Pac 10 Sports Blog

For the 4th time in 5 years, the USC Trojans will be playing in the Rose Bowl. Pete Carroll’s Trojans beat Michigan in January 2004 & 2007 while falling to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl which determined the 2004 BCS National Championship. This season it’s USC vs. Illinois in the Rose Bowl and the 2008 Rose Bowl preview is now live from College Sports Fans. While USC apparel & clothing is flying off the shelves at most stores and online, Trojan fans must be thinking about what could have been as injuries are likely the only reason USC isn’t in position for another BCS National Championship this season.

The Las Vegas Bowl will kick off on December 22nd as the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-10 will look to once again defeat the BYU Cougars of the Mountain West Conference. The two teams met up with the Bruins winning 27-17 despite BYU’s offense being the statistical winners. BYU outgained UCLA by nearly 200 yards in that contest but started the season slow before finishing the MWC schedule 8-0 and 10-2 overall. UCLA went 6-6 on the season resulting in the firing of coach Karl Dorrell and looks to finish the season above .500. For a complete 2007 Las Vegas Bowl preview be sure to check out College Sports Fans.

BYU merchandise, hats & clothing as well as UCLA jerseys and autogaphed football memorabilia can be found at great prices online through DFN Sports sites.

By Gabriel Baumgaertner,

After a tumultuous college football season riddled with upsets and injuries, many have looked to the basketball season for stability within the Top 25 rankings. The upset trend appeared to creep into basketball with unknown Gardner-Webb University beating the lauded Kentucky Wildcats 84-68 in Lexington. The college basketball world had barely recovered from the Gardner-Webb shock before witnessing super-recruit O.J. Mayo’s USC debut ruined by the Mercer Bears of Macon, Georgia. Though basketball has frequently been more vulnerable to the upset than football, the point differential of these upsets has many analysts believing that even the smallest conference opponents are formidable. The Pac-10, thought to be the best overall conference of the 2007-2008 season, has already been bit three times by the small conference upset, with USC losing to Mercer 96-81,Oregon losing to St. Mary’s 99-87 and Stanford losing to Siena 79-67. How would those upsets affect this season’s first rankings…

1. UCLA (6-0)
A CBE Classic Championship and the exposure of Kevin Love’s physical side has Westwood excited and the rest of the Pac-10 frightened. Though it is far too early to say whether Love has lived up to the extraordinary expectations placed upon him, he has certainly made a strong impression in the first six games of his freshman season. Love was highly regarded for his passing and scoring abilities coming out of Lake Oswego High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, but his rebounding and toughness were called into question by some. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State squad attempted to test Love’s brawn by frequently double-teaming him and engaging in a series of physical rebound battles. Love responded by grabbing eleven rebounds and scoring twenty-one points en route to a come-from-behind 68-63 victory over the No. 10 Spartans. The standout play of Russell Westbrook has also elevated UCLA. Averaging twelve points and six assists in replacing injured All-American point guard Darren Collison, the Bruins have a third guard (complimenting Collison and Josh Shipp) with proven scoring ability. Once Collison is able to return, one will be hard-pressed to find holes in this shockingly potent UCLA squad. Facing only one more difficult non-conference challenge with a Dec. 2 bout against the Texas Longhorns, UCLA may very well begin Pac-10 play undefeated.

2. Washington State (6-0)
The Cougars are finally targeted this season, as they are no longer the surprise team that took the Pac-10 by storm last year. Coach Tony Bennett has never been one to gloat over his team’s performance, even after big wins (when asked whether he felt his team had the best defense in the Pac-10 after allowing 26 points to Mississippi Valley State, Bennet responded “Ask me that when we play a Pac-10 team.”) Bennett’s team has hardly been challenged yet, with the only close game coming from Air Force. However, the play of Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver and and Taylor Rochestie has been encouraging. All three have showcased 20 point games and are proven scorers. If Darvin Harmeling, who missed all but one game of the 2006-2007 season, can stay healthy, Washington State will have a fourth solid scoring option to complement the strongest defense in the Pac-10. With state rivals Gonzaga coming to Pullman on Dec. 2, the defensive minded, slow paced Cougars look to make a solid impression on a national stage. If the defensive play and offensive consistency continue, look for many opponents to get pulverized in Pullman.

