It's been almost a century since the Ducks had the chance to enjoy smelling the roses….
Seven consecutive losses in the Rose Bowl, controversial helmets (thanks to Uncle Phil), a beautiful day with temperatures in the 80's, and a crowd of 91,000 was all the ammo the Ducks (12-2; 8-1 Pac 12) needed to roll over the Wisconsin Badgers 45-38 in one of the most exciting Rose Bowl matchups in history. This game broke the Rose Bowl record for most points scored in a game, in a half (28-28), and in the first quarter (14-14). From the very first snap of the game, both teams knew they had to capitalize on every possession.
The No. 5 Ducks amassed 621 total yards of offense to Wisconsin's 508, while both teams combined for 5 rushing TD's and 5 passing TD's on the night. This was not an Alabama – LSU battle of the field goals; it was one of those games when you actually don't want take your eyes off the screen to grab a drink because you might miss something spectacular. I hope those of you who did decide to grab some chips and salsa in the final seconds of the first quarter were able to watch a reply of what you missed. Freshman standout De'Anthony Thomas ended the quarter breaking another Rose Bowl record by bursting through the Wisconsin line and showing off his athleticism with a 91-yard run (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na3HHTIPz38) to tie the game 14 all heading into the second quarter.
The Badgers controlled the lead for most of the game, pulling ahead of the Ducks 7-0, 14-7, 21-14 and 28-21. With 35 seconds left in the first half, QB Darron Thomas connected with Lavasier Tuinei for 3 yards and Maldonado kicked the ball between the uprights, heading into the half 28-28.
Oregon took over the lead for the first time when De'Anthony Thomas broke loose again on a 64-yard TD run early in third to put the Ducks up 35-28. Wisconsin answered back with a 29-yard FG to put them within four. The Ducks couldn't convert on downs, but the Badgers could on 3rd and 8; four plays later QB Russell Wilson connected with Senior WR Nick Toon for 18 to put Wisconsin up by 3.Oregon gained the lead again when Thomas connected once again with WR Tuinei for 11 yards to put the Ducks up 41-38. Maldonado added 3 more on a 30-yard attempt to secure the first Rose Bowl when in 94 years.
No more than 7 points separated these two teams in all four quarters of play. The Ducks and the No. 10 Badgers (11-3; 6-2 Big Ten) combined to complete 37 of the 50 passes they attempted for 572 yards in the air. On the ground, they averaged 6.5 yards per carry for a combined total 557 yards on 86 rushes. Oregon racked up 344 yards rushing, led by junior back LaMichael James (159 yards) and De'Anthony Thomas (155 yards).
Senior Lavasier Tuiei was named the offensive player of the game, and Oregon LB Kiko Alonso was chosen as the defensive player of the game finishing the day with an interception and 1.5 sacks.
Be sure and stay tuned! I will be providing you with reports on new recruits for the northwest teams and hot topics focusing on NCAA college football over the coming months. After all - the first preseason Pac 12 game is only 228 days away!
Week 14 by Joanna Russell, posted Nov 29 2011 8:38PM
The Ducks secure state bragging rights for another year while the Huskies run away from the Cougars…
The Beavers held the Ducks to just 670 yards of total offense – wait - what - 670 yards? Scratch that – that's really impressive – for the Ducks. Let me try this again; I'm really trying to find something positive to say about the Beavers… Mike Riley and his Oregon State Beavers (3-9, 3-6 Pac 12) can chalk the 2011 season up to a great learning experience for a young, ambitious team with a strong freshman QB…
The Oregon Ducks (10-2, 8-1 Pac12) crushed their Corvallis rival last Saturday 49-21 in the 115th Civil War; securing bragging rights in the state for another year while gearing up for the inaugural Pac 12 Championship game this Friday at Autzen Stadium. After a painful, painful loss to USC it was good for the crowd of 60,000 sporting green and yellow to see the Ducks roll over a team to end their regular season.
Oregon QB Darron Thomas was 27 of 40 for 305 yards, 4 TD 's and no interceptions. Thomas connected with Paulson for 105 yards on 8 receptions, while 3 other Ducks each had over 50 in the air contributing the Ducks overall 670 yards of total offense. While the game was anti-climatic, and it took one quarter for the Ducks to get things going, it was something that the Ducks needed to help them get over a devastating loss that crushed any chance of heading to the BCS Championship for the second year in a row.
It was great to watch Iowa State beat Oklahoma State a few weeks ago; but it was even better to witness the Crimson Tide destroy Auburn 42-14 last Saturday. Why? Because that 'what if' I had in my head is gone… I don't have to wonder 'what if' we would have beaten the Trojans because it doesn't matter. Oregon was No. 4 heading into their match up with SC; Bama was No. 2. Unless some unforeseen computer glitch occurred with the BCS (which is another topic that I could spend hours debating) there is absolutely no way the Ducks would have jumped Alabama. So this is how I have come to accept the loss to that team from Cal and have peace...
