It has been a quiet week with WSU having a bye. On the plus side it is a mortal lock that the Cougs will not lose their second consecutive game this weekend. However, many other Pac 12 teams have lots too worry about.
Lets jump in with the game of the week to Coug Fans!
UW vs California
We all have heard from the Barking Sark about how great Keith Price is at QB. With the numbers he has put up it is hard not to buy into the hype. Unless of course you look behind the numbers. He has been facing the #81 passing defense of Hawaii, and the #78 passing offense of Nebraska. Plus with two bum knees it is hard to believe any defense will be too worried about him outside of the pocket. Chris Polk is proving to be a force to be reckoned with but lets not forget about his record against solid defenses. Cal held Polk to 86 yards on 19 carries last season. The Cal defense is still pretty solid. It will be an interesting test for Polk.
Cal on the other hand has a new QB who is actually playing up to their potential. Maynard is looking the part but he hasn't really been challenged either. However, he has one huge advantage. The Cal offensive line is very experienced and the Husky D-Line has been less than stellar. Throw in the Husky's inability to make adjustments and second half woes and Cal could put up some serious numbers. Let's not forget that Cal will be thirsty to beat up on the Dawgs who have ended their seasons the last two years.
Cal 35, UW 17
Colorado vs The Ohio State
This is a tough game to call. My guess is that it will be closer than anyone really thinks. Ohio State is just playing poor football. However, they get a few guys back this week and they should win the talent game. This game is a win/win for Coug Fans. Colorado could win and think they are better than they are going into next week or they could get whooped and hurt along the way.
Ohio State 17, Colorado 10
UCLA vs Oregon State
Wow this may be the worst game of the Pac 12 for the year. You have the Bruins who are quitting on Tricky and Rick vs Oregon State who is battling a QB controversy and 2 years of major attrition.
UCLA 31, Oregon State 13
USC vs Arizona State
Has anyone really been impressed with USC yet? Barkely looks good but he underperformed against Minnesota who ranks 112 nationally against the pass. It should be interesting to see what he does when ASU minimizes the damage Woods can do and Burfict shuts down the TE game. My guess is that this is the perfect storm for ASU to win.
ASU 24, USC 14
Oregon vs Arizona
Seriously, I would love to say this will be a game but the Wildcats look like Rubbish lately.
Oregon 42, Arizona 23
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Weekend Recap -- Week 3 WSU vs SDSU
Well three weeks into the season and you would think that you would have some understanding of what you are as a team. Unfortunately for Coug Fans, I don't think we quite know yet. The Cougs fizzled down the stretch and handed a SDSU an easy win 42-24. However, the score doesn't reveal what type of game it actually was. Let's start with what we know.
Marquess Wilson is an absolute stud. Besides gaining 236 receiving yards, he also is showing glimpses of a very special WR. The 78 yard screen pass reminded me off watching old Randy Moss highlights. Wilson is going to continue to get better and that is a positive for the Cougs.
The Lobster got a little cooked under pressure. This was a surprise to many in Cougar nation but it wasn't the end of the world. Lobster got a little rattled and made some mistakes. The problem was the rest of the team folded as well. The Cougs still put up some monster numbers on offense.
Ricky Galving/Carl Winston make a wonderful RB combo. While they didn't put up monster numbers they did provide a good balance. Unfortunately, for the duo the Aztecs defense was able to contain them just enough to force us into becoming a one dimensional team.
The Coug Defense still needs to grow a bit in the secondary. Granted Lindley turned out to be a good Sr. Quarterback, but the Cougs still need to put up a better showing than that. He was able to pick apart our secondary.
The Coug defense is still young and therefore still made young mistakes. I don't know if anyone noticed but it was our Sr. LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis who was still making the big tackles in the fourth the quarter. Mizell and Sekope have a ton of talent but as the Aztecs wore down our defense they also began to resort to bad habits. Hence, poor tackling started to rear its ugle head again.
Special Teams is far from perfect. The Cougs need to find a kicker who can put it into the endzone. They also need to play with some more discipline. Many Coug fans are imploding because of the roughing the punter but I do not really care. It was a momentum changer but I am fine with being aggressive on special teams. Unfortunately, Bontempts got a little excited and tried to a block a kick that he wasn't in position to get too.
The Cougs just beat themselves. They were the more physical and dominant team for 3 quarters. However, because they are young and playing their first game on the road they were not prepared for the adversity they faced. This is correctable and an important lesson. While we as fans may be frustrated by the result this is a game the Cougs needed to learn. I am glad they had the opportunity to learn the lesson early in the season before a bye week than against UCLA or Colorado. I would rather them have this memory headed into the Pac 12 season than still believing they are world beaters.
The Cougs are a good football team. UNLV put up 40 points against Hawaii and the Cougs held them to 0 offensive touchdowns. I think it is more likely that SDSU is a real good football team at the moment than it is the Cougs are a poor football team. Stick in there Coug Fans. Many good things are too come and if you think the Cougs are not going to get to 6 wins this year then you are the one who is drinking some funky Kool Aid.
Here is my predictions for the Cougs for the rest of their schedule.
Colorado: Cougs win convincingly. The Buffaloes are thin on both lines and their secondary struggled with Colarado State WR's. Plus their defense is still making dumb mistakes in terms of penalties.
UCLA: The spiral has already began for the Bruins. The team is quitting on the coaches and they are depleted with injuries. Not to mention the Cougs always play well in Pasadena when it isn't a Bowl game. Cougs Win going away.
Stanford: Probably Loss. The Cougs have played great at home and they will have a good crowd if they win their previous two games. Not to mention it will most likely mark the return of Jeff Tuel. The Cougs will have some emotional advantages over the Cardinal.
Oregon State: Win for Cougs. The Cougs get a semi home game in Seattle and the Beavers will continue to be circling the drain. The Beavers are absolutely depleted on both sides of the ball and the Cougs know they can win that game.
Oregon: Loss for the Cougs. While I don't think Oregon is as good as everyone else I don't think the Cougs can beat them in Autzen this year.
Cal: Toss up. Who knows what Cal is this year. Who knows what Bear team will show up. I have a feeling it could go either way and because of it I will put it into the Loss the category.
ASU: Emotional home game win for the Cougs. ASU is all over the board this year and they have already won their big road game. I think the Sun Devils will not take the Cougs very seriously and unless ASU is completely focused they play completely undisciplined.
Utah: Coug Win. Utah will continue to get beat up and playing them at the end of the year at home is a huge advantage. I don't think their win over BYUPac 12 teams this year.
UW: Coug win. I wasn't very impressed with Nebraska last weekend and therefore, I am not impressed with the Husky hype. They have been abysmal against teams they should beat and relied on the Huskers doing everything they could to beat themselves. The Huskies are in for a long year.
Therefore, I think the Cougs will finish their schedule with a 5-4 record. They might be able to steal another win along the way from Cal. That would put us at 7-5 and bowl eligible. I don't think that is necessarily out of the realm of possibility either.
Marquess Wilson is an absolute stud. Besides gaining 236 receiving yards, he also is showing glimpses of a very special WR. The 78 yard screen pass reminded me off watching old Randy Moss highlights. Wilson is going to continue to get better and that is a positive for the Cougs.
