Pac-12: Humanitarian Bowl
Note: These reflect the week that was, not necessarily the Pac-10 standings.
1. Oregon: Oregon's No. 6 rushing offense vs. Ohio State's No. 5 run defense in the Rose Bowl. Should be interesting.
2. Arizona: You hear that? Neither do I. Yes, Mike Stoops' critics have hushed up.
3. Oregon State: Beavers fans might not like falling to the Las Vegas Bowl, but it's a great destination and BYU is a higher ranked foe than the Holiday, Sun or Emerald bowls will offer.
4. Stanford: Toby Gerhart vs. Oklahoma's outstanding defense in the Sun Bowl. But will it be "Heisman Trophy winner" Toby Gerhart vs. Oklahoma's outstanding defense?
5. USC: Pete Carroll will need to examine all aspects of his program this offseason. There's no shame in not winning the rugged Pac-10, but there is shame in a team seeming to play with little fire -- or direction for that matter.
6. Washington: In Steve Sarkisian's first year, Washington made Husky Stadium again a tough place to visit (ask LSU, USC, Arizona, California and rival Washington State). After going 0-12 in 2008, a 5-7 season is a success by just about any measure.
7. California: Just when it seems like Cal is finding itself, it goes splat.
8. UCLA: The Bruins are a bowl team but they also finished 3-6 in conference play.
9. Arizona State: Dennis Erickson is looking for a new offensive coordinator to boost his team from the nether regions.
10. Washington State: Nothing new down here.
1. Oregon: Oregon's No. 6 rushing offense vs. Ohio State's No. 5 run defense in the Rose Bowl. Should be interesting.
2. Arizona: You hear that? Neither do I. Yes, Mike Stoops' critics have hushed up.
3. Oregon State: Beavers fans might not like falling to the Las Vegas Bowl, but it's a great destination and BYU is a higher ranked foe than the Holiday, Sun or Emerald bowls will offer.
4. Stanford: Toby Gerhart vs. Oklahoma's outstanding defense in the Sun Bowl. But will it be "Heisman Trophy winner" Toby Gerhart vs. Oklahoma's outstanding defense?
5. USC: Pete Carroll will need to examine all aspects of his program this offseason. There's no shame in not winning the rugged Pac-10, but there is shame in a team seeming to play with little fire -- or direction for that matter.
6. Washington: In Steve Sarkisian's first year, Washington made Husky Stadium again a tough place to visit (ask LSU, USC, Arizona, California and rival Washington State). After going 0-12 in 2008, a 5-7 season is a success by just about any measure.
7. California: Just when it seems like Cal is finding itself, it goes splat.
8. UCLA: The Bruins are a bowl team but they also finished 3-6 in conference play.
9. Arizona State: Dennis Erickson is looking for a new offensive coordinator to boost his team from the nether regions.
10. Washington State: Nothing new down here.
With Notre Dame's decision to not play in a bowl game, UCLA's chances of landing an at-large bowl berth are much better, though the Bruins may have to wait until Dec. 12 to get an invitation if they wants to stay in the region and play in the Humanitarian Bowl.
The Boise-based bowl wants UCLA, Humanitarian Bowl executive director Kevin McDonald told the Idaho Statesman this week.
UCLA is 6-6. All teams with winning records must be picked for at-large berths before bowls can consider .500 teams. Without 6-6 Notre Dame in the running, it appears the Bruins would be the first choice among 6-6 teams.
Two potential snags: Wisconsin must beat Hawaii today and Navy must beat Army on on Dec. 12.
UCLA is the Pac-10's seventh bowl-eligible team, but the conference only has six bowl contracts.
The Boise-based bowl wants UCLA, Humanitarian Bowl executive director Kevin McDonald told the Idaho Statesman this week.
UCLA is 6-6. All teams with winning records must be picked for at-large berths before bowls can consider .500 teams. Without 6-6 Notre Dame in the running, it appears the Bruins would be the first choice among 6-6 teams.
Two potential snags: Wisconsin must beat Hawaii today and Navy must beat Army on on Dec. 12.
UCLA is the Pac-10's seventh bowl-eligible team, but the conference only has six bowl contracts.
UCLA (6-6) may slip into a bowl game but its situation is precarious.