Speaking of that team, there is one place we will not see them and that is in the first-ever Pac 12 Championship game this weekend when the No. 9 Ducks host the UCLA Bruins (6-6, 5-4 Pac12) Friday night at Autzen Stadium. Though the Bruins season has been up and down all year, there's one thing that remained consistent with UCLA – the fact that everyone thought Rick was going to get fired. Not a shocker to anyone who followed the Pac 12.
What did surprise me is the news that came Tuesday when WSU fired head coach Paul Wulff. His numbers aren't good; he was 9-40 during his time in Pullman. 4 of those 9 career wins came this season…. so they kept him around for 4 years and in the first 3 he won 5 games – total. WSU actually improved over last season and played some good ball this year and then he's fired. Pullman, WA isn't the top pick for coaches looking to move to the northwest so it will be interesting to see who steps up and takes over in the Palouse…
Game Time: Tune in Friday night at 5:00 PST on FOX to watch No. 9 Oregon take on the Bruins of UCLA in the Pac Championship game. Neuheisal will be coaching his last game for the Bruins Friday night; even if they pull off a huge upset as the 30-point underdog. Expect Oregon to put up at least 50 when they face the Bruins for the first time this season.
Week 11 by Joanna Russell, posted Nov 10 2011 11:18AM
The Huskies lucky number isn't 8, and LaMichael looks strong as the Ducks head into the conference matchup of the season…
What's your lucky number? The Dawgs (6-3, 4-2 Pac 12) were hoping it was number 8 Saturday night as they were welcomed by 70,000 fans who packed the house to witness the last game at Husky Stadium before the walls are torn down and the massive $250 million overhaul begins. If these walls could talk, they would tell you some great stories from the past 91 years. These walls have welcomed President Ronald Reagan and President Warren G. Harding, fielded the Seattle Seahawks, hosted the Goodwill Games and NCAA Track and Field Championships, and was a top pick for a number of NFL Exhibition games. 25 years from now there's something else those walls could tell your kids – that the number 8 is not the Dawgs lucky number and these walls are not fond of Ducks….
It took two quarters to get the No.7 Ducks (8-1, 6-0 Pac 12) on track, but as usual this second half team handled the Huskies 34-17 and secured victory number 8 (consecutive) against their northwest rival, moving one step closer to the Inaugural Pac 12 Championship.
AP Photo
LaMichael looked much stronger than the previous week with 25 touches for 156 yards and one rushing TD on a day that Oregon gained just 381 yards of total offense. Thomas was 13 of 25 for 169 yards in the air; not the numbers Ducks fans want to see one week before their biggest matchup of the season….
Oregon's defense stepped up and forced 3 turnovers; 2 picks coming from senior safety Eddie Pleasant in the first half that resulted in 14 points on the board; and another midway through the third when Oregon freshman DB Terrance Mitchell forced a fumble after Price connected with TE Michael Hartvigson. Price was sacked 6 times (21 this season) and finished the day 24 of 35 for 143 yards and 2 interceptions. Husky leading rusher Chris Polk carried the ball 24 times for 80 yards; and added another 31 in the air with six catches on the day.
My sister was eating in a bistro in the San Fran airport last Friday when someone asked if the other chair at her table was taken; turned out it was Joe Montana. After asking him if it wouldn't be too much of a bother for him to sign some postcards for my nephews, he said goodbye and went on his way. If he caught a flight up north to Seattle, he was probably there when his son connected on a 53 yarder to freshman WR Kasen Williams to set the Huskies up for a first down on the Oregon 27. It may have been a better call for Sarkisian to keep Montana in for more than one play as the huge gain was followed by four incomplete passes that resulted in the Ducks taking over on downs.
Oregon State (2-7, 2-4 Pac 12) was whipped by No. 4 Stanford 38-13 after holding their own in the first two quarters; surprising anyone who saw the score flash across the bottom of the screen when they were within 4 early in the third with a score of 13-17. The Trees (9-0, 7-0 Pac 12) had over 500 yards of total offense on the day; racking up 300 of those on the ground. Stanford is running on all cylinders with an explosive rushing game and an offensive line that protects their QB; allowing only 4 sacks on the season. Stanford pulled away in the second half scoring 21 of their 38 while holding the Beavers to just six after a blocked punt early in the fourth. Beavs QB Sean Mannion was 18 of 30 for 252 yards and 1 TD.
