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California (2-0) at Maryland
(1-1),
12:00 EST
Why to watch: Is Cal for
real? With modest expectations
heading into a rebuilding
season, the Bears have
surprisingly parlayed impressive
wins over Michigan State and
Washington State into a spot in
both major polls. A road win
clear against another BCS
opponent will further enhance
their profile and spot in the
rankings. The catalysts for the
uprising have been young backs
Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen,
who gashed Wazzu for 280 yards
and four touchdowns on only 23
carries. Maryland is on an
opposite trajectory, coming off
a terrible loss to Middle
Tennessee. The Terps have played
poorly in both of their games,
needing to start making things
happen on offense before another
season starts gradually slipping
away. Changes could be on the
way at quarterback, where three
players have produced a single
touchdown pass.
Why Cal might win: Fresh
off a 66-3 whipping of
Washington State, the Cal
offense is confident and firing
on all cylinders. Best is a
gamebreaker, who’s capable of
going the distance with even a
hint of daylight to bust
through, and Vereen is proving
to be an ideal complement.
Despite facing Delaware and
Middle Tennessee, Maryland has
yet to register a sack, meaning
Bear QB Kevin Riley will have
all day to locate receivers on
play-action passes. As futile as
the Terp offense has been, it
won’t be able to keep up with
this improving Cal attack.
Why Maryland might win:
The best way to slow down the
Cal offense is to keep it off
the field, which hasn’t happened
much in the first two weeks. The
onus of making that happen falls
to Terp RB Da’Rel Scott, who has
already rushed for 320 yards on
just 37 carries. It’s not as if
the Bears have a brick wall of a
defensive line, so he should
continue finding running room
behind Scott Burley, Jaimie
Thomas, and the physically
imposing Terrapin line.
Who to watch: It’s only
matter of time before teams
start stacking the line to stop
the Cal running game. With
Maryland linebackers Dave
Philistin and Alex Wujciak
pressing up a step, it’ll be up
to Riley to make them pay with
the pass. While he hasn’t had
to be great, that could
change this week if the Terps
throw everything at Best and
Vereen.
What will happen: While
it’s never easy traveling across
country for a game, it won’t be
so daunting that Cal stumbles to
a Maryland team in chaos. After
a slow start, one of the Bear
playmakers will light the fuse
that leads the way to a
double-digit win. Once the Terps
go down, it won’t have the
passing game to mount a
comeback.
CFN Prediction:
California 27 … Maryland 17 ...
Line: California -14
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 2.5
-
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Washington State (0-2) at Baylor
(1-1),
12:30 EST
Why to watch: Baylor
handed head coach Art Briles his
first win with the program, a
51-6 rout of Northwestern State.
Washington State is still
looking to do the same for its
rookie coach, Paul Wulff. While
not much was expected from the
Cougars this fall, opening with
losses to Oklahoma State and Cal
by a combined score of 105-16
has created a pall over the
program. And those two games
took place in Washington. Now,
Wazzu will hit the road looking
for anything positive to build
on over the next 10 games.
Although the Bears remain light
years from Big 12 contention,
there is some excitement in
Waco, which can be traced to
Briles’ offense and his true
freshman quarterback, Robert
Griffin. The track
star/quarterback accounted for
four touchdowns and 336 yards of
offense on Saturday, and is
quickly becoming the face of the
program.
Why Washington State might win:
While it certainly hasn’t been
evident in the first two weeks,
the Cougars do have the skill
position players to put a dent
in an awful Baylor defense.
Dwight Tardy is a capable runner
when he gets blocking and
Brandon Gibson is one of the
country’s premier wide
receivers. The key for
Washington State will be to mine
a quarterback out of Gary
Rogers, Marshall Lobbestael, and
Kevin Lopina who can adequately
run the new spread offense. If
the Cougs have trouble moving
the ball, it won’t be because
the Bear D is flexing its
muscles.
Why Baylor might win:
With Griffin at the controls,
the light appears to be going on
for the Bear offense. Sure,
he’ll make rookie mistakes, but
he’ll also frustrate opposing
defenses with his strong arm and
ability to scramble outside the
pocket. The defense he’ll see
this week has been abominable in
all facets, tackling poorly and
allowing 565 yards and 10
touchdowns on the ground in just
two games. Baylor will look to
get Jay Finley going on the
ground, running him behind a
veteran line that’s bolstered by
tackles Jason Smith and Dan Gay.
Who to watch: When
Griffin isn’t handing the ball
to Finley, he’ll be looking
downfield for top receivers
Thomas White and David Gettis.
