Pac-12: Oregon State Beavers
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To the notes!
John from Portland writes: Ted, you said in an article you recently wrote that Oregon's athletic department is "notoriously tardy with releasing information to the media." Are you an expert on legal proceedings? Are you qualified to comment on a school being "tardy" when it comes to releasing information to the media? Is Oregon obligated to release information on an NCAA-sanctioned investigation to the media within a certain time frame before the supposed delay can be dubbed "notorious?" It seems like you are just bitter that Oregon hasn't provided you with the information you want to write a juicy story on the investigation. You should probably let the legal system, which you obviously don't care to understand the working of, do its thing without talking trash about the University involved.
Ted Miller: Let's take this one on in an organized fashion.
The University of Oregon is obligated to release information to the media due to something that is really neat. It's called open records laws!
Oregon's public records law: “Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided."
Ah, but Oregon has become notorious for trying to obstruct the media through the years, in large part because former school general counsel, Melinda Grier, apparently made it policy. The seeming philosophy was that the media can make records request, and Oregon eventually would have to fulfill them, but Oregon's disingenuously adopted gray area was their understanding of "eventually."
Thus the seeming random dumps of documents to reporters in regards to the NCAA's investigation of the Ducks football program and Willie Lyles.
What was the loophole in the case of Oregon not releasing in a timely fashion its notice of allegations, which it received on Dec. 5? Well, according to Rob Moseley of the Eugene Register-Guard, who first obtained the documents, it was a matter of nitpicking dates on Freedom of Information requests.
When it was reported on Dec. 19 by Yahoo! that Oregon's attempts to obtain summary disposition had failed, reporters thought to date their request for the notice of allegations from that day. Moseley also was told by Oregon officials that the documents would be provided as soon as they were available because there were so many requests.
It was only when Oregon promptly released its failed summary disposition document from Oct. 30 on April 15 that Moseley and his boss had a Eureka! moment and decided to backdate their request to Oct. 30. Still took a month for Oregon to respond.
By the way, this is not about an athletic department or football program making its own rules. Athletic director Rob Mullens is an open guy and a straight shooter. This is entirely an upper-campus decision.
Bitter? No. But I do think it's legitimate to question whether a taxpayer-supported institution of higher learning should try to tiptoe around transparency laws and look for loopholes. It seems to me that a taxpayer-supported institution of higher learning should have higher aspirations than a "because we can" justification. You might feel differently.
As for the "juicy" part of this story, that was supplied when Chip Kelly didn't tell Lyles to get lost the first time they crossed paths.
Paul from San Antonio writes: In your opinion: Lane Kiffin goes 8-4; beating UCLA but losing to ND.- Does Lane start looking to sell his house? Mike Leach goes 3-9; losing most conference games but again beating Washington- Does he go on the hot seat? Colorado goes 1-11, only beating an FCS team.- Is Mike MacIntyre on the hot seat? Utah again goes 3-6 in Pac 12 play and loses to BYU- Is Kyle Whittingham, despite his tenure, on the hotseat? Oregon State beats Oregon and wins the Pac 12- Will OSU's national image start to beat out Oregon?
Ted Miller: Paul is cheating, asking a bunch of questions in one note.
You might be thinking of two different things -- hot seat versus fired. Just about every major conference coach is on the hot seat after a bad season. That's just how things are. Recall that Oregon State coach Mike Riley was supposedly on the hot seat entering the 2012 season, despite all he's accomplished in Corvallis. Now folks love him again.
First, Kiffin. USC plays 13 games, so 8-4 isn't possible. I think 9-4 with a win against UCLA and a bowl win keeps Kiffin safe, especially if the season progresses with none of the odd-ball controversies -- coaches votes! secret jersey changes! deflating balls! -- of last year.
Leach: If Leach again goes 3-9, he will be on the hot seat in 2014. He's getting paid a lot of money to not go 3-9. But I doubt the Cougars go 3-9.
A 1-11 record would do MacIntyre no favors as he tries to win over Buffaloes fans, but it's difficult to put a first-year coach on the hot seat. Of course, if he goes 1-11 in Year 2, as his predecessor Jon Embree did, his footing wouldn't be firm.
Whittingham has earned some leeway. While another bowl-less season and 3-6 Pac-12 finish would have more than a few Utes fans grumbling, I think only a complete disaster would prevent him from coming back in 2014.
And if Oregon State beats Oregon and wins the Pac-12, of course it would take a step forward in the national picture. But the Ducks' surge is not a one-year wonder. The Beavers can't just win one Civil War every six years.
Eric from Lafayette, La., writes: If the SEC is not going to win the title for the eighth strait time, who will? I was raised in an Olemiss house and attended UL Lafayette but my guess would be Alabama, A&M, LSU, UGA in that order.
Ted Miller: My best guesses for a team to end the SEC's run are Ohio State, Oregon or Stanford.
Another possibility is the SEC champion losing two games, which might be enough to knock it out of the BCS championship game race.
As for the SEC, I like either Alabama or Georgia to play for the conference's eighth title in a row.
James from Salt Lake City writes: The Utes have brutal stretch in the middle of the season as you outlined earlier this week? Any hope for my team to go bowling this year?
Ted Miller: Always hope!
The first key is going 3-0 in the nonconference slate, which would include another win against BYU. If we then can count on the Utes beating Colorado at home to end the season, that gives them four wins.
Where might the other two come from?
First, can the Utes notch a home upset against Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State or Oregon? That seems plausible, but Utes fans will get a nice taste of the Pac-12 at home this year, a far more formidable slate than what they've seen in Salt Lake the previous two seasons.
Second, can the Utes win at either Arizona or Washington State? Or both, if they can't get the home upset.
That would get Utah to six wins. I'd rate their chances as decent to get that done.
Nor-Cal Scott from St Helena, Calif., writes: Uncle Ted, I realize that Cal has a difficult schedule, but what do you think of Cal's chances of going 6-6 this season? Coach Dykes high flying offense should put points on the board with "Kindergoff" at QB and solid WR's Treggs, Harper, Powe, Bouza, Rodgers & newcomer Lawler. And don't forget Bigelow at RB.
Ted Miller: California has talent, but it also has a schedule that provides only one sure win: Portland State.
As far as other games in which the Bears should be favored, there are three: home against Washington State and Arizona, and at Colorado.
That's four wins (hypothetically).
So can the Bears upset two other foes from a list of: Northwestern, Ohio State, at Oregon, at UCLA, at Washington, USC and at Stanford?
Maybe. The key to me is finding an extra win in the nonconference slate. That would bolster confidence early in the season and win the locker room over to Dykes. And the Bears did go nose-to-nose with the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe last year, so there should be no fear about taking on the best of the Big Ten.
Brian from Portland writes: The last time we spoke you enlightened me with the I.D.I.O.T. model. As in "Incoming Dude Is Obviously Transcendent". And you were also very much opposed to the notion of a hypothetical question, mainly because Chip Kelly had soured those for you. BUT Chip is gone! So can we try again?! Kiper has Mariota as one player that can rise quickly up the draft board with a season comparable to his first campaign behind the wheel of the green and yellow race car. I've always thought Mariota was better than the likes of Johnny Football and Touchdown Teddy Bridgewater mainly because of his blend of size, speed, mechanics, and overall unflappability. My question to you is simple.. Hypothetically.. If Saint Marc has another spectacular season this year, how high up the board do you think he'll go?
Ted Miller: Jadeveon Clowney is going to be the No. 1 pick. Period.
If Mariota has a big season -- as in Heisman-worthy -- he could go No. 2.
Peter from Tempe, Ariz., writes: What's your way-too-early prediction for the matchup between ASU and Stanford, particularly between ASU's defense and Stanford's O-line? It's been a couple years since they've played so I for one am very excited. Could be a potential rematch later in the year.
Ted Miller: It could set up for a potential rematch in the Pac-12 title game, but I presently favor Stanford, particularly at home.
Arizona State has an interesting defense. It's quick but undersized, but it has some incoming players who should boost its bulk. The 2012 Sun Devils struggled defending the run, ranking 10th in the Pac-12 while surrendering 182.8 yards rushing per game. They also are replacing weakside linebacker and leading tackler Brandon Magee.
I think Stanford potentially has the best offensive line in the nation.
So I'd rate that an advantage for the Cardinal.
Richard from Birmingham writes: OK, I have made up my mind about you. You are a bald faced liar and use lies and deception to boost your articles. USC didn't win the 2003 Coaches' Poll and two thirds of a NC. That is just a blatant lie and done for the sole purpose of distorting the actual truth.
Ted Miller: Richard is worked up about this article.
Specifically this:
The incontrovertible truth is USC did win, to use Richard's fraction, "two-thirds" of the national title: It was named national champion after the 2003 season by the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America.
I used "three-fourths" because I included public opinion.
In fact, voters in the coaches poll, which solidly ranked USC No. 1 at the end of the regular season, were required to vote the winner of the BCS game No. 1. It was like a North Korean election. Three coaches were brave enough rebel and vote their conscience. They might have been sent to a BCS gulag afterwards.
No need to apologize, Richard, for calling me a hurtful name, you big meanie.
Homer from Homerville writes: Why must you always bad mouth my team and side with our arch rival?