AP Photo
Up Next: Oregon State travels south to sunny Cal this weekend to take on the Golden Bears. Depending on what team shows up on both sides, this game could go either way, but my gut is telling me California (5-4, 2-4 Pac12) is going to come away with the W. Game time: 3:30 PM
The Golden Bears secured their second conference win last weekend after ripping apart the Cougs 30-7 and putting up 411 total yards of offensive to the Cougs 224. Washington State (3-6, 1-5 Pac 12) started the season with high hopes, averaging 44.5 points per game in their first four of the season with an impressive 3-1 record. The last five games the Cougs have gone 0-5, averaging just 19 point per game.
Keep in mind, we are talking about a team that is coming off of a combined 2009-2010 record of just 3 wins and 21 losses. There's a lot that needs to be improved in the Palouse before Wazzu can once again become a legitimate contender in the Pac.
AP Photo
Up next: The Cougs host the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-3, 4-2 Pac 12) Saturday at 7:30 on Versus. A week ago I would have told you that the then ranked (No. 19 last week) Sun Devils would probably put up 40 points and most of that would be coming in the air. But after their loss to Rick's Bruins from a last second missed field goal your guess is as good as mine….you just never know what's going happen in the Pac.
Work was busy at Sumner College this week; which was probably a good thing because I didn't waste any time on the clock thinking about the much-anticipated Pac 12 match up this weekend between the No. 7 Oregon Ducks and the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal. I remember watching the NFL draft earlier this year thinking I was glad Luck was staying to play another year – now I'm thinking he should have entered the draft. If he was gone, I would feel a lot more confident about the Ducks D forcing several turnovers this weekend against the Trees being led by Sophomore QB Brett Nottingham from Alamo, California. Instead I am wondering how the Ducks are going to stop Andrew Luck…
Overall Record: 8-1,
Conference Record: 6-0
Team Stats:
Passing: 212.2 average
Rushing: 298.4
Points for: 46
Points against: 20.8
Keep your eye on:
Darron Thomas; QB
113/188 for 1549 yards; 19 TD's
LaMichael James; RB
133 carries for 1046 yards; 9 TD's
Kenjon Barner: RB
89 carries for 601 yards; 8 TD's
Overall Record: 9-0
Conference Record: 7-0
Team Stats:
Passing: 281.1average
Rushing: 224.7
Points for: 48.2
Points against: 16.6
Keep your eye on:
Andrew Luck; QB
194/272 for 2424 yards; 26 TD's
Griff Whalen; WR
36 carries for 534 yards; 2 TD's
Coby Fleener; TE
20 receptions for 431 yards; 8 TD's
This matchup will define the season for both teams. Oregon's only loss this season came from No. 1 LSU in their first non conference play of the year. Stanford has the longest winning streak in the FBS with 17 victories; which began after their 52-31 loss at Autzen last season.
Kurt and his team were in Tuscaloosa last week for what the nation thought would be the game of the year. Unlike the defensive battle we saw between LSU and Bama, expect a lot of points to be put on the board this weekend. Both teams are ranked in the top five in scoring offensive and the top ten in total offense. Stanford has scored every time they have made it into the red zone this season; Oregon's defense held Washington to just 278 total yards last weekend; the second fewest allowed since their first game of the season.
Home Field; Advantage: Stanford Defense; Advantage: Oregon QB Spot; Advantage: Stanford On the Ground; Advantage Oregon Red Zone; Advantage: Stanford
Week 10 by Joanna Russell, posted Nov 3 2011 12:52AM
Stanford stays in the playing field for the Pac 12 Championship while Chris Polk outruns the Wildcats….
Primetime Pac 12 delivered last weekend as No. 4 Stanford (8-0, 6-0 Pac12) battled No. 21 USC at the Coliseum in a triple OT thriller that lasted 255 minutes and ended with 104 points on the board. 93,000 fans packed the Coliseum for this much-anticipated Pac 12 match up; and at the end of the battle, Andrew Luck and the Trees came out on top to continue their quest for the National Championship.
With Luck on your side, you can guarantee that he will do whatever it takes to win. And that is exactly what happened last weekend as he finished the night 29 of 40 for 330 yards and 3 TD's. Luck had one pick late in the fourth with the score tied 27 all and just 3:51remaining in regulation. Sophomore CB Nickell Robey intercepted a pass intended for Owusu and ran it back for a TD to put SC (6-2, 3-2 Pac 12) up 33-27. This was Robey's second pick of the season, and the extra point followed to put them up by 7. Luck and his line took the field again and moved the ball 76 yards in 10 plays to put another 7 on the board.
AP Photo
We have ourselves another tie game – 34 all.
