ESPN Pac-10 Blog

Pac-10 blogger Ted Miller examines how the Cardinal can possibly pull off the upset against the Ducks on Saturday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Lots and lots of mail on the Oregon vs. Boise State debate. Not sure how to handle this in the mailbag because it's a complicated issue that can be stated simply: head-to-head vs. body of work.

Not sure if you guys will be entertained by repeating that endlessly.

Or maybe you will be?

To the notes.

James from Springfield, Ore., writes: It's funny how many pollsters find it so difficult or downright impossible to rank Oregon over BSU because of the win in week one. John Hunt of the Oregonian polled some of the AP voters and at least 16 said they would not vote OR over BSU. Wanna guess how many voted UW over USC in week 4 when they had the same record? ZERO. 14 voted OK over BYU in week 2 (BYU 1-0 with win over OK, OK 0-1). Nine voted Cal over OR in week 5 despite the 42-3 beat down & a higher SOS

Jim from Cascade, Idaho writes: I sure hope that your vote at the end of the season to rank the Oregon Ducks ahead of the Boise State Broncos doesn't count for anything. You represent the Pac 10 and of course you want a Pac 10 team ahead of a lowly mid major. That is the problem of this BCS discussion that dominates the media to such foolishness. If the six major conferences had to share their money and prestige with someone else then pretty soon the mid majors could recruit equally. Besides when nothing else makes sense then follow the money. That is exactly why the majors won't share and pay the media to keep it that way. You act like a proper sheep.

Jon from Los Angeles writes: Is Boise State totally WAC? Sure, the Oregon win looks good now, but is there any chance one impressive victory against a great team on a bad night atones for twelve weeks of beating up on virtual DII teams? What's the debate?

Rob from Boise writes: Of course you will back OR in the polls, you are a blogger for the P10. But I question your mental and physical fortitude, because I doubt (strictly from your posturing during that v-blog) that you have ever been pitted against something hard, tough, or perceived better than you. Please don't take this as an ego boost, because if there were nothing to whom you have been physically challenged to then why the hell are you a writer for E(SEC)PN? Face to face matters most in sports, thats why we need a playoff. Have fun in your basement or study or wherever you videoed that, real men will be out on the field or in the arena. It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat. -Theodore Roosevelt - words you should take to heart Mr. Miller

Moreno from Suthelrin, Ore, writes: Oregon over Boise in the rankings no doubt. Must be nice to only have to train for ONE REAL SCHOOL all off season. then take the rest of the season off. Oregon proves week after week that they're the best. Boise sneaks past schools that my community college could beat.

Jason Mayer from "The Left Coast" writes: When the college football season is finished and Florida, Texas, and Alabama are all undefeated only two teams can play in the big game. How will this be decided, by looking at their body of work. Why, because they have not played any games head to head. You are crazy to think that body of work could ever trump head to head. Body of work is needed if there is no head to head. I would whole hardily agree that Oregon's body of work is light years ahead of Boise State, but it still doesn't trump head to head. Oregon had their chance to be the dominate team on the football field, not only this year but last year and they lost head to head both times. There is no justifying that away, can't be done without having your head in the sand.

Ted Miller: Hey, I did a video clip about this.

Funny thing: This is as much a debate among media sorts as among fans. I was among the gaggle of sportswriters arguing this very topic as we left Autzen Stadium. We were fairly animated.

It almost feels like we should make another distinction.

If it comes down between Oregon and Boise State for a national championship berth or, perhaps, an at-large BCS berth, maybe the Broncos should have the edge.

I think, in fact, that the Broncos non-AQ status helps them here. Say Arkansas lost on the road to a Big Ten team to open the season, then decisively beat Alabama, Florida and LSU and finished 11-1, while that Big Ten team went unbeaten, without playing, say, Penn State or Ohio State. My guess is Arkansas would get a lot of voter sympathy based on their body of work and voter doubts about the Big Ten.

There wouldn't be this sense of BCS systemic unfairness that is the subtext of much of the emotion here.

But beyond the BCS positioning, and only in the context of the national rankings, maybe Oregon should have the edge.

Why? Well, body of work.

And there's this: If you can't honestly say, "I think Boise State would beat Oregon tomorrow on a neutral field" then you are admitting that the body-of-work argument carries some heft.

Both arguments are compelling. In the end, if I have to choose one, I go with body of work.

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Mike from Portland writes: Hey Ted! I read your blog every day! One thing I haven't seen you post about is the Pac 10's strength of schedule in hard numbers. Yeah everyone can debate that endlessly, but according the hard facts, aka Sagarin, 9 of the Pac 10 teams rank in the top 20 of his strength of schedule. NINE! And many of those teams are looking pretty good and are doing well with pollsters. I think the pollsters need to be more aware of the hard facts SOS.

Ted Miller: If you wish to see the Pac-10 love from the computers, feel free to go here, or particularly here.