The Lobster got a little cooked under pressure. This was a surprise to many in Cougar nation but it wasn't the end of the world. Lobster got a little rattled and made some mistakes. The problem was the rest of the team folded as well. The Cougs still put up some monster numbers on offense.
Ricky Galving/Carl Winston make a wonderful RB combo. While they didn't put up monster numbers they did provide a good balance. Unfortunately, for the duo the Aztecs defense was able to contain them just enough to force us into becoming a one dimensional team.
The Coug Defense still needs to grow a bit in the secondary. Granted Lindley turned out to be a good Sr. Quarterback, but the Cougs still need to put up a better showing than that. He was able to pick apart our secondary.
The Coug defense is still young and therefore still made young mistakes. I don't know if anyone noticed but it was our Sr. LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis who was still making the big tackles in the fourth the quarter. Mizell and Sekope have a ton of talent but as the Aztecs wore down our defense they also began to resort to bad habits. Hence, poor tackling started to rear its ugle head again.
Special Teams is far from perfect. The Cougs need to find a kicker who can put it into the endzone. They also need to play with some more discipline. Many Coug fans are imploding because of the roughing the punter but I do not really care. It was a momentum changer but I am fine with being aggressive on special teams. Unfortunately, Bontempts got a little excited and tried to a block a kick that he wasn't in position to get too.
The Cougs just beat themselves. They were the more physical and dominant team for 3 quarters. However, because they are young and playing their first game on the road they were not prepared for the adversity they faced. This is correctable and an important lesson. While we as fans may be frustrated by the result this is a game the Cougs needed to learn. I am glad they had the opportunity to learn the lesson early in the season before a bye week than against UCLA or Colorado. I would rather them have this memory headed into the Pac 12 season than still believing they are world beaters.
The Cougs are a good football team. UNLV put up 40 points against Hawaii and the Cougs held them to 0 offensive touchdowns. I think it is more likely that SDSU is a real good football team at the moment than it is the Cougs are a poor football team. Stick in there Coug Fans. Many good things are too come and if you think the Cougs are not going to get to 6 wins this year then you are the one who is drinking some funky Kool Aid.
Here is my predictions for the Cougs for the rest of their schedule.
Colorado: Cougs win convincingly. The Buffaloes are thin on both lines and their secondary struggled with Colarado State WR's. Plus their defense is still making dumb mistakes in terms of penalties.
UCLA: The spiral has already began for the Bruins. The team is quitting on the coaches and they are depleted with injuries. Not to mention the Cougs always play well in Pasadena when it isn't a Bowl game. Cougs Win going away.
Stanford: Probably Loss. The Cougs have played great at home and they will have a good crowd if they win their previous two games. Not to mention it will most likely mark the return of Jeff Tuel. The Cougs will have some emotional advantages over the Cardinal.
Oregon State: Win for Cougs. The Cougs get a semi home game in Seattle and the Beavers will continue to be circling the drain. The Beavers are absolutely depleted on both sides of the ball and the Cougs know they can win that game.
Oregon: Loss for the Cougs. While I don't think Oregon is as good as everyone else I don't think the Cougs can beat them in Autzen this year.
Cal: Toss up. Who knows what Cal is this year. Who knows what Bear team will show up. I have a feeling it could go either way and because of it I will put it into the Loss the category.
ASU: Emotional home game win for the Cougs. ASU is all over the board this year and they have already won their big road game. I think the Sun Devils will not take the Cougs very seriously and unless ASU is completely focused they play completely undisciplined.
Utah: Coug Win. Utah will continue to get beat up and playing them at the end of the year at home is a huge advantage. I don't think their win over BYUPac 12 teams this year.
UW: Coug win. I wasn't very impressed with Nebraska last weekend and therefore, I am not impressed with the Husky hype. They have been abysmal against teams they should beat and relied on the Huskers doing everything they could to beat themselves. The Huskies are in for a long year.
Therefore, I think the Cougs will finish their schedule with a 5-4 record. They might be able to steal another win along the way from Cal. That would put us at 7-5 and bowl eligible. I don't think that is necessarily out of the realm of possibility either.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week 3
If this week is as exciting as last weekend was in college football, then I can't wait until kick off tomorrow. Lets take a look at the upcoming weekend games.
Lets start with the Good Guys!
WSU vs SDSU
The Cougs are off to a blistering pace while the Aztecs are limping out of the gate. They did handle Cal Poly but didn't pull away until late in the third quarter. They needed to recover 3 of the 8 fumbles of Army to hold on to beat them by 3. Granted they have an experienced O-Line, QB, and RB but I think it is safe to say all three have been underwhelming thus far. Hillman is the cream of the crop of this team but he only managed 62 yards on the ground before breaking one late in the third quarter. Lindley is a four year starter that is looking pretty average without his star WR's from last season. Their O-Line struggled against an undersized Army D-Line.
On defense the Aztecs do have McFadden but he cannot cover all the weapons WSU will be firing at him. Look for WSU to test their secondary early and if they cheat to cover the WR's look for Galvin/Mitz/Winston to run wild. Our O-Line is bigger than their D-Line but they will be having to pick up the Blitz reads all day. If they pick up the Blitz's then things will get out of control fast for SDSU. If the Coug D-Line can hold Hillman will have little space to run in. Get ready for another big statement by the New and Improved Cougs
WSU 45, SDSU 13
Colorado vs CSU
Who knows what Buffalo team will show up on Saturday. Hopefully, Pac 12 world beaters. If they do not then it will be another hit for the conference. I think they will pick up from where they left off last week.
Buffs 17, CSU 10
Texas vs UCLA
UCLA is in shambles and the team is quitting on tricky Rick.
Texas 35, UCLA 9
Oregon vs Mizz St and Cal vs Pres.
Lets be honest these game will be blow outs and who really cares. Way to schedule weak week 3 games.
ASU vs Illini
Sorry Sun Devils but Erickson's lucky streak is going to end. The Sun Devil D is under performing and still making stupid mistakes. One big road win a year for ASU.
Illini 27, ASU 14
USC vs Syracuse
I would love to say that the Trojans will take care of business but I have a feeling they won't. It will be close with the Trojan's prevailing so ESPN can continue to talk about the Trojans.
USC 19, Syracuse 7
The Bible Bowl
Both BYU and Utah are looking worse than expected. It will be an offensive sputter off. Wynn > Heaps at the moment so I will give it to the Utes to save some Pac 12 pride.
Utah 20, BYU 13
Stanford vs Arizona
How about we just call this Luck vs Foles and at the moment Foles has less than impressed when Criner isn't on the field. Plus the Wildcat make shift O-Line experiment is failing.
Stanford 33, Arizona 17
UW vs Nebraska
UW has quietly put together one of the best Rush defenses in the country. In fairness though they have played to rushing prolific teams in Hawaii and EWU. Even better South Dakota held EWU to fewer rushing yards than the Huskies. That should say alot about how hard the Huskies have been tested by a running game. The Huskies allowed 31 yards rushing against EWU and South Dakota held the Eagles to 11.
Sure the Huskies would love to tell you about how good Price is playing and maybe he has been pretty good but let's not get too carried away yet. Nebraska will bottle up Polk so it will be up to Price. I don't see the Husky D improving their national rankings on defense this week. Nebraska will hit them in the mouth early and often and the Purple leg lifters will leave Nebraska embarrassed.