Barkley has only 38 seconds left on the clock to work with, so naturally he hits leading receiver Robert Woods for a gain of 19 to put them on their own 44. Next play Barkley connects with Teifer for 16 yards and sets them up 1st and 10 on the Stanford 40. An incomplete pass and timeout leaves them with 9 ticks on the clock. Barkley connects with Woods and he runs all the way across the field and his knee goes down before he can get out of bounds; end of game and we are heading into OT. My boss from SoCal is texting me that 'he's out of bounds, he's out of bounds' and Kiffin is running up and down the field trying to convince the refs that he called timeout – or at least he would have if he knew that Woods was going to run the width of the entire field…
So we head into OT. The Trees and the Trojans traded TD's and extra points in the first two OT's to tie the game 48-48 heading into triple OT. Triple OT requires you to go for 2, so after Stepfan Taylors 5 yard run to put Stanford up 54-48, Luck connected with wide open senior TE Coby Fleener in the end zone for the conversion. SC responded with a 21 yard gain to put them down on the Stanford 4 yard line. But TB Curtis McNeal fumbled the ball into the end zone and Stanford recovered. Battle over: Stanford 56 – USC 48.
Up next: Stanford travels north to Corvallis Saturday take on the Beavs. If you thought Luck's stats were impressive this season YTD - wait until after this game. He's averaging 277 yards per game with 2218 on the season. I'm afraid this game is going to get ugly fast and end up like Boise State vs. Fresno State or Colorado State. I have some dear Beaver Believer friends heading down to Corvallis this weekend to cheer on their team. My advice to Tom and Kerry – drink a lot before the game; it will keep you in a happy place; and if you are going to bet - just do it on the spread!
So back to Saturday night; I am totally exhausted from the Stanford game thinking I can now relax and watch Washington (6-2, 4-1 Pac12) beat up on the Wildcats and secure bowl eligibility; something they haven't done in consecutive seasons since 2001-2002. They did succeed by beating the Wildcats (2-6, 1-5 Pac12) Saturday night, but only after Arizona put up a good fight and 31 points in a game that ended 42-31. One of the wackiest plays I have seen in college ball this season came with 10:40 in the third when senior CB Robert Golden intercepted a pass and ran it back 91 yards for a TD. Watch it here on you tube: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sue6EVlGkVo) I think he actually ran more like 130 yards by the time he made it into the end zone, but this was just one of the things you missed if you headed out to a Halloween party before the end of the game.
AP Photo
The Arizona defense couldn't stop junior back Chris Polk Saturday night. The level that he played that night took me back to earlier this year when I was watching the Pac 10 Championship basketball game against the Arizona Wildcats and the Huskies. Isaiah Thomas secured the win with a 20 foot jumper as time expired; carrying the team all week and finishing that day with 28 points, 7 assists, and five rebounds. I remember watching that game and being beyond impressed with how he had played all week. Last Saturday night, I felt the same way as I watched Chris Polk run up and down the field; scoring five of the six touchdowns and securing the W. Polk had 4 receptions for 100 yards in the air, and 34 carries for 144 on the ground.
How's he doing this season? He already has 1016 rushing yards on the season, and broke the school record Saturday night for the most career games (18) with over 100 yards. This Pac 12 offensive player of the week also tied the modern school record for the most TD's in a single game, and is the second player in Washington history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 3 seasons….and there are still four games left in the regular season!
The game was much closer than the final score indicated; the Wildcats actually headed into the fourth up 31-28. With 8:21 on the clock, Polk responded with a 5 yard rushing TD, and added another with just under 4 minutes on the clock to secure the win and secure bowl eligibility for the Dawgs. Arizona QB Nick Foles ended the day 32 of 50 for 388 yards, 2 TD's and 3 picks. Foles had just 5 interceptions on the season heading into game last Saturday.
Up next: Washington hosts No.8 Oregon Saturday night at 7:30 (Root Sports/FSN) in their last game at Husky Stadium before renovations begin. Expect this game to be a shootout with Polk on one side of the ball and LaMichael (if he is healthy) and Barner on the other.
AP Photo
No. 6 Oregon (7-1, 5-0 Pac 12) may have another win for the season, but the first half was anything but impressive as the Ducks went into half up just 15-10 on the Cougs; a game that many expected to be a typical Autzen blowout.
Things didn't start well for the Washington State Cougars (3-5, 1-4 Pac 12) when they were penalized for a false start on their first offensive play of the game. Three plays later the Cougs were forced to punt on fourth and 5; it was blocked and sophomore LB Boseko Lokombo ran it back 25 yards to put the Ducks up 8-0 (2 point conversion) just 90 seconds into the first quarter. At this point I'm thinking this is going to be another typical Autzen blowout – but that wasn't the case this Saturday afternoon. Oregon starting QB Darron Thomas couldn't connect with his receivers and threw 2 interceptions in the first half. Coach Kelly made the decision at the break to bench Thomas and start backup Bennett in the second half. The change in the lineup paid off for the Ducks as they scored a TD less than one minute into the third when Bennett connected with freshman back De'Anthony Thomas for a 45 yard reception to put the Ducks up 22-10.