Ted Miller: Because your team is affiliated with the Devil and your arch-rival stands for all that is right and good.
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To the notes!
John from Portland writes: Ted, you said in an article you recently wrote that Oregon's athletic department is "notoriously tardy with releasing information to the media." Are you an expert on legal proceedings? Are you qualified to comment on a school being "tardy" when it comes to releasing information to the media? Is Oregon obligated to release information on an NCAA-sanctioned investigation to the media within a certain time frame before the supposed delay can be dubbed "notorious?" It seems like you are just bitter that Oregon hasn't provided you with the information you want to write a juicy story on the investigation. You should probably let the legal system, which you obviously don't care to understand the working of, do its thing without talking trash about the University involved.
Ted Miller: Let's take this one on in an organized fashion.
- Are you an expert on legal proceedings? No. But this isn't a legal proceeding. It's an NCAA matter. But I do understand the applicable laws.
- Are you qualified to comment on a school being "tardy" when it comes to releasing information to the media? Yes.
The University of Oregon is obligated to release information to the media due to something that is really neat. It's called open records laws!
Oregon's public records law: “Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided."
Ah, but Oregon has become notorious for trying to obstruct the media through the years, in large part because former school general counsel, Melinda Grier, apparently made it policy. The seeming philosophy was that the media can make records request, and Oregon eventually would have to fulfill them, but Oregon's disingenuously adopted gray area was their understanding of "eventually."
Thus the seeming random dumps of documents to reporters in regards to the NCAA's investigation of the Ducks football program and Willie Lyles.
What was the loophole in the case of Oregon not releasing in a timely fashion its notice of allegations, which it received on Dec. 5? Well, according to Rob Moseley of the Eugene Register-Guard, who first obtained the documents, it was a matter of nitpicking dates on Freedom of Information requests.
When it was reported on Dec. 19 by Yahoo! that Oregon's attempts to obtain summary disposition had failed, reporters thought to date their request for the notice of allegations from that day. Moseley also was told by Oregon officials that the documents would be provided as soon as they were available because there were so many requests.
It was only when Oregon promptly released its failed summary disposition document from Oct. 30 on April 15 that Moseley and his boss had a Eureka! moment and decided to backdate their request to Oct. 30. Still took a month for Oregon to respond.
By the way, this is not about an athletic department or football program making its own rules. Athletic director Rob Mullens is an open guy and a straight shooter. This is entirely an upper-campus decision.
Bitter? No. But I do think it's legitimate to question whether a taxpayer-supported institution of higher learning should try to tiptoe around transparency laws and look for loopholes. It seems to me that a taxpayer-supported institution of higher learning should have higher aspirations than a "because we can" justification. You might feel differently.
As for the "juicy" part of this story, that was supplied when Chip Kelly didn't tell Lyles to get lost the first time they crossed paths.
Paul from San Antonio writes: In your opinion: Lane Kiffin goes 8-4; beating UCLA but losing to ND.- Does Lane start looking to sell his house? Mike Leach goes 3-9; losing most conference games but again beating Washington- Does he go on the hot seat? Colorado goes 1-11, only beating an FCS team.- Is Mike MacIntyre on the hot seat? Utah again goes 3-6 in Pac 12 play and loses to BYU- Is Kyle Whittingham, despite his tenure, on the hotseat? Oregon State beats Oregon and wins the Pac 12- Will OSU's national image start to beat out Oregon?
Ted Miller: Paul is cheating, asking a bunch of questions in one note.
You might be thinking of two different things -- hot seat versus fired. Just about every major conference coach is on the hot seat after a bad season. That's just how things are. Recall that Oregon State coach Mike Riley was supposedly on the hot seat entering the 2012 season, despite all he's accomplished in Corvallis. Now folks love him again.
First, Kiffin. USC plays 13 games, so 8-4 isn't possible. I think 9-4 with a win against UCLA and a bowl win keeps Kiffin safe, especially if the season progresses with none of the odd-ball controversies -- coaches votes! secret jersey changes! deflating balls! -- of last year.
Leach: If Leach again goes 3-9, he will be on the hot seat in 2014. He's getting paid a lot of money to not go 3-9. But I doubt the Cougars go 3-9.
A 1-11 record would do MacIntyre no favors as he tries to win over Buffaloes fans, but it's difficult to put a first-year coach on the hot seat. Of course, if he goes 1-11 in Year 2, as his predecessor Jon Embree did, his footing wouldn't be firm.
Whittingham has earned some leeway. While another bowl-less season and 3-6 Pac-12 finish would have more than a few Utes fans grumbling, I think only a complete disaster would prevent him from coming back in 2014.
And if Oregon State beats Oregon and wins the Pac-12, of course it would take a step forward in the national picture. But the Ducks' surge is not a one-year wonder. The Beavers can't just win one Civil War every six years.
Eric from Lafayette, La., writes: If the SEC is not going to win the title for the eighth strait time, who will? I was raised in an Olemiss house and attended UL Lafayette but my guess would be Alabama, A&M, LSU, UGA in that order.
Ted Miller: My best guesses for a team to end the SEC's run are Ohio State, Oregon or Stanford.
Another possibility is the SEC champion losing two games, which might be enough to knock it out of the BCS championship game race.
As for the SEC, I like either Alabama or Georgia to play for the conference's eighth title in a row.
James from Salt Lake City writes: The Utes have brutal stretch in the middle of the season as you outlined earlier this week? Any hope for my team to go bowling this year?
Ted Miller: Always hope!
The first key is going 3-0 in the nonconference slate, which would include another win against BYU. If we then can count on the Utes beating Colorado at home to end the season, that gives them four wins.
Where might the other two come from?
First, can the Utes notch a home upset against Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State or Oregon? That seems plausible, but Utes fans will get a nice taste of the Pac-12 at home this year, a far more formidable slate than what they've seen in Salt Lake the previous two seasons.
Second, can the Utes win at either Arizona or Washington State? Or both, if they can't get the home upset.
That would get Utah to six wins. I'd rate their chances as decent to get that done.
Nor-Cal Scott from St Helena, Calif., writes: Uncle Ted, I realize that Cal has a difficult schedule, but what do you think of Cal's chances of going 6-6 this season? Coach Dykes high flying offense should put points on the board with "Kindergoff" at QB and solid WR's Treggs, Harper, Powe, Bouza, Rodgers & newcomer Lawler. And don't forget Bigelow at RB.
Ted Miller: California has talent, but it also has a schedule that provides only one sure win: Portland State.
As far as other games in which the Bears should be favored, there are three: home against Washington State and Arizona, and at Colorado.
That's four wins (hypothetically).
So can the Bears upset two other foes from a list of: Northwestern, Ohio State, at Oregon, at UCLA, at Washington, USC and at Stanford?
Maybe. The key to me is finding an extra win in the nonconference slate. That would bolster confidence early in the season and win the locker room over to Dykes. And the Bears did go nose-to-nose with the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe last year, so there should be no fear about taking on the best of the Big Ten.
Brian from Portland writes: The last time we spoke you enlightened me with the I.D.I.O.T. model. As in "Incoming Dude Is Obviously Transcendent". And you were also very much opposed to the notion of a hypothetical question, mainly because Chip Kelly had soured those for you. BUT Chip is gone! So can we try again?! Kiper has Mariota as one player that can rise quickly up the draft board with a season comparable to his first campaign behind the wheel of the green and yellow race car. I've always thought Mariota was better than the likes of Johnny Football and Touchdown Teddy Bridgewater mainly because of his blend of size, speed, mechanics, and overall unflappability. My question to you is simple.. Hypothetically.. If Saint Marc has another spectacular season this year, how high up the board do you think he'll go?
Ted Miller: Jadeveon Clowney is going to be the No. 1 pick. Period.
If Mariota has a big season -- as in Heisman-worthy -- he could go No. 2.
Peter from Tempe, Ariz., writes: What's your way-too-early prediction for the matchup between ASU and Stanford, particularly between ASU's defense and Stanford's O-line? It's been a couple years since they've played so I for one am very excited. Could be a potential rematch later in the year.
Ted Miller: It could set up for a potential rematch in the Pac-12 title game, but I presently favor Stanford, particularly at home.
Arizona State has an interesting defense. It's quick but undersized, but it has some incoming players who should boost its bulk. The 2012 Sun Devils struggled defending the run, ranking 10th in the Pac-12 while surrendering 182.8 yards rushing per game. They also are replacing weakside linebacker and leading tackler Brandon Magee.
I think Stanford potentially has the best offensive line in the nation.
So I'd rate that an advantage for the Cardinal.
Richard from Birmingham writes: OK, I have made up my mind about you. You are a bald faced liar and use lies and deception to boost your articles. USC didn't win the 2003 Coaches' Poll and two thirds of a NC. That is just a blatant lie and done for the sole purpose of distorting the actual truth.
Ted Miller: Richard is worked up about this article.
Specifically this:
2. USC wins "real" national title: In 2003, USC was No. 1 in the AP and Coaches polls at season's end. If you had eyes and knew anything about football, it was clear the Trojans were the nation's most-talented team on both sides of the football, a notion that was reinforced the following season. Two teams picked by computers played in New Orleans -- most folks outside of Louisiana don't even remember who -- and that forced the Trojans to settle for three-fourths of a national title after dominating Michigan 28-14.