Nebraska 42, UW 13
Lets start with the Good Guys!
WSU vs SDSU
The Cougs are off to a blistering pace while the Aztecs are limping out of the gate. They did handle Cal Poly but didn't pull away until late in the third quarter. They needed to recover 3 of the 8 fumbles of Army to hold on to beat them by 3. Granted they have an experienced O-Line, QB, and RB but I think it is safe to say all three have been underwhelming thus far. Hillman is the cream of the crop of this team but he only managed 62 yards on the ground before breaking one late in the third quarter. Lindley is a four year starter that is looking pretty average without his star WR's from last season. Their O-Line struggled against an undersized Army D-Line.
On defense the Aztecs do have McFadden but he cannot cover all the weapons WSU will be firing at him. Look for WSU to test their secondary early and if they cheat to cover the WR's look for Galvin/Mitz/Winston to run wild. Our O-Line is bigger than their D-Line but they will be having to pick up the Blitz reads all day. If they pick up the Blitz's then things will get out of control fast for SDSU. If the Coug D-Line can hold Hillman will have little space to run in. Get ready for another big statement by the New and Improved Cougs
WSU 45, SDSU 13
Colorado vs CSU
Who knows what Buffalo team will show up on Saturday. Hopefully, Pac 12 world beaters. If they do not then it will be another hit for the conference. I think they will pick up from where they left off last week.
Buffs 17, CSU 10
Texas vs UCLA
UCLA is in shambles and the team is quitting on tricky Rick.
Texas 35, UCLA 9
Oregon vs Mizz St and Cal vs Pres.
Lets be honest these game will be blow outs and who really cares. Way to schedule weak week 3 games.
ASU vs Illini
Sorry Sun Devils but Erickson's lucky streak is going to end. The Sun Devil D is under performing and still making stupid mistakes. One big road win a year for ASU.
Illini 27, ASU 14
USC vs Syracuse
I would love to say that the Trojans will take care of business but I have a feeling they won't. It will be close with the Trojan's prevailing so ESPN can continue to talk about the Trojans.
USC 19, Syracuse 7
The Bible Bowl
Both BYU and Utah are looking worse than expected. It will be an offensive sputter off. Wynn > Heaps at the moment so I will give it to the Utes to save some Pac 12 pride.
Utah 20, BYU 13
Stanford vs Arizona
How about we just call this Luck vs Foles and at the moment Foles has less than impressed when Criner isn't on the field. Plus the Wildcat make shift O-Line experiment is failing.
Stanford 33, Arizona 17
UW vs Nebraska
UW has quietly put together one of the best Rush defenses in the country. In fairness though they have played to rushing prolific teams in Hawaii and EWU. Even better South Dakota held EWU to fewer rushing yards than the Huskies. That should say alot about how hard the Huskies have been tested by a running game. The Huskies allowed 31 yards rushing against EWU and South Dakota held the Eagles to 11.
Sure the Huskies would love to tell you about how good Price is playing and maybe he has been pretty good but let's not get too carried away yet. Nebraska will bottle up Polk so it will be up to Price. I don't see the Husky D improving their national rankings on defense this week. Nebraska will hit them in the mouth early and often and the Purple leg lifters will leave Nebraska embarrassed.
Nebraska 42, UW 13
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Army vs SDSU -- What it told us about SDSU
There isn't too much to take away from the SDSU vs Army squeaker last Saturday. Army runs a triple option and we do not. SDSU got housed in rushing yards but should that really be a surprise against a triple option set? Here is a few things to look out for.
WSU needs to establish the run early. SDSU 3-3-5 set will attempt to bring pressure early and often. The only way to counter that is to run the ball and set up screen passes.
Our D-Line has to set the tone early. The 4 senior offensive lineman for SDSU will be ready for anything we throw their way. Except maybe for the increase in strength of the Cougar D-Lineman. If we can control the line of scrimmage Mizell, Sekope, and AHE will dominate.
Lobster needs to just play his game. He throws with a little more zip than Tuel and that gives us a slight advantage in accuracy. Meaning he doesn't necessarily have to be accurate to complete passes. If our WR's come to play and get off the ball we should be able to pick them apart.
Furney and Company need to be consistent on kick offs and PAT's. We need to have put our kicking woes in the past this week.
WSU will probably not be as intimidated playing on the road as they should be. Huge advantage for a young team taking their first trip this year. Plus the temp is suppose to be 70 at game time which will allow our guys to stay on the field longer.
SDSU struck fast on their first two drives but then Army was able to figure them out. If we can minimize big plays in the beginning their is no reason to think we can't come away with a win here.
SDSU is playing at home but San Diego is a good place for Cougs to travel too. I have a feeling we will have a bit of a following in the stands and they will be itching to see the Cougs live.
That's all for now. Will try to get a piece up about the key match ups later in the day.
WSU needs to establish the run early. SDSU 3-3-5 set will attempt to bring pressure early and often. The only way to counter that is to run the ball and set up screen passes.
Our D-Line has to set the tone early. The 4 senior offensive lineman for SDSU will be ready for anything we throw their way. Except maybe for the increase in strength of the Cougar D-Lineman. If we can control the line of scrimmage Mizell, Sekope, and AHE will dominate.
Lobster needs to just play his game. He throws with a little more zip than Tuel and that gives us a slight advantage in accuracy. Meaning he doesn't necessarily have to be accurate to complete passes. If our WR's come to play and get off the ball we should be able to pick them apart.
Furney and Company need to be consistent on kick offs and PAT's. We need to have put our kicking woes in the past this week.
WSU will probably not be as intimidated playing on the road as they should be. Huge advantage for a young team taking their first trip this year. Plus the temp is suppose to be 70 at game time which will allow our guys to stay on the field longer.
SDSU struck fast on their first two drives but then Army was able to figure them out. If we can minimize big plays in the beginning their is no reason to think we can't come away with a win here.
SDSU is playing at home but San Diego is a good place for Cougs to travel too. I have a feeling we will have a bit of a following in the stands and they will be itching to see the Cougs live.
That's all for now. Will try to get a piece up about the key match ups later in the day.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Weekend Recap -- The Expectation Shift
While this weekend didn't really reveal too much about the Pac 12 that we didn't know it did yield some surprises. To begin with Oregon State is in a world of hurt as a program at the moment. I started telling my Beaver friends last year that their fate was going to be similar to WSU unless they got their recruiting under control. Surprise, it has happened. Poor Attrition, poor recruiting, and wrecked by injuries have left the Beavers in a tail spin that Riley cannot even correct.
We also learned an important lesson from the Huskies. They find ways to win, but they also find ways to almost beat themselves. Subtract the 21 point 6 minute effort and Hawaii pulls that game out. It will be interesting to see how the Dawgs play against a quality opponent because we know they play down to the level of their competition now.
Arizona Wildcats may be a beatable program. They are not as good as everyone thought they might be and for all the wrong reasons. Nick Foles was suppose to have a Heisman type year but without Criner it looks as if he is just an average Pac 12 QB. Where is the famous Wildcat defense? It just wasn't around against Okie State and because of it the Pac 12 is going to have to hear about it from Cowboy fans all year long.
