2010 Pac-10 Preview

The Pac-10 was dominated by youth in 2009, but proved to be among the strongest conferences in the country. Now, a league full of veterans, including a quartet of outstanding quarterbacks, looks to show the country the west is the best. But don't expect a Pac-10 representative in the national title game. The league is too deep and talented to escape with less than two losses. As to who the league champion will be... who knows? Every team has question marks. Oregon and Oregon State must break in new quarterbacks. Washington, Arizona, Stanford and Cal need to find some defense. Meanwhile, Arizona State and UCLA must find some offense. One thing the league won't lack is star power. Husky quarterback Jake Locker and Beaver tailback Jacquizz Rogers are Heisman contenders, while Andrew Luck at Stanford and LaMichael James at Oregon will produce plenty of highlight material.

10. Washington State

I expect this team to be more competitive in 2010. Depth is always an issue in Pullman, so if they can stay healthy, quarterback Jeff Tuel and wideout Jard Karstetter are talented enough to make some things happen on offense. Defensively, the Cougars could hardly be worse than last year, giving up 38.5 points per game. Head coach Paul Wulff is convinced this team is better this year and I think they could pull off an upset or two, but it won't be enough to keep them out of the conference cellar.

9. UCLA

Why does this team struggle so much? They get more talent than any west coast school not named USC. They have a head coach with winning credentials and one of the all-time best offensive coordinaors. If Rick Neuheisel doesn't notch more than three conference wins, the folks in Westwood will want to run him out of town on a rail. Making matters worse is the difficulty UCLA is having keeping its players on the field. Four of the five projected starters on the offensive line are out. Tackle Xavier Su'a Faolo left on his Mormom mission. Center Kai Maiava is out with a broken ankle. Guard/tackle Jeff Baca was ruled academically ineligible and is out for the season while tackle Mike Harris is suspended for the opener against Kansas State. Both quarterback Kevin Prince and kicker Kai Forbath could also miss the opener because of injuries. If the Bruins win that game, K-State head coach Bill Snyder should be fired.

8. Arizona State

New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will try to ressurect an inept offense by introducing a Texas Tech style spread offense. Junior Signal caller Steven Threet will have the responsibilty breaking it in. Not gonna be easy. There's little talent or depth in the backfield to take the pressure off . There's no proven receiver, and the offensive line is in tatters. Defensively, things look much better. Despite losing defensive end Dexter Davis and his 31 career sacks, the line could be even better with Lawrence Guy and Saia Falahola cementing the interior. Behind them, a fast and athletic linebacking corps led by freshman defensvie player of the year Vontaze Burfict will give the Sun Devils one of the best front sevens in the country.

7. California

No program has underachieved more than Cal in the last decade. Despite being blessed with talent, the Golden Bears consistently lose games they should win and fall short in the big ones (not to mention they are incapable of beating Oregon State). Things won't get better unless Kevin Riley can play with some shred of consistency and make plays. Remember when Jeff Tedford could turn any quarterback into a winner? Kyle Boller anyone? Riley has no excuses with Shane Vereen behind him, veteran O-line in front, and stud wideout Marvin Johnson on the edge. On the other side of the ball, coordinator Bob Gregory bolted for Boise St., leaving a defense with only five returners. New coordinator Clancy Pendergast will try to make up for this by taking chances with a more aggresive package led by defensive end Cameron Jordan and all-conference linebacker Mike Mohammed.

6. Washington

There's a lot of hype behind Jake Locker and the Huskies. And not without reason. After taking over a winless team that may have been the worst in the nation, head coach Steve Sarkisian led the Huskies to five wins, including a program defining victory over third ranked USC. This year, with a Heisman hopeful and nine returning starters on offense, the Dawgs will put all kinds of pressure on opposing defenses. If Locker improves his passing the way everyone expects him to, he will be the most dangerous offensive player in the country. Combined with tough-running Chris Polk and long range weapon Jermaine Kearse, the Huskies are primed to put up points. The defense loses some key personnel, including linebacker Donald Butler, but second year coordinator Nick Holt will reload and improve this squad. Unfortunately, a tough schedule with road games against USC, Arizona and Oregon will keep them from finishing higher.

5. Arizona

The best quarterback to come out of Tuscon in more than a decade, Nick Foles led the Wildcats to eight wins, and only a double OT loss to Oregon kept them out of the Rose Bowl. With nearly everyone returning, Foles is surrounded an offense that is both talented and deep. Nic Grigsby heads up a solid stable of running backs, while wideout Juron Criner will be a breakout playmaker downfield. But how will the offense handle the loss of departing offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes? Defensively, there are similar questions. With only four returning starters and the loss of coordinator Mark Stoops, will the Cats be able to stop anyone? They have a pair of outstanding defensive ends in Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed, and an excellent cover corner in Trevin Wade, but with inexperience on the interior line and at linebacker, the Wildcats could be soft up the middle. Lucky for them, they have a favorable schedule with seven home games including Cal, Oregon State Washington and USC.

4. Southern Cal

The Trojans endured one of the most tumultuous off-seasons in conference history. Head coach Pete Carroll left for the NFL. An NCAA investigation into the shennanignas of former tailback Reggie Bush during the 2004 & 2005 seasons resulted in vacated wins (including their national championship), a loss of 30 scholarships over three seasons, a two year bowl ban, and four years probation. Former USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin created more controversy when he jumped ship after only one year at Tennessee to become the Trojans new head coach.