3. USC (5-1)
This spot probably should go to Oregon, but I still cannot get over the Ducks pitiful defensive performance against the Gaels of St. Mary’s. While several Duck fans will be quick to point out the beating the Trojans suffered at the hands of the Mercer Bears, the Trojans have strung together a series of solid wins while the Ducks face their first true test when they visit Kansas State on Thursday. Super-Freshman OJ Mayo has immediately become the focus of the Trojan offense, avearging just under 22 points a game, and has received tremendous support from fellow freshman Davon Jefferson as well as sophomore Daniel Hackett. Most were skeptical about the Trojans ability to score outside of Mayo this year, having lost top scorers Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and Lodrick Stewart. USC’s talent shined in their 70-45 domination of No. 19 Southern Illinois, smothering the Salukis defensively and shooting 60% from the floor. Taj Gibson presents a broodish inside presence that should take care of most rebounding responsiblities and help the Trojans develop some form of inside game. If the Trojans can keep up the fast, sharpshooting guard play, they should be able to establish themselves near the top of the conference.

4. Oregon (6-1)
The Ducks have remained in the top 25 despite their embarrassing loss to St. Mary’s just over a week ago, and rebounded nicely with a 110-79 thrashing of University of San Francisco. However, the Ducks have yet to prove they can play defense- at all, and such inconsistency does not belong in the top 25. My skepticism stems from the fact that St. Mary’s did not shoot the ball that well, draining 47% of their shots. 47% is a very solid night, but a squad with talent like Oregon’s should easily overcome a good shooting night by a clearly inferior team. While defense is a big concern for Ernie Kent’s kids, their ability to put the ball in the hoop certainly is not. Oregon has five players averaging in double figures, and have proven themselves one of the most versatile teams in the country. While most praise is directed toward senior guard Malik Hairston, the unsung hero is definitely senior Maarty Leunen, who has proven that he can score both inside and beyond the three point arc. It will be fun to see whether the Ducks can contain freshman phenom Michael Beasely in their visit to Kansas State on Wednesday. If Kent’s club surrendered 37 points to St. Mary’s freshman Patty Mills, who knows what a supreme talent like Beasely could do to this defense.

5. Arizona (3-2)
I hate the fact that I am putting this team here because of how weak I truly think they are, but taking Kansas to OT in an intensely passionate game at Allen Fieldhouse elevates them to the #5 spot. I firmly believe that the ‘Cats have no solid options behind Chase Budinger and Jared Bayless and that will haunt them when Pac-10 play begins. My confidence in the Arizona team comes from the fact that they have been playing sans coach Lute Olson for all five games thus far and I do not believe senior guard Jawann McClellan has played to his full potential. Bayless is emerging as one of the better point guards in the Pac-10, averaging 18 points and 5 assists per game in his first five games as a Wildcat. Arizona’s two losses are by a combined seven points to two teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year (Virginia and Kansas), but they have yet to defeat a formidable squad, as Missouri-Kansas City, Adams State and Northern Arizona are not foes the Wildcats will see in the postseason. Their matchup against #9 Texas A&M at home should be an accurate barometer of where the Cats will stand in this year’s ferocious Pac-10 field.

