley will be able to
survey the field and pick out
one of his young and athletic
battery mates. As good as Hoyer
and Ringer are, they’re going to
need more support from a
patchwork offensive line and a
receiving corps dangerously low
on experience.
Who to watch: The Cal
skill players have a slew of
athletic ability, but little
experience. That’ll begin to
change Saturday night, but it’ll
take time before the Bear attack
is consistent. The spotlight
will be on RB Jahvid Best and
receivers Michael Calvin, Nyan
Boateng, and Jeremy Ross, the
heir apparents to Justin
Forsett, DeSean Jackson, Robert
Jordan, and Lavelle Hawkins,
respectively. If Riley is really
the right choice, and to look
like the main man for the
program over the next few years,
he’ll need his supporting cast
to mature in a hurry.
What will happen: Like it
or not, Cal will get dragged
into an alley fight that’ll go
all 15 rounds. The Bears will
get their nose bloodied, and in
the end, the MSU pass rush will
do just enough in the clutch to
pull off the upset. This will be
the first step back to
respectability for the Big Ten.
CFN Prediction: Michigan
State 27 … California 21 ...
Line: California -5.5
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
4
-
Click here to receive ATS Consultants
FREE selections
Pac 10 Week One Fearless Predictions,
Part 2
|