The incontrovertible truth is USC did win, to use Richard's fraction, "two-thirds" of the national title: It was named national champion after the 2003 season by the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America.
I used "three-fourths" because I included public opinion.
In fact, voters in the coaches poll, which solidly ranked USC No. 1 at the end of the regular season, were required to vote the winner of the BCS game No. 1. It was like a North Korean election. Three coaches were brave enough rebel and vote their conscience. They might have been sent to a BCS gulag afterwards.
No need to apologize, Richard, for calling me a hurtful name, you big meanie.
Homer from Homerville writes: Why must you always bad mouth my team and side with our arch rival?
Ted Miller: Because your team is affiliated with the Devil and your arch-rival stands for all that is right and good.
On Wednesday, we provided you with our worst five Pac-12 BCS moments.
Here's what we wrote (our polls can only included five choices, so if you think Oregon losing the Rose Bowl to Ohio State after the 2009 season, go with "other").
2. USC's three-peat gets Vince Younged: It's difficult to look at Texas' epic 41-38 win over USC as anything but great college football art -- perhaps the all-time greatest game -- but Trojans fans don't feel that way. The loss prevented USC from claiming three consecutive national titles and, of course, a second BCS crown for the Pac-10/12.
3. Oregon falls short versus Auburn: Oregon looked like a great team and Auburn a team with two great players before the BCS title game after the 2010 season. The Ducks chose a bad time to play one of their worst games of the season, but they still nearly prevailed before being undone by a dramatic game-winning drive from the Tigers.
4. Make a field goal, Stanford: Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed three field goals, including a certain game winner from 35 yards on the last play of regulation, in the Cardinal's 41-38 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2011 season. Williamson also missed from 43 yards in overtime, which set the Cowboys up for the win. Stanford dominated the game, outgaining the Cowboys 590 yards to 412, with a 243-13 edge in rushing.
So what's your take?
Here's what we wrote (our polls can only included five choices, so if you think Oregon losing the Rose Bowl to Ohio State after the 2009 season, go with "other").
1. Just one BCS national title, lots of frustration: No conference has more legitimate gripes with the BCS system than the Pac-12. Multiple seasons saw the conference have teams skipped over, most notably Oregon in 2001 and USC in 2003 and 2008. And ask California fans about how Texas coach Mack Brown gamed the system in 2004, preventing the Bears from playing in the Rose Bowl.
2. USC's three-peat gets Vince Younged: It's difficult to look at Texas' epic 41-38 win over USC as anything but great college football art -- perhaps the all-time greatest game -- but Trojans fans don't feel that way. The loss prevented USC from claiming three consecutive national titles and, of course, a second BCS crown for the Pac-10/12.
3. Oregon falls short versus Auburn: Oregon looked like a great team and Auburn a team with two great players before the BCS title game after the 2010 season. The Ducks chose a bad time to play one of their worst games of the season, but they still nearly prevailed before being undone by a dramatic game-winning drive from the Tigers.
4. Make a field goal, Stanford: Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed three field goals, including a certain game winner from 35 yards on the last play of regulation, in the Cardinal's 41-38 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2011 season. Williamson also missed from 43 yards in overtime, which set the Cowboys up for the win. Stanford dominated the game, outgaining the Cowboys 590 yards to 412, with a 243-13 edge in rushing.
So what's your take?
Pac-12 lunch links: MacIntyre to coach son?
May, 24, 2013
May 24
2:30
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Happy Friday.
- An ex-Arizona star is in a bit of trouble.
- Arizona State coach Todd Graham feels prepared for the Sun Devils' tough schedule.
- A California recruiting update.
- Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre's son is a top recruit who may end up a Buff.
- Oregon announces some future games with FCS schools. Yay.
- A post-spring Q&A on Oregon State.
- Andrew Luck is comfortable.
- UCLA OLB Anthony Barr leads a strong crew of Pac-12 linebackers.
- USC athletic director Pat Haden on the school's lease of the L.A. Coliseum.
- Former Utah DT Star Lotulelei has signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers.
- Former Washington QB Jake Locker is coming back from an injury for the Tennessee Titans. Bud Withers on Austin Seferian-Jenkins and his DUI arrest.
- Offensive lineman Jake Rodgers explains why he left Washington State.
- Jon Wilner projects the Pac-12 North and South Division races.
All schedules are not created equal. Sometimes it's the luck of the draw and sometimes it's soft -- or hard -- nonconference scheduling.
And sometimes there are less tangible factors, such as bye weeks and fan expectations.
So who's got the toughest go this fall? Here are two takes.
Kevin Gemmell: If you want to go by just the raw data, then California and Colorado share the "toughest" schedule based on the combined records of last year's opponents. The 2013 schedule for both teams includes teams that had a .588 winning percentage last year (Utah is close behind with its opponents' combined winning percentage at .584). Of course, that's only a starting point and nowhere near empirical.
ASU's early slate is rough and Stanford's late slate is brutal. Team for team, I think Stanford has the toughest go.
However...
I think things might be tougher for Oregon State by virtue of the way the schedule plays out. This is something that is beyond the control of the players -- but the way the schedule sets up, it's going to take a great deal of maturity and level-headedness to navigate the 2013 docket.
When you look at their first seven games, they only face one FBS team that had a winning record last year -- and that's San Diego State at Qualcomm. The Aztecs have gone on a nice little run the past few years -- qualifying for three straight bowl games for the first time in school history -- so they might push back. Still, the Beavers should win against Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Utah, Colorado, Washington State and Cal. None of those are guaranteed wins, but you have to figure the Beavers will be the favorite in all seven.
Then things switch into a whole other gear down the stretch. They host Stanford and USC in consecutive weeks, then a bye, and two of their final three are on the road at Arizona State, home to Washington and then at Oregon to close out the season. The Beavers went 1-3 against those teams last year, with the only win coming against Arizona State (they didn't play USC). They go from facing five or six teams that will be hovering sub .500 to five straight against the top teams in the league.
If ever there was a time to harness the clichéd one-game-at-a-time-mentality, this is it. Oregon State will likely start in the preseason Top 25. Let's say anywhere from 15-20. As they keep winning, they will climb as others around them lose games. By the time they reach Stanford on Oct. 26, it's likely they'll be a top-10 team if they take care of business. Will they truly be one of the best 10 teams in the country though? We really won't know.
The saving grace of this stretch is they get Stanford, USC and Washington all at home. Though Oregon State is only 5-12 all-time against USC in Corvallis, they've won the past three at home against USC and the Huskies. Stanford topped OSU at Reser in 2011. They last won in Tempe in 2009 and Eugene in 2007.
The biggest issue for the Beavers is understanding that -- if they do jump out to a 7-0 start -- that record won't have the same gusto as it did last year when they beat Wisconsin at home and won on the road at UCLA, Arizona and BYU. I believe the Beavers to be a very good team. But if they buy too much into the early hype, 7-0 could quickly end up 7-5.
Ted Miller: I really like Kevin's nuanced response on this. Oregon State doesn't have the Pac-12's toughest schedule, but the combination of how it's put together as well as the Beavers expectations for the season -- a Top 25 finish -- make it dangerous. There will be no way for fans to feel good if the Beavers start 7-0 and then go, say, 1-4 down the stretch, even if 8-4 is a respectable finish.
As for which Pac-12 team has the toughest schedule, there's an easy answer: California. The Bears play three teams that will be ranked in the preseason top 10 -- probably the top five -- in Ohio State, Oregon and Stanford. They also play five other teams that will be widely viewed as having Top 25 potential: Northwestern, UCLA, Oregon State, Washington and USC.
Yet, I'm going with Stanford because I want to embrace nuance!
Stanford's schedule is rugged, particularly at the end, when the Cardinal play Oregon, USC, rival California and Notre Dame over the final four weeks. But it's more than that.
Stanford coach David Shaw -- wisely -- says that the Cardinal have the same goal every year: Win the conference, go to the Rose Bowl. "Because that's the only thing we can control," he says. What he's intimating is the process of picking the teams to play for the national title -- at present and in the future four-team playoff -- includes a subjective element.
But, really, Stanford's goal this season is simple: Perfection. And, falling short of that, the Cardinal would settle for a national title.
This team has the talent to not only play for the final BCS title, but to beat the SEC -- let's be certain that's half of the championship tilt -- at its own game: Defense.
Yet the challenges are abundant. For one, there's seven teams with Top 25 potential. Second, there's that useless Week 1 bye. Third, Stanford plays Arizona State, UCLA, USC and Utah in South Division cross-over games, missing Arizona and Colorado. That's hardly ideal. North Division rival Oregon misses Arizona State and USC. That is ideal.
(I won't even mention the seeming obsession of some vocal Stanford fans for their "weekenders" against the Southern California teams, which thereby gives the Northwest schools an automatic advantage in the division race. Folks, you should ask your coach what he thinks about Stanford playing USC and UCLA every year).
Stanford's foes, according to Kevin's data, had a .575 winning percentage in 2012. That's slightly below the numbers for Cal, Colorado and Utah, but those three teams have a far bigger margin for error. They each just want to get back to a bowl game.