6. California (3-0)
I should not be ranking Cal, instead I should put “TBA” next to their ranking, since they truly have not played enough to be given a fair assessment. Devon Hardin is expected to lead the Golden Bears back from a disappointing 2006-2007 campaign, but Hardin has been shut down offensively by both Nichols State and San Diego State. The Bears have used Hardin mainly as a decoy in their first three games, delegating most of the scoring to sophomores Ryan Anderson and Patrick Christopher, averaging 20 and 21 points per game respectively. Though the team has been riddled with injuries (until the return of Jerome Randle on Saturday, the Bears dressed only two scholarship guards), Cal was able to overcome a fourteen point defecit to defeat a strong San Diego State squad. Nikola Knezevic has emerged as a strong guard alongside Randle, seamlessly running the offense, fastbreak and displaying shutdown defense in each of the three games thus far. Ben Braun’s squad will face its first difficult non-conference opponents in Nevada, Missouri, Jackson State and Kansas State, four teams that qualified for postseason play last March. If Hardin can continue his defensive paint dominance (averaging fourteen rebounds and just under three blocks in the first three games) and Anderson and Christopher can score with continued efficiency, the Golden Bears will be a feared team.

7. Stanford (7-1)
I am certainly lowballing the Cardinal here. This is not because of how they match up with the other major Pac-10 squads, rather their complete lack of difficult non-conference opponents. An unranked Texas Tech team is the only challenge that Stanford faces heading into Pac-10 play, and none of the eight games, with the exception of UC Santa Barbara, have featured a team that could appear in the NCAA Tournament. An upset loss to Siena dropped Stanford from the top 25 ranks, and they have yet to find their way back despite three consecutive wins since the embarrassing loss to the Saints of Albany. The most obvious absence is that of the academically ineligible Brook Lopez, who combined with his twin brother Robin, made for an unmatched post presence both offensively and defensively last year. Because of Lopez’s academic ineptitude, Coach Trent Johnson has turned to a guard focused scoring attack, relying on sharpshooters Lawrence Hill, Anthony Goods, Landry Fields and Kenny Brown for a deadly perimeter shooting. With transfer point guard Drew Shiller and returning starter Mitch Johnson, the Cardinal might be the deepest backcourt in the Pac-10. I have an inclination that this team will be much higher as conference play commences, but they certainly are not preparing themselves well with a soft non-conference schedule.

8. Washington (4-2)
Lorenzo Romar’s club appears to already miss the one-and-done Spencer Hawes, as they have struggled mightily with ranked opponents Syracuse and Texas A&M to start the season. The bright side of this raw Husky team is that they have three players averaging double figures with one of their leading scorers, Ryan Appelby, continuing to recover from a nagging hand injury. Jon Brockman has emerged as the token “beast” of the Pac-10, reminiscent of Bryant “Big Country” Reeves that led Oklahoma State to the 1995 Final Four. Brockman leads Washington in both points and rebounds per game and has established himself as the team’s go-to-guy. The Huskies have also received solid offensive production from guard Justin Detmon and forward Quincy Pondexter and a great navigator in point guard Venoy Overton. Though Brockman is an intimidating inside presence, his backup options are grim if he suffers from foul trouble that has hindered him in the past or an effective double team. Road tests against Oklahoma State and LSU loom as well as a home bout against No. 14 Pittsburgh, giving the Huskies plenty of challenges before conference play.

9. Arizona State (3-1)
Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden are two names that will soon be taking the Pac-10 by storm. Harden was one of the top prospects in the class of 2007 and made a surprise commitment to ASU along with local Arizona native Ty Abbot and East Coast product Kraidon Woods. Pendergraph, a high school teammate of UCLA point guard Darren Collison, is regarded by some as the best rebounder in the Pac-10. Harden, Pendergraph and Abbot have been responsible for most of the scoring in their three victories thus far, including a hard-fought overtime victory over LSU. Reserves Derek Glasser and Duke transfer Eric Boateng are expected to contribute big off of the bench. Glasser started most of last year, but the arrival of Harden, Abbot and Christian Polk has meant a decreased role for the sophomore. Herb Sendek looks as if he has already begun the transformation of a notoriously bad basketball program, but a road test at Nebraska and a home date against No. 23 Xavier will display the real talents of the youthful Sun Devils.