California/Colorado have either figured things out or they are both sub par programs this year. I am leaning toward the latter. I thought Cal was going to hand it to Colorado and instead they almost got beat. It says more about Cal than it does about the Buffs. Colorado is thin at the lines but they got enough momentum to hang with Cal. The Bears defense just got torched for 582 yards against a team that only got 240 yards against Hawaii. Last time I checked I am pretty sure that Cal's defense was suppose to at least average.
Stanford handled its business against its second straight sub par foe.
Oregon looked like the Oregon of old against Nevada which makes you wonder if Oregon is still great or just able to knock out a punching bag if it is in front of them. I am interested to see how the Ducks look against the Pac 12 this year.
Utah/USC proved that neither of these teams should be too concerning. It is nice that Utah was a world beater in their old conference but they are going to have a long year in the Pac. USC has confirmed that they are not a top 25 team with that win though. Your hype can only keep you afloat for so long. USC has the talent but they look soft on the field. Kiffen better quit manscaping and start to feed his players man juice.
Big props to Arizona State for not giving the game away completely. They held out for the Pac in our non conference big games of the week. Osweiller also looked the part on Friday night television. It will be interesting to see what ASU team continues to show up each week.
UCLA??????? Really baby blue get your stuff together. Last time I checked SJSU shouldn't be flirting with a win.
Now to the Cougs! I understand that UNLV isn't the best program in the country but I don't think anyone, except the players, thought we were going to lamb baste them. Before the game started I was saying we will know what type of team we have after the UNLV game ends. Since we dominated them I have to admit I am shifting my expectations. Now we will have to wait until the end SDSU game to see what type of team we have.
Currently, the Cougs look like they may be an upper echelon Pac 12 team with the numbers they are putting up. We are leading the Nation in scoring offense and in the top 10 in numerous other categories. Statistically we are one of the best defenses in the Pac 12 at the moment and I don't think anyone saw it coming. There isn't too much to say that couldn't be gleaned from the scoreboard but here goes.
1. Lobster was spectacular and I couldn't be happier because of his story at WSU. He stuck with us without any hope of playing this year and when tragedy struck he seized his opportunity. I hope he continues to grow this year!
2. Marquess Wilson can catch anything. He just continues to grow into a great WR. With Karstetter, Barton, and Ratliff around him he will continue to put up huge numbers.
3. Pole, Rankin, and Laurenzi are a great rotation to have at D-Tackle. They are resting many of the concerns we had about our D-Line strength.
4. Sekope, Mizell, and AHE may be one of the best LB trio's around. They are fast, mean, and play well together. Anyone noticed how often our LB's were getting in on tackles? The only person who is disappointed by this is Deonne Buccannon.
5. I have never seen as many WSU O-Lineman down the field blocking ever. On one play BJ Guerra was out sealing the safety. The starting O-Lineman are doing a great job and with Spitz, Goetz, and Taylor being able to spell the starters it looks like no one is going to have to get over worked.
6. SDSU
We also learned an important lesson from the Huskies. They find ways to win, but they also find ways to almost beat themselves. Subtract the 21 point 6 minute effort and Hawaii pulls that game out. It will be interesting to see how the Dawgs play against a quality opponent because we know they play down to the level of their competition now.
Arizona Wildcats may be a beatable program. They are not as good as everyone thought they might be and for all the wrong reasons. Nick Foles was suppose to have a Heisman type year but without Criner it looks as if he is just an average Pac 12 QB. Where is the famous Wildcat defense? It just wasn't around against Okie State and because of it the Pac 12 is going to have to hear about it from Cowboy fans all year long.
California/Colorado have either figured things out or they are both sub par programs this year. I am leaning toward the latter. I thought Cal was going to hand it to Colorado and instead they almost got beat. It says more about Cal than it does about the Buffs. Colorado is thin at the lines but they got enough momentum to hang with Cal. The Bears defense just got torched for 582 yards against a team that only got 240 yards against Hawaii. Last time I checked I am pretty sure that Cal's defense was suppose to at least average.
Stanford handled its business against its second straight sub par foe.
Oregon looked like the Oregon of old against Nevada which makes you wonder if Oregon is still great or just able to knock out a punching bag if it is in front of them. I am interested to see how the Ducks look against the Pac 12 this year.
Utah/USC proved that neither of these teams should be too concerning. It is nice that Utah was a world beater in their old conference but they are going to have a long year in the Pac. USC has confirmed that they are not a top 25 team with that win though. Your hype can only keep you afloat for so long. USC has the talent but they look soft on the field. Kiffen better quit manscaping and start to feed his players man juice.
Big props to Arizona State for not giving the game away completely. They held out for the Pac in our non conference big games of the week. Osweiller also looked the part on Friday night television. It will be interesting to see what ASU team continues to show up each week.
UCLA??????? Really baby blue get your stuff together. Last time I checked SJSU shouldn't be flirting with a win.
Now to the Cougs! I understand that UNLV isn't the best program in the country but I don't think anyone, except the players, thought we were going to lamb baste them. Before the game started I was saying we will know what type of team we have after the UNLV game ends. Since we dominated them I have to admit I am shifting my expectations. Now we will have to wait until the end SDSU game to see what type of team we have.
Currently, the Cougs look like they may be an upper echelon Pac 12 team with the numbers they are putting up. We are leading the Nation in scoring offense and in the top 10 in numerous other categories. Statistically we are one of the best defenses in the Pac 12 at the moment and I don't think anyone saw it coming. There isn't too much to say that couldn't be gleaned from the scoreboard but here goes.
1. Lobster was spectacular and I couldn't be happier because of his story at WSU. He stuck with us without any hope of playing this year and when tragedy struck he seized his opportunity. I hope he continues to grow this year!
2. Marquess Wilson can catch anything. He just continues to grow into a great WR. With Karstetter, Barton, and Ratliff around him he will continue to put up huge numbers.
3. Pole, Rankin, and Laurenzi are a great rotation to have at D-Tackle. They are resting many of the concerns we had about our D-Line strength.
4. Sekope, Mizell, and AHE may be one of the best LB trio's around. They are fast, mean, and play well together. Anyone noticed how often our LB's were getting in on tackles? The only person who is disappointed by this is Deonne Buccannon.
5. I have never seen as many WSU O-Lineman down the field blocking ever. On one play BJ Guerra was out sealing the safety. The starting O-Lineman are doing a great job and with Spitz, Goetz, and Taylor being able to spell the starters it looks like no one is going to have to get over worked.
6. SDSU
Friday, September 9, 2011
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week 2
Well better late than never and considering Arizona was so embarrassing last night does it really matter I didn't pick that game?? Which reminds me that Arizona is going to be a beatable team in the Pac 12 if they play that poorly. Now onto the predictions.
Missouri vs ASU
According to all the Big 12 bloggers ASU is going to be over matched. While I do not understand that analysis it is hard for me to say that ASU will win this game. Mainly because we don't know what Dennis Erickson team will take the field. If I had to guess the ASU defense will be stout and ready to play. However, I just don't see the ASU offense clicking right away. I think it will be a close one with a late touchdown by ASU making the difference.
ASU 21, Mizzou 13
Oregon State vs Wisconsin
I could site the ability of the Beavers to play well early in big games. However, this team is different. Two straight years of recruiting attrition is really starting to become evident on the Beaver's depth. Now throw in a QB battle and it is a complete mess.