The Pac-10 seems to have joined the SEC in the discussion of best conference this season. But keep in mind we've got lots of football left and then the bowl games. We shall see how things shake out.

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Bentley from Bend, Ore., writes: I am a life-long Trojan fan, and I was at the game last weekend. I am definitely disappointed and crushed, but that is not what I want to ask you about. I want to know why the Pac-10 is getting absolutely no love in terms of players being recognized for the Heisman? I don't get it. The race seems wide open this year with Bradford going down and both McCoy and Tebow not performing like Heisman worthy players. What about James? He didn't even get many touches until the third game of the year and he is still almost at 1,000 yards. He has games of 118, 152 (twice), 154, and 184. He averages 7.0 yards a carry! No one is talking about this guy for Heisman? WHY!?!? Or what about JacQuizz Rodgers? He is more than a runner and almost has 1300 all purpose yards already. He averages more yards a game (162) receiving and rushing then Ingram does. Both JacQuizz Rodgers and LaMichael James are more impressive then Ingram in my mind. Why does the media not even talk about this?

Ted Miller: Dude, I've been so ringing the Jacquizz Rodgers bell!

And what if Jeremiah Masoli keeps Oregon rolling? Or what if Toby Gerhart rushes for 180 yards and two touchdowns Saturday and leads Stanford over the Ducks?

The race is still wide open.

For Rodgers, he needs the Beavers to start rolling and return to the national rankings. So does Gerhart.

Name recognition is critical. And it's hard to get that when playing for an unranked team.

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Chris from South Korea writes: Do you think it's good for a team like WSU to travel to San Antonio for recruiting and/or a decent paycheck or does a bad defeat hurt their cause?

Ted Miller: The money, particularly for Washington State, which has some financial issues, is critical.

I'm not sure if it will help much in Texas recruiting, though there are Cougars from Texas.

What would help is winning the game. Losing in San Antonio probably does no more damage that losing in Martin Stadium. And judging from struggling attendance figures and frustrated fans, the Cougars may have enjoyed the trip more than a home game.

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Vib from Fremont, Calif., writes: Wilner's post on Oregon-Stanford is really just creating hype for a game that will be interesting for only 15-20 minutes. The Stanford defense will be confused with the Ducks misdirection all day. They are running Kelly's offense at a very high level. I don't think the Stanford offense is very good. They just had a relatively easy early schedule. The Ducks defense will do enough and Masoli/James will run past the stumped Cardinal.

Ted Miller: You know Wilner used to routinely whip Anderson Silva? He's won the sportswriter UFC championships, like, 50 times. May want to be careful calling anything he writes "hype."

Because you know we media sorts hate the assertion that we'd ever "hype" something.

I liked his arguments. Thought they were interesting. Still think Oregon's going to win. But if Stanford pulls the upset, we may refer back to his list.

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Chris from Parts Unknown writes: Cool article from USC ranking pac-10 away locker rooms.

Ted Miller: That is a cool article. And I'm not surprised about first and last.

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Chris from Palo Alto, Calif., writes: Hey Ted, I really enjoy the blog. I have a question as to why Oregon has to make a recommendation to the Pac-10 about Blount. I thought it was the Univ. of Oregon that suspended him, not the Pac-10. If that's correct, why now does the Pac-10 have a say in this?

Ted Miller: The Pac-10 has final say both going in and going out.

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Ryan Heredia from Cheney, Wash., writes: Hey Mr. Miller. I am doing a college paper on whether or not there should be a playoff system in college football. I was just wondering what your take is?

Ted Miller: Cheney! Funny story. Got caught in speed trap in Cheney while heading to Seattle Seahawks practice. Officer clocked me at 55 ... on an exit ramp. I was about 100 yards from highway where the speed limit was 75.

My thoughts on a playoff.

I think a playoff would be great. I don't think it will happen anytime soon because the folks who make these decisions don't want a playoff.

And, you know, college football doesn't exactly stink right now.

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Derick from Portland writes: With University of Oregon doing so well the last few years (well until QB injuries occurred that is). What is the chance that we will pull in top defensive recruits and wide receivers? We haven't had a decent receiver since James Finley/Demetrius Williams and its been our biggest weakness offensively. Does Oregon stand much of a chance to land big names in this recruiting class?

Ted Miller: Oregon is about to finish in the top-10 for a second-consecutive season. Seems to me the Ducks should stick with their present recruiting strategy.

But this happens a lot with a fanbase. A team surges, and fans want to win in recruiting also. They want to compete with USC, Texas and Florida for guys!

I get notes like this from Oregon State fans, and I just feel such talk is nuts.

I don't get the feeling that Oregon is that bad off at receiver, based on my observations watching the Ducks gain 613 yards against one of the most talented defenses in the nation.

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Aaron from Chicago writes: With all the injury issues USC has been having at RB, why isn't Marc Tyler getting playing time? Wasn't he the best RB in America in high school? Was his leg injury so bad that he just isn't the same back, or is there something below the surface that is affecting his playing time?