10. Oregon State (3-2)
It is a miracle that coach Jay John has not been fired already. Coming into the season on the hottest of hot seats, John did not exactly thrill Beaver Nation with losses to Colorado State and Alaska-Fairbanks (a team that had lost by 58 points to California one week earlier). OSU does not face a difficult non-conference schedule, but they will need all the wins they can get, as they are sure to be dominated in conference play. Seth Tarver has been the do-it-all guy for the Beavers thus far, leading the team in all major scoring categories. The Beavers have a decent rebounder in Roeland Schaftenaar, but fellow big man Sean Carter has failed to prove himself as the defensive standout he was expected to be. I firmly believe this team will win two games or fewer come Pac-10 play, and Corvallis will be searching for somebody to revive this utterly lifeless basketball program.

By Gabriel Baumgaertner

I never anticipated being sad watching the Oregon Ducks’ national championship hopes go down in flames. However, as Dennis Dixon’s leg turned one way and his knee the other, I felt like I collectively winced with the entire Eugene, Oregon populace. The knees and arms of Dennis Dixon had lifted Oregon to their most successful season since the Joey Harrington days, and the Ducks appeared to have a manageable road to the national championship. Dixon burst onto the national scene in the second week of the season, as he and tailback Jonathan Stewart combined to annihilate what was thought to be a potent Michigan defense en route to a 39-7 victory over the host Wolverines. Dixon then became the most intriguing college QB in the country, reminiscent of Vince Young and Troy Smith, but with a seemingly more effective pocket presence than both. Despite a loss against Cal, Oregon posted big victories over USC and Arizona State and were looking at the Rose Bowl as their backup option. A Thursday night visit against toothless Arizona did not appear to be much of a challenge to a team that defeated top 10 teams in back to back weeks, but an awkward foot plant on an attempted cutback would change so much more than just the fate of the Ducks.

Les Miles infuriated football fans from four states when declaring not only the superiority of the Southeastern Conference, but completely degrading the Pac-10 as a weak conference. Thus, a non-conference affair between Tennessee and California garnered tremendous attention because of Miles’ presumptuous comments. Cal’s sound defeat of the Volunteers helped the Pac-10’s case, but the ultimate goal of qualifying a team to the national championship NOT named USC still loomed. There was Cal, who had their shot at #1, but left it on the 10 yard line against an inferior Oregon State team. And then Arizona State, whose comeback ability and new attitude led to New Orleans aspirations, only to see those wiped away by Dixon and company. Oregon appeared flawless. A rise to number 2 in the BCS rankings and an easy schedule (Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State) had the Ducks primed for New Orleans. This would be much more than simply the Ducks’ first chance at a national championship, but a chance for a non-USC Pac-10 school to win their first BCS title and first outright national title since the 1991 Washington Huskies.

Oregon’s loss means the ascension of the upstart Kansas Jayhawks to the seemingly cursed #2 spot in the BCS; followed by West Virginia, Missouri and Ohio State. Though I’d love to hold out for ASU to make one final push at the #2 spot, I will most likely settle in to watch the hated Les Miles and his LSU Tigers take on a team whose basketball team I’d rather watch and whose state I only hope to visit on a business trip. I will not care to see who hoists the trophy as the 2007 BCS National Champion, rather I will think of the cutback and how the awkward torque of a knee could plummet my beloved Pac-10’s reputation.

Wow. Just got back from USC men’s basketball season opener against Mercer.

And I just have to say, I’ve been a hard core USC fan for life.

Today, they played pathetically. I could’ve stuck my high school girls team out there and we could’ve made more free throws than USC did. The first half was just plain sad, and the second half was a little better but USC just gave up.

If they play like that for the remainder of the season, i’m already kissing NCAA tournament hopes goodbye.

One bright spot though (depending on which way you look at it): O.J Mayo. This guy’s pretty good. He had 30+ points today. On the other hand, he IS the team. Besides for him and Taj Gibson, no one else was creating plays or scoring. It almost seemed like the hoop we were shooting at was twice as small as the hoop where Mercer was shooting.