The good news is that USC is still loaded with talent. Sophomore quarterback Matt Barkely showed tremendous maturity as a true freshman last season and is set for a big year. Junior Marc Tyler emerged from a ultra-talented group of tailbacks to win the starting job, while senior receiver Ronald Johnson will look to stretch defenses. With Kiffin at the helm, this unit will be much improved over last season. On the other side, a battle tested defensive front will look to protect an inexperienced secondary under new coordinator Monte Kiffin.

The biggest issue facing the Men of Troy is the loss of mystique after losing four conference games, including blowouts at the hands of the Ducks and the Cardinal. No one in the Pac-10 fears the Trojans, and the swagger that existed under Pete Carroll during the Bush-Leinart years appears to be gone. On the other hand, the sense of injustice the players feel after the bowl ban may result in a team of angry blue-chippers with something to prove.

3. Oregon State

Mike Riley has built a perennial Rose Bowl contender in Corvallis. But to do it again, the Beavers must overcome the loss of all conference quarterback Sean Canfield. Riley will hand the keys to the offense over to Ryan Katz, a mobile, strong-armed sophomore who appears to have all the tools, but no experience. Fortunately for Katz, he inherits a veteran O-line and the most dynamic playmaking duo in the country. Tailback Jacquizz Rodgers may well find himself in New York for the Heisman ceremony, while his brother James keeps defenses honest with his speed on the fly sweep and the deep ball.

The Beaver defense, which was fairly pedestrian last season will need to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Defensive tackle Stephen Paea is a beast in the middle who should get enough attention to free up defensive ends Gabe Miller and Taylor Henry. Linebacker, which has traditionally been a strength for the Beavs is now area of concern with injuries and departures taking their toll. The secondary should be solid if there is improvement on the defensive front. The Beavers success ultimately lies with Katz. If the Beavers can avoid another lousy start and Katz can get some confidence early, the Beavers will be tough to stop. But an unforgiving schedule that begins with road games against TCU and Boise, and ends with USC, Stanford and Oregon will keep them out of the Rose Bowl.

2. Stanford

The loss of Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart (1,871 yards, 28 TDs) means sophomore sensation Andrew Luck will throw the ball more. That won't be a problem. Luck exhibited extraordinary poise as a freshman, repeatedly making clutch throws to keep his team alive. But he will need more consistency out of this receivers to win games. Meanwhile, coach Jim Harbaugh will try to replace Gerhart's production by committee with senior Jeremy Stewart getting the start.

The defense will be a problem. When Gerhart pounded away at opposing defenses, wearing them down and eating up the clock, the Cardinal defense rested. Harbaugh won't be able to reproduce that. Even when they had that luxury, the Cardinal still gave up the second most yards in the conference. Harbaugh will try to compensate by switching to a 3-4 scheme that's more aggressive and takes advantage of his personnel. If the defense is shored up, the Cardinal will take advantage of a favorable schedule and challenge for the league title.

1. Oregon

Before the dismissal of Jeremiah Masoli, this team was a national title contender. The Ducks won't be able to replace his toughness and playmaking ability, but with all the weapons they have, they may not have to. Sophomore Darron Thomas brings athleticism and moxie to the position. As a true freshman, he was thrown into what appeared to be a blow out loss to Boise, and threw three touchdown passes to nearly bring the Ducks back. He'll get help from a group of fast, lanky receivers led by sure-handed Jeff-Maehl. In the backfield, there's an abundance of riches with speedsters LaMichael James (6.7 yards per carry last year) and Kenjon Barner. Did I mention all five starters return to an offensive line that may have been the best in the conference last season?

The Ducks will once again field a somewhat undersized, but really fast defense. Kenny Rowe and Brandon Bair head up a defensive line that led the league in sacks last year. Senior linebacker Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger will plug the holes while a deep, battle-tested secondary tries to keep Pac-10 receivers in check. In a conference loaded with offense, the Ducks appear to be the only team with enough steam on defense to slow opponents down, and that will be the difference.

Pac-10 Expansion

Now that the dust has settled on the Pac-10 expansion, I have a few thoughts on how this played out and what the Pac-12 will mean for the league and its fans. First of all, and I say this as someone who is a generally a traditionalist, I think expansion was a good thing. Second year comissioner Larry Scott has brought a great deal of energy and fresh thinking to the conference. His move to expand to sixteen teams was a bold one. Some will argue whether settling for twelve teams actually improved the league, or whether he was played by Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds, but no one can argue that Scott has his eyes on the horizon trying to raise the Pac-10's national profile.

And in this, he has cleary been successful. It is evident (if not demonstrable), for a number of reasons, that outside of USC, the Pac-10 does not get the kind of national respect, recogniton and ultimately revenue the SEC, Big-10, and Big 12 enjoy. And some of those reasons are perfectly legitimate, whether the result of circumstances, demographics or geography. But by going after the big boys like Texas and Oklahoma, Scott has put the college football landscape on notice that the Pac-10 is a national player, not content with playing second fiddle to anyone.

In Colorado, you get a program with strong history of success that is only a good coach away from a return to national prominence. With Utah you get a team on the rise who has won two BCS bowls in the last five years. Adding the Denver and Salt Lake City markets means more revenue as the conference goes forward to negotiate a better TV contract. This can only help the conference to get a better Bowl contract as well. Combined with the inevitable addition of a conference championship game, the Pac-10 is primed to get more viewership, more coverage and more revenue. And he isn't finished. Scott, along Pac-10 coaches and quarterbacks just concluded an East Coast media tour to promote the conference.

