2007 FOOTBALL
Team PAC-10 Overall
1. Arizona State 3-0 6-02. California 2-0 5-03. UCLA 3-0 4-24. USC 2-1 4-15. Oregon 1-1 4-16. Oregon State 1-2 3-37. Arizona 1-2 2-48. Stanford 1-3 2-39. Washington 0-2 2-310. Washington State 0-3 2-4
Week 6 Analysis:
Well, I’ll start off by saying how disappointed I am in the Pac-10’s performance this weekend for a couple of different reasons:
One, nobody had good quality outings on offense other than Oregon State running back Bernard Yvenson, who rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns (two rush, one pass). The only other person that was reasonably close was Washington State quarterback Alex Brink who threw for 369 yards and two TD, but threw an interception for a TD that cost his team the game.
Two, the lack of clout from the supposed “better teams” were nowhere to be found in the Pac-10 including ASU, UCLA, and most specifically USC. And, the lack of will I saw to try and win a game was also an enigma.
There is no way Stanford, who has lost their last three games by an average of 27 points, should have been remotely close to USC who were favored by 41 points. The Trojans proved to the nation that they are not the No. 1 team in the nation, and for that matter the Pac-10. This was supposed to be a nice bounce back game at home where they haven’t lost the last 35 games – a six year run – but USC and Coach Pete Carroll couldn’t muster up much of anything to beat a not so good Cardinal team. The outrageous point spread makes this the biggest upset in college football history.
Even though I called it last week, the Bruins should not have lost their game at home against Notre Dame. Arizona State squeezed out of a tight hole on the road at Washington State squeaking out a 23-20 victory. Either one of these three teams should have defeated their opponents by at least double digits, but their will to win was nowhere to be present.
Not only did the teams that really have nothing to play for act like they did, but UCLA and USC could not hold onto the ball, which results from a lack concentration which stems from no will to win.
I do, on the other hand, have to give big props to the Stanford Cardinal who had absolutely no reason to be in that position except for their will to win, and it showed from the coaching staff all the way down. “They played like their lives depended on it,” said Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh of the players. And I don’t know if Harbaugh had a premonition or if he was just trying to rally his troops but nice prediction on beating the Trojans.
Game Reviews: Week 6
California – open date – next game Oct. 13 vs. Oregon State
Oregon – open date – next game Oct. 13 vs. Washington State
Washington – open date – next game Oct. 13 at Arizona State
Arizona (16) v Oregon State (31)
Senior TB Yvenson Bernard broke out the gates strong in the first quarter with two touchdowns for 20 yards, and nine yards helping Oregon State prevail over Arizona 31-16. Putting another solid performance together, Bernard dashed for 140 yards along with another touchdown making three TD on the day. Along with Bernard, the OSU defense put up a touchdown in the first quarter when Joey Larocque returned a 49 yd interception helping OSU jump out to a 24-3 lead in the opening quarter.
Arizona’s running game was ineffective all day because their offense had to erase a 21 point lead. But give credit to the OSU defense for their defensive line sacking Arizona QB Willie Tuitama – who has been very dependable of late – eight times for 75 yards and forcing him to throw three interceptions. They also held AU to 231 total yards of offense. Before this game, Tuitama had only one where he threw under 231 yards.
Arizona State (23) v Washington State (20)
Washington State for the most part handled No. 18 Arizona State at home, out-passing ASU by 152 yards and edging them out on the ground.
However, WSU had two turnovers with one taken back for 70 yards after CB Justin Tyron jumped in front of an Alex Brink pass. WSU defense also kept drives alive giving up to 11 penalties for 90 yards. Then after WSU QB Alex Brink, who threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns, drove their offense into field goal range with less than 20 seconds left, Romeen Abdollmohammadi missed a 46 yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Alex Brink threw well against a good Pac-10 defense, well enough for them to win the ball game, but had one slip that costed them seven points.
ASU was overpowered on the road and gave up 451 yards on defense. They better be careful because any Pac-10 team can beat their conference opponent as showed today.
Stanford (24) v USC (23)
USC, USC, USC . . . what were you possibly thinking?!? Not only were you favored by 41 points, but you let Stanford (2-3), who has not played a road game all year and got walloped during their loses by an average of 27 points, totally outplay you in the fourth quarter and beat you at HOME where you haven’t lost in the past 35 games!