Wisconsin Large, Beavers Little
California vs Colorado
Cal looked great in their opener while Colorado looked exactly like we thought they were going to look. What does that mean for Saturday's game. Who knows? My guess is that Cal will prevail in this game but it wouldn't surprise me if they play down to their opponent in this one. The Buffs are a mess right now and it will be another year before they start to right the ship.
Cal 17, Colorado 3
Stanford vs Duke
Who cares. Stanford whoops em.
Stanford 42, Duke 7
Nevada vs Oregon
Nevada had a great year last year and while they lost some key players they have enough still in the cupboard to give Oregon a good game. If one thing has been proven is if a team has time to prepare for Oregon their offense becomes very plain. The D-Line for Oregon isn't very impressive and will need to get better but the real story will be how the Ducks rebound now that their national title hopes are over. My guess is complete implosion. Lack of solid leadership and character always reveals itself in the end. Entitled Oregon comes out thinking the Wolf Pac will just roll over. Surprise!
Nevada 35, Oregon 24
Hawaii vs Washington
You would think the Seattle Media and fans would be getting used to a Sarkisian coached team coming out flat and not ready to play at the beginning of the year. The Huskies have had their fair share of hype this year and they severely under achieved on last week. Hawaii just beat Colorado with ease and they are a facing a Husky secondary that got torched by EWU. This is not a recipe for success for the Huskies at home.
Hawaii 35, Washington 17
San Jose St vs UCLA
This would be a tough game for UCLA to lose but don't challenge them to do it. UCLA is in severe crisis at the moment. They could have averted the mess by winning last week but my guess is the team will begin to quit on this coaching staff. They will win this game but I have a feeling they won't impress anyone in doing so.
UCLA 28, SJSU 13
Utah vs USC
This is an interesting match up between two teams that under achieved last week. The Utes passing attacked proved feeble and they really didn't show too much. USC showed its hand a bit in that the offense is going to be centered around Woods and Barkley. It will be interesting to see who shows up to play this week. In the end I just don't think Utah is ready for Pac 12 play yet but I don't know if USC is actually ready for Pac 12 play too.
Utes 27, USC 24
WSU Kool Aid this afternoon
Missouri vs ASU
According to all the Big 12 bloggers ASU is going to be over matched. While I do not understand that analysis it is hard for me to say that ASU will win this game. Mainly because we don't know what Dennis Erickson team will take the field. If I had to guess the ASU defense will be stout and ready to play. However, I just don't see the ASU offense clicking right away. I think it will be a close one with a late touchdown by ASU making the difference.
ASU 21, Mizzou 13
Oregon State vs Wisconsin
I could site the ability of the Beavers to play well early in big games. However, this team is different. Two straight years of recruiting attrition is really starting to become evident on the Beaver's depth. Now throw in a QB battle and it is a complete mess.
Wisconsin Large, Beavers Little
California vs Colorado
Cal looked great in their opener while Colorado looked exactly like we thought they were going to look. What does that mean for Saturday's game. Who knows? My guess is that Cal will prevail in this game but it wouldn't surprise me if they play down to their opponent in this one. The Buffs are a mess right now and it will be another year before they start to right the ship.
Cal 17, Colorado 3
Stanford vs Duke
Who cares. Stanford whoops em.
Stanford 42, Duke 7
Nevada vs Oregon
Nevada had a great year last year and while they lost some key players they have enough still in the cupboard to give Oregon a good game. If one thing has been proven is if a team has time to prepare for Oregon their offense becomes very plain. The D-Line for Oregon isn't very impressive and will need to get better but the real story will be how the Ducks rebound now that their national title hopes are over. My guess is complete implosion. Lack of solid leadership and character always reveals itself in the end. Entitled Oregon comes out thinking the Wolf Pac will just roll over. Surprise!
Nevada 35, Oregon 24
Hawaii vs Washington
You would think the Seattle Media and fans would be getting used to a Sarkisian coached team coming out flat and not ready to play at the beginning of the year. The Huskies have had their fair share of hype this year and they severely under achieved on last week. Hawaii just beat Colorado with ease and they are a facing a Husky secondary that got torched by EWU. This is not a recipe for success for the Huskies at home.
Hawaii 35, Washington 17
San Jose St vs UCLA
This would be a tough game for UCLA to lose but don't challenge them to do it. UCLA is in severe crisis at the moment. They could have averted the mess by winning last week but my guess is the team will begin to quit on this coaching staff. They will win this game but I have a feeling they won't impress anyone in doing so.
UCLA 28, SJSU 13
Utah vs USC
This is an interesting match up between two teams that under achieved last week. The Utes passing attacked proved feeble and they really didn't show too much. USC showed its hand a bit in that the offense is going to be centered around Woods and Barkley. It will be interesting to see who shows up to play this week. In the end I just don't think Utah is ready for Pac 12 play yet but I don't know if USC is actually ready for Pac 12 play too.
Utes 27, USC 24
WSU Kool Aid this afternoon
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Is Character Built?????
It was a strange day last Saturday on the Palouse. As I took my morning jog as the sun was rising over the Palouse Ridge Golf Course I had a feeling. It was a good feeling because I just knew the Cougs were going to do something special. My kids were already up as I returned home and the Game Day Flag was flying in the upper right corner of the screen. My son couldn't eat breakfast fast enough so he could put on his Cougar Football player uniform and head to the game. Imagine a 3 year old sitting at the front door waiting until it is 11:30 so we can go tail gate with Nana and Papa. Everything was lining up nicely.
At about 11:30 we arrived in parking lot A across from French Ad to tail gate with the same Cougs we have for our entire lives. My son went nuts when the band came through and my daughter tucked into my wife's shoulder during the Butch visit. Bill Moos walked through dressed to the nines and talked Cougar football with us for a while. After a lunch and a few beers the time had finally arrived to head to the game.
We finally marched up Section 26 to the same seats I have been attending games at since my Dad used to drag me too them when I was five. Now I am sitting with my son, wife, daughter, sister, Dad, Mom, and Brother in Law in Martin Stadium under the beautiful sunshine awaiting kick off. Then it all started to go wrong.
We noticed that Jeff Tuel was not warming up. Word had already spread about the virus he had and was probably not going to play. By the time the we were singing Home of the Cougs at the end of the Star Spangled Banner a little bit of nervousness had crept into my stomach. (it wasn't the beer mixing with my lunch either) I knew we were going to win regardless of Tuel's participation but I wanted to see what this team was fully capable of.
When Lobster took the field on the first snap I was concerned. However, everything changed after the first snap. The Cougs looked great. Lobster was just a piece of the puzzle that Wulff and the Coaches have been building. It actually felt as if I was watching a Cougar team from the past handling their business the way they were suppose too. Our defense was dominating the line, our linebackers were attacking anything in their area, and our corners were making plays in coverage and on the run.
As I was sitting in a near deserted Martin Stadium at half because the Cougs had cruised to a 40-0 lead, I thought this was the team I had waited for. Then word slowly started to trickle in about Tuel's injury and the panic set in again. Why couldn't we just have everything fall into place for this team this year? Then Lobster came back and led the troops right down the field again. Then our third stringers came in and continued to march the football. By the end of the game we had 64 points and our defense held them to 21.