Ted Miller: It's below the surface... of his toe. He suffered a season-ending toe injury that required surgery.

I've got a feeling Tyler will be a factor next year, though.

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Jacob from Beaverton, Ore., writes: My name is Jacob, a freshman at the University of Oregon, and I just had some questions about how you became a sports journalist/ESPN blogger (I think that is how you would classify your profession? yes/no?). I am an avid college football fan and having a profession in this sort of field would definitely interest me.Currently, I have not yet declared a major. I have always enjoyed history and political science, but there really isn't anything to do with those kind of majors in the economy today other than teaching, which doesn't appeal to me at all. This has sparked my initiative to find other career pathways which interest me, and lets be honest, who doesn't like sports!?So on to the questions:What did you major in at the University of Richmond? Did that major play any role in your current career?What do you recommend I major in to pursue a career similar to yours?Is sports journalism even a realistic career to pursue? How did you become one?

Ted Miller: My career advice is to have as much fun as you possibly can before you turn 25. At some point, you need to hang out in Amsterdam. And Barcelona. Then think about your career.

I was an English major. I wanted to be an English professor. And write a few novels and move to Barcelona. And Amsterdam.

Plans change.

I started at a small paper. Then moved to a bigger one. And so-on.

As for what I do for ESPN.com: You can do the same thing right now. Just start writing a blog. Write for the school paper. Try to string for the local newspaper. Gather your clips. Try to get an internship.

It's not rocket science.

It's much, much harder and more important.

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DuckVader from "Still Floating" writes: Okie Dokies Mr. Ted Miller. I think it's time to give Oregon's Defense some nifty little catch phrase name so we can keep promoting how amazing we are (Knock on Wood for the love of god). We might need it if we win out (see Texas national title game campaign). I'm thinking, call us the Carbon Curtain... yea? you like?PS Solid work with the new videos. My only comment would be loosen up a bit on them, maybe don't treat them like your a news caster. Your a hip, witty, blogger; so go with that! Be a silly son of a B, people dig that!

Ted Miller: Me silly? Bollocks!

As for a nickname for the Ducks defense, we might want to give it one more week, post-Toby Gerhart.

But you Duck fans out there should feel free to offer suggestions. I will then steal the best one and claim I invented it.

By the way, Duck Vader, do you know my boss, Darth Duffey? I think you Sith Lords run in the same circles.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Who is Keyser Soze? He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear Kobayashi tell it, anybody could have worked for Soze. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.

• Arizona protects its quarterback better than anyone.
• A couple of Arizona State freshmen are playing big roles on offense. USC respects the Sun Devils' defense.
• California quarterback Kevin Riley can vanquish a personal ghost if he can beat Oregon State.
• Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck may be the best QB Oregon has faced. A report from Ducks practice.
• Oregon State has thrown the first punch for this year's Civil War. Some injury news as the Beavers get ready for Cal.
• Recalling Stanford's 1969 team that fell short.
• UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince is focused on himself, not what people say. A Bruins injury update.
• USC has a long injury list.
• Washington quarterback Jake Locker, who's been nursing a thigh bruise, looked good Thursday and will start at UCLA.
• It's sort of a homecoming for Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel at Arizona this weekend. Some Cougars notes.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

This is how USC coach Pete Carroll began his press conference Tuesday.

"It's a week that's unusual for us," he said.

Yep.

And it's not just that USC's 47-20 loss at Oregon was the worst of the Pete Carroll era in many, many ways.

Consider this from the ESPN's Stats & Information crew:

The Trojans have allowed 110 points in their last three games. They had allowed 113 points total in their 14 games prior to the last three.

The last time USC allowed 110 points over a three-game stretch was … never. It is the most points the Trojans have ever allowed over a three-game stretch.

Previously, USC allowed 106 points over two different three-game stretches in the 2000 season.

Yowza.

Carroll's tenure has been a historically great one. And now it's also made some bad history.

USC has always bounced back after its losses before. But will that again be the case on Saturday at Arizona State after such a horrible performance?

"If we want to give it style points and all that, it tasted a little different," Carroll said. "But it's the same mechanisms that have to kick in, you know. You can't do anything about things that have already occurred. You can only do what's ahead of you and have an opportunity to control what's right in front of you. That's how we've always focused."

Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson seems to think his Sun Devils will get the Trojans' best. When asked what USC's attitude would be, his first word was, "scary."

"That program isn't where it's at by not coming back and fighting like heck," he said. "They'll come in here and play their best game. Pete will have them ready to go. They react pretty well when they get beat."

USC's defense is beaten up, and not just emotionally after giving up 613 yards to the Ducks. The good news for the Trojans is the Sun Devils' offense is nothing like the Ducks'. It's fairly conventional and ranks eighth in the Pac-10 with 355 yards per game. Quarterback Danny Sullivan isn't a run threat, which is often a bugaboo for the Trojans.