On their next offensive series, Oregon marched down the field 77 yards in 14 plays and scored on a 19 yard reception when Bennett connected with Lavasier Tuinei and put the Ducks up 28-13. The Ducks took control of the game at this point and had a better second half; defeating the Cougs with a final score of 43-28.
Bennett was 4 of 7 for 88 yards and 2 TD passes in the second half. Washington State QB Lobbestael finished the day 28 of 48 for 337 yards, a TD and 2 interceptions. Sophomore WR Marquess Wilson had a career high 11 catches for 126 yards; he has 889 on the year. The Ducks have a lot of tape to watch and improvements to make before they face Stanford on November 12 and USC on the 19th; they can't expect to play a first half like they did Saturday and come out with a victory against a ranked team.
Up next: Oregon travels north to take on the Huskies and Washington State heads south to take on the Golden Bears (4-4, 1-4 Pac12). OSU Game time: 3:30 PST.
I don't even feel like writing about Oregon State this week, but I can follow up with what I wrote last week and let you know that the Beavers will not be in the Pac 12 Championship. That scenario I talked about last week; gone. Oregon State (2-6, 2-3 Pac 12) traveled to Utah (4-4, 1-4 Pac 12) and were handled by the Utes 27-8 in a game that was ugly from the very first series. Mannion threw 3 interceptions and was sacked six times; Utah put up 225 rushing yards to the Beavs 32; TB Malcolm Agnew fumbled on the Utes 1 yard line; and OSU dropped key passes and missed a field goal. And if you thought Saturday was bad just wait until this weekend. Stanford's triple OT at the Coliseum made them realize that they are not invincible in the Pac; expect them to come out and prove to everyone Saturday how much they want that Pac 12 Championship….
Up next: Oregon State hosts No. 4 Stanford Saturday. Game time: 12:30 PM on ABC.
Game of the week: No. 1 LSU vs No. 2 Alabama
Game time: 5:00 PST on CBS
Team Stats: LSU Tigers
Record: 8-0, 5-0 SEC
QB Position; Jarrett Lee: 98 of 155 for 1250 yards and 13 TD's Rankings:
BCS: 1
AP: 1
Coaches:1
Week 9 by Joanna Russell, posted Oct 27 2011 10:01AM
Corvallis is enjoying tailgating more the second half of their season, while the Buffaloes put 2 on the board to avoid a shutout….
Everyone has friends that they want to support in life. Old friends that you have known for years; new friends that you meet at work and grow to respect. But there comes a time when those beloved and cherished individuals say things so crazy that you just can't stand by smiling – because that would give them the idea that you actually agree with what they are saying. That happened to me this week when I got an email from a friend talking about how good the Beavers look and how they have a legitimate shot at the Pac12 Championship. So I'll feel so much better after getting this off my chest: Yes, Sean Mannion is on fire and the Beavers (2-5, 2-2 Pac12) did dominate Washington State (3-4, 1-3 Pac12) last weekend with an impressive 44-21 win, but No, Beaver Believers and Dave – that pie in the sky scenario isn't going to happen this season. Santa would have to grant a lot wishes – no miracles, before the upcoming holiday season.
That's the thing with Beaver fans. They win two and all the sudden they start talking about being a legitimate contender for the Pac 12 Championship and being eligible for a bowl game. Wonder how this could actually happen? Here's the scenario: No. 4 Stanford would have to fall to either USC or the Golden Bears and beat No. 7 Oregon, AND Oregon State would have to win all of their remaining games. Sounds pretty simple… if their remaining games were say Utah, Colorado, Arizona, or anyone Boise State plays in their conference. But that's not the case for the Beavs. They do play Utah this coming weekend, but then they meet up with Stanford (7-0, 5-0 Pac12), travel to Cal, host Washington, and finish up their regular season November 26 at Autzen Stadium against the Ducks. I'm just going to end that scenario and move onto something more believable; which is their second win of the season last weekend at Reser Stadium.