Stanford is only playing for THE BOWL GAME.
And sometimes there are less tangible factors, such as bye weeks and fan expectations.
So who's got the toughest go this fall? Here are two takes.
Kevin Gemmell: If you want to go by just the raw data, then California and Colorado share the "toughest" schedule based on the combined records of last year's opponents. The 2013 schedule for both teams includes teams that had a .588 winning percentage last year (Utah is close behind with its opponents' combined winning percentage at .584). Of course, that's only a starting point and nowhere near empirical.
ASU's early slate is rough and Stanford's late slate is brutal. Team for team, I think Stanford has the toughest go.
However...
I think things might be tougher for Oregon State by virtue of the way the schedule plays out. This is something that is beyond the control of the players -- but the way the schedule sets up, it's going to take a great deal of maturity and level-headedness to navigate the 2013 docket.
When you look at their first seven games, they only face one FBS team that had a winning record last year -- and that's San Diego State at Qualcomm. The Aztecs have gone on a nice little run the past few years -- qualifying for three straight bowl games for the first time in school history -- so they might push back. Still, the Beavers should win against Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Utah, Colorado, Washington State and Cal. None of those are guaranteed wins, but you have to figure the Beavers will be the favorite in all seven.
Then things switch into a whole other gear down the stretch. They host Stanford and USC in consecutive weeks, then a bye, and two of their final three are on the road at Arizona State, home to Washington and then at Oregon to close out the season. The Beavers went 1-3 against those teams last year, with the only win coming against Arizona State (they didn't play USC). They go from facing five or six teams that will be hovering sub .500 to five straight against the top teams in the league.
If ever there was a time to harness the clichéd one-game-at-a-time-mentality, this is it. Oregon State will likely start in the preseason Top 25. Let's say anywhere from 15-20. As they keep winning, they will climb as others around them lose games. By the time they reach Stanford on Oct. 26, it's likely they'll be a top-10 team if they take care of business. Will they truly be one of the best 10 teams in the country though? We really won't know.
The saving grace of this stretch is they get Stanford, USC and Washington all at home. Though Oregon State is only 5-12 all-time against USC in Corvallis, they've won the past three at home against USC and the Huskies. Stanford topped OSU at Reser in 2011. They last won in Tempe in 2009 and Eugene in 2007.
The biggest issue for the Beavers is understanding that -- if they do jump out to a 7-0 start -- that record won't have the same gusto as it did last year when they beat Wisconsin at home and won on the road at UCLA, Arizona and BYU. I believe the Beavers to be a very good team. But if they buy too much into the early hype, 7-0 could quickly end up 7-5.
Ted Miller: I really like Kevin's nuanced response on this. Oregon State doesn't have the Pac-12's toughest schedule, but the combination of how it's put together as well as the Beavers expectations for the season -- a Top 25 finish -- make it dangerous. There will be no way for fans to feel good if the Beavers start 7-0 and then go, say, 1-4 down the stretch, even if 8-4 is a respectable finish.
As for which Pac-12 team has the toughest schedule, there's an easy answer: California. The Bears play three teams that will be ranked in the preseason top 10 -- probably the top five -- in Ohio State, Oregon and Stanford. They also play five other teams that will be widely viewed as having Top 25 potential: Northwestern, UCLA, Oregon State, Washington and USC.
Yet, I'm going with Stanford because I want to embrace nuance!
Stanford's schedule is rugged, particularly at the end, when the Cardinal play Oregon, USC, rival California and Notre Dame over the final four weeks. But it's more than that.
Stanford coach David Shaw -- wisely -- says that the Cardinal have the same goal every year: Win the conference, go to the Rose Bowl. "Because that's the only thing we can control," he says. What he's intimating is the process of picking the teams to play for the national title -- at present and in the future four-team playoff -- includes a subjective element.
But, really, Stanford's goal this season is simple: Perfection. And, falling short of that, the Cardinal would settle for a national title.
This team has the talent to not only play for the final BCS title, but to beat the SEC -- let's be certain that's half of the championship tilt -- at its own game: Defense.
Yet the challenges are abundant. For one, there's seven teams with Top 25 potential. Second, there's that useless Week 1 bye. Third, Stanford plays Arizona State, UCLA, USC and Utah in South Division cross-over games, missing Arizona and Colorado. That's hardly ideal. North Division rival Oregon misses Arizona State and USC. That is ideal.
(I won't even mention the seeming obsession of some vocal Stanford fans for their "weekenders" against the Southern California teams, which thereby gives the Northwest schools an automatic advantage in the division race. Folks, you should ask your coach what he thinks about Stanford playing USC and UCLA every year).
Stanford's foes, according to Kevin's data, had a .575 winning percentage in 2012. That's slightly below the numbers for Cal, Colorado and Utah, but those three teams have a far bigger margin for error. They each just want to get back to a bowl game.
Stanford is only playing for THE BOWL GAME.
On Wednesday, we provided you with our top five Pac-12 BCS moments.
Here's what we wrote (our polls can only included five choices, so if you think Oregon and Stanford both winning BCS bowl games this past year qualifies, go with other):
Ah, but as you all know we are not infallible. Not entirely, at least.
So what's your take?
Here's what we wrote (our polls can only included five choices, so if you think Oregon and Stanford both winning BCS bowl games this past year qualifies, go with other):
1. USC drubs Oklahoma for the 2004 national title: The 55-19 victory over unbeaten Oklahoma was the most dominant display of the BCS era. It was also the pinnacle of the Trojans' dynasty under Pete Carroll. It's worth noting that future Pac-12 member Utah also whipped Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl to finish unbeaten that same year.
2. USC wins "real" national title: In 2003, USC was No. 1 in the AP and coaches polls at season's end. If you had eyes and knew anything about football, it was clear the Trojans were the nation's most talented team on both sides of the football, a notion that was reinforced the following season. Two teams picked by computers played in New Orleans -- most folks outside of Louisiana don't even remember who -- and that forced the Trojans to settle for three-fourths of a national title after dominating Michigan 28-14.
3. The year of the Northwest: After the 2000 season, three teams from the Northwest finished ranked in the AP top 7. Washington beat Purdue in the Rose Bowl and finished third. Oregon State drubbed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and finished fourth. Oregon beat Texas in the Holiday Bowl to finish seventh.
4. Oregon gets left out but finishes No. 2: One of the grand faux paus of the BCS era was Nebraska playing Miami for the 2001 national title. Nebraska was coming off a 62-36 loss to Colorado, but the computers failed to notice, and the Cornhuskers were euthanized by the Hurricanes before halftime. The Ducks would whip that same Colorado team 38-16 in the Fiesta Bowl and finish ranked No. 2.
Ah, but as you all know we are not infallible. Not entirely, at least.
So what's your take?
Lunch links: A peek at Arizona's new digs
May, 23, 2013
May 23
2:30
PM ET
By
Kevin Gemmell | ESPN.com
I am never known to quail at the fury of a gale. And I'm never, never sick at sea.
- A video tour of Arizona's new facilities, which should be ready for move-in by July.
- Todd Graham is, not once, but twice as prepared to handle the schedule in 2013.
- The Bears picked up a running back commit.
- Rimington candidate Gus Handler is deserving, but still has work to do.
- How Oregon's running game sets up the pass.
- The spring tour of Oregon State opponents continues with Eastern Washington.
- Where does Anthony Wilkerson rank among the Pac-12 running backs? Lostlettermen ranks them.
- SI's Stewart Mandel fields a UCLA question in his mailbag.
- Lots of Trojans on Athlon's list of the top 50 receivers in the BCS era.
- Karl Williams has put in the work at Utah.
- Some Pac-12 questions heading into summer, including whether the Huskies can break out in 2013.
- Charges could result from the Washington State-Idaho donnybrook.
The beauty of the nine-game conference schedule -- at least from a fan’s perspective -- is that almost every week we’re going to see great football. But from a team perspective, that means every week is going to be a grind. And there are those multiple-game stretches that can be brutal. Teams that survive those stretches usually emerge atop the standings. Those who don’t are usually home in December doing some self-scouting. Here’s some of the brutal stretches for the Pac-12 North, which should stake its claim as one of the toughest divisions in all of college football in 2013.
California
The Bears have a very tough schedule, arguably the toughest of all the conference teams based on their opponents' winning percentage in 2012 (93-60, .588). But the way it plays out isn't as brutal as some of their Northern brethren. In most cases, they have (what is perceived to be) a winnable game in between their tough showdowns. Portland State separates Northwestern and Ohio State. Washington State separates Oregon and UCLA. Colorado breaks up USC and Stanford. They do hit a four-game stretch from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2 when they travel to UCLA, are home to Oregon State, at Washington and home to Arizona. That could be the roughest consecutive stretch. Of course, the sum of all the parts still includes potentially three national championship hopefuls, so it might be tough going in Sonny Dykes' first year, regardless of what order the games come in.