Still, the Arizona State defense could challenge an offense that went flat at Oregon.

There will be more than a few curious eyes looking at this game, both in the Pac-10 and nationally.

How will the Trojans respond to getting whipped? We don't know because it hasn't happened in a long, long time.

Said Carroll, "When you get beat, you get beat. You have to deal with it."

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

If you think Stanford plans to just give it the ol' college try Saturday against Oregon, you don't know coach Jim Harbaugh and the mindset he's installed at Stanford.

	AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
	Coach Jim Harbaugh has his team focusing beyond just securing bowl eligibility.

Notch an upset against the nation's No. 8 team? Settle for finding a sixth win at some point during a brutal home stretch against four ranked teams and obtain bowl eligibility for the first time since 2001? That's not what Harbaugh and his team are pondering.

The Cardinal (5-3, 4-2) are still thinking Pac-10 championship. They plan to beat the Ducks. Then they plan to win at USC (again!). Then beat rival California. Then Notre Dame.

It may not happen, but Harbaugh clearly has high expectations for his program, now and into the future.

He stopped by for a quick chat.

Got a note from a Stanford fan about your experiment with two-way players during spring and preseason practices: How many guys have seen action on both sides of the ball this season?

Jim Harbaugh: Owen Marecic (at fullback and linebacker), James McGillicuddy (offensive and defensive lines) and Richard Sherman (cornerback and receiver). So, three guys.

Did you guys back off that a little bit?

JH: It's the way it's always been -- you try to get the best players on the field. Some of them are contingency plans. If someone gets hurt, then you have someone prepared and trained at that position who might be your best player.

So, Oregon: What did you see from the USC game tape?

JH: A high level of execution. Fast tempo offensively. Physical defensively -- across the board. Special teams are outstanding. They're second in the country in kickoff returns. A secondary that tackles very well in space. No weak link. A very formidable team.

Any chance your guys will be intimidated by the Ducks?

JH: That question keeps getting asked but, no, I've never seen our guys intimidated.

You guys have established a reputation for physical football. Is the next step getting faster?

JH: You always want to get more physical, more athletic and faster. Stronger. Those are always things you are striving for.

That leads into my next question: How do you sell Stanford in recruiting?

JH: It really comes down to identifying what the youngster is looking for from his college experience. For someone to come to Stanford, they have to achieve as much as they possibly can academically and achieve as much as they can athletically. That's the perfect guy. If a guy just wants to achieve athletically and just kind of work his way through the academics -- not have to work as hard for that degree -- there are better places to go than Stanford. It's the idea of, 'You work hard now, you won't have to work as hard later in life.'

Quarterback Andrew Luck has impressed everyone thus far. What does he need to get better at?

JH: It's just playing the position. The experience. In terms of coaching him, he's one of those special guys who come along. Like [defensive back] Delano Howell, for instance. Delano was a freshman last year playing running back and receiver. I told the coaches, "Don't overcoach him. Don't ruin this guy. This guy is a football player and he is going to do things that are going to really amaze you.We don't want to coach that out of him." Similar but different with (Luck). The quarterback has to be coached. He has to be trained on the football side, the game plan side each week. But mechanically, physically, we're letting him play the position and learn as he plays. Does that makes sense? I don't want him to be a victim of over-coaching. Some guys with special talent, you've got to let them play. Therefore they learn how to play their game. That's where Andrew is making the most strides right now -- learning to play his game. He's a special talent.

You guys have four games remaining against ranked teams. You have to win one to become bowl-eligible. Do you use a bowl game as motivation? Do you sell that to your team?

JH: No. We're all about this is like an NFL playoff. That's the closest you can compare it to what we're going through. We're entering the wild-card weekend. You win, you stay eligible for the Rose Bowl. The championship. If we lose, then we're out of that. We know we've got games after this one, but that's our mentality. You win and you keep going, you stay eligible for the conference championship.

Big picture: No question Stanford has become a formidable team. How close are you guys to being a championship-quality team, that team that's going to be atop the Pac-10?

JH: I don't think there's been an opportunity like this in the last 10 years, like Stanford football has now, what we have this week. We have a chance to express what this team is and what it is all about.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

It's not just that quarterback Jake Locker will start for Washington Saturday at UCLA. It's that he appears back to his old, fast self.

This from the Seattle Times:

Locker, who wore a protective sleeve around his right calf, displayed his trademark blazing speed and agility while taking the majority of the snaps with the No. 1 offense. He showed no ill effects from the injury suffered Oct. 24 against Oregon.

No individual player in the Pac-10 is more important to his team than Locker. The Huskies would have no chance at UCLA without him. With him, their chances are good.

The big issue now is how he will hold up when he takes a few hits on his thigh. Guess here is coach Steve Sarkisian won't call too many planned runs for Locker, and Locker himself figures to be fairly cautious when scrambling, which runs counter to his typically aggressive thinking.