Then came the press conferences and the radio interviews with the players. Surprisingly they were saying what you expect them to say. However, it was different this time. You could tell in their voices that they meant what they were saying. Sure losing Tuel was concerning to them but they believe it isn't going to define their season. This team has gone beyond just one player. They are in this together and will continue to win games together. Mizell understands the defense is going to have to step up its play to keep the offense on the field. Lobster knows that this is his time and when Tuel is ready it will be his time. This team has something other than speed that has been missing in the past. It has character.
At about 11:30 we arrived in parking lot A across from French Ad to tail gate with the same Cougs we have for our entire lives. My son went nuts when the band came through and my daughter tucked into my wife's shoulder during the Butch visit. Bill Moos walked through dressed to the nines and talked Cougar football with us for a while. After a lunch and a few beers the time had finally arrived to head to the game.
We finally marched up Section 26 to the same seats I have been attending games at since my Dad used to drag me too them when I was five. Now I am sitting with my son, wife, daughter, sister, Dad, Mom, and Brother in Law in Martin Stadium under the beautiful sunshine awaiting kick off. Then it all started to go wrong.
We noticed that Jeff Tuel was not warming up. Word had already spread about the virus he had and was probably not going to play. By the time the we were singing Home of the Cougs at the end of the Star Spangled Banner a little bit of nervousness had crept into my stomach. (it wasn't the beer mixing with my lunch either) I knew we were going to win regardless of Tuel's participation but I wanted to see what this team was fully capable of.
When Lobster took the field on the first snap I was concerned. However, everything changed after the first snap. The Cougs looked great. Lobster was just a piece of the puzzle that Wulff and the Coaches have been building. It actually felt as if I was watching a Cougar team from the past handling their business the way they were suppose too. Our defense was dominating the line, our linebackers were attacking anything in their area, and our corners were making plays in coverage and on the run.
As I was sitting in a near deserted Martin Stadium at half because the Cougs had cruised to a 40-0 lead, I thought this was the team I had waited for. Then word slowly started to trickle in about Tuel's injury and the panic set in again. Why couldn't we just have everything fall into place for this team this year? Then Lobster came back and led the troops right down the field again. Then our third stringers came in and continued to march the football. By the end of the game we had 64 points and our defense held them to 21.
Then came the press conferences and the radio interviews with the players. Surprisingly they were saying what you expect them to say. However, it was different this time. You could tell in their voices that they meant what they were saying. Sure losing Tuel was concerning to them but they believe it isn't going to define their season. This team has gone beyond just one player. They are in this together and will continue to win games together. Mizell understands the defense is going to have to step up its play to keep the offense on the field. Lobster knows that this is his time and when Tuel is ready it will be his time. This team has something other than speed that has been missing in the past. It has character.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Weekend Recap - Week One
After a great opening weekend of college football the Pac 12 proved there are more questions to be asked than there were answers given in fall camps.
For example here are a few questions
1. We knew the Oregon State Beavers were decimated by injuries in the off season but are their cupboards really that bare?
2. Did the Seattle Hype machine forget to mention that the Husky Football team greatly underachieved on Saturday?
3. If Jordan Wynn is as good as everyone says then is 100 yards passing considered awesome?
4. Seriously USC at home?????
5. Is it finally time to recognize that opposing defensive coordinators have figured out ways to slow and beat Oregon?
6. Is Stanford a world beater or afraid to play real opponents?
7. Is Arizona even going to try to run the ball this year??
8. If ASU was looking past UC Davis should Missouri be worried??
9. Is Colorado's coach John Embree drinking Lava Flows in excess??
10. Did Cal dominate or just win?
11. Will UCLA figure out how to start a game in 2011?
With those questions out of the way it is time to ask the real question of the weekend. Did WSU really take care of business the way they were suppose too? I cannot remember being more nervous to watch a game with a 27 point spread. However, once the Cougs were up 40-0 at halftime I was more flabbergasted. Even more impressive was the abscence of Jeff Tuel at the helm.
There were really few aspects of the game that the Cougs did not deliver in. The highly touted WR's corps played lights out with 11 Cougar receivers catching passes. How about we has 8 players listed with rushing attempts and all of them rushed for positive yardage for the game? How about 0 sacks allowed and no turnovers? How about a 51 yard field goal? How about a pick 6? How about 6 sacks?
Realistically, the Cougs came out and played exactly the way they should have and it has been a long time. While Jeff Tuel was lost for a period of time Lobster stepped in and showed the benefit of having a 5th year senior as a back up. The Mitz, Mason, Winston, Mason combo at running back should keep defenses honest.
How about this for the recap WSU 64, Idaho State 21. Is there really too much more to go over?
For example here are a few questions
1. We knew the Oregon State Beavers were decimated by injuries in the off season but are their cupboards really that bare?
2. Did the Seattle Hype machine forget to mention that the Husky Football team greatly underachieved on Saturday?
3. If Jordan Wynn is as good as everyone says then is 100 yards passing considered awesome?
4. Seriously USC at home?????
5. Is it finally time to recognize that opposing defensive coordinators have figured out ways to slow and beat Oregon?
6. Is Stanford a world beater or afraid to play real opponents?
7. Is Arizona even going to try to run the ball this year??
8. If ASU was looking past UC Davis should Missouri be worried??
9. Is Colorado's coach John Embree drinking Lava Flows in excess??
10. Did Cal dominate or just win?
11. Will UCLA figure out how to start a game in 2011?
With those questions out of the way it is time to ask the real question of the weekend. Did WSU really take care of business the way they were suppose too? I cannot remember being more nervous to watch a game with a 27 point spread. However, once the Cougs were up 40-0 at halftime I was more flabbergasted. Even more impressive was the abscence of Jeff Tuel at the helm.
There were really few aspects of the game that the Cougs did not deliver in. The highly touted WR's corps played lights out with 11 Cougar receivers catching passes. How about we has 8 players listed with rushing attempts and all of them rushed for positive yardage for the game? How about 0 sacks allowed and no turnovers? How about a 51 yard field goal? How about a pick 6? How about 6 sacks?
Realistically, the Cougs came out and played exactly the way they should have and it has been a long time. While Jeff Tuel was lost for a period of time Lobster stepped in and showed the benefit of having a 5th year senior as a back up. The Mitz, Mason, Winston, Mason combo at running back should keep defenses honest.
How about this for the recap WSU 64, Idaho State 21. Is there really too much more to go over?
Friday, September 2, 2011
Buy in or Leave!
A story that lurks around Cougar Lore is when Billy Newman and Jason Gesser stood in front of the team during summer work outs and proclaimed Buy in or Leave!!! We all remember how that season turned out for that bunch of Cougs. It is also important to note that those Cougs were built around the 1998 Rose Bowl recruiting classes.
Fast forward to this season and you get a different sense from our Cougs. These kids have bought in and they are leaping forward. When Wulff first arrived at WSU the program was just entering its third year of a recruiting drought. It has taken time to get that same amount of talent onto the field. It is here now and the players know it.
The pieces are in place for us to have the same time type of season that Gesser led the Cougs into in 2001. We have a solid quarterback with great leadership skills in Jeff Tuel. We have a stable of quick running backs in Mitz, Galvin and Winston. We have an arguably better receiving corps in Barton, Karstetter, Wilson, Simone, ect. We have serious speed at linebacker in the form of Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis. We have a young and powerful safety in Buccannon. We have a schedule that will allow us to get out of the stable quickly with a couple of wins. We are coming off a season were we finally got competitive towards the end of the year.