Oregon
The Ducks should again blow out of the gates with a soft first five games against opponents that combined for a 14-45 record last year. Then three of their next four should provide much stiffer tests. They visit Washington on Oct. 12, and while the Ducks may very well make it 10 in a row over the Huskies, Washington is expected to push the Ducks harder than it has in recent years. Then a home game against Washington State (a team that gave them a nice 30-minute run last season) stands between back-to-back games against UCLA and at Stanford. Because the Stanford game is on a Thursday night, they get extra time to prep, but it's still back-to-back games against last year's division winners. It's also the first time they'll see the Bruins in the Jim Mora era. If the Ducks get through that stretch, it likely means they are on BCS championship pace heading into the Civil War.
Oregon State
Like their in-state counterparts, the Beavers should jump out to a very good record in the first half of the season. Their first seven opponents were a combined 35-52 last season and only two (FCS Eastern Washington and San Diego State) were on the north side of .500. Then things get nasty. Really nasty. Stanford, USC, Arizona State, Washington and Oregon with one breather after the USC game. If the Beavers are as good as many think, they should start 7-0. But they'll be tagged as paper lions until the strength of schedule ramps up. This might be the toughest stretch in the league. And if Oregon State can weather it with a few wins, it should be positioned nicely for another upper-tier bowl game (if not something bigger).
Stanford
The Beavers have some company for the toughest stretch, however. The Cardinal have a trying schedule top to bottom, but the final five will make or break Stanford's season -- or at the very least, their national championship hopes. The defending conference champs have plenty of early tests, including San Jose State (an 11-win team last year), Arizona State and Washington in the first half of the slate. But the final five includes UCLA, Oregon State, Oregon, USC, Cal and Notre Dame. Cal is the only team in that group that didn't have a winning record last year, but it's still a rivalry game. Of course, the premier matchup of the bunch is the showdown with Oregon, which many feel will determine the North champ. That's two 12-win teams from last season, two nine-win teams, a USC game that has recently been tight and a rivalry game with one break in between for the Thursday night game against Oregon. If the Cardinal repeat, they will have earned it.
Washington
How legit is Washington? We'll find out some when it hosts Boise State in the season opener. But we'll really know what this team is made of from Sept. 28 to Oct. 19. That's a four-game stretch, no byes, that includes Arizona, at Stanford, Oregon and at Arizona State. We know what happened last year against the Wildcats. And then it's back-to-back games against Stanford and Oregon. Washington topped Stanford in 2012, but the last trip to the Farm in 2011 didn't go so well. And then there's the whole Oregon thing. Plus the Huskies pick up with a game in Tempe after a two-year hiatus from the Sun Devils. These four games will likely define Washington in 2013.
Washington State
Like every other team in this post, by virtue of playing in the North, the Cougars have a tough schedule. But it ramps up right in the middle of the season with four of five games against the projected top half of the power rankings. They meet Stanford on Sept. 28 in Seattle, then at Cal before three straight against Oregon State, at Oregon and then a week and a half later they host Arizona State on Thursday night. By the way, the week before Stanford they host bordering Idaho, and we know there's no love lost there. After an inconsistent first season under Mike Leach, the Cougars could certainly shuffle the North standings if they are able to take a game from one of the division's big three.
California
The Bears have a very tough schedule, arguably the toughest of all the conference teams based on their opponents' winning percentage in 2012 (93-60, .588). But the way it plays out isn't as brutal as some of their Northern brethren. In most cases, they have (what is perceived to be) a winnable game in between their tough showdowns. Portland State separates Northwestern and Ohio State. Washington State separates Oregon and UCLA. Colorado breaks up USC and Stanford. They do hit a four-game stretch from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2 when they travel to UCLA, are home to Oregon State, at Washington and home to Arizona. That could be the roughest consecutive stretch. Of course, the sum of all the parts still includes potentially three national championship hopefuls, so it might be tough going in Sonny Dykes' first year, regardless of what order the games come in.
Oregon
The Ducks should again blow out of the gates with a soft first five games against opponents that combined for a 14-45 record last year. Then three of their next four should provide much stiffer tests. They visit Washington on Oct. 12, and while the Ducks may very well make it 10 in a row over the Huskies, Washington is expected to push the Ducks harder than it has in recent years. Then a home game against Washington State (a team that gave them a nice 30-minute run last season) stands between back-to-back games against UCLA and at Stanford. Because the Stanford game is on a Thursday night, they get extra time to prep, but it's still back-to-back games against last year's division winners. It's also the first time they'll see the Bruins in the Jim Mora era. If the Ducks get through that stretch, it likely means they are on BCS championship pace heading into the Civil War.
Oregon State
Like their in-state counterparts, the Beavers should jump out to a very good record in the first half of the season. Their first seven opponents were a combined 35-52 last season and only two (FCS Eastern Washington and San Diego State) were on the north side of .500. Then things get nasty. Really nasty. Stanford, USC, Arizona State, Washington and Oregon with one breather after the USC game. If the Beavers are as good as many think, they should start 7-0. But they'll be tagged as paper lions until the strength of schedule ramps up. This might be the toughest stretch in the league. And if Oregon State can weather it with a few wins, it should be positioned nicely for another upper-tier bowl game (if not something bigger).
Stanford
The Beavers have some company for the toughest stretch, however. The Cardinal have a trying schedule top to bottom, but the final five will make or break Stanford's season -- or at the very least, their national championship hopes. The defending conference champs have plenty of early tests, including San Jose State (an 11-win team last year), Arizona State and Washington in the first half of the slate. But the final five includes UCLA, Oregon State, Oregon, USC, Cal and Notre Dame. Cal is the only team in that group that didn't have a winning record last year, but it's still a rivalry game. Of course, the premier matchup of the bunch is the showdown with Oregon, which many feel will determine the North champ. That's two 12-win teams from last season, two nine-win teams, a USC game that has recently been tight and a rivalry game with one break in between for the Thursday night game against Oregon. If the Cardinal repeat, they will have earned it.
Washington
How legit is Washington? We'll find out some when it hosts Boise State in the season opener. But we'll really know what this team is made of from Sept. 28 to Oct. 19. That's a four-game stretch, no byes, that includes Arizona, at Stanford, Oregon and at Arizona State. We know what happened last year against the Wildcats. And then it's back-to-back games against Stanford and Oregon. Washington topped Stanford in 2012, but the last trip to the Farm in 2011 didn't go so well. And then there's the whole Oregon thing. Plus the Huskies pick up with a game in Tempe after a two-year hiatus from the Sun Devils. These four games will likely define Washington in 2013.
Washington State
Like every other team in this post, by virtue of playing in the North, the Cougars have a tough schedule. But it ramps up right in the middle of the season with four of five games against the projected top half of the power rankings. They meet Stanford on Sept. 28 in Seattle, then at Cal before three straight against Oregon State, at Oregon and then a week and a half later they host Arizona State on Thursday night. By the way, the week before Stanford they host bordering Idaho, and we know there's no love lost there. After an inconsistent first season under Mike Leach, the Cougars could certainly shuffle the North standings if they are able to take a game from one of the division's big three.
The beauty of the nine-game conference schedule -- at least from a fan's perspective -- is that almost every week we're going to see great football. But from a team perspective, that means every week is going to be a grind. And there are those multiple-game stretches that can be brutal. Teams that survive those stretches usually emerge atop the rankings. Those who don't are usually home in December doing some self-scouting. Here's some of the brutal stretches for the Pac-12 South -- which figures to be one of the craziest divisions in all of college football where a champ probably won't be decided until after Thanksgiving.
Arizona
The Wildcats' schedule shapes up to be quite interesting. They actually have two critical stretches -- one early, one late -- that could be very telling. It starts on Sept. 28 at Washington and follows with a week and a half off before a Thursday night game at USC on Oct. 10. The extra time off will help, but it's still back-to-back road games; one against a Washington team eager to avenge last year's 52-17 pounding, and the other against a USC squad that hopes to contend for the South. This stretch could boost the Wildcats going into games against Utah, Colorado and Cal. Or they could be playing catch up. The second critical stretch comes with three of the final four games against teams we expect to be in the top 25 -- including UCLA, Oregon and Arizona State (WSU is sandwiched in between). They get the Bruins at home on Nov. 9 and Oregon at home on Nov. 23 before the Territorial Cup to close out the year. What happens against UCLA may set up how the South Division plays out.
Arizona State
The Sun Devils get their big test early with four straight games against Wisconsin, at Stanford, USC and against Notre Dame in Texas. As we discussed in the Most Important Game series for ASU, this is a critical stretch for how the rest of the nation views the Sun Devils. If they go 3-1, or even a competitive 2-2 during that stretch, then we'll know that the preseason hype is justified. But it's a tough draw with four hard games and no bye week in between. That Sept. 21 showdown at Stanford is going to be great, too -- because you've got the league's best offensive line clashing with one of the league's top front sevens. But this stretch won't determine the South champion. That will likely come down to the final two games when the Sun Devils travel to UCLA on Nov. 23 and then host Arizona at home on Nov. 30.
Colorado
Pretty much the end of September through early November is going to be a Ralphie-sized run through the wringer. At Oregon State (Sept. 28), home to Oregon (Oct. 5) at Arizona State (Oct. 12) home to Arizona (Oct. 26) and back-to-back road games at UCLA (Nov. 2) and Washington (Nov. 9). There is a bye week right in the middle to break up the six games. But that's still six straight games against potentially six top-25 teams. We're expecting the first three -- OSU, Oregon, ASU -- to be ranked, and there's a good chance UCLA and Washington will be top-25 teams as well. Arizona might flirt with the rankings -- as it did last season -- if the defense is better and the quarterback spot gets figured out. Welcome to the Pac, Mac.