As we have previously noted to Locker: Jake, slide. Just slide.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

How does a team define a successful season? Here's a guess that both California's and Oregon State's definitions includes a victory this weekend.

Considering that they are meeting in Berkeley on Saturday, the obvious point of contention is one will walk away with a high degree of disappointment.

A win guarantees nothing. But a loss probably will prelude a below-expectation finish in the Pac-10.

California (6-2, 3-2), ranked 20th in the BCS standings, has won three straight since since becoming a national punchline after losing consecutive weekends to Oregon and USC by a combined count of 72-6. A third-place finish and a potential Holiday Bowl berth -- if the conference gets two BCS teams -- are still appealing possibilities, though the Bears were thinking Rose Bowl in the preseason.

Oregon State (5-3, 3-2) likely would return to the national rankings with a victory. The Beavers have won three of four since inconsistent performances at home against Cincinnati and Arizona, but a third conference defeat likely would leave them looking at a fourth- or fifth-place conference finish.

The Bears are looking to shake off the ghosts of this season, so it seems appropriate that they will try to do so against a team that has haunted them of late.

Oregon State has won the last two meetings in the series and four in a row in Berkeley. The win at Cal in 2007, one might recall, is particularly notable.

On that day, the 5-0 Bears were ranked No. 2 in the nation and took the field knowing that No. 1 LSU had lost to Kentucky. Even though starting quarterback Nate Longshore, who had played well in wins over Tennessee and Oregon (had to dump that in Cal fans), was out with an ankle injury, Cal fans were confident. The Beavers were only 3-3 and had lost at home to the Bears 41-13 the year before.

So no worries, right?

The Bears fell behind early, but their backup quarterback found his rhythm and led a furious rally. He drove Cal into position to kick a game-tying field goal and force overtime.

But, with the clock ticking down and no timeouts, he thought he saw some daylight. He took off up the middle. He was tackled on the 10-yard line. The clock hit zero. The Beavers won 31-28. Cal coach Jeff Tedford, who rarely shows extreme emotion on the sideline, spiked his play sheet in frustration.

The Bears imploded thereafter, that loss becoming the first of six defeats in seven games.

That quarterback of whom we type, of course, is Kevin Riley.

Riley, now a junior, was asked if he remembered the play in question. He let out a short laugh.

"I definitely remember it," he said. "I made a mistake and it was a bad mistake. But I learned from it. I've played 20 or so games since then. I'm a lot better player than I was then. I remember it though."

What's notable now, however, is that Riley, who presently sports a bushy beard that he refuses to shave during the Bears winning streak, is fresh off leading a game-winning drive to beat Arizona State. He's played well, in fact, since the Bears were manhandled by the Ducks and Trojans, completing 62 percent of his passes during the streak with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

But by proving he can come through in the clutch, which he did when he went 5 for 6 for 85 yards on the 11-play drive that set up the winning field goal, he showed his team he's got moxie.

"People have a lot of confidence in Kevin," Tedford said. "They see how he practices. But anytime you can put together a last-minute drive and put the team in position to be successful, I think that goes a long way. It gives the whole team a boost."

Cal's balanced offense has big-play potential on the ground and through the air. It should make things difficult for the Beavers. The Bears average 196 yards rushing per game with explosive backs Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen, while Riley ranks 10th in the nation and first in the Pac-10 with 33 passes of over 20 yards. Oregon State struggles against the pass. It's given up 15 touchdown passes, ranks ninth in the conference in pass defense and ranks last with just eight sacks.

Of course, the Bears defense will have to contain the Rodgers brothers and Sean Canfield, who is playing as well as any quarterback in the conference. That unit has been surprisingly inconsistent and, oh by the way, is no great shakes against the pass either, ranking eighth in the conference.

In a conference as deep as the Pac-10, one game can't make a season. And Saturday's tilt won't irrevocably break the loser.

But it certainly will leave a big crack in its expectations for the postseason.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

The Pac-10-and ACC will square off in the Brut Sun Bowl, the bowl announced Thursday

The new agreement, which runs from 2010 to 2013, will feature the third selection -- after the BCS bowls selection process -- from the Pac-10 against either the runner-up of the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game or the third selection after the BCS from the ACC.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Think about Montana. I can't. Think about Madrid. I can't. Think about a cool drink of water. All right. That's what it will be like. Like a cool drink of water. You're a liar. It will just be nothing. That's all it will be. Just nothing.