So what will the Pac-12 look like? There are two likely scenarios.

A North-South split:

• North: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, Stanford
  
• South: UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah

The "zipper" plan:

• East: Washington State, Oregon, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Colorado


• West: Washington, Oregon State, Cal, UCLA, Arizona State, Utah

In either scenario, the loss of the round robin schedule means northwest schools will no longer have the annual trip to Los Angeles, which coaches see as essential for recruiting. No one wants to lose that access, which is why the "zipper" plan seems most likely because it guarantees a trip to LA at least every other year, while maintaining the annual in state/regional rivalry games (The Apple Cup, Civil War, The Big Game, etc.). There are sticky issues with either plan, so we may not know what is decided for some time. Regardless of how the new Pac-12 takes shape, there is little doubt that it will have a huge impact on the college football landscape. What better time to be a fan of the best conference in football?!

2009 Pac-10 bowl record: 2-5

Apparently tired of hearing how much faster and more athletic Oregon is, the Ohio State Buckeyes took out their frustration on the Ducks. The Buckeyes outplayed the Ducks on both sides of the ball to defeat Oregon 26-17 in the Rose Bowl and reclaimed some respect for the Big-10 conference. Ohio State quarterback and game MVP Terrelle Pryor was too much for the Oregon defense as he repeatedly made plays for the Buckeyes when they needed him. The Ducks meanwhile, were completely ineffective on third down, converting a pathetic 2 of 11 (18%). The Oregon defense was equally bad, allowing the Buckeyes to convert 11/21 third down attemps (52%). Even more telling was the time of possession with Ohio State winning that battle, 41:37 to 18:23 which effectively kept the Oregon offense off the field.

The Pac-10, arguably the best conference during the regular season performed miserably in the postseason this year with a 2-5 record in bowl games. In contrast, the Big-10, ridiculed for years for their poor postseason performances in recent years, has improved to 3-2 so far in bowl games. The good news, however, is that the Ducks and the Pac-10 return a ton of players and should be even better next year.

2009 Pac-10 bowl record: 2-4

As good as Toby Gerhart is, he could not overcome the absence of his outstanding freshman quarterback Andrew Luck as the Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Stanford Cardinal 31-27 in the Sun Bowl. The Sooners exploded on offense, outgaining the Cardinal's one-dimensional attack 477 yards to 262.

Upcoming Bowl Games
Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 bowl record: 2-3

The Arizona Wildcats embarassed themselves and the Pac-10 Wednesday night in the most one-sided affair of the bowl season as they were dominated by the Nebraska Cornhuskers 33-0 in the Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats could only muster 108 total yards (mostly on the last drive) against the Cornhusker defense which spent most of the night in Arizona's backfield. Meanwhile, the Nebraska offense, which had been anemic for most of the season, looked unstoppable against the impotent Arizona defense.

Upcoming Bowl Games
Sun Bowl 12/31: Stanford vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 bowl record: 2-2

The UCLA Bruins rallied to score 23 unanswered points in the second half, defeating the Temple Owls 30-21 in the EagleBank Bowl. The Bruins took the lead for good on Akeem Ayers 2-yard interception return for a touchdown. The victory gave Rick Neuheisal's team its seventh victory, marking its first winnning season since 2006.

Upcoming Bowl Games

Holiday Bowl 12/30: Arizona vs. Nebraska

Sun Bowl 12/31: Stanford vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 Bowl record: 1-2

Southern California put a positive finish on what has been a disappointing season for the Trojans with a 24-13 win over Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. The victory marked the Pac-10's first bowl victory of the season and salvaged a little respect coming off two straight bowl losses to the Mountain West. Wideout Damian Williams was the star, hauling in 12 catches for a 189 yards.

Upcoming Bowl Games
EagleBank Bowl 12/29: UCLA vs. Temple
Holiday Bowl 12/30: Arizona vs. Nebraska
Sun Bowl 12/31: Stanford vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 Bowl record: 0-2

For the second consecutive bowl game, the Mountain West conference outclassed the Pac-10 to go 3-0 on the bowl season. Tonight's victims were the Cal Golden Bears who after going up 14-0 early, were defeated by the Utah Utes 37-27 in the Poinsettia Bowl. That makes NINE straight Bowl wins for Utah. Cal losing doesn't surprise me, but I cannot understand why Kevin Riley is the best that quarterback guru Jeff Tedford can come up with after winning with guys like Kyle Boller, Aaron Rodgers and Nate Longshore.

Upcoming Bowl Games
Emerald Bowl 12/26: USC vs. Boston College
EagleBank Bowl 12/29: UCLA vs. Temple
Holiday Bowl 12/30: Arizona vs. Nebraska
Sun Bowl 12/31: Stanford vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 Bowl record: 0-1

Mike Riley lost his first bowl game as Oregon State's head coach. Two straight Civil War losses that cost them the Rose Bowl appear to have taken their toll on the Beavers, who looked uncharacteristically uninspired and sloppy in a 44-20 beating by the Cougars of BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl tonight.