UCLA
Like the Arizona and ASU schedules, the Bruins will be looking to the final two weeks -- home to ASU on Nov. 23 and at USC on Nov. 30 -- to see where they land in the final, and most likely muddled South Division standings. But we'll learn a lot about what this team is made of during a killer back-to-back stretch when it travels to Stanford on Oct. 19 and then to Oregon a week later on Oct. 26. It will be UCLA's third time playing Stanford in the last 11 months and Jim Mora's first time facing the Ducks as UCLA's head coach. Both of those teams figure to be ranked in the top 5 and -- should the Bruins win a third straight South Division championship -- there's a strong chance either Oregon or Stanford will be waiting for them again in the Pac-12 championship game. The Bruins can elevate themselves from "very good" to Pac-12 elite with one or two wins on the road.
USC
The old baseball cliche that you can't win a title early in the season, but you can lose one, could certainly apply to the Trojans. No doubt, closing out the year with two of their three final games against Stanford and UCLA will be huge. Stanford, simply for what the Cardinal have done to the Trojans over the past few seasons, and UCLA because, well, it's UCLA. But back-to-back games at Arizona State and home to Arizona (with a bye in between) could very well make or break the Trojans' hopes of taking the South. A victory at ASU -- a division front-runner -- would put them in the driver's seat and then avenging last year's 39-36 loss to the Wildcats would give them a strong foothold on the division.
Utah
Like Colorado, the middle of Utah's schedule is just nasty. From Sept. 14 to Nov. 16, it's going to be a weekly grind. Oregon State figures to be a top-25 team (especially with a preseason ranking and an easier schedule out of the gate). Then the Utes are at BYU -- possibly another top-25 team -- for the always emotionally draining Holy War. Then UCLA, Stanford, at Arizona, at USC, home to ASU and at Oregon. That's potentially seven of eight straight opponents ranked in the top 25 -- including the potential top-5 teams in Stanford and Oregon. And if Arizona bounces back, it could be eight straight games against ranked opponents. We're all expecting bigger things from Utah after last year's disappointing 5-7 season. But this schedule is going to make it awfully tough.
Arizona
The Wildcats' schedule shapes up to be quite interesting. They actually have two critical stretches -- one early, one late -- that could be very telling. It starts on Sept. 28 at Washington and follows with a week and a half off before a Thursday night game at USC on Oct. 10. The extra time off will help, but it's still back-to-back road games; one against a Washington team eager to avenge last year's 52-17 pounding, and the other against a USC squad that hopes to contend for the South. This stretch could boost the Wildcats going into games against Utah, Colorado and Cal. Or they could be playing catch up. The second critical stretch comes with three of the final four games against teams we expect to be in the top 25 -- including UCLA, Oregon and Arizona State (WSU is sandwiched in between). They get the Bruins at home on Nov. 9 and Oregon at home on Nov. 23 before the Territorial Cup to close out the year. What happens against UCLA may set up how the South Division plays out.
Arizona State
The Sun Devils get their big test early with four straight games against Wisconsin, at Stanford, USC and against Notre Dame in Texas. As we discussed in the Most Important Game series for ASU, this is a critical stretch for how the rest of the nation views the Sun Devils. If they go 3-1, or even a competitive 2-2 during that stretch, then we'll know that the preseason hype is justified. But it's a tough draw with four hard games and no bye week in between. That Sept. 21 showdown at Stanford is going to be great, too -- because you've got the league's best offensive line clashing with one of the league's top front sevens. But this stretch won't determine the South champion. That will likely come down to the final two games when the Sun Devils travel to UCLA on Nov. 23 and then host Arizona at home on Nov. 30.
Colorado
Pretty much the end of September through early November is going to be a Ralphie-sized run through the wringer. At Oregon State (Sept. 28), home to Oregon (Oct. 5) at Arizona State (Oct. 12) home to Arizona (Oct. 26) and back-to-back road games at UCLA (Nov. 2) and Washington (Nov. 9). There is a bye week right in the middle to break up the six games. But that's still six straight games against potentially six top-25 teams. We're expecting the first three -- OSU, Oregon, ASU -- to be ranked, and there's a good chance UCLA and Washington will be top-25 teams as well. Arizona might flirt with the rankings -- as it did last season -- if the defense is better and the quarterback spot gets figured out. Welcome to the Pac, Mac.
UCLA
Like the Arizona and ASU schedules, the Bruins will be looking to the final two weeks -- home to ASU on Nov. 23 and at USC on Nov. 30 -- to see where they land in the final, and most likely muddled South Division standings. But we'll learn a lot about what this team is made of during a killer back-to-back stretch when it travels to Stanford on Oct. 19 and then to Oregon a week later on Oct. 26. It will be UCLA's third time playing Stanford in the last 11 months and Jim Mora's first time facing the Ducks as UCLA's head coach. Both of those teams figure to be ranked in the top 5 and -- should the Bruins win a third straight South Division championship -- there's a strong chance either Oregon or Stanford will be waiting for them again in the Pac-12 championship game. The Bruins can elevate themselves from "very good" to Pac-12 elite with one or two wins on the road.
USC
The old baseball cliche that you can't win a title early in the season, but you can lose one, could certainly apply to the Trojans. No doubt, closing out the year with two of their three final games against Stanford and UCLA will be huge. Stanford, simply for what the Cardinal have done to the Trojans over the past few seasons, and UCLA because, well, it's UCLA. But back-to-back games at Arizona State and home to Arizona (with a bye in between) could very well make or break the Trojans' hopes of taking the South. A victory at ASU -- a division front-runner -- would put them in the driver's seat and then avenging last year's 39-36 loss to the Wildcats would give them a strong foothold on the division.
Utah
Like Colorado, the middle of Utah's schedule is just nasty. From Sept. 14 to Nov. 16, it's going to be a weekly grind. Oregon State figures to be a top-25 team (especially with a preseason ranking and an easier schedule out of the gate). Then the Utes are at BYU -- possibly another top-25 team -- for the always emotionally draining Holy War. Then UCLA, Stanford, at Arizona, at USC, home to ASU and at Oregon. That's potentially seven of eight straight opponents ranked in the top 25 -- including the potential top-5 teams in Stanford and Oregon. And if Arizona bounces back, it could be eight straight games against ranked opponents. We're all expecting bigger things from Utah after last year's disappointing 5-7 season. But this schedule is going to make it awfully tough.
Quarterbacks come and go for a variety of reasons. Some simply aren't happy in a new state or in another part of the country. Others decide football isn't the sport for them. Many feel their talents are being wasted on the bench. It always seems like the grass is greener. Sometimes the move works out. Sometimes it doesn't.
Inspired by the move of Wes Lunt to leave Oklahoma State, the Pac-12 blog thought it would be fun to look back fondly at some of the quarterbacks who have left the conference following the 2008 season (a full four-year cycle). A special thanks to the league's sports information directors for helping compile this list and whatever information is available (which isn't the case with some players).
Here's the team-by-team breakdown of some of the recently departed signal callers no longer calling signals in the Pac-12.
Arizona
Inspired by the move of Wes Lunt to leave Oklahoma State, the Pac-12 blog thought it would be fun to look back fondly at some of the quarterbacks who have left the conference following the 2008 season (a full four-year cycle). A special thanks to the league's sports information directors for helping compile this list and whatever information is available (which isn't the case with some players).
Here's the team-by-team breakdown of some of the recently departed signal callers no longer calling signals in the Pac-12.
Arizona
- Tom Savage: Transferred to Pitt after the 2011 season. Eligible to play in 2013.
- Cam Allerheiligen: Left after the 2011 season. Went on to play baseball at Weatherford College.
- No QB transfers since 2008.
- Beau Sweeney: Transferred after the 2010 season to Cornell. Appeared as a quarterback and TE/H-Back.
- Allan Bridgford: Transferred after the 2012 season to Southern Miss.
- Matt Ballenger: Transferred after the 2008 season to College of Idaho and went on to be an all-conference basketball player.
- Nick Hirschman: Transferred to Akron following the 2012 season.
- Chris Harper: Transferred to Kansas State after the 2008 season and became a wide receiver, leading the Wildcats in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns in 2011.
- Justin Roper: Transferred to Montana after the 2008 season, completed 61.5 percent of his throws with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2010.
- Jeremiah Masoli: Transferred to Mississippi after the 2009 season. Is now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
- Brennan Doty: (Walk-on) transferred to Lamar to play basketball.
- Bryan Bennett: Transferred to Southeastern Louisiana after the 2012 season.
- Justin Engstrom: Transferred to Portland State after the 2008 season. Was a backup.
- Brennan Sim: Transferred to South Alabama after the 2008 season.
- Peter Lalich: Transferred to California University of Pennsylvania after the 2009 season.
- Ryan Katz: Transferred to San Diego State before the 2012 season and was the starter until an injury knocked him out for the year.
- Jack Lomax: Left the team prior to the 2012 season.
- L.D. Crow: Transferred to UCF after the 2008 season.