• Arizona receiver Delashaun Dean has had an injury-riddled season but he feels better now.
• Arizona State quarterback Samson Szakacsy -- formerly No. 3 behind Danny Sullivan and Brock Osweiler -- could see more action over the coming weeks.
• More on California losing its starting tight end, Anthony Miller, for at least this weekend vs. Oregon State. Quarterback Kevin Riley is playing well.
• Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has overcome a lot to be where he is today, including a time when he was on the wrong side of the law. This Oregon fan also knows suffering.
• Oregon State's secondary wants to prove its doubters wrong.
• Ten reasons why Stanford beats Oregon. And it might surprise you how strong a case is made by Jon Wilner.
• UCLA's injury list got longer on Wednesday. And things are thin at cornerback.
• USC's offense will try to get back on track at Arizona State. Is it time throw dirt on USC's dynastic run through the Pac-10 and all of college football? The short answer is "no." The longer answer is, "Child, please, that's just crazy talk."
• More on the Jake Locker watch, but the guess here is the Washington quarterback will play at UCLA. Special teams play hasn't been special.
• It hasn't been a great season at Washington State, but this young man is living a dream.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Neither Toby Gerhart nor Andrew Luck went trick-or-treating last Saturday night. No, Stanford's star running back and up-and-coming redshirt freshman quarterback stayed home and watched a horror movie on Halloween night.

	Chris Morrison/US PRESSWIRE
	Redshirt freshman QB Andrew Luck has thrown nine TD passes and just three interceptions.

It was called: "Oregon 47, USC 20."

(Cue shower scene music from "Psycho.")

The Ducks, flying like a flock of Jason Voorhees -- only faster -- visit Stanford on Saturday.

"Oregon is good," Gerhart said. "They looked really good. Their offense looked practically unstoppable. And their defense held USC down."

Said Luck, "It was interesting, a very good game. I don't think anybody saw it coming, including myself. I was very impressed with Oregon's defense, the manner in which they played, how fast they played, their intensity, their attitude."

Stanford folks, from Gerhart, to Luck, to coach Jim Harbaugh, said nice things about No. 8-ranked Oregon (7-1, 5-0) all week.

But, while respectful, there was just a hint of their words flowing through confident grins.

This is a team that, as 41-point underdogs, two years ago stunned No. 2 USC in the Coliseum.The Ducks needed a desperate, last-second drive to beat the Cardinal last season in Autzen Stadium.

In three seasons, Harbaugh has created a physical, confident team that believes it can beat anyone. And it's won eight of its last nine home games.

"I don't think we'll be intimidated," Luck said.

The twin pillars of Stanford's upset hopes are Gerhart and Luck. The Ducks are going to score against the Cardinal defense, which is solid but lacks across-the-board speed. The Cardinal's best chance on that side of the ball is for Oregon's offense to come out flat -- perhaps still dwelling on the dominant performance against USC -- which could lead to a handful of drive-killing mistakes.

Luck and Gerhart give Stanford (5-3, 4-2) a balanced, ball-control, first-down churning attack that could cause the Ducks' fast, swarming defense some problems.

"The big difference with them between last year and this year is the play of Andy Luck," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "I think he's one of the top quarterbacks around. He allows them to be balanced and doesn't allow you to gang up on the run game."

Chris Morrison/US PRESSWIRE
Toby Gerhart ranks seventh in the nation with 124.3 yards rushing per game.

Luck, just a redshirt freshman, ranks 16th in the nation in passing efficiency. He's thrown nine touchdown passes with just three interceptions.

But his main quality is forcing defenses to respect the downfield passing game and play the Cardinal straight, instead of ganging up on Gerhart, the 237-pound workhorse who ranks seventh in the nation with 124.3 yards rushing per game.

"I think people's main focus is still to stop the run when they play us, but it's definitely been a more balanced attack for us," Harbaugh said.

Both Luck and Gerhart benefit from playing behind a physical offensive line that features just one senior and two redshirt freshmen. That line has given up just five sacks, while leading an offense that is No. 1 in the Pac-10 in first downs per game (21.5) and time of possession.

In other words, Stanford might try to play keep-away from Oregon, burn the clock and shorten the game with long drives.

Oregon's defense ranks among the national leaders in total, scoring and pass defense, but it has been gashed at times against the run, surrendering 122 yards per game, which ranks sixth in the Pac-10.

Stanford seems confident it can pull off the upset. A sixth victory would make them bowl-eligible for the first time since 2001.

But that's not all the Cardinal want. They are thinking bigger.

"We want (to beat Oregon) a lot, but that being said, it's not our only goal," Luck said. "There's not a bunch of talk in the locker room, 'We just need one more! We just need one more!' It's more, 'Let's try to win all of these.'"

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

California running back Jahvid Best sat out Wednesday's practice with what was termed a "mild concussion," but Best told reporters he expected to play Saturday when Oregon State comes to town.

In other injury news, the Bears won't have three banged-up starters for the Beavers visit: tight end Anthony Miller, offensive guard Matt Summers-Gavin and nose guard Derrick Hill.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

It now seems reasonable to downgrade suspended Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's status from questionable to doubtful for the Stanford game.

Ducks coach Chip Kelly still hasn't made a recommendation to the "chain of command," which is topped by Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, who would then review his findings and render a final decision.