AP Photo
Pac 12 offensive player of the week Sean Mannion was 26 of 34 (76.5% completion rate) for 376 yards and one interception as the Beavers put 44 on the board against the Cougs last weekend, racking up 551 yards of offense and securing their second win of the season. Mannion connected with eleven receivers throughout the day, including Wheaton for 5 receptions and 100 yards and Brandin Cooks for 3 catches and 70 yards. Malcolm Agnew rushed for 103 yards and looked more like the back we saw the first game of the season when he put up 223 against Sacramento State. The Beavs dominated this entire game and one of the only areas Riley had to work on this week was penalties. The Beavs were penalized 14 times for 120 yards. Not an impressive stat, but that did take me back to the 2002 Fiesta Bowl when Oregon State was flagged 18 times for 174 yards as they crushed the Fighting Irish 41-9. Despite the 174 yards, that was a good day for Oregon football…
Up next: The Beavs head west this weekend to take on Utah (3-4, 0-4 Pac12). If the Beavs are able to repeat their performance last weekend they should have no trouble Saturday night. Game Time: 5:00 PM
No. 9 Oregon (6-1, 4-0 Pac 12) traveled to Colorado (1-7, 0-4 Pac12) last weekend and romped the roaming Buffaloes 45-2 in a game that Oregon dominated from the first 90 seconds off the clock. The Ducks made it into the end zone on their first four possessions of the game, with the first coming when Kenjon Barner rushed for 4 yards and Jackson Rice followed with a successful conversion to put the Ducks up 8-0. The Ducks scored an average of every 95 seconds on their first four possessions.
AP Photo
Freshman QB Bryan Bennett started in place of Darron Thomas, who was injured the prior week when an ASU player landed on his left leg. Bennett was 11 of 21 for 156 yards and no interceptions. Oregon piled up 527 yards of total offense even without LaMichael James on the field. Kenjon Barner finished the day with 10 carries for 115 yards and 2 TD's.
Luck hasn't been with the Buffaloes their first year in the Pac 12 conference. Colorado's injury list is getting longer each week and currently there are over 12 players listed. It doesn't look too bright for them this weekend either as they travel west to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils Saturday at 3:30 PST.
Up next: Oregon hosts the Cougars this weekend at Autzen Stadium; 12:00 PM kickoff. Washington State (3-4, 1-3 Pac12) started their season off strong winning 3 of their first 4 games. The last three weeks haven't been as favorable for the Cougs as they fell to UCLA, No. 7 Stanford, and Oregon State. Even if Thomas and James watch the game from the sidelines, this matchup could get ugly for the Cougs the second half of the game….
Speaking of things getting ugly, No. 7 Stanford defeated the Washington Huskies (ranked No. 22 week 8) last weekend 65-21 in a match up that was anything but even. Stanford scored on 5 of their first 6 possessions of the game; scoring 3 rushing TD's and 2 in the air. The Huskies hung with the Cardinal for the first quarter, but the next three quarters Stanford was in full control.
AP Photo
Andrew Luck was 16 of 22 for 169 yards and 2 TD passes. Stanford racked up 615 yards of total…yeah, you read that right – 615 yards of total offense; 446 of that on the ground. Junior back Stepfan Taylor had 10 carries for 138 yards and Tyler Gaffney added 117 on 9 carries. Sophomore back Anthony Wilkerson also posted some impressive numbers with 93 yards on 14 carries.
They are good…no doubt about it. Just how good are they? Check out these stats:
1.Andrew Luck: QB has a 71.8% completion rate and has thrown 20 TD passes with just 3 interceptions. He is projected to be the #1 NFL Draft pick.
2.Offensive line: The O line has given up just two sacks the entire season.
3.Stanford averages 49 points per game.
4.They average 7.5 yards per play on offense.
5.Second half this season they have outscored their opponents 188-33.
Up next for the Dawgs: The Wildcats head north to Husky Stadium this weekend to meet up with the Huskies.
ESPN College GameDay travels to the Coliseum this weekend for a much anticipated Pac 12 matchup between rivals No. 20 USC and No. 4 Stanford....
The last time GameDay visited the Coliseum I was there – it was a year ago when USC hosted the Oregon Ducks. 90,000 fans showed up – the majority of them in hopes that the No. 25 Mighty Trojans would knock off the No. 2 team in the country. The seats were great. My die hard, USC Mighty Trojan alumni boss gave me a ticket and invited me to the Alumni luncheon. There wasn't very much yellow and green in the room that day. Barkley and his crew came through the luncheon with welcoming high fives and handshakes strolling in to that constant annoying beat you hear during 90% of the game when you play Southern Cal. I let Barkley know that 'he was going down' and all I got from him was this odd look – probably wondering how a Duck fan was able to sneak in…
This beautiful, sunny day in Southern Cal happened to also be their homecoming weekend. SC came out fighting, and looked solid for the first two quarters. They scored two TD's to open up the second half and went up on the Ducks 32-29. But the Ducks answered back with 24 points in the second half to secure the 53-32 win and keep their hopes alive for the national title. I remember watching LaMichael run up and down the field and finishing the day with 36 carries and 239 yards, silencing the crowd of 90,000 as they made a mass exit out of the stadium five minutes into the fourth.