Stir it all together and we have a beautiful brew of Cougar Football in the making. What is missing? The game tomorrow and the fans in the stands. The Cougs will be better this year and could have the opportunity to do something special. What it needs to push us over the edge is the fan base behind it. After we start 2-0 the Cougs will be tested by a battle ready SDSU. If the Cougs can continue the momentum we will have a winning record heading into the Stanford game. The key ingredient will be a sold out Martin Stadium to welcome the trees.
It is time for the casual Coug fans to Buy in or Leave. It might sound dramatic but anyone who has had the opportunity to talk to the players know they believe in themselves. It is time for us to jump on the Bandwagon and believe too. I hope to see everyone at the game tomorrow!
Fast forward to this season and you get a different sense from our Cougs. These kids have bought in and they are leaping forward. When Wulff first arrived at WSU the program was just entering its third year of a recruiting drought. It has taken time to get that same amount of talent onto the field. It is here now and the players know it.
The pieces are in place for us to have the same time type of season that Gesser led the Cougs into in 2001. We have a solid quarterback with great leadership skills in Jeff Tuel. We have a stable of quick running backs in Mitz, Galvin and Winston. We have an arguably better receiving corps in Barton, Karstetter, Wilson, Simone, ect. We have serious speed at linebacker in the form of Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis. We have a young and powerful safety in Buccannon. We have a schedule that will allow us to get out of the stable quickly with a couple of wins. We are coming off a season were we finally got competitive towards the end of the year.
Stir it all together and we have a beautiful brew of Cougar Football in the making. What is missing? The game tomorrow and the fans in the stands. The Cougs will be better this year and could have the opportunity to do something special. What it needs to push us over the edge is the fan base behind it. After we start 2-0 the Cougs will be tested by a battle ready SDSU. If the Cougs can continue the momentum we will have a winning record heading into the Stanford game. The key ingredient will be a sold out Martin Stadium to welcome the trees.
It is time for the casual Coug fans to Buy in or Leave. It might sound dramatic but anyone who has had the opportunity to talk to the players know they believe in themselves. It is time for us to jump on the Bandwagon and believe too. I hope to see everyone at the game tomorrow!
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week One
Week One is upon us and unlike most years, the majority of the games are going to give us a pretty good idea of what to expect this season. Before we get into the in depth predictions let me throw out the quick patsies.
Stanford is going to win big.
Oregon State is going to win. (Should be big but they are extremely banged up)
USC is going to win. (Not sure what Trojan team will show up but the Gophers aren't ready yet)
Those three teams did themselves favors by scheduling weak teams to ease into the season. I am not saying the rest of the Pac 12 scheduled world beaters but the remaining games will prove more about each team than the one's above. Let's get the Kool Aid predictions started.
UCLA vs. Houston
It wasn't too long ago that Ken Sumlin and Houston were the toast of the NCAA football season. In fact, many thought Sumlin might be the future coach of WSU. The results have been mixed since their huge season. Last year the Bruins put down Houston in more ways than one and in doing so left Houston without Keenum for the season. Unfortunately, for UCLA Keenum has recovered and will be looking for blood against the Bruins this year.
UCLA has had a rough off season with injuries and stupidity. They are installing a new system on offense with the departure of Norm Chow. The starting quarterback will be Prince who has yet to prove he is ready for the lime light. However, I am not sold on the fact that Prince couldn't be a star. The Bruins are going to have to establish the running game with Johnathan Franklin if Prince is going to get into any rhythm at all. This will be the key to the game.
UCLA's defense is going to be fast and somewhat healthy. They should be decent in coverage and apply some pressure on Keenum. If their D-Line can stay injury free, the Bruins could have a shot at putting up some big numbers. I am just not confident they will be able to get the offense going at the pace it needs to be moving in order to keep up with Keenum and the Cougars at home.
Prediction.
UH 34 UCLA 17
Cal vs Fresno State
This game is going to be very telling for Cal. Fresno is always known for giving good games to big opponents. USC in 2004 will attest to that. Cal is also playing a semi home game at AT&T field while their stadium is renovated.
Maynard was named the starting quarterback headed into the fall so that means that they at least have that situation under control. Their running game is always above average so that will also take some pressure off of Maynard. However, with the loss of their star D-Lineman it is hard to imagine it will take a little time to establish some consistency on defense.
Cal 24 Fresno 21 with the Bears scoring late to win.
Oregon vs LSU
There isn't too much to say about this game that hasn't already been said by every pundit in the country. This game is really Oregon vs an SEC defensive line. Unfortunately for Duck fans that doesn't bode well for them. Both teams are dealing with distractions off of the field but LSU has more to lose by a loss than the Ducks do.
Oregon 24 LSU 33 LSU's defensive line will be too much for Oregon.
UW vs Eastern Washington
UW is the only program in the country that can have an unproven signal caller and still be considered a major contender in the Pac 12. However, the practice reports coming out of Montlake keep referencing mistakes made by their offense. Price is an athlete but I am not sure he is the kind of QB that Sark wants to develop. Remember Sark tried to turn the best running QB in the country into a pocket passer and that experiment failed. If it wasn't for Polk I don't think the Huskies would have sniffed a bowl game last year.
However, they are playing Eastern who will be over matched at most positions. This game will be interesting to see if the hype coming out of Husky camp is warranted. The Huskies have everything to lose and very little to gain from this game. Eastern will be chomping at the bit to show everyone why they were the FCS champions last year. If Eastern is close at half the game will be up in the air.
UW 31 Eastern 28 on a late field goal by the Huskies.
The Cougar preview will be up later in the day.
Stanford is going to win big.
Oregon State is going to win. (Should be big but they are extremely banged up)
USC is going to win. (Not sure what Trojan team will show up but the Gophers aren't ready yet)
Those three teams did themselves favors by scheduling weak teams to ease into the season. I am not saying the rest of the Pac 12 scheduled world beaters but the remaining games will prove more about each team than the one's above. Let's get the Kool Aid predictions started.
UCLA vs. Houston
It wasn't too long ago that Ken Sumlin and Houston were the toast of the NCAA football season. In fact, many thought Sumlin might be the future coach of WSU. The results have been mixed since their huge season. Last year the Bruins put down Houston in more ways than one and in doing so left Houston without Keenum for the season. Unfortunately, for UCLA Keenum has recovered and will be looking for blood against the Bruins this year.
UCLA has had a rough off season with injuries and stupidity. They are installing a new system on offense with the departure of Norm Chow. The starting quarterback will be Prince who has yet to prove he is ready for the lime light. However, I am not sold on the fact that Prince couldn't be a star. The Bruins are going to have to establish the running game with Johnathan Franklin if Prince is going to get into any rhythm at all. This will be the key to the game.
UCLA's defense is going to be fast and somewhat healthy. They should be decent in coverage and apply some pressure on Keenum. If their D-Line can stay injury free, the Bruins could have a shot at putting up some big numbers. I am just not confident they will be able to get the offense going at the pace it needs to be moving in order to keep up with Keenum and the Cougars at home.
Prediction.