Blount continued to practice with the Ducks' scout team on Wednesday. Many coaches say an injured player needs to be full-go by Wednesday if he's going to play on Saturday, so it's unlikely that Blount will be worked into the game plan this weekend.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Got a bit of a run going here. A 4-0 week makes me 39-14 for the year. But you're only as good as your last weekend of picks, and the full slate of games on Saturday feels tricky.

Oregon 40, Stanford 28: Guess here is Stanford makes this one tough well into the third quarter but, eventually, the Ducks' offensive tempo will wear down the Cardinal.

Oregon State 27, California 24: Went back and forth on this one. Three things swing the pick to the Beavers: 1. The Rodgers brothers; 2. The Beavers always turn it on this time of the year; 3. It might be best if I go with the opposite impulse when I feel a certain way about Cal (All week I've felt certain the Bears are on the brink of a big surge).

USC 38, Arizona State 13: Naturally, much of the nation read things wrong from the USC-Oregon game. That one was about how good Oregon is, not how bad USC is. The Trojans are a top-10 team, and they will begin their climb back with a strong showing in Tempe.

UCLA 24, Washington 21: Got a feeling UCLA still has some gas left in the tank. And Huskies quarterback Jake Locker playing with a deep bruise in his thigh is worrisome for a team that can't win without him.

Arizona 42, Washington State 13: The only issue here is whether the Wildcats will be flat coming off a bye, knowing the heavy hitters are coming up over the next four games. Can the Cougars muster some more fight for another long road trip?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Full slate of games for the first weekend in November. Hey, did you know the games you remember are played in November?

1. Will Oregon be flat at Stanford? Chip Kelly has done an outstanding job of keeping his team focused on their "national championship" games every Saturday. But the thorough whipping of USC last weekend will be hard to contain with the proverbial "24-hour rule." Moreover, the Ducks won't have the Autzen Stadium crowd there to fire them up. The Ducks won't have to be as sharp as they were against the Trojans, but if they are flat and can't get in sync, Stanford will have a more than remote shot to pull the upset.

2. Kevin Riley vs. the Oregon State secondary: Since horrible games against Oregon and then USC, Kevin Riley has been on fire. He's completed 62 percent of his passes during the Bears' three-game winning streak with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Meanwhile, the Beavers' secondary has struggled. It's given up 15 touchdown passes this season -- only Washington State (16) is worse, and no other team has surrendered more than 11 -- and it ranks ninth in the conference in pass defense. Part of the problem is a lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, see a conference-low eight sacks. If the Beavers gang up on the run, Riley should have some opportunities to make plays downfield with his maturing receiving corps.

3. How will USC bounce back? Before last weekend, USC had never been blown out during Pete Carroll's nine years as coach. Before being pummeled at Oregon 47-20, the Trojans' only other double-digit loss under Carroll came by 11 points at Notre Dame in 2001. So this is a new experience for Carroll and his team. Will USC come out angry at Arizona State, wanting to make a defiant statement to its critics? Or will it play with a lack of focus and emotion, feeling it's a lost season by Trojan standards?

4. The Huskies need a healthy Jake Locker: The general feeling is Locker will play at UCLA, despite a deep thigh bruise that prevented him from practicing during the bye. A 75 percent Locker certainly is better than no Locker at all. But if Locker can't use his legs to make plays, it could be a long afternoon for the Huskies. Locker's running opens up a lot of options for the offense, and without it, a talented Bruins defense could pin its ears back knowing Locker's scrambling skills aren't available.

5. Does Washington State have any chance at all? What we've learned over the years is there are no lost causes in college football -- at least when a team refuses to wave a white flag. Appalachian State won at Michigan. Stanford, as a 41-point underdog, beat USC. The Cougars have a chance. It's not a good one. But if they fight, they may find the football gods sometimes work in mysterious ways.

6. Speed vs. power at Stanford: Oregon is faster than Stanford on both sides of the ball. A lot faster. And the Cardinal have been burned this season by faster teams. But Stanford is a physical crew that backs down to no one. It has some Chuck Wepner and Earnie Shavers in it. The Cardinal will push back against the Ducks. They will try to make it a battle in the trenches. They will try to feed the Ducks lots of 235-pound Toby Gerhart and a big, smashmouth offensive line. It might not work. But Oregon will know it played a football game on Sunday morning.

7. Rodgers brothers on the loose: Cal's defense has been shockingly mediocre this season. Mediocre doesn't stop the Rodgers brothers. The Bears' general issues are inconsistent play at linebacker and a disappointing -- and surprising -- lack of consistency in the secondary. That won't stop the Rodgers brothers. Jacquizz will challenge those linebackers to mind their gap responsibilities. And James will challenge that secondary to tackle in space.

8. The Sun Devils' offensive line meets an angry USC front seven: Arizona State's offensive line is better than the previous two seasons, but it is still a work-in-progress. USC's front seven got bullied and embarrassed at Oregon. Maybe the Sun Devils saw something on film that they can exploit. Or the Trojans may just play up to their abilities and may it a long evening for the home team in Tempe.