Upcoming Bowl Games

Poinsettia Bowl 12/23: Cal vs. Utah

Emerald Bowl 12/26: USC vs. Boston College

EagleBank Bowl 12/29: UCLA vs. Temple

Holiday Bowl 12/30: Arizona vs. Nebraska

Sun Bowl 12/31: Stanford vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl 1/1: Oregon vs. Ohio State

2009 Pac-10 Season in Review

It was a season of change in the Pac-10 with the USC star fading somewhat, their streak of seven straight Pac-10 championships coming to an end. Despite this, the conference proved as strong and deep as it has ever been. Many experts (including myself), for the first time, placed the Pac-10 ahead of the SEC as the best conference in America (Here's a great analysis). Former cellar dwellers like Arizona and Stanford emerged at title contenders in one of the most hotly contested Pac-10 races in recent memory. Going into the last two weeks of the season, Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Southern Cal all had a chance to smell the roses. But in the end, the title came down to the Ducks and Beavers in a winner take all Civil War for the roses.

1. Oregon 10-2 (8-1)

The Ducks began their season in nightmarish fashion. But first year head coach Chip Kelly held this team together until Oregon's spread option offense finally exploded against Cal, routing the Golden Bears 42-3. The Ducks followed suit with a 47-20 beat down of USC on Halloween night, handing the Trojans their worst loss in twelve years. Oregon fell short in a horse race against Stanford, but earned a trip to Pasadena by finshing with a double OT win against Arizona and a Civil War victory. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was the conference's most dynamic player while freshman tailback LaMichael James made everyone forget about LeGarrette Blount.

2. Arizona 8-4 (6-3)

The Wilcats played with their usual toughness on defense, but the story of this team was the offense, as the spread attack of Sonny Dykes found it's true expression through sensational sophomore quarterback Nick Foles. His leadership and poise steadied a team hit hard by injuries. Arizona put up big-time wins over conference heavyweights Stanford, Oregon State and USC to nail a Holiday Bowl birth and the program's best finish in 11 years.

3. Stanford 8-4 (6-3)

Head coach Jim Harbaugh deserves a ton of credit. This Stanford team plays with determination, toughness and excellent execution. Their offensive line overpowered opponents. Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart was the nation's most dominant player. In my opinion however, it was freshman quarterback Andrew Luck that made the difference. His execution on third down and ability to consistently make teams pay on play action propelled their offense to another level. They looked unstoppable late in the season after after back to back wins over Oregon and USC, before being tripped up by Cal.

4. Oregon State 8-4 (6-3)

The Beavers under Mike Riley continue to amaze as they re-load rather than re-build no matter how many players they lose. The Rodgers brothers were once again the heart and soul of the team, accounting for more than 60 percent of the team's total yards. But the team's success this year can most be attributed to senior all Pac-10 quarterback Sean Canfield who played as well as any Beaver quarterback ever has. The Beavers were one win away from the Rose Bowl, but narrowly lost the Civil War to Oregon.

5. USC 8-4 (5-4)

As I predicted before the season, the Trojans weren't able to overcome the loss of eight starters on defense, both coordinators, and a whole mess of players to injuries. Add a true freshman to start at quarterback and you've got a recipe for a rebuilding year. USC started well with a road win against Ohio State, but were bushwacked by the Huskies in Seattle. The Trojans rolled up four straight wins before suffering their worst loss since 1997 in Eugene. They never recovered, getting steamrolled by Stanford and finishing with a loss to Arizona. Although a supremely talented team, losses to Oregon State and Stanford in 2006, Oregon in 2007, the Beavers again in 2008, the Trojans have shown themselves beatable in recent years. With the overall improvment of the conference, it will be interesting to see if USC can regain its place at the top.

6. Cal 8-5 (5-4)

Before the season, I said this team would win the conference if quarterback Kevin Riley could be consistent and make plays when it mattered. He didn't. They didn't. This team was such a disappointment after going 3-0 to start the season with impressive wins over Maryland and Minnesota. Then came the back to back beatings by Oregon and USC. Cal managed to rally however, winning five their next six games, including a huge win over Stanford in the Big Game. But then they traveled to Seattle only get completely outclassed by the Huskies

7. Washington 5-7 (4-5)

Something changed in Seattle with the arrival of first year head coach Steve Sarkisian. It was apparent when the SEC powerhouse LSU came to town. The Huskies played with a confidence and determination not seen on Lake Washington in quite a few years. It all came together with a monumental upset win over the 3rd ranked USC Trojans. They followed it up with a near miraculous win over Arizona. The Huskies finished with five wins, but it was five more than last year. Coach Sarkisian did an amazing job, especially helping dynamic quarterback Jake Locker make more plays from the pocket. With Locker's commitement to return in 2010, the Huskies could shake up the conference.

8. UCLA 6-6 (3-6)

The Bruins started off hot with a tough win over Tennessee in Knoxville and a rout of Kansas State. Once in conference play however, the struggled. The Bruins fielded an excellent defense, but couldn't score points, despite the efforts of offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

9. Arizona State 4-8 (2-7)

Another disappointing season for the most underachieving team in the Pac-10 (Cal?). Despite loads of talent and high expectations, this program cannot put together a team that can compete at the top of the conference. Erickson's clock is ticking.

10. Washington State 1-11 (0-9)

What can you say? This team was never competitive in a conference game and appear no closer to turning the corner than they were last year.

2009 Pac-10 season: Week 3 in Review

Here's what we learned:

Washington is back

Watching Husky fans flood the field after their monumental 16-13 win over USC was like watching a POW emerge from years of captivity. Rarely have I felt like a single game changed the course of a team and a program, but I believe I witnessed that Saturday in Seattle. Whether it was Chris Polk driving Trojan defenders back as he struggled for extra yards, or the Husky defense flying around the ball, pushing around the best offensive line in the country, or Jake Locker making big plays on third down, it's clear something has changed at Washington.