- Nick Ruhl: (Walk-on) transferred to Menlo College after the 2008 season. Returned to Stanford and graduated with two degrees.
- Adam Brzeczek: (Walk-on) transferred to Montana after the 2011 season. Did not attempt a pass in 2012, but appeared in two games and rushed for 33 yards on three carries with a touchdown.
- Brett Nottingham: Transferred to Columbia after the 2012 season.
- Chris Forcier: Transferred to Furman after the 2008 season.
- Nick Crissman: Graduated in 2012, but intended to transfer to play one more year
- Aaron Corp: Transferred to Richmond after the 2009 season.
- Jesse Scroggins: Trasnferred to El Camino Junior College after the 2011 season and has since joined Arizona.
- Corbin Louks: Transferred to Nevada after the 2008 season.
- Griff Robles: Transferred after the 2011 season to Dixie State College. Utah had converted Robles to a linebacker, but he wanted to play quarterback. Appeared in 11 games last year, completing 50.9 percent of his throws with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
- Tyler Shreve: Transferred to Riverside Community College after the 2011 season to play football and baseball.
- Ronnie Fouch: Transferred to Indiana State after the 2009 season. Went on to start 22 games and posted 38 touchdowns to 15 interceptions with more than 4,300 passing yards in his career.
- Nick Montana: Transferred to to Mt. San Antonio College after the 2011 season and is now at Tulane.
- J.T. Levenseller: Transferred to Eastern Washington after the 2008 season.
- Cody Clements: Transferred to Cerritos College following the 2012 season.
Mark your calendars. The 2013-2014 bowl schedule has been announced (of course, participants are pending).
Once again the Pac-12 will kick off the bowl season against a Mountain West team on Sat. Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. ET in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque on ESPN. And settle in for what will be the first of two Pac-12 double-headers this bowl season, because the Pac-12 and Mountain West will meet again the same day in the Las Vegas Bowl at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Here's the complete Pac-12 lineup:
Last year, the Pac-12 bowls were a little more spread out and there is an extra six days between the start of the 2013 bowl season (last year's New Mexico Bowl was on Dec. 15). There was only one double-header last year with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.
This year, Dec. 21 and Dec. 30 should make for some fun Pac-12 viewing parties. (And probably a healthy dose of trolling between the Pac-12 and Big 12 blogs).
If anyone needs a refresher course on how their team did in last year's bowl games, you can see all our bowl coverage from last season here.
Here's the speedy version -- Arizona: Are you kidding me?; Washington: What, no measurement?; UCLA: Ouch; Arizona State: Explosive; Oregon State: (Insert Cody Vaz just got sacked joke of your choosing here); USC: Yucky; Stanford: Defense, nasty; Oregon: Hey K-State, shhhhhh.
You can see the complete 2013-2014 bowl schedule here.
Once again the Pac-12 will kick off the bowl season against a Mountain West team on Sat. Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. ET in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque on ESPN. And settle in for what will be the first of two Pac-12 double-headers this bowl season, because the Pac-12 and Mountain West will meet again the same day in the Las Vegas Bowl at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Here's the complete Pac-12 lineup:
- Dec. 21, Gildan New Mexico Bowl, 2 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC, ESPN
- Dec. 21, Las Vegas Bowl, 3:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC. ABC
- Dec. 27, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, 9:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. BYU (if bowl eligible), ESPN
- Dec. 30, Valero Alamo Bowl, 6:45 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12, ESPN
- Dec. 30, Holiday Bowl, 10:15 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12, ESPN
- Dec. 31, Hyundai Sun Bowl, 2 p.m., Pac-12 vs. ACC, CBS
- Jan. 1, Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO, 5 p.m., ESPN
- Jan. 6, VIZIO BCS National Championship (at the Rose Bowl), 8:30 p.m., BCS 1 vs. BCS 2, ESPN
Last year, the Pac-12 bowls were a little more spread out and there is an extra six days between the start of the 2013 bowl season (last year's New Mexico Bowl was on Dec. 15). There was only one double-header last year with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.
This year, Dec. 21 and Dec. 30 should make for some fun Pac-12 viewing parties. (And probably a healthy dose of trolling between the Pac-12 and Big 12 blogs).
If anyone needs a refresher course on how their team did in last year's bowl games, you can see all our bowl coverage from last season here.
Here's the speedy version -- Arizona: Are you kidding me?; Washington: What, no measurement?; UCLA: Ouch; Arizona State: Explosive; Oregon State: (Insert Cody Vaz just got sacked joke of your choosing here); USC: Yucky; Stanford: Defense, nasty; Oregon: Hey K-State, shhhhhh.
You can see the complete 2013-2014 bowl schedule here.
Wake up to find out
that you are the eyes of the World
but the heart has its beaches
its homeland and thoughts of its own.
that you are the eyes of the World
but the heart has its beaches
its homeland and thoughts of its own.
- Still more on Daniel Jenkins return to Arizona after a very short transfer to Washington State.
- Arizona State LB Carl Bradford is a freak. And here is the entire list of "Freaks" from CBS' Bruce Feldman.
- California AD Sandy Barbour chats about Memorial Stadium.
- Former Colorado O-lineman David Bakhtiari might get in the mix with the Green Bay Packers.
- A former Oregon WR will get a chance with Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Former Oregon State CB Jordan Poyer talks about the NFL.
- Who is better: Andrew Luck or Colin Kaepernick?
- Might Eddie Vanderdoes end up at UCLA after all?
- Matt Barkley already has a good feel for the Eagles offense.
- Apparently Utah's Worst Case Scenario came (fairly) true in 2012.
- The Seattle Times explains why it doesn't have a Washington beat writer at present.
- Washington State has lost a starting offensive lineman.
You may have noticed this story Monday from Mackenzie Kraemer of ESPN Stats & Info. It's a nice breakdown of how the 2013 class of quarterbacks across college football might be one of the best ever. Kraemer offers five reasons why:
We're going to take this and, point-by-point, give it a Pac-12 rinse.
The best teams of 2012 (in the Pac-12) return their quarterbacks: Yep. Stanford (12-2), yes. Oregon (12-1), yes. Oregon State (9-4), yes (and yes). UCLA (9-5), yes. Arizona State (8-5), yes. It should come as no surprise that the top six teams in our post-spring power rankings all have their quarterback coming back. In fact, there were only four teams last year that started the same quarterback in every game (Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, Washington) and those are four of our top five teams in the rankings.
Thus, it's not by chance that the five of the bottom six in the power rankings have an ongoing quarterback competition. That's not to say that a school like USC, which has too much talent to be sitting in the bottom half of the rankings, can't quickly make a jump to the top once their quarterback situation is resolved.
And the same goes for No. 6 Oregon State -- which is fortunate to have two capable starters competing. I don't know who first opined that if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one. I don't buy it. Ask any coach in the bottom half of the power rankings if they'd prefer zero quarterbacks who have won games or two. I think we all know the answer.
The best passers are returning: Yep. Marcus Mariota led the Pac-12 in efficiency and Taylor Kelly wasn't far behind. Matt Barkley was third, Brett Hundley was fourth and Sean Mannion was fifth. However, it's worth noting that Kevin Hogan's efficiency would have ranked him slightly above Hundley had he appeared in more games in 2012 (the cutoff was appearing in 75 percent of the games, Hogan was at 71). That means five of the top six quarterbacks in efficiency are back.
A diverse array of NFL talent: Yep. Anyone who thinks Mariota is just a running quarterback failed to witness his 32 touchdown passes and league-best 68.5 completion percentage. He will fit nicely into any NFL offense.
Same for Kelly (29 touchdowns, 67.1 completion percentage) and Hundley (29, 66.5). Hogan should be well-versed in the pro-style attack (and NFL scouts love quarterbacks who know the pro-style/West Coast coming out of college) and if Mannion (if he wins the job) bounces back, he's got the prototypical NFL pro-style frame.
And let's not forget Keith Price, who we're expecting to have a nice bounce-back year. He was extremely efficient in 2011 (33, 66.9) so the potential and athleticism is obviously there.
Little QB turnover in the league: Well, the Pac-12 can't make that claim with six starting jobs still in doubt and potentially five schools starting a fresh-faced QB.
Award winners back on campus: Yep. Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year (Mariota). First-team quarterback (Mariota). Kelly, Hogan and Hundley were honorable mention.
While it's true that this might shape up as one of the greatest years in college football history for quarterbacks, it's equally true that the Pac-12 might have its best crop of quarterbacks in league history.
The Pac-12 has sent at least one quarterback to the NFL since 1995 and at least one has gone in the first round in nine of the past 16 drafts. There was 2003 when Carson Palmer (USC) and Kyle Boller (Cal) both went in the first round. 1999 was a strong year with Akili Smith (Oregon) and Cade McNown (UCLA) going in the first round and Brock Huard (Washington) going in the third. Three times the Pac-12 has had four quarterbacks go in the draft (2005, 1991 and 1989).
2004 comes to mind as a pretty darn good collection with Aaron Rodgers (Cal), Matt Leinart (USC), Derek Anderson (Oregon State), Andrew Walter (ASU), Kellen Clemens (Oregon), Trent Edwards (Stanford), Drew Olson (UCLA) and Alex Brink (Washington State).