This is the best primer I've seen on where things stand with potential at-large berths in bowl games. Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Middle-Tennessee each have to be selected before the Bruins because they own winning records, and there appear to be only five open spots.
Because Stanford beat Notre Dame, the Gator Bowl will be a Big East game. That means all six bowl-eligible Big East teams will play in contracted bowls, so that's one less at-large team ahead of UCLA.
Ah, but that also puts the Fighting Irish (6-6) in the middle of this. Even with the likely firing of Charlie Weis, Notre Dame's national standing is appealing. The Irish likely would be picked ahead of the Bruins, but it's also possible Notre Dame would take a pass on a middling bowl game. This projection has UCLA going to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala, for that very reason.
A bowl can only select a 6-6 team for an at-large berth after all winning teams have been accounted for.
That means UCLA fans wanting a bowl berth should root for Wisconsin over Hawaii on Saturday.
And then cross your fingers.
As for our projections, there are no changes from last week. I'm sticking with UCLA in the Humanitarian Bowl because it seems like the most humane choice for the bowl, but know that it appears I am alone projecting this. So, I'm probably wrong.
Here's a handy bowl schedule. And other bowl projections.
This is the best primer I've seen on where things stand with potential at-large berths in bowl games. Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Middle-Tennessee each have to be selected before the Bruins because they own winning records, and there appear to be only five open spots.
Because Stanford beat Notre Dame, the Gator Bowl will be a Big East game. That means all six bowl-eligible Big East teams will play in contracted bowls, so that's one less at-large team ahead of UCLA.
Ah, but that also puts the Fighting Irish (6-6) in the middle of this. Even with the likely firing of Charlie Weis, Notre Dame's national standing is appealing. The Irish likely would be picked ahead of the Bruins, but it's also possible Notre Dame would take a pass on a middling bowl game. This projection has UCLA going to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala, for that very reason.
A bowl can only select a 6-6 team for an at-large berth after all winning teams have been accounted for.
That means UCLA fans wanting a bowl berth should root for Wisconsin over Hawaii on Saturday.
And then cross your fingers.
As for our projections, there are no changes from last week. I'm sticking with UCLA in the Humanitarian Bowl because it seems like the most humane choice for the bowl, but know that it appears I am alone projecting this. So, I'm probably wrong.
Here's a handy bowl schedule. And other bowl projections.
- Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: Oregon vs. Big Ten
- Pacific Life Holiday: USC vs. Big 12
- Brut Sun: California vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame
- Emerald: Stanford vs. ACC
- MAACO Las Vegas: Oregon State vs. Mountain West
- San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia: Arizona vs. Mountain West
- Roady's Humanitarian: UCLA vs. WAC
It wasn't pretty, but USC did what it needed to do to beat UCLA 28-7, a victory that is sweeter considering the Trojans recent travails.
Heck, the Trojans even scored a gratuitous touchdown to rub it in at the end with a 48-yard pass, which should only serve to further embitter the rivalry.
The benches briefly cleared as UCLA -- not without justification -- seemed irritated by the best throw of the night from Matt Barkley.
Was it a class moment for Pete Carroll?
No.
But this sort of thing apparently is what the cool kids are doing now -- see Stanford's Jim Harbaugh going for two with a 27-point lead late in its win over the Trojans.
The difference was simple: Turnovers. UCLA had four. USC one. The Trojans first score came on an interception return. Their second on a 29-yard drive following another Kevin Prince interception.
The Bruins, with Kevin Craft coming off the bench at quarterback, made a late move, cutting the Trojans advantage to 14-7 with 5:41 left on a drive in which they twice converted on fourth down.
But USC answered with a 73-yard touchdown drive. UCLA got the ball back with 1:30 left, but turned the ball over on downs. And then USC threw a bomb.
UCLA finishes its season 6-6 overall and 3-6 in the Pac-10. The Bruins are bowl-eligible, but must hope that they can fill an at-large spot for a bowl game that can't fulfill its contracts. It appears that the Humanitarian Bowl is interested.
USC improves to 8-3 and 5-3. It plays host to Arizona on Saturday. If the Trojans win, they likely will go to the Holiday Bowl.
Heck, the Trojans even scored a gratuitous touchdown to rub it in at the end with a 48-yard pass, which should only serve to further embitter the rivalry.
The benches briefly cleared as UCLA -- not without justification -- seemed irritated by the best throw of the night from Matt Barkley.