And that's a good thing. The Husky football program has a long, proud history with some of the best fans in college football. And while Duck and Cougar fans may have been happy with the Huskies in the conference cellar the last five years, the truth is that the conference is better when Washington is winning (and easier to hate). Steve Sarkisian has given the program a heart transplant, and it shows. He will be the toast of the town for the next week, but if he can keep this going and take the Dawgs to a bowl game, they will have to erect a statue of him outside Husky stadium.

The Pac-10 is surging
The Conference of Champions made a statement Saturday going 6-2 in non-conference games for the third straight week. Cal fended off a challenge from a game Minnesota team. Oregon ended the nation's longest winning streak by beating Utah. Led by ex-starter Kevin Craft, a thin UCLA team extended their record to 3-0 by defeating the Wildcats of Kansas State. Even the lowly Cougars look improved after gutting out a nice overtime win against the previously 2-0 SMU Mustangs.

As I said in my conference preview, most of the the Pac-10 is winning, not with a wide open air-offensive, but with solid defense and grinding out yards on the ground. This shift in philosophy is interesting given that the other two major competitive conferences, the Big-12 and to a lesser degree the SEC, emphasize spread offenses that toss the football all over the field. I think it's fair to say that like Tiger Woods in golf or Roger Federer in tennis, USC's greatness has raised the level of the competition. That's not to say USC will cease to be the class of the conference, but I don't expect the Trojans to continue to dominate they way the have for the last six years.

USC is not USC

For the last two years, I have enthusiastically (and correctly) picked USC to win the conference. But this year, I have tried in vain to convince those people drinking the USC Kool-Aid that the Trojans string of conference championships will come to an end. As I said before, even a team as brimming with talent as USC cannot lose both coordinators, their best corner to suspension, a host of players including their best receiver to injury, replace nearly all of their defense and expect to win the conference with a freshman quarterback. It took a once in a generation quarterback like Matt Leinart to claim the conference crown as a sophomore (on a better team).

For those willing to look past the hype, the Men of Troy didn't look that great beating a good-for-the-Big-10 Ohio State team. In fairness to USC, they were without their all-American safety Taylor Mays and starting quarterback Matt Barkley Saturday, but getting them back will not change the fact that this USC team is not as good as previous ones, and is surrounded by better teams than before.

2009 Pac-10 season: Week 2 in Review

Despite the widely held view across the country that the Pac-10 is the third or fourth best conference in the country behind the SEC, Big-12 or even the Mountain West, the league made another a good showing Saturday. Most of the coverage was centered around the marquee game of the weekend, in which USC squeeked by Ohio State. But the far more impressive win was UCLA's hard fought victory over Tennesee.

Washington, Cal and Arizona held serve by trouncing far inferior opponents, while the Beavers narrowly left Las Vegas with a W. The Ducks may have turned their season around by holding on (just barely) to defeat Purdue. Only Stanford left a blemish on the conference, by giving up 17-3 halftime lead and going scoreless in the second half to let Wake Forest come back to win 24-17.

Here's what we learned:

USC is not USC

Forget this silliness about Matt Barkley and Joe McKnight adding another chapter to USC lore. They beat another weak Big-10 opponent, only this time they barely managed it. Ohio State lost that game because, offensively, Buckeye coach Jim Tressel is still stuck in the dark ages. I don't buy the Trojan defense. And although Matt Barkley made some nice plays late in the game to bring them back, I don't buy him taking this team to a BCS bowl game. Wait until the Trojans play Cal. Heck, I'm not so sure they can get past the Huskies in Seattle next weekend.

The Bruins are for real (?)

The Bruins showed some brass going into to Knoxville and gutting out a hard fought win with their defense leading the way. In doing so, they proved that last year's win was no fluke. In fact, the Pac-10 is 11-8 versus the SEC since 2000 (UCLA is 4-0). Neuheisal seems to be building something special in Westwood. His players showed tremendous poise and confidence in a hostile environment.

Oregon got what they needed

With the season on the line, the Ducks found some offense (albeit sloppy and inconsistent), combined with a big-play defense to secure a must-have win over Purdue. Who knows what kind of season is ahead for the Ducks, but for now at least, they appear to have put that ugly night in Boise behind them.

2009 Pac-10 season: Week 1 in Review

After the Pac-10's disasterous start to season Thursday night, the rest of the conference gave a good account of itself Saturday. As expected, USC, UCLA, Oregon State and Arizona State steamrolled their vastly inferior opponents, so there is little we can learn from their victories. However, we learned a lot about the rest of the conference.

Here's what we learned:

These quarterbacks can play (for now)

In a conference full of freshman and sophomore quarterbacks, others returning from injuries, and still others trying to prove they belong; the league's young signal callers made impressive debuts. New starters Matt Barkley, Matt Scott, Kevin Prince and Danny O'Sullivan put forth workmanlike efforts, managing their teams efficiently. But all have yet to be tested against real competition. Washington's Jake Locker looked fairly sharp coming back from a thumb injury. Most impressive were Stanford freshman Andrew Luck and Cal 's Kevin Riley, which is why...

The Bay looks strong

Stanford was firing all all cylinders Saturday in an impressive 39-13 victory over the Cougars. The only question mark was the quarterback position where Andrew Luck showed why Jim Harbaugh had no problem starting a redshirt freshman over a veteran senior. Luck made smart decisions while running back Toby Gerhart racked up 121 of the Cardinal's 288 yards rushing.

