Nick Daschel is a veteran sports writer and columnist who has worked on the West coast for nearly three decades. Nick has covered the Pac-10 for about 15 years, primarily focusing on the Northwest schools.
It’s stretch drive time in the Pac-10, otherwise known as the first weekend of November. It’s time when the pretenders come apart at the seams, and potential champions sense an opportunity.
On with this week’s selections:
Washington (3-5) at UCLA (3-5): Probably the hardest game of the week to pick not knowing if Jake Locker will quarterback the Huskies. The guess is that he will, though you can probably downgrade Locker’s effectiveness to around 80 percent. Thing is, even with Ronnie Fouch, I give Washington a chance as long as the Huskies don’t turn it over and make UCLA’s offense drive the length of the field to score touchdowns and field goals. I’m not buying the Bruins’ surprise showing during last week’s fourth-quarter uprising at OSU. UCLA’s offense has to do that again to prove to me its offense is something other than putrid. With an extra week to prepare, the Huskies defense might look decent for a change. (Line: UCLA by 4½) Pick: Huskies 24, Bruins 20
No. 7 (AP) Oregon (7-1) at Stanford (5-3): The Cardinal seem to be this week’s upset pick du jour. It’s the classic situation: a college football team of 19 and 20 year olds coming off the biggest win of their lives hitting the road to face a rested, better-than-average opponent. I often fall for this one myself. But not here. While Stanford has played well at home this season, and does present the Ducks some challenges with an emerging balanced offense, one thing is missing. The Cardinal have never shown, at any time this season, they can slow down a good, sophisticated offense. Stanford won’t be able to handle Oregon’s speed on offense, and might even have trouble with the Ducks’ wheels among their defensive front seven. Competitive game? Perhaps. But an upset? Go fish elsewhere. (Line: Oregon by 6½) Pick: Ducks 44, Cardinal 27
Oregon State (5-3) at No. 23 California (6-2): You buying that Cal is back after winning three consecutive games? Me neither, not when those three wins came over the three worst teams in the Pac-10. But I’m a believer if the Bears beat Oregon State, even with the game in Berkeley. The Beavers under Mike Riley embrace November like a child does Christmas. The Beavers bring a good offense to Cal, which hasn’t shown it can stop a good offense. Plus, OSU has no fear of playing in Berkeley, having won four straight in Memorial Stadium. (Line: Cal by 7) Pick: Beavers 30, Bears 23
No. 12 USC (6-2) at Arizona State (4-4): This may not be Matt Leinart’s Trojans, but the pieces are there for a BCS at-large bowl team. Arizona State is going to find that out in Tempe. (Line: USC by 10) Pick: Trojans 27, Sun Devils 10
Washington State (1-7) at No. 21 Arizona (5-2): The Wildcats, coming off a bye week, get the next best thing to a Saturday off – a home game against the Cougars. The worst thing that can happen here isn’t a loss, but another casualty at running back. Arizona is already down two, and losing another will cripple its Pac-10 title hopes. (Arizona by 33) Pick: Wildcats 41, Cougars 16
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