I guess it could have been worst; you could have lost to a team at home who hasn’t won a game all year as your neighborhood rival UCLA did . . . Wait, that is worst because you are the number two team in the country and you just had your top spot taken from you after not losing any football games.
This was a perfect bounce back game for the Trojans, who had previously been criticized in the polls for not beating weaker opponents convincingly enough. This was their chance to put up huge numbers on the board against a team that has given up an average of 47 points in three loses. I thought USC Coach Pete Carroll would have had his boys amped up at home after losing the top spot, but USC didn’t take advantage of the situation at hand.
John David Booty struggled again throwing for four interceptions with one of them putting the Cardinals in good field position resulting in a touchdown, and the other coming on the last drive of the game. He cannot be throwing the ball 40 times a game especially – with the solid ground game that USC produces. I know Stafon Johnson, USC’s main running back, was hurt but they still had Chauncey Washingtion. Even though Stanford had good field position to start, I was disappointed in the Trpjan defense that should have never let them score a touchdown with 44 seconds remaining. Let alone allowing Stanford QB Tavita Pritchard to wing a pass down field to convert on fourth and 20.
You have to give everything to the Cardinal men and coach Harbaugh for playing in a place where it’s almost impossible to win against a team who is almost impossible to beat.
Notre Dame(20) v UCLA,(6)
I warned against UCLA overlooking this game. But the Bruins coughed up the ball seven times and give up 11 penalties for 93 yards.
I understand that UCLA top two quarterbacks were hurt, but they were at home fighting for the top spot in the Pac-10 against a team that has averaged just nine points and given up over 30 points in their last five games.
I don’t know if you couldn’t tell by that subtle stat, but Notre Dame hadn’t won a game before making their trip out to the West Coast. UCLA had double the yards of passing and running against Notre Dame, but decided to turn the ball over seven times.
No numbers in this game were anywhere near close to being good on the offensive of side, but the Notre Dame defense has to be proud of the way they played on the road with only giving up 89 yards on the ground and winning their first game.
PAC-10’s Stars of the Stats: Week 6
Passing:
Alex Brink (Sr., Washington State) 27/50, 369 yards, twoTD
Receiving:
Fred Davis (Sr., USC) five receptions, 152 yards, one TD
Jeshua Anderson (Fr., Washington State) three receptions, 98 yards
Brandon Gibson (Jr., Washington State) five receptions, 80 yar
ds, one TD
Rushing:
Bernard Yvenson (Sr., Oregon State) 32 attempts 140, three TD
PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Week: Week 6
Senior WR Mark Bradford played a key role in Stanford’s upset victory last weekend against USC to win him the Offensive Player of the Week award.
Playing in his hometown, Bradford caught the game-winning touchdown pass from ten yards out with 49 second remaining in the game. It was one of his five receptions for 87 yards (17.4) in the game.
PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Week: Week 6
Stanford DE Pannel Egboh was also a contributing factor in Stanford’s win.
Egboh finished with 10 tackles, six solo, including 2.5 tackles for loss (-13) and 1.5 quarterback sacks (-11), and blocked a Trojan PAT attempt in a play that proved critical in the one-point win. The Stanford defense limited USC to just 95 yards rushing, forced five turnovers, including four interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, and posted four quarterback sacks (-29).
PAC-10 Special Teams Player of the Week: Week 6
Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber earned special teams player of the week honors for the second week in a row for his role in Arizona State’s 23-20 road win at Washington State.
Weber, a freshman from Downey, Calif., Weber booted the game- winning field goal from 37 yards out with 50 seconds remaining in the game. He also had four of his five kickoffs go for touchbacks, and punted for the first time in his college career, averaging 41.5 yards on six punts, and two kicks pinned inside the 10-yard line.
PAC-10 Player of the year Chase – Comp.% Yards TD INT
Rudy Carpenter 66.7 1503 14 6 Alex Brink 64.8 1828 17 5 Willie Tuitama 61.2 1822 15 7 Dennis Dixon 69.3 1238 12 2 Dennis DixonAttempts – 56Yards – 308Yds/att – 5.5TD – 5
Rec. REYD REYR TDBrandon Gibson 39 567 14.5 6
