Pac 10 Football Week #13 preview
The Oregon State Beavers are just two wins away from clinching their first trip to the Rose Bowl in 44 years.
The Beavers took another giant step toward a New Year’s Day invitation to Pasadena last Saturday when they defeated the California Golden Bears, 34-21, in Corvallis. With the victory, Oregon State improved to 6-1 in the Pac-10.
The USC Trojans, who pulled away in the second half Saturday night for a 45-23 triumph over Stanford, currently stand atop the conference at 7-1. Oregon State, however, can leapfrog over the Trojans and into the Rose Bowl if the Beavers (who defeated USC, 27-21, on Sept. 25) win their final two regular-season games, against Arizona this Saturday and against rival Oregon on Nov. 29.
The Oregon Ducks, who hold sole possession of third place in the Pac-10, defeated fourth-place Arizona, 55-45, in a shootout at Autzen Stadium in Eugene last Saturday. Meanwhile, in games last week involving teams in the lower tier of the conference standings, Arizona State shut out Washington State, 31-0, and UCLA defeated Washington, 27-7.
Three games are on the Pac-10 schedule for this Saturday, with the spotlight contest kicking off at 7 p.m. EST in Tucson when Arizona hosts Oregon State.
Washington (0-10 overall, 0-7 Pac-10) @ Washington State (1-10, 0-8)
3 p.m. EST
The Apple Cup rivalry series has produced 64 victories for the UW Huskies and 30 wins for the WSU Cougars, with six ties. Last year’s game, the 100th Apple Cup, was won by Washington State, 42-35.
This season’s match-up is unique in that neither team has posted a victory all year over a Division I-A program.
Washington State’s only win came on Sept. 20 over Division I-AA Portland State. Washington hasn’t beaten anybody and is the only winless team in the FBS. The Huskies should be able to change that Saturday against a Washington State squad that has been outscored 440-61 in eight Pac-10 games.
Prediction: Washington 31, Washington State 24
Stanford (5-6, 4-4) @ California (6-4, 4-3)
3:30 p.m. EST
These northern California rivals have met 110 times in the Big Game since 1892, with Stanford posting 55 victories, Cal winning 44, and 11 contests ending in ties. Total points scored in the series: 1,780 for Cal, 1,755 for Stanford.
The Cardinal prevailed in last year’s grudge match, 20-13. They’ll try to win a similar type of ball-control struggle on Saturday, handing the rock early and often to senior Toby Gerhart, who is the first Stanford running back in 18 years to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Gerhart, who finished with 101 yards and a touchdown on the ground last week against USC, now has 1,033 rushing yards this year and is just 52 yards away from breaking Stanford’s single-season record, set by Tommy Vardell in 1991.
Stanford needs a victory Saturday in its regular-season finale to qualify for a bowl game.
Cal, which is already bowl-bound, finishes the regular season with two home games. In addition to Saturday’s tussle against Stanford, the Golden Bears also will host Washington on Dec. 6.
Prediction: California 24, Stanford 21
Oregon State (7-3, 6-1) @ Arizona (6-4, 4-3)
7 p.m. EST
The Arizona defense was torched last Saturday by Oregon for 45 points and 411 total yards — in the first half.
The Wildcats rallied to make a game of it in the second half, closing a 45-17 deficit at the intermission to 48-45 on freshman tailback Keola Antolin’s fourth touchdown of the day with 6:38 remaining. The Ducks, however, clinched it on a 40-yard touchdown run by LeGarrette Blount with 3:38 left.
Saturday’s contest between Oregon State and Arizona could develop into another shootout. Oregon State freshman Jacquizz Rodgers leads the Pac-10 in rushing with 1,233 yards, while the Wildcats can counter with the 1-2 punch of sophomore Nic Grigsby (who has 941 yards rushing on the season) and Antolin (who has rushed for 398 yards). The Beavers’ Rodgers and the Wildcats’ Grisby each have run for 11 touchdowns, while the UA’s Antolin has nine rushing TDs.
Junior quarterback Lyle Moevao has passed for 1,967 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Beavers, while UA senior Willie Tuitama has thrown for 18 touchdowns and a conference-leading 2,321 yards.
Prediction: Oregon State 38, Arizona 35
By Tom Kessler
DFN Sports Staff Writer
Tags: 2008 pac 10 football preview, 2008 pac 10 preview, Pac 10 Football, pac 10 football preview