Don’t be fooled by Washington
State’s respectable numbers in
pass defense; opponents haven’t
had to throw the ball at the
Cougars because the run defense
has been so paltry.
What will happen: With
Washington State circling the
drain, even a trip to Waco won’t
help the situation. Baylor has
problems of its own, but with
the offense improving and the
game at home, it’ll capitalize
on the situation, beating a
Pac-10 team for the first time
since 1996.
CFN Prediction: Baylor 34
… Washington State 27 ... Line:
Washington State -2.5
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 2.5
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UCLA (1-0) at BYU (2-0), 3:30
EST,
Saturday, September 13
Why to watch: UCLA and
BYU will be meeting for the
third time in the last 12 months
with a lot more at stake than a
typical regular season game or a
Las Vegas Bowl trophy. Both
schools are off to strong
starts, the Bruins beating
Tennessee in Rick Neuheisel’s
debut and the Cougars climbing
in the polls with wins over
Northern Iowa and Washington.
The victory over U-Dub was made
possible when Jan Jorgensen
blocked an extra point that
would have sent the game to
overtime, a fact glossed over in
the Jake Locker celebration-flag
controversy. A second straight
win over a Pac-10 team will mean
BYU will have cleared two of its
biggest obstacles to reaching a
BCS bowl game, at least until
the dates with TCU and Utah.
UCLA hasn’t played since
stunning the Volunteers in the
overtime thriller, but the team
needed the time to work. Was the
program simply riding the
emotion of the moment, or is it
ready to contend for more than a
second-rate bowl invitation?
This is the game to find out.
Why UCLA might win:
Finally, a defense that can
truly challenge the BYU offense.
The Bruins are outstanding up
the middle with tackles Brigham
Harwell and Brian Price, and LB
Reggie Carter. Few schools match
up especially well with the
Cougar offensive line, but UCLA
is one that’ll hold up well at
the point of attack. On defense,
BYU still has a lot to prove. If
QB Kevin Craft can start the way
he finished the Tennessee game,
the Bruins will be able to
battle back even if they fall
behind early.
Why BYU might win: Sure,
UCLA can be tough on
one-dimensional offenses, but
how will it handle an attack
that runs the ball as well as it
throws it? The Cougars are so
tough to defend because they
force you to pick your poison.
You can focus on QB Max Hall or
RB Harvey Unga, but good luck
stopping both players. While
Hall is No. 3 nationally in
total offense and has been
picked off just once, Unga is a
battering ram with surprisingly
quick feet. Four BYU receivers
have already caught at least 10
passes, led by Dennis Pitta’s 21
grabs.
Who to watch: The rebuilt
Cougar defense has been just
average through two games. One
of the exceptions has been LB
Matt Bauman, who’s excelling in
his first season as a starter.
He leads the team with 20
tackles, and as one of the
program’s most active defenders,
will be watching the UCLA
running backs all afternoon.
With Bruin star Kahlil Bell out
with an ankle injury, Bauman’s
job became even easier.
What will happen: This
game won’t be in primetime or in
Westwood, so look for UCLA to
play a lot closer to the team
that was lacked offensive
consistency in the first half of
Neuheisel’s debut. The Bruins
won’t play poorly, but they also
won’t have enough punch on
offense to match BYU
point-for-point, especially in
front of a fired up crowd at
LaVell Edwards Stadium. Hall
will be the hero, dissecting a
suspect UCLA secondary.
CFN Prediction: BYU 31 …
UCLA 24 ... Line: BYU -8
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 4
-
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Oregon (2-0) at Purdue (1-0),
3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch: As Big
Ten-Pac-10 match ups go,
Oregon-Purdue isn’t exactly
USC-Ohio State, but it’ll be a
strong, entertaining undercard
in the second meeting between
the two since a 1979 13-7
Boilermaker win. The Ducks have
gotten off to a terrific start,
winning its first two games by
an average margin of 37 points.
However, the AP’s 16th-ranked
team has yet to play a road game
or an opponent with postseason
potential routing Washington and
Utah State. Purdue opened its
season with a matter-of-fact
blowout of Northern Colorado.
The Boilermakers were sloppier
than the 42-10 indicated,
needing to make improvements as
the level of competition
increases. The maligned Big Ten
could use a win here, especially
if the Buckeyes lose at Troy,
but it would be a bigger win for
a Purdue team that’s known for
beating the teams it’s supposed
to, and also losing to the teams
it’s supposed to.
