Pac-10 Gameday Dossier, Oct. 11

A battle of backups and UCLA vs. the spread offense highlight week seven in Pac-10 play.

-The Dress Rehearsal
It could have been the game of the year in the Pac-10.

Instead, it could be Mitch Mustain vs. Danny Sullivan quarterbacking Saturday afternoon in the Coliseum.

Mustain, everyone knows. No. 1 quarterback prospect in the class of 2006. Parade high school player of the year. Headliner of the Springdale Five. 8-0 as a freshman at Arkansas. Transferred to USC after a falling out with then-coach Houston Nutt. Now backs up Mark Sanchez.

His Sun Devil counterpart, Sullivan, was a lightly regarded recruit out of Los Gator (Ca.) High and career backup behind Rudy Carpenter. The junior’s one highlight, a solid 7 of 14 effort for 118 yards, a touchdown and a pick in relief during the Holiday Bowl.

Is it likely the two start the game? Probably not. Sanchez (bone bruise) went through Thursday’s practice working with the first team, while Carpenter (sprained ankle) will fight like hell to make his 37th consecutive start in front of friends and family.

But it could be a preview of next year.

Carpenter exhausts his eligibility this season, while Sanchez could be tempted to declare for the NFL Draft given the weak crop of senior quarterbacks.

Who knows? Mustain-Sullivan might have a very different connotation in 2008.

-Handling Prosperity
Sure they have played two of the weakest teams in the conference, but there’s the Wildcats tied for the Pac-10 lead.

Now Arizona goes on the road to play Stanford, where between Jim Harbaugh and Mike Stoops a sideline penalty seems to be guaranteed.

With conference co-leader California coming to Tucson next week to determine who can challenge USC, can Arizona maintain its focus and sharp defensive execution?

-Caution: Spread Ahead
DeWayne Walker is best known as the architect of the 13-9 stunner that kept the 2006 Trojans out of the national championship game.

UCLA’s defensive coordinator is also gaining the tag around Westwood as someone who cannot scheme around talented spread offenses. He put together a strong effort against Arizona for three quarters before the dam finally broke, but was shredded by BYU.

With reeling Oregon looking to pour it on after an abysmal showing against USC, can he outthink the Ducks’ Chip Kelly and his talented stable of running backs?

The bigger concern might be key injuries to linebacker Kyle Bosworth and end Tom Blake.

Pac-10 Picks (20-6 Straight up, 13-10 Against the spread)
USC 31 Arizona State 10
Arizona 45 Stanford 24
Oregon State 34 Washington State 10
Oregon 35 UCLA 16