What I also remember about that day is witnessing this undeniable shift from the Powerhouse Trojans to the Oregon Ducks. SC has dominated this conference the past decade, just like Boise State dominates theirs. But times are changing and on that clear Saturday night I saw it. Die hard SC fans will tell you when they become bowl eligible again next season they'll back in the saddle for another national championship. Could it happen? Possibly…we will see…we will see... you never really know what's gonna happen in the PAC….
No. 20 USC vs. No. 4 Stanford Game time: Saturday night at 5:00PM on ABC. This should be a great one to watch as Stanford will be tested for the first time this season against an arch rival. Stanford has defeated their last 10 opponents by 25 or more points and is favored by 7.5 points with the total set at 60 points.
Oregon State secures their first win of the season and Pac 12 the nation's leading rusher suffers elbow injury…..
After a scoreless first quarter, Oregon State (1-4, 1-2 Pac12) shocked the Arizona Wildcats Saturday afternoon, scoring 27 points in the second quarter and heading into the half up by 21. Trevor Romaine added another 3 in the third with a 20 yard FG, and it looked liked the Beavers were going to run away with this one - but that wasn't the case. After trailing 30-6 in the third, Arizona (1-5, 0-4 Pac12) scored 21 unanswered points in 10 minutes when Foles connected on two touchdown drives and sophomore CB Shaquille Richardson returned an interception 28 yards to put the Wildcats within 3.
With a 30-27 lead and 5:22 left in the fourth, Oregon State went for it on fourth and two and it paid off. QB Sean Mannion hit diving tight end Joe Halahuni for the touchdown to put the Beavs back up by 10 and secure their first win of the season. Heading into Saturday's game against the Wildcats, the Beavers were the only winless team in a Bowl Championship Series conference. This win was desperately needed in Corvallis – after suffering a season opener OT loss to lower division Sacramento State, the Beavs were shut out in Wisconsin, followed by back to back losses to UCLA and Arizona State.
Beavs freshman QB Sean Mannion was 32 of 41 for 267 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. RB Jovan Stephenson contributed with 99 yards on the ground and 5 receptions for 32 yards in the air. Arizona Senior QB Nick Foles completed 31 of 45 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown to Buckner, who caught eight passes for 144 yards. Foles already has 2255 yards on the season, completing 201 of 281 for an impressive 71.5% completion percentage.
Up next: The Beavers host BYU in non conference play this Saturday… interesting mid-season schedule choice against a team that is no longer part of a conference. They are what I call one of those "other teams". So they are tied for first in their not a conference – independent – with Notre Dame. BYU did have an impressive rally the final minute of their game last weekend – actually the final 15 seconds when Cougars QB Nelson fired a pass that was batted away by a defensive player on the 1 yard line. As the ball floated in the air, BYU tight end Marcus Mathews came running across the end zone from the other direction and caught it for a surprising game winning score with just eleven seconds on the clock.
Injury Report: OSU: Malcolm Agnew, RB; Agnew missed the last four games after injuring his right hamstring in practice and remains doubtful for the game Saturday against BYU.
The Washington State Cougars (3-2, 1-1 Pac12) looked great driving down the field the first half against UCLA as they out-gained the Bruins 124-12 in the first quarter last weekend at Martin Stadium. First quarter yards gained looks great on paper. Here's the problem with the Cougs drives: 76 yards on 14 plays put the Cougs down on the UCLA 4 yard line. Can't convert; result: FG. 53 yards on 11 plays sets up 3rd down on the UCLA 9 yard line. Can't convert; result: FG. Later in the second quarter, WSU once again marches down the field for 54 yards in 13 plays down to the UCLA 4 yard line. And guess what? Can't convert; result FG. Any team that can't convert in the red zone is going to battle the entire game - and that is exactly what happened as WSU came up short against the Bruins (3-3, 2-1 Pac12) in a disappointing 28-25 loss that should have been win for Washington State.
Wazzu QB Lobbestael finished the day 28 of 40 for 235 yards and one interception. Freshman back Rickey Galvin carried the ball 16 times for 88 yards, and sophomore Marquess Wilson added 83 in air, but it wasn't enough for the Cougs as the fall to 1-1 on the season for conference play.
Up next: The Cougs host Stanford Saturday at 4:30 PM. You can catch the game on Versus.
Injury report: UCLA starting quarterback Richard Brehaut fractured his lower left leg during the last Saturday night and will be out indefinitely.