Why Oregon might win: No
Dennis Dixon. No Jonathan
Stewart. No problem. Even with a
retooled backfield, the Ducks
are cranking out touchdowns like
a Pez dispenser. They’ve been a
machine through two weeks,
leading the country in total
offense and showing tremendous
depth at the skill positions.
Justin Roper will have success
through the air versus an
average Boiler pass defense, and
the running duo of Jeremiah
Johnson and LeGarrette Blount
has been prolific. The Oregon
line is physical and experienced
enough to control Purdue’s
interior, the strength of the
defense
Why Purdue might win:
Although Oregon will score,
Purdue has the weapons to keep
pace. Curtis Painter is one of
the nation’s top quarterbacks, a
veteran who won’t be rattled by
the Ducks’ pressure defense.
He’ll stand in the pocket and
play catch with a group of
receivers that’s more than just
Greg Orton. Desmond Tardy and
Keith Smith played the opener as
if they plan to be integral
parts of the passing game, as
well. When the Boilers keep it
on the ground, Kory Sheets is a
breakaway threat with good moves
in the open field. While Oregon
has an opportunistic D, it is
flexible and gives up plenty of
yards.
Who to watch: The
game-within-the-game worth
watching is Painter vs. the
Oregon secondary. Cornerbacks
Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond,
and safety Patrick Chung, give
the Ducks one of the most
athletic and disruptive
defensive backfields in the
country. If Painter keeps
putting too much air under his
passes, or has to force his
throws, the Oregon pass defense
will take two or three of them
back the other way.
What will happen: This is
a huge test for an Oregon
program that feels it can sneak
into the Top 10 before Pac-10
play resumes. The Ducks will
earn a passing grade by winning
the turnover battle and getting
250 yards between tackles Max
Unger and Fenuki Tupou.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 38
… Purdue 28 ... Line: Oregon
-7.5
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 3.5
-
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Hawaii (1-1) at Oregon State
(0-2), 4:00 EST
Why to watch: A year ago,
this would have been a must-see
game with BCS implications.
Today, however, it’s an
afterthought on the Week 3 slate
as both schools struggle to find
something to get fired up about.
Oregon State is 0-2 for the
first time since 2004, courtesy
of ugly losses to Stanford and
Penn State. Although a
transition year was expected in
Corvallis, the Beavers were not
supposed to be as destitute as
they’ve looked in the first two
weeks. A visit from Hawaii gives
the program a much-needed drop
in competition before things get
nasty again with games against
USC and Utah. The Warriors are
light years from the Sugar Bowl
team that captured the nation’s
attention a year ago. No one
expected much against Florida,
but needing to rally in the
second half to beat Weber State
was a sign that the school has
sunk further in the post-June
Jones than previously expected.
Why Hawaii might win:
Everyone knew the Beavers were
facing turnover on defense, but
they weren’t supposed to be
this bad. They’ve been
gutted on the ground in
successive weeks by Toby Gerhart
and Evan Royster. The defense is
getting no pressure up front,
which will coax the Warriors
into giving more touches to top
running backs Leon
Wright-Jackson and Jayson Rego.
Now that Hawaii has settled on
WAC Offensive Player of the Week
Tyler Graunke at quarterback,
the passing game will get an
overdue jolt of stability.
Why Oregon State might win:
While Hawaii has a veteran
defense, stopping the run is not
one of its calling cards. If
ever the Beaver line needs to
step up and create space, it’s
this weekend. Andy Levitre and
the rest of the unit must do a
better of protecting QB Lyle
Moevao and springing the running
backs. The Warriors have a
tendency to over pursue on
defense, which will give Moevao
the opportunity he needs to
connect with Sammie Stroughter
and Shane Morales downfield.
Who to watch: Ryan
McCants was supposed to be the
next big Beaver back, but that
experiment may already be over.
True freshman Jacquizz Rodgers
appears to have taken over as
the featured star of the ground
game after being the lone bright
spot in last week’s loss to Penn
State. Undersized, yet very
quick, he ran for 99 yards and
two scores and will be the focal
point of the offense.
What will happen: Oregon
State’s speed will finally show
through. With their backs firmly
against the wall, the Beavers
will revel in a chance to go
back home and face an opponent
that’s having just as many
problems. Rodgers will explode
as a runner and a receiver, and
the Beaver pass defense, the
strength of the unit, will keep
Hawaii’s passing game in check
CFN Prediction: Oregon
State 45 … Hawaii 27 ... Line:
Oregon State -12.5
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 3.5
-
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Consultants FREE selections
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Pac 10 Week
Three Fearless Predictions,
Part 2
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