But how long with O.J stay with us? No clue. I’m betting he leaves after this year. And then we’re dead. uh oh. 

By Gabriel Baumgaertner

After California’s 45-31 defeat of Tennessee in the first major college football game of the 2007 season, most college football fans and analysts agreed that November 10th would be the week determining the Pac-10 champion. Many envisioned the explosive California and USC offenses lighting up the Memorial Stadium scoreboard and wondered if this would be DeSean Jackson’s time to conquer a team that ignored him in the recruiting process. Those expectations held until the “best college football team ever” in USC somehow lost to a Stanford team that won one game just a year ago using a quarterback that leading into the game had never completed a collegiate pass. While USC’s freak loss essentially placed Cal in the driver’s seat for the Pac-10 title, Cal would falter just one week later to a strong run-based attack from the Oregon State Beavers coupled with an ill-advised decision from Redshirt Freshman quarterback Kevin Riley with fourteen seconds left. Now, a combined five losses later, the game does not carry the implications many envisioned, but it certainly highlights the Pac-10 Weekend of November 10th.

#9 Arizona State (8-1, 5-1) at UCLA (5-4, 4-2)
“Frustration” only begins to describe the UCLA season, as the #14 team at the beginning of the season has now fallen to a disappointing 5-4, with those four losses coming against teams with a combined record of 14-23. Though UCLA has had glimmers of greatness with strong victories over Cal and Oregon State, key injuries and a constant quarterback shuffle has resulted in consecutive forgettable performances against Washington State and Arizona. ASU was another temporary BCS darling until their loss to Oregon last week. While ASU’s national championship hopes are essentially gone, they still have a chance at their first ever BCS appearance with victories in the rest of their games. With one of the top defenses in the Pac-10 coupled with devastating comeback ability (overcoming defecits of 19-0, 14-0 and 13-0 in games against Oregon State, Colorado and Cal), the Sun Devils still have one of the stronger squads in the Pac-10. Quarterback Rudy Carpenter has silenced critics among accusations of immaturity and has turned in a season to make Sun Devil fans forget the Sam Keller soap opera. It is hard to imagine the UCLA offense (decimated by injuries to top running backs Khalil Bell and Chris Markey) will be able to generate anything against the fierce ASU defensive front. Expect a big day out of Carpenter and backup running back Kegan Herring, who has emerged as a solid #1 back with the season ending injury to former starter Ryan Torain. Then again UCLA has that upset potential… not in this case.

Prediction: ASU 31 UCLA 13

Stanford (3-6, 2-5) at Washington State (3-6, 1-5)
Stanford’s unlikely transformation from one of the worst programs in college football to the first team to defeat USC at home in six years proved that this is a far different Stanford team than the 2006 Cardinal squad. Stanford’s season will of course be remembered by their 24-23 defeat of then #1 USC, but that has not been the only strong Stanford performance this year. This is a team that was leading Oregon at halftime, put up 36 points on a potent TCU defense, and contained explosive Arizona QB Willie Tuitama en route to a 21-20 victory over the Wildcats. Struggles have returned in recent weeks, though, with only a combined 15 points in two weeks against Oregon State and Washington as well as allowing 388 rushing yards- an astonishing 255 to running back Louis Rankin- against the Huskies. The Cougars have not been dismal this season, with a solid victory over UCLA and strong defensive showings against Arizona State and Cal, but with no legitimate targets for quarterback Alex Brink and an underdeveloped running game, the Cougars are not the offensive juggernaut that started the year strongly against Wisconsin. The difference maker will be backup running back Kevin McCall, stepping in for injured starter Dwight Tardy. McCall saw limited action in last week’s loss against California, as the Cougars opted to throw for about three-quarters of their plays, but the gameplan this week will certainly be different with Stanford’s questionable run defense. Pullman is always a tough place to play, and I do not see Stanford moving the ball much against a fairly strong Washington State pass defense. Despite Washington State’s inability to stop the run, Stanford’s ground game has been almost non-existent all year with the season-ending injury to sophomore Toby Gerhart. It will be close, but the Cougs get the nod with the homefield advantage.

