By snoadmin
2007 FOOTBALL Team PAC-10 Overall 1. Arizona State 3-0 6-0 2. California 2-0 5-0 3. UCLA 3-0 4-2 4. USC 2-1 4-1 5. Oregon 1-1 4-1 6. Oregon State 1-2 3-3 7. Arizona 1-2 2-4 8. Stanford 1-3 2-3 9. Washington 0-2 2-3 10. Washington State 0-3 2-4 Week 7 Preview: Who wants it more this weekend, you or your opponent? That’s what some teams are going to have to answer this weekend with a win at home. I expect all home teams to win this weekend even though three out of the four are heavily favored. All of these games will have huge indications of how mentally prepared the top teams are. USC is coming off a discouraging loss last weekend against Stanford; Oregon has to return with a vengeance after a bye week and a dispiriting loss against Cal; Stanford will have to confirm that they are for real and that their win against USC wasn’t the biggest fluke in college football history; and California will have to illustrate that they can hold on to the No.2 spot in the nation which teams are having a hard time doing of late. There are still three Pac-10 teams in the nation’s top 10; No.2 Cal, No.9 Oregon, and No.10 USC and Arizona State at No.14. Overall the Pac-10 is looking superior, but there is going to be some soul searching this weekend as some teams try to improve and forget the past while others try to stay alive. There is still a lot of noise to be made heading into the backside of the season with teams’ confidence rising after upsets occurred last weekend to top teams in the Pac-10 USC and UCLA. Get strapped up boys because there should be heads flying in spirits of the “do or die motto.” If Arizona, Washington State, Stanford, and Oregon State lose they could consider their season done, and if USC, Oregon, or California loses it will have huge implications on poll, Pac-10 and bowl standings. Game Previews: Week 7
UCLA (4-2) – open date – next game Nov. 20 vs. California
ARIZONA (2-4) at USC (4-1)
Well, hopefully the Trojans can actually “bounce” back from last week’s let down loss instead of “falling” on their faces as they did last week against the Cardinals. There is not much to say here. USC is the better team as we all know and they are at home which gives them an additional advantage. However, if USC doesn’t come to play as they decided not to last week, they will lose again. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, it’s how a team moves on. That’s going to predict USC’s future. So in saying that, USC QB John David Booty, who broke his middle finger in the second quarter of last week’s lost, said he hoped the broken bone in the middle finger of his throwing hand wouldn’t keep him from playing Saturday against Arizona. According to Coach Pete Carroll, Senior QB John David Booty was “pretty sore” with a “fat finger” on Oct. 9 and his start this week against Arizona is in doubt. If Booty is unable to play Sophomore Mark Sanchez will take his place. No matter what happens to Booty, USC has to concentrate on holding to the ball this weekend and must create some turnovers on defense. In order for a win, Arizona will also have to hold on to the ball, keep the game close and capitalize on turnovers as Stanford did. Arizona QB Willie Tuitama will need to have a solid performance, but in order for this to happen they must establish a run game in which they failed to do last weekend against OSU. No matter if Booty plays or not, USC should win this game because they are still the better team and they are at home.
PREDICTION: USC
WASHINGTON STATE (2-4) at OREGON (4-1)
Oregon has had two full weeks to move on from their disheartening loss against California. They like the Trojans lost at home against a Pac-10 team and for consecutive games gets to settle the score at home against Pac-10 opponents. Oregon knows they cannot afford another against a weaker opponent to stay alive in the polls as well as the Pac-10. However as WSU showed last week, they can produce some big numbers on the road exploding for 451 yards on offense and 368 of those yards coming from the arm of Senior QB Alex Brink against No.14 Arizona State. Unfortunately for the Ducks, they are having troubles this season slowing down their opponent’s offense giving up 400 or more yards in their past three out of five games. And WSU is no stranger for putting up big numbers on offense providing over 400 yards in their last four of five games. If both defenses don’t show up to play we could see a lot of points scored from these explosive offenses. The Ducks offense will put up points and they should easily handle the Cougars at home. But don’t be surprised if Alex Brink (1828 yards, 15TD) gets in a groove and dissects the Duck’s defense. This will be a huge implication of how well the Ducks defense has improved if at all.
PREDICTION: OREGON
TCU (3-3) at STANFORD (2-3)
This will be the first time ever that these two teams have matched up against each other. The Cardinals are on an emotional high right now and TCU hasn’t played against any quality opponents coming from the Mountain West Conference. The big question to answer here is does Coach Harbaugh have his boys ready for this week’s game? They are playing at home and should be welcomed with a nice turnout at Stanford Stadium. The Cardinals have might not yet come down from their high last weekend against USC. This game is going to reflect the newly recruited head coach Jim Harbaugh and staff of the Cardinals and I like their coaching staff. Stanford is feeling too good right now to lose a ball game at home and they’ll stay confident when the game is close as they did last weekend against the Trojans.
PREDICTION: STANFORD
OREGON STATE (3-3) at CALIFORNIA (5-0)
Cal has to feel good heading into this weekend jumping into the No.2 in the nation after beating Oregon and having USC lose during their bye week, and Cal could have easily been No.1 if Florida would have held on to their lead against LSU. But California faces off against Pac-10 opponent Oregon State who won their last game at home against Arizona 31-16. Unfortunately for OSU, California’s defense seems to be getting better and their offense is putting up monstrous numbers averaging 40 points/gm this season. Even though OSU is coming off a win so is Cal and if Cal has learned anything from the past weekends any team can beat you no matter their record. That’s why I think California is better prepared to protect their No.2 spot in the nation and the Pac-10.
PREDICTION: CALIFORNIA
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 yards, 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. Percent 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 Dixon Attempts – 56 Yards – 308 Yds/att – 5.5 TD – 5 Rec. REYD REYR TD Brandon Gibson 39 567 14.5 6