It's a little too early to start speculating about who is going to go and who is going to stay. But based on what we've seen from this crop in the past nine months, it's possible the 2013 class will be right up there in the conversation as one of the best collection of quarterbacks ever in the league.
- The best teams of 2012 return their quarterbacks
- The best passers are returning
- A diverse array of NFL talent
- Little QB turnover in SEC
- Award winners back on campus
We're going to take this and, point-by-point, give it a Pac-12 rinse.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Bruce SchwartzmanOregon QB Marcus Mariota showed that he was more than just a strong runner last season.
AP Photo/Bruce SchwartzmanOregon QB Marcus Mariota showed that he was more than just a strong runner last season.Thus, it's not by chance that the five of the bottom six in the power rankings have an ongoing quarterback competition. That's not to say that a school like USC, which has too much talent to be sitting in the bottom half of the rankings, can't quickly make a jump to the top once their quarterback situation is resolved.
And the same goes for No. 6 Oregon State -- which is fortunate to have two capable starters competing. I don't know who first opined that if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one. I don't buy it. Ask any coach in the bottom half of the power rankings if they'd prefer zero quarterbacks who have won games or two. I think we all know the answer.
The best passers are returning: Yep. Marcus Mariota led the Pac-12 in efficiency and Taylor Kelly wasn't far behind. Matt Barkley was third, Brett Hundley was fourth and Sean Mannion was fifth. However, it's worth noting that Kevin Hogan's efficiency would have ranked him slightly above Hundley had he appeared in more games in 2012 (the cutoff was appearing in 75 percent of the games, Hogan was at 71). That means five of the top six quarterbacks in efficiency are back.
A diverse array of NFL talent: Yep. Anyone who thinks Mariota is just a running quarterback failed to witness his 32 touchdown passes and league-best 68.5 completion percentage. He will fit nicely into any NFL offense.
Same for Kelly (29 touchdowns, 67.1 completion percentage) and Hundley (29, 66.5). Hogan should be well-versed in the pro-style attack (and NFL scouts love quarterbacks who know the pro-style/West Coast coming out of college) and if Mannion (if he wins the job) bounces back, he's got the prototypical NFL pro-style frame.
And let's not forget Keith Price, who we're expecting to have a nice bounce-back year. He was extremely efficient in 2011 (33, 66.9) so the potential and athleticism is obviously there.
Little QB turnover in the league: Well, the Pac-12 can't make that claim with six starting jobs still in doubt and potentially five schools starting a fresh-faced QB.
Award winners back on campus: Yep. Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year (Mariota). First-team quarterback (Mariota). Kelly, Hogan and Hundley were honorable mention.
While it's true that this might shape up as one of the greatest years in college football history for quarterbacks, it's equally true that the Pac-12 might have its best crop of quarterbacks in league history.
The Pac-12 has sent at least one quarterback to the NFL since 1995 and at least one has gone in the first round in nine of the past 16 drafts. There was 2003 when Carson Palmer (USC) and Kyle Boller (Cal) both went in the first round. 1999 was a strong year with Akili Smith (Oregon) and Cade McNown (UCLA) going in the first round and Brock Huard (Washington) going in the third. Three times the Pac-12 has had four quarterbacks go in the draft (2005, 1991 and 1989).
2004 comes to mind as a pretty darn good collection with Aaron Rodgers (Cal), Matt Leinart (USC), Derek Anderson (Oregon State), Andrew Walter (ASU), Kellen Clemens (Oregon), Trent Edwards (Stanford), Drew Olson (UCLA) and Alex Brink (Washington State).
It's a little too early to start speculating about who is going to go and who is going to stay. But based on what we've seen from this crop in the past nine months, it's possible the 2013 class will be right up there in the conversation as one of the best collection of quarterbacks ever in the league.
Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News has been a busy bee this week, yet we somehow missed his update on the Pac-12's progress with its new bowl game negotiations, which included Wilner projecting a potential future lineup.
It's an interesting article because it's clear Pac-12 administrators are trying to improve the configuration and selection process.
Wilner reported the likely addition of an eighth bowl game -- the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl -- which is run by the Fiesta Bowl and played in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. It's likely to feature a Big 12 foe.
He also projects the ascension of the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl as it moves into the San Francisco 49ers' new home, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. That will be another Pac-12-Big Ten matchup.
And, no, it doesn't appear there will be any Pac-12-SEC games, which many of you are clamoring for. I'm sure any of the Pac-12's bowl games would love to entice an SEC team to come on board but the SEC has a very strong lineup of bowls games, particularly at the top, and those games are played close to home.
Here's how Wilner projects the future lineup, which will begin in 2014, same season as the first four-team College Football Playoff.
That's a full lineup. Consider that some years you could have multiple Pac-12 teams in the playoff and even then have a team play in the Rose Bowl, though that might be a long shot.
It's an interesting article because it's clear Pac-12 administrators are trying to improve the configuration and selection process.
Wilner reported the likely addition of an eighth bowl game -- the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl -- which is run by the Fiesta Bowl and played in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. It's likely to feature a Big 12 foe.
He also projects the ascension of the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl as it moves into the San Francisco 49ers' new home, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. That will be another Pac-12-Big Ten matchup.
And, no, it doesn't appear there will be any Pac-12-SEC games, which many of you are clamoring for. I'm sure any of the Pac-12's bowl games would love to entice an SEC team to come on board but the SEC has a very strong lineup of bowls games, particularly at the top, and those games are played close to home.
Here's how Wilner projects the future lineup, which will begin in 2014, same season as the first four-team College Football Playoff.
1. Rose/playoff
2. Alamo
3. Holiday
4. Kraft Fight Hunger (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara)
5. Sun
6. Las Vegas
7. Buffalo Wild Wings
8. New Mexico
That's a full lineup. Consider that some years you could have multiple Pac-12 teams in the playoff and even then have a team play in the Rose Bowl, though that might be a long shot.
The 2013 season will be the final year of the BCS era.
And there was much rejoicing!
So, what have been the Pac-12 highs and lows of this often confounding system? Thanks for asking!
Best
1. USC drubs Oklahoma for the 2004 national title: The 55-19 victory over unbeaten Oklahoma was the most dominant display of the BCS era. It was also the pinnacle of the Trojans' dynasty under Pete Carroll. It's worth noting that future Pac-12 member Utah also whipped Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl to finish unbeaten that same year.
2. USC wins "real" national title: In 2003, USC was No. 1 in the AP and Coaches polls at season's end. If you had eyes and knew anything about football, it was clear the Trojans were the nation's most-talented team on both sides of the football, a notion that was reinforced the following season. Two teams picked by computers played in New Orleans -- most folks outside of Louisiana don't even remember who -- and that forced the Trojans to settle for three-fourths of a national title after dominating Michigan 28-14.
3. The year of the Northwest: After the 2000 season, three teams from the Northwest finished ranked in the AP top seven. Washington beat Purdue in the Rose Bowl and finished third. Oregon State drubbed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and finished fourth. Oregon beat Texas in the Holiday Bowl to finish seventh.
4. Oregon gets left out but finishes No. 2: One of the grand faux paus of the BCS era was Nebraska playing Miami for the 2001 national title. Nebraska was coming off a 62-36 loss to Colorado, but the computers failed to notice, and the Cornhuskers were euthanized by the Hurricanes before halftime. The Ducks would whip that same Colorado team 38-16 in the Fiesta Bowl and finish ranked No. 2.
5. Oregon and Stanford both win: The 2012-13 bowl season wasn't good to the Pac-12, but Oregon pounded Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl and Stanford beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks finished ranked No. 2 and Stanford was seventh. It was just the second time two Pac-10/12 teams won BCS bowl games in the same season.
Worst
1. Just one BCS national title, lots of frustration: No conference has more legitimate gripes with the BCS system than the Pac-12. Multiple seasons saw the conference have teams skipped over, most notably Oregon in 2001 and USC in 2003 and 2008. And ask California fans about how Texas coach Mack Brown gamed the system in 2004, preventing the Bears from playing in the Rose Bowl.
2. USC's three-peat gets Vince Younged: It's difficult to look at Texas's epic 41-38 win over USC as anything but great college football art -- perhaps the all-time greatest game -- but Trojans fans don't feel that way. The loss prevented USC from claiming three consecutive national titles and, of course, a second BCS crown for the Pac-10/12.
3. Oregon falls short versus Auburn: Oregon looked like a great team and Auburn a team with two great players before the BCS title game after the 2010 season. The Ducks chose a bad time to play one of their worst games of the season, but they still nearly prevailed before being undone by a dramatic game-winning drive from the Tigers.
4. Make a field goal, Stanford: Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed three field goals, including a certain game-winner from 35 yards on the last play of regulation, in the Cardinal's 41-38 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2011 season. Williamson also missed from 43 yards in overtime, which set the Cowboys up for the win. Stanford dominated the game, outgaining the Cowboys 590 yards to 412, with a 243-13 edge in rushing.
5. Ducks drop Rose Bowl: Oregon fell flat in Chip Kelly's first BCS bowl game, with the favored Ducks losing to Ohio State 26-17 in the Rose Bowl after the 2009 season. Buckeyes QB Terrelle Pryor had perhaps the best game of his career -- 