Prediction: WSU 23 Stanford 20

#12 USC (7-2, 4-2) at #24 California (6-3, 3-3)
In August and September, many anticipated this coming Saturday in Strawberry Canyon as a game with far more than just a Pac-10 championship on the line. Coupled with Rose Bowl and possibly Sugar Bowl hopes, ESPN College Gameday, primetime scheduling and a final sense of accomplishment for West Coast Football would permeate the Berkeley evening. Though the game will still be broadcast nationally and be pertinent in the Pac-10 standings, a shot at the Holiday Bowl, not any BCS game, will be the bowl at stake. Cal enters the game still hurting from their missed chance at #1 in the country, performing poorly in losses at UCLA and Arizona State and turning in a disappointing offensive game in a win against Washington State. The Cal defense will be coming off by far its strongest showing of the year, holding Washington State out of the end zone until the last twenty seconds of the game, as well as holding the Cougars well below their averages in time of possession, points and total offense. The Bears offense will once again be led by a hardly healthy Nate Longshore, whose faulty ankle has hindered his (and the entire Cal offense’s) performance in his three starts since he was injured in the Bears’ win against Oregon. The Trojans enter this game coming off of their strongest victory since defeating Nebraska in September. The USC defense sacked Oregon State quarterback nine times and held the Beavers to only 176 yards of total offense en route to a 24-3 victory. The Trojan offense was rusty, with quarterback John David Booty admitting his rust after sitting out the last four weeks with a hand injury, but a strong performance from running back Chauncey Washington and solid protection from the offensive line assured the game was never particularly close. Many remember Cal’s 2003 victory over USC, taking three overtimes and a heroic kick from then kicker Tyler Fredrickson to defeat the heavily favored Trojan squad led by Matt Leinart. A Cal victory on Saturday would not be quite as surprising, but the recent uninspired performances must change if the more than capable Cal offense is to challenge the fierce Trojan pass rush. If Cal turns in a defensive performance similar to last Saturday, they should force the continually mediocre John David Booty into bad throws and contain the ground game in Chauncey Washington and Stafon Johnson. Cal needs a solid performance from running back Justin Forsett and must utilize tight end Craig Stevens to open up wide receivers Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan. Though the past few performances have not been great, the whole city of Berkeley will be fired up for this game, and USC’s already lackluster showings will continue. DeSean gets redemption on the school that did not want him.

Prediction: Cal 31 USC 20

Washington (3-6, 1-5) at Oregon State (5-4, 3-3)
Washington is coming off their strongest performance since their near upset of USC five weeks ago; destroying Stanford 27-9 with 388 yards on the ground and 539 yards of total offense. The Huskes certainly welcomed the victory, halting a six game losing streak and giving them their first conference victory of the year. Oregon State is coming from the opposite side of the spectrum, having had a three game winning streak recently ended by USC and dropping them to 3-3 in the conference. The absence of star running back Yvenson Bernard certainly hurt the Beavers, as they could not establish anything on the ground all day, resulting in three points. Washington has one of the more exciting freshmen in the Pac-10 in quarterback Jake Locker, a hybrid QB reminiscent of fomer Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo. Locker is the leading rusher and passer for the Husky squad, who also received a career day from starting tailback Louis Rankin, rushing for 255 yards against a woeful Stanford defense. The Beavers need Bernard in order to be successful offensively. Quarterback Sean Canfield has yet to establish himself as a disciplined passer, and despite solid protection from the offensive line (except for last week), Canfield leads the Pac-10 in interceptions. Both Canfield and Bernard’s status are questionable for Saturday’s game, leading me to believe that the Beavers’ offense will not be at its best. Though Corvallis is always a very difficult place to play, I like the Huskies returning to early season form in an upset of the upstart Beavers.

Prediction: Washington 24 Oregon State 13