UH 34 UCLA 17
Cal vs Fresno State
This game is going to be very telling for Cal. Fresno is always known for giving good games to big opponents. USC in 2004 will attest to that. Cal is also playing a semi home game at AT&T field while their stadium is renovated.
Maynard was named the starting quarterback headed into the fall so that means that they at least have that situation under control. Their running game is always above average so that will also take some pressure off of Maynard. However, with the loss of their star D-Lineman it is hard to imagine it will take a little time to establish some consistency on defense.
Cal 24 Fresno 21 with the Bears scoring late to win.
Oregon vs LSU
There isn't too much to say about this game that hasn't already been said by every pundit in the country. This game is really Oregon vs an SEC defensive line. Unfortunately for Duck fans that doesn't bode well for them. Both teams are dealing with distractions off of the field but LSU has more to lose by a loss than the Ducks do.
Oregon 24 LSU 33 LSU's defensive line will be too much for Oregon.
UW vs Eastern Washington
UW is the only program in the country that can have an unproven signal caller and still be considered a major contender in the Pac 12. However, the practice reports coming out of Montlake keep referencing mistakes made by their offense. Price is an athlete but I am not sure he is the kind of QB that Sark wants to develop. Remember Sark tried to turn the best running QB in the country into a pocket passer and that experiment failed. If it wasn't for Polk I don't think the Huskies would have sniffed a bowl game last year.
However, they are playing Eastern who will be over matched at most positions. This game will be interesting to see if the hype coming out of Husky camp is warranted. The Huskies have everything to lose and very little to gain from this game. Eastern will be chomping at the bit to show everyone why they were the FCS champions last year. If Eastern is close at half the game will be up in the air.
UW 31 Eastern 28 on a late field goal by the Huskies.
The Cougar preview will be up later in the day.
Recapping the Thursday Night Not so Thrillers
Well, we have finally arrived. The College Football season is upon us. After all the waiting we were graciously rewarded with some brutal blow outs and no surprises, but it still felt great watching football. Lets look at the Pac 12 games from last night.
Montana State 10, Utah 27
When the Utah Utes signed up the Montana State Bobcats I am sure they were not expecting much of a game. Especially since the Bobcats are breaking in a new offensive line. Therefore, they got exactly what the score board dictated. Or did they?
What did we learn about Utah?
Well obviously they had a great game plan and executed it to perfection. They blistered a quick 17 points on the score board and they Jordan Wynn sat for the rest of the game and that explains the scoring stall. Not exactly. On Utah's first series they went three and out. They had great field position after an interception and Wynn drove them down the final 8 yards to score. They put together a 62 yard drive on the their third possession thanks to some great running. On their fourth third possession of the quarter they got the ball on the Montana State 15 after a blocked punt. The result was a 37 yard field goal because they went 3 and out losing five yards. Not exactly blistering 17 points, but taking advantage of MSU's mistakes.
The rest of the game the Utes were only able to put together one scoring drive. (The second field goal was the result of a 70 yard kick off return) Sure a win is a win and from a Cougfan it is obvious that MSU can be a tough opponent. However, I like to think that if Utah was as young as the Cougs were last year it is very possible the result would have been identical. The Utes have a highly touted veteran QB, O-Line, WR's, ect. If this game is indicative of their Pac 12 run I have a bad feeling the Utes are going to have a long year in the Pac.
Quick Stats from the game
Utah Total Yards : 292 yards
Utah Longest Drive: 62 yards
Passing Yards: 101 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 258
ASU 48, UC Davis 14
Arizona State played like a Pac 12 team playing an inferior opponent. They came out, hit them in the mouth, hit on their sister, and then played some football.
What did we learn about ASU?
Well, you can always learn more from close games than blow outs. Therefore, we learned that ASU was able to start the season by living up to the expectations that have been set for them. They just took care of business. Or did they? ASU scored easily on their first three possessions but then came the funny farm. On a minor 4 and 2 on the the UC Davis 26 ASU attempts to pass the ball instead of just running it for the first down against an inferior line. The result was a turnover on downs. On their next possession they squandered a good drive by fumbling the football. Next offensive possession resulted in an interception. Then they finally got it together and finished the game strong.
While ASU may look good on paper, they sure played like the classically coached Dennis Erickson Sun Devils. Loads of talent, lack of discipline. It will be interesting to see how they match up against Pac 12 talent. Only against UC Davis can you afford to lose possession on downs, lose possession on a fumble, get a field goal, and then throw an interception on consecutive drives and win by 38 points.
Quick States
ASU Total Yards : 517 yards
ASULongest Drive: 81 yards
Passing Yards: 300 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 243
That's it for last night's recap. Crimson Kool Aid predictions coming up later today.
Montana State 10, Utah 27
When the Utah Utes signed up the Montana State Bobcats I am sure they were not expecting much of a game. Especially since the Bobcats are breaking in a new offensive line. Therefore, they got exactly what the score board dictated. Or did they?
What did we learn about Utah?
Well obviously they had a great game plan and executed it to perfection. They blistered a quick 17 points on the score board and they Jordan Wynn sat for the rest of the game and that explains the scoring stall. Not exactly. On Utah's first series they went three and out. They had great field position after an interception and Wynn drove them down the final 8 yards to score. They put together a 62 yard drive on the their third possession thanks to some great running. On their fourth third possession of the quarter they got the ball on the Montana State 15 after a blocked punt. The result was a 37 yard field goal because they went 3 and out losing five yards. Not exactly blistering 17 points, but taking advantage of MSU's mistakes.
The rest of the game the Utes were only able to put together one scoring drive. (The second field goal was the result of a 70 yard kick off return) Sure a win is a win and from a Cougfan it is obvious that MSU can be a tough opponent. However, I like to think that if Utah was as young as the Cougs were last year it is very possible the result would have been identical. The Utes have a highly touted veteran QB, O-Line, WR's, ect. If this game is indicative of their Pac 12 run I have a bad feeling the Utes are going to have a long year in the Pac.
Quick Stats from the game
Utah Total Yards : 292 yards
Utah Longest Drive: 62 yards
Passing Yards: 101 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 258
ASU 48, UC Davis 14
Arizona State played like a Pac 12 team playing an inferior opponent. They came out, hit them in the mouth, hit on their sister, and then played some football.
What did we learn about ASU?
Well, you can always learn more from close games than blow outs. Therefore, we learned that ASU was able to start the season by living up to the expectations that have been set for them. They just took care of business. Or did they? ASU scored easily on their first three possessions but then came the funny farm. On a minor 4 and 2 on the the UC Davis 26 ASU attempts to pass the ball instead of just running it for the first down against an inferior line. The result was a turnover on downs. On their next possession they squandered a good drive by fumbling the football. Next offensive possession resulted in an interception. Then they finally got it together and finished the game strong.
While ASU may look good on paper, they sure played like the classically coached Dennis Erickson Sun Devils. Loads of talent, lack of discipline. It will be interesting to see how they match up against Pac 12 talent. Only against UC Davis can you afford to lose possession on downs, lose possession on a fumble, get a field goal, and then throw an interception on consecutive drives and win by 38 points.
Quick States
ASU Total Yards : 517 yards
ASULongest Drive: 81 yards
Passing Yards: 300 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 243
That's it for last night's recap. Crimson Kool Aid predictions coming up later today.
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