Meanwhile, back in Stawberry Canyon, the Cal Bears spent their afternoon trouncing the Maryland Terrapins 52-13. Tailback Jahvid Best looked spectacular as expected, but it was the performance of Kevin Riley that gave Cal fans a sigh of relief. Riley, who has been inconsistent over his career, was the missing piece to a loaded, veteran team looking to dethrone the Trojans as conference champions. Against a solid opponent that embarassed Cal last year, Riley went 17 of 26 for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns. Watch out for the Bears.

Washington is better

One thing is clear after Washington's 31-23 loss to LSU - this is a changed football team. The Huskies were the worst team in football last year, and they gave one of the top team's in the SEC all they could handle. Under new head coach Steve Sarkisian, this team looks sharper, smarter and hungier than it has in a long time.

Oregon must hit the reset button

We will know what kind of football team Chip Kelly has next weekend against Purdue. While the team has some major football issues to work out (replacing Lagarrette Blount, fixing their inept offense), the Ducks have to make a real gut check to put last Thursday behind them and move forward with the rest of the season. They must show some passion, learn from the experience and prove they are not the team that thought they could just show up in Boise.

Blount suspended for the season

Oregon running back Lagarrette Blount has been suspended for the season for his actions last night after the Boise State game. According to the Oregonian, "The suspension would remain in effect through the bowl season, if the Ducks are invited, but Blount will remain in school, on scholarship and in the football program - through any bowl games the Ducks may play in - and will practice and have access to the school's support services. He just won't be allowed to play in games."

I think the punishment was probably the right thing to do for the sake of the program. Anything less would probably be viewed as an endorsement of his behavior. I feel bad for the kid, but I'm glad they are going to allow him to remain with the team and continue working on his degree instead of just throwing him out on the street. He has the rest of the season to work hard, stay in shape and show contrition. Hopefully, he will take advantage of this opportunity. And if he's lucky, he may still have a shot at the NFL.

Ugly night in Boise

The Chip Kelly era got off to a horrible start last night as the Oregon Ducks were embarassed by the Boise State Broncos 19-8. That score doesn't begin to reflect how badly the Ducks were outplayed. Their offense, which averaged 42 points a game last year couldn't manage a first down in the first half. Their decision making and offensive line play were awful.

Compounding their rotten performance was the behavior of Ducks running back Lagarrette Blount. After the game, as Blount was walking off the field, Boise State defensive end Byron Hout came over to Blount, said a few words and gave him a small shove. Hout appeared to be taunting Blount, and most people assume it was a response to Blount's remark in a Sports Illustrated interview that "We owe that team (Boise) an ass-whuppin'."

Blount turned around and nailed Hout with straight right to the jaw, dropping him to the ground. Making matters worse, Blount fought with some of his teammates as they tried to pull him away. Still unable to control himself, Blount proceeded to go after some Boise fans who were mocking and taunting him. It was an ugly scene as teammates, security and police practically dragged Blount off the field.

There has been a lot of talk on the internet about what should happen. Many, including Oregonian columnist Jon Canzano demand that Blount be kicked off the team immediately. I think this is a gross overreaction.

First of all, let me say for the sake of full disclosure that I am Duck fan. So try as I might, I don't know that I can be totally objective. However, I wish to add a little perspective to this discussion. Much as been made in the media of Blount's "ass-whuppin'" remark in the Sports Illustrated college football preview issue. But I believe the media (especially ESPN) have taken his comments out of context, as though he were simply running his mouth, and used them to hype the game.

From what I understand, during the interview with Sports Illustrated, the reporter showed Blount footage of last year's game in which Duck quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was knocked out of the game with a concussion after a late hit by Boise State saftey Ellis Powers. After watching the video, Blount made his comment. That's hardly talking trash. But it makes for great bulletin board material for the opposing team's locker room. He should have been smarter.

Back to the incident. Lagarrette Blount is a scholarship player that represents his team, the program, the university and the state of Oregon. His behavior was unacceptable and he should face serious consequences. If he has no previous such offenses, and he is truly contrite, he should be suspended indefinitely, or for at least 5 games. If he has a history of bad behavior (fights in practice don't count. That happens everywhere), then the university should take more severe action, even that means dismissal from the program. But a blanket "kick him off the team" stance is an overreaction.

To read Canzano's hysterical account of the incident, you'd think Blount ran across the field to find Hout and knocked him out. It is me or does that guy write as though he has a grudge against the program?

Let's keep in mind that these are young men playing a violent and highly competitive sport. Fights break out, punches get thrown and cheap shot are taken every Saturday. This was worse because (1) it was caught on camera, (2) it was after the game was over and (3) Blount's continued actions after the punch.

But let's not kid ourselves, Byron Hout deserved that sock in the mouth for taunting a beaten opponent as he walked off the field. So before we get too self-righteous, let's try to imagine how we would react in a similar situation. Personally, I have a much bigger problem with his meltdown after the punch, taking shots as teammates who were trying to save him from himself, and going after idiot fans. You have to have more self control.

And for those Beaver fans who are taking this opportunity to trash Oregon's football program, try to remember when Beaver nation was cheering every late hit and personal foul during the 2000 Fiesta Bowl. Or repeatedly taking revenge on Fresno State's punt returner in 2002 when the ball was still 10-15 yards in the air, risking serious injury. Or the general thug element that existed during the Erickson years until Mike Riley finally got back control of the program.

By the way, is it too late to change my Pac-10 predictions?