The No. 9 Oregon Ducks beat the California Bears (3-2, 0-2 Pac12) last Thursday night 43-15, but suffered a big loss as Pac12 offensive player of the week and the nation's leading rusher LaMichael James suffered a dislocated elbow injury. I was at the game and you could've heard a pin drop as the crowd fell silent at Autzen Stadium when James did not get up on the fourth quarter scoring drive. LaMichael popped his elbow back into place while he was on the field, but was carted off and his status is still questionable. Fans can breathe a small sigh of relief as x- rays have confirmed it is not broken. James had 166 yards by halftime and ended his day with 30 carries for 239 yards and 1 TD. Interesting stat: James has over 4,000 yards for his career and is the sixth player in conference history to reach that milestone… and he's only a junior.
This game did not start well for Oregon (4-1, 2-0 Pac12) as they headed into half down 15-14. This score going into half takes you back to last season when the Ducks squeaked by the Bears 15-13 at Cal. The Ducks came out in the second half and as the rain stopped coming down they had one of the best third quarters of the season scoring four touchdowns on four consecutive drives. Average time of possession in the third quarter that resulted in a TD: less than 2 minutes.
After an impressive first half performance by the Bears, here's how they fared in the second half: 6 plays for 44 yards; punt. 3 plays for 54 yards; punt. 5 plays for 34 yards; can't convert on 4th. 8 plays for 39 yards; can't convert on 4th. 14 plays for 64 yards down to the Oregon 4 yard line; can't convert.
Oregon QB Thomas was 13 of 25 for 198 yards, 3 TD's and 1 interception. James was the leading rusher, followed by back K. Barner adding 88 yards on the ground. Freshman standout De'Anthony Thomas was on fire with 6 receptions for 114 yards, and added 18 on the ground. He finished the day with 3 touchdowns.
Up next: The Ducks host Arizona State Saturday night. Game time is 7:15 and you can catch it on ESPN and ESPN 3.
Injury Report: Oregon back LaMichael James dislocated his right elbow and is listed as questionable at this time. If James is out for Saturday's match up against the Sun Devils, junior Kenjon Barner and freshman De'Anthony Thomas will get the majority of carries.
Washington secures their first conference win against Cal in front of 60,000 and improves to 3- 1 while LaMichael rushes for a school record 288 yards….
Keith Price threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns while Washington TB Chris Polk added another on the ground as the Huskies beat the Golden Bears of California 31-23 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium. Washington's defense kept Cal out of the end zone on four tries to secure the win over Cal in the first Pac-12 conference game of the season for both teams. Washington held the Bears to just three points in the second half.
This is the first time since 2006 that the Huskies have started their season 3-1.
The Huskies head east to take on Utah Saturday night in the first Pac-12 home game in school history – something Salt Lake City has been buzzing about for the past 14 months. The Ute defense leads the conference in pass efficiency defense and interceptions per game. They are second in the conference for fewest offensive touchdowns allowed, and fewest offensive points scored. This is where the Utes are strong, which means Washington's O-line cannot afford to make mistakes. This should be a good one to watch.
It was 100 degrees at Arizona Stadium last weekend and LaMichael James was on fire as he rushed for a school record 288 yards to help the No. 13 Oregon Ducks breeze by the Arizona Wildcats 56-31 and improved to 3-1 on the season. James, who also had a 51 yard punt return, averaged over 12 yards per carry in his fifth career 200 yard rushing game. He broke Oregon's single game rushing record of 257 yards by Ontario Smith back in 2001.With his TD runs of 12 and 19 yards, James now has 43 scoring runs, breaking another school record set by Derek Loville who has 42, respectively.
While Oregon came in with the top ranked offense in the conference, Arizona's defense, on paper, is the worst. The Ducks finished the day with 516 total yards; 415 of those on the ground, and were 2 for 2 on fourth down conversions. The Oregon D held the Wildcats to just 82 yards on the ground.
Oregon has the weekend off before they host Cal next Thursday night at Autzen Stadium.
Oh….. Oregon State. I made the mistake so many women do; I was thinking with my heart instead of my head last weekend when I picked them over the Bruins. I was hoping with Rogers back in the lineup he could lead the Beavs to their first win of the season. But that didn't happen. UCLA outscored the Beavers 27-19 and secured their first Pac-12 conference win, improving to 2-2 on the season. There's not much to say about this game; an unimpressive victory for the Bruins if about all that comes to my mind. If Coach Neuheisel did celebrate after the game, I hope he went big as he won't be doing any celebrating this coming weekend as his team goes up against Stanford.
Things aren't going to get any easier for the Beavs either as they travel to the desert to take on the No. 25 Arizona State Sun Devils.
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