Was it a class moment for Pete Carroll?
No.
But this sort of thing apparently is what the cool kids are doing now -- see Stanford's Jim Harbaugh going for two with a 27-point lead late in its win over the Trojans.
The difference was simple: Turnovers. UCLA had four. USC one. The Trojans first score came on an interception return. Their second on a 29-yard drive following another Kevin Prince interception.
The Bruins, with Kevin Craft coming off the bench at quarterback, made a late move, cutting the Trojans advantage to 14-7 with 5:41 left on a drive in which they twice converted on fourth down.
But USC answered with a 73-yard touchdown drive. UCLA got the ball back with 1:30 left, but turned the ball over on downs. And then USC threw a bomb.
UCLA finishes its season 6-6 overall and 3-6 in the Pac-10. The Bruins are bowl-eligible, but must hope that they can fill an at-large spot for a bowl game that can't fulfill its contracts. It appears that the Humanitarian Bowl is interested.
USC improves to 8-3 and 5-3. It plays host to Arizona on Saturday. If the Trojans win, they likely will go to the Holiday Bowl.
The Rose Bowl picture has cleared. Most other things are muddy.
And the end result might not make some folks happy.
When I pencil out the rest of the season -- for what that is worth in this sometimes nutty conference -- I project four teams will finish with 6-3 conference records: USC, California, Oregon State and Stanford.
In that scenario, no way the Holiday Bowl passes up USC. The Trojans will sell tickets. They will boost TV ratings. And, at 9-3, USC probably will be back in the top-half of the national rankings.
The Sun Bowl then likely would take Cal, even though it lost to Oregon State. The Bears will have a better overall record -- 9-3 vs. 8-4 -- and, most of all, the Beavers played in the Sun Bowl last year.
The Emerald Bowl then would grab Stanford, hoping that the local connection will boost local coverage and ticket sales. Not to mention that Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart would be a good guy to put on the game posters.
So Oregon State heads to the Las Vegas Bowl. Arizona then goes to the Poinsettia Bowl.
As for UCLA, the Bruins are now the Pac-10's seventh bowl-eligible team. But the Pac-10 only has six bowl contract, so the Bruins will need to find an at-large berth with a bowl that has a vacancy. I just said Humanitarian because that's what Mark Schlabach said last week, and rumor has it Schlabach owns a crystal ball.
Here's a handy bowl schedule. And other bowl projections.
And the end result might not make some folks happy.
When I pencil out the rest of the season -- for what that is worth in this sometimes nutty conference -- I project four teams will finish with 6-3 conference records: USC, California, Oregon State and Stanford.
In that scenario, no way the Holiday Bowl passes up USC. The Trojans will sell tickets. They will boost TV ratings. And, at 9-3, USC probably will be back in the top-half of the national rankings.
The Sun Bowl then likely would take Cal, even though it lost to Oregon State. The Bears will have a better overall record -- 9-3 vs. 8-4 -- and, most of all, the Beavers played in the Sun Bowl last year.
The Emerald Bowl then would grab Stanford, hoping that the local connection will boost local coverage and ticket sales. Not to mention that Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart would be a good guy to put on the game posters.
So Oregon State heads to the Las Vegas Bowl. Arizona then goes to the Poinsettia Bowl.
As for UCLA, the Bruins are now the Pac-10's seventh bowl-eligible team. But the Pac-10 only has six bowl contract, so the Bruins will need to find an at-large berth with a bowl that has a vacancy. I just said Humanitarian because that's what Mark Schlabach said last week, and rumor has it Schlabach owns a crystal ball.
Here's a handy bowl schedule. And other bowl projections.
- Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: Oregon vs. Big Ten
- Pacific Life Holiday: USC vs. Big 12
- Brut Sun: California vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame
- Emerald: Stanford vs. ACC
- MAACO Las Vegas: Oregon State vs. Mountain West
- San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia: Arizona vs. Mountain West
- Roady's Humanitarian: UCLA vs. WAC
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ted Miller
Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-12. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in the 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Kevin Gemmell
Gemmell covered San Diego State and the Mountain West Conference for three years before joining ESPN.com. As a Santa Clara graduate, his hope is that the Broncos will one day re-institute football. Until then, he lives vicariously through his readers. Gemmell lives in California with his wife and son.
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