2009 Pac-10 Preview

With the college football season set to kickoff tonight in Boise, could the Pac-10 be changing its image? Coming off a season in which the Pac-10 dominated bowl season (5-0) with tough, defensive play, the conference seems to be moving away (at least a little) from the pass-happy, finesse offenses of the past. Stanford, USC, Cal, Oregon and Oregon State are all run first offenses. The Pac-10 has always been the conference of quarterbacks, but now look at the situation -no big names and most of the conference signal callers are freshmen or sophomores, or first-time starters.

And while the Beavers and Trojans have always had a reputation for stingy defenses, the Arizona schools, Cal, Stanford and UCLA all have solid units. This shift towards power and defense will be interesting to follow in an age of spread offenses and record passing numbers.

10. Washington State
What happened to this once proud program? This team was in the Rose Bowl only six years ago while posting three straight 10-win seasons. Somehow, Bill Doba managed to destroy in 5 seasons what it took Mike Price 14 seasons to build. Now head coach Paul Wulff must pick up the pieces.

Where does he start? The Cougs lost their 11 games last year by an average of 40 points! In fairness, the Cougars were hammered by injuries, but there's simply not much talent and even less depth. The offensive line must improve to keep sophomore quarterback Marshal Lobbestael from getting killed, and start punching some holes for running back Dwight Tardy to run through. The good news is that it is unlikely to be as bad as last year. Wazzu finished last season on a positive note by beating the Huskies, and that should carry over a little into this year. But not enough to notch more than two, maybe three wins.

9. Washington
As bad as the Cougars were, somehow the Huskies were worse. In fact, the Huskies might have been the worst team in Division I football last year. Not only did they fail to win a game, their defense gave up a school record 452 yards a game (breaking the previous year's record of 447 yards). The good news is that mega-talented quarterback Jake Locker is back after missing most of last season with a broken thumb. He is a difference maker when healthy, but must improve his accuracy. New head coach Steve Sarkisian will help. The former USC offensive coordinator has already made an impact in recruiting, but the talent on the field is lacking (especially on defense). Look for them to gut out a few wins behind the arm and legs of Locker.

8. Arizona State
No team in the conference has underachieved more than the Sun Devils this decade. Loaded every year with talent, they always seem to find a way to disappoint. To avoid this head, coach Dennis Erickson must find a way to improve his offensive line. The Sun Devils have been lousy in pass protection and failed to establish a running game last season, averaging a paltry 89 rushing yards a game. Little known senior Danny Sullivan will play quarterback, while ASU searches for weapons at receiver and tailback. Defensively, things look much brighter for the Sun Devils. Defensive End Dexter Davis will lead a veteran defense that will frustrate opponents.

7. UCLA
With the talent level rising, head coach Rick Neuheisal is searching for playmakers on offense. Last season, the Bruins were last in the conference in rushing while quarterback Kevin Craft threw a school record 20 interceptions. The coaches are high on redshirt freshman Kevin Prince as he takes over the reigns at quarterback. Meanwhile the Bruins must fill holes at tailback and receiver while getting much better play from their O-line. On defense, things are much more promising. The defensive line is anchored by all-conference tackle Brian Price, while Reggie Carter highlights the league's best linebacking corps. This front seven will take pressure off an ultra-talented, but young secondary that includes corner Alterraun Verner and incoming star Aaron Hester. If this unit can get past the loss of defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, they could have a special year.

6. Arizona
After making a bowl game for the first time since 1998, the Wildcats hope to build upon their success. There are reasons for optimism. They return 1,000 yard rusher Nic Grigsby, and arguably the best tight end in the country in Rob Gronkowski. Defensively, they return seven starters from a squad that finished 3rd in the Pac-10 in total defense last year, led by senior cornerback Devin Ross.

However, there are questions all over the offensive line, and Mike Stoops has still not named his starting quarterback between sophomores Matt Scott and Nick Foles. With Mike Thomas gone, there will be no proven receiver to bail them out. If a quarterback emerges, this could be a dangerous team, but road games against USC, Cal and Oregon State will make a return to a bowl game a difficult chore.

Warning: The Wildcats had better watch out for an early landmine when Central Michigan comes to Tucson.

5. Stanford

Jim Harbaugh has transformed this team from the epitome of a soft, academic school to a tough, physical power team that pushes opponents around every week. On defense, the Cardinal returns seven starters to a squad that grinds away up front and gets after the quarterback. Offensively, Stanford will rely on their ground game that averaged 200 yards a game last season behind the power running of Toby Gerhart, the team's first 1,000 yard runner in 16 years. That will make life easier for redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck who gets the nod over veteran Tavita Pritchard. Jim Harbaugh's hard work to change this team's identidy should pay off with a bowl invite.

4. Oregon State

Despite their reputation for always fielding tough, athletic defenses, it may be the Beaver's offense that carries the team this year. With only three starters returning, defensive coordinator Mark Banker must once again find playmakers. They will miss the production of Victor Butler and Slade Norris, but should be fine up front. Keaton Kristick will lead a solid group of linebackers, but the Beavers must replace their entire secondary. Ouch.

Pint-sized Offensive Player of the Year Jacquizz Rodgers took the conference by storm last year as a true freshman. The Beavers will rely on his running as they get settled in at quarterback where Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao have been trading spots as injuries dictate. Canfield is the man for now and should get plenty of help from wideouts James Rodgers, Darrell Catchings and senior tight end Howard Croom. But don't underestimate the loss of Sammie Stroughter. He was a playmaking home run threat who opened things up for the rest of the offense. The Beavers will miss him.