9. Is Kevin Prince ready to break through for the Bruins? Prince put up big numbers and was particularly impressive in the fourth quarter against California. So, a week after he was supposed to share his quarterback job with Richard Brehaut, he appears on the cusp of entrenching himself as the Bruins' starter. All he needs to do is play well and beat Washington, which will boost the Bruins' bowl hopes considerably, not to mention give them their first Pac-10 victory in six tries.

10. To rest or not to rest vs. the Cougars: Arizona has a number of key players injured, from defensive end Brooks Reed to running back Nic Grigsby. And while coach Mike Stoops would never say it, there's got to be a temptation to rest those guys so they will be as healthy as possible for a brutal and critical four-game stretch to end the season, rather than risk aggravating those injuries against an overmatched Cougars team. That said, Arizona has suffered some embarrassing losses in recent years to inferior teams. That's also got to be in Stoops' head as he considers how to best manage his personnel.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Little game of Pac-10 Jeopardy: This nationally ranked team controls its own conference destiny and it never rains in its home stadium.

Oregon!

	Chris Morrison/US PRESSWIRE
	Even with a tough upcoming schedule, coach Mike Stoops believes Arizona's best football is ahead.

No, though we enjoy that jocular pregame announcement at Autzen Stadium as much as anybody. And, please, remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question.

Who is Arizona?

Right!

No, really. Who is Arizona?

The Wildcats, ranked 18th in the BCS standings, are 5-2 overall and, at 3-1 in conference play, are alone in second place in the standings. If not for an odd and controversial deflection at Washington, the Wildcats would be sniffing the top 10.

Yet few folks seem to know much about them.

They rank No. 1 in the Pac-10 and 14th in the nation in total offense (455 yards per game) and third in the conference in total defense (315 ypg). They are balanced on offense -- 12 rushing touchdowns, 12 passing touchdowns -- and they do a good job of stopping the run, ranking 17th in the nation (101.3 ypg).

Yet the buzz around the program -- outside of Tucson, at least -- is only a light hum.

"That's all the time. We're always laying low," said Wildcats senior safety Cam Nelson, who knows personally about being underrated.

"We don't get much credit, which doesn't bother us. We don't need anybody to know us. We like being a no-name team that's going to sneak up and make a big run."

Nelson sounds more resigned than perturbed. As for that big run, don't disregard the notion. The schedule ahead is brutal (perhaps the toughest in the nation) but nothing worth achieving is ever easy to obtain.

Arizona should know. It has been waiting a long time for a Rose Bowl berth. Like, er, forever.

We must pause now and acknowledge what Wildcats coach Mike Stoops has been relentlessly telling his team for the past two weeks (Arizona had a bye last week): Do not overlook Washington State, which comes to town on Saturday.

"Our guys are smart enough to understand ... anybody can beat anybody if you give them the opportunity," Stoops said.

But, outside of the locker room, we are free to consider this slate of four games: at California, Oregon, at Arizona State and at USC.

Is it far-fetched to imagine the Wildcats running that gauntlet unscathed? Absolutely. But not impossible.

Arizona whipped Cal 42-27 last year. It's won two of three from Oregon. It beat the rival Sun Devils 31-10 last year. USC only beat the Wildcats 17-10 in 2008, and these Trojans don't appear as salty as those.

Moreover, the Wildcats have reached this point -- on the cusp of consecutive bowl berths for the first time since 1997-98 -- despite major injury issues.

They lost their best player, tight end Rob Gronkowski, before the season began with a back injury. They've played their last four games without their best pass-rusher, end Brooks Reed. Two of their top three running backs, starter Nic Grigsby and No. 3 Greg Nwoko, likely will miss the Washington State game with shoulder injuries, while No. 2 Keola Antolin is still nursing a sprained ankle. The offensive line has been down one or two starters much of the season.

Said Stoops, "I think our best football is still in front of us. It's going to need to be."

The good news is that Reed appears set to play Saturday, and Nelson believes the return of one of the best ends in the Pac-10 will have a big impact for a unit that has struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.

"It will help a whole lot," Nelson said. "Brooks' intensity on the field, the way he plays and carries himself, you'll see a big change in the defense. D'Aundre Reed has stepped in and done a good job, but there's no substitution for Brooks on the field. He plays reckless, hard. He's fast every play, trying to cause a turnover. Once we get him back, things will be a whole lot different. There will be more pressure, which will make it easier on the back end for us."

Speaking of back ends: Nelson has no problem talking about the rigorous back end of the schedule and what it's going to take to win-out. That doesn't, however, mean he's overlooking Washington State.

"Regardless of their record, they are still a Pac-10 team," he said. "Every week is a challenge."

But if Arizona is up to that challenge from now until Dec. 5 at USC, it may accomplish something it's never done before.

What is earn a Rose Bowl berth?