I wanted to put them lower, but Mike Riley always seem to defy logic. He gets the most out of his players and his teams get better as the season goes on. I wonder if Beaver fans know how lucky they are to have him as their coach.

3. USC

The Good: The Trojans enter this season loaded on offense. Their depth at running back is astounding. Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, and C.J. Gable will pound away at teams behind one of the best offensive lines in the country. And last year's leading receiver Damian Williams will make life easier on the quarterback. On the other side of the ball, All-American candidate Taylor Mays returns for his senior season to lead the defense from the Safety position.

The Bad: The Trojans return only three starters on defense. They lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators, AND they are starting a true freshman, Matt Barkley, at quarterback.

The Ugly: Starting wideout Ronald Johnson will likely miss the season with a broken collarbone. Defensive end Armond Armstead is out six weeks with a broken foot. Center Kristofer O'Dowd is out 3-4 weeks with a injured knee. And starting cornerback Shareece Wright out for the season after being ruled academically ineligible. To make matters worse, the Trojans must go on the road to play Ohio State, Cal and Oregon.

Prediction: The Trojans run of seven straight conference championships will come to an end this year as they lose three games. Talent can only take you so far. Much better USC teams were beaten by Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State the last three years. The Pac-10 just isn't intimidated by the Trojans.

2. California

Jahvid Best is the arguably the nation's best runnning back. He averaged an unbelievable 8.1 yards per carry last season. If the Bears can fill some holes on the offensive line, he is set for a big year. Success for the team however, will depend on the emergence of junior quarterback Kevin Riley. He has been unable, despite many chances, to perform consistently over the last two years. If Riley steps up, the Golden Bears will win the conference.

The secondary will be the strength on a defense that returns eight starters, led by all-conference cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson. However, the Bears lose all three linebackers, the heart of last year's defense. Replacing their production and playmaking (especially Zack Follet) will not be easy.

1. Oregon

New head coach Chip Kelly has created an offensive machine in Eugene with his spread-option attack, averaging a school record 41.9 points a game last season. Now he must prove he can manage a team as well as Mike Bellotti did for 14 years. It won't be easy. The Ducks must replace three starters on the offensive line. And they must find a consistent playmaker at the receiver position. Fortunately for the Ducks, they return the league's best quarterback in Jeremiah Masoli and a punishing running game led by Legarrette Blount. Tight end Ed Dickson will cause mismatches downfield and USC transfer Jamere Holland has the speed to stretch the defense.

Defensively, the Ducks have some veterans to replace starters on the defensive line. Spencer Paysinger and Casey Matthews lead a fast, intelligent linebacking corps. And cornerback Walther Thurmond III anchors a secondary that includes safety T.J. Ward, a crushing hitter who looks to hurt somone on every play.

I give the edge to the Ducks for two reasons. First, they have the most experienced quarterback, which counts for a lot in a conference with so many questions marks at the position. Second, the Ducks get Cal, USC and Oregon State in Eugene. Their game with Boise tonight will tell us a lot about this team.

Bad news for Boise: Every time Chip Kelly has more than a week to prepare, the Ducks have scored 50 points.

2008 Pac-10 Bowl Record: 5-0

Southern Cal rolled over Penn State in almost comic fashion 38-24, notching yet another Rose Bowl win. Riding the arm of Mark Sanchez and his 413 yards and 4 TDs, the Trojans built a 31-7 halftime lead before lettling off the gas late. In doing so, they finished the Pac-10 bowl season with a perfect 5-0 record.

The much maligned Pac-10 silenced their critics with physical play in their wins over teams from the Mountain West, ACC, Big 12, Big East, and Big 10. After graduationg a lot of talent, the Pac-10 showed showed how a conference with a lot of young players can improve over the course of a season. It also demonstrates, once again, the terrible coverage of west coast football, and how over-hyped conferences like the (defense optional) Big-12 are.

2008 Pac-10 Bowl Record: 4-0

The Beavers improved their bowl record to 5-0 under head coach Mike Riley with an ugly 3-0 win over the Pitt Panthers. Oregon State's offense may have been inept, but their defense was inspired, turning in a dominant performance and shutting down one of the best running backs in the country in LeSean McCoy. The shutout was also redemption for the Beavers after giving up 65 points in the Civil War.

Upcoming Pac-10 Bowl Games:

Rose Bowl 1/1: USC vs. Penn State

2008 Pac-10 Bowl Record: 3-0

Led by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (4 TDs), the Oregon Ducks scored 35 second-half points to defeat Oklahoma State for a 42-21 victory in the Holiday Bowl. But it was a hard-hitting Duck defense made the difference, holding the high scoring Cowboys to only two touchdowns in the final three quarters.

Upcoming Pac-10 Bowl Games:
Sun Bowl 12/31: Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Rose Bowl 1/1: USC vs. Penn State

2008 Pac-10 Bowl Record: 2-0

Senior Linebacker Zack Follett forced a fumble late in the game to set up California's game-winning touchdown, clinching their 24-17 victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the Emerald Bowl. Assisted by their homefield advantage and the outstanding play of Follett and RB Jahvid Best (186 yards, 2 TDs), the Cal Bears did just enough to notch their fourth straight bowl victory. Jeff Tedford improved to 5-1 as head coach in bowl games, matching the number of bowl victories the school had before he arrived.

Upcoming Pac-10 Bowl Games:
Holiday Bowl: 12/30: Oregon vs. Oklahoma State
Sun Bowl 12/31: Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Rose Bowl 1/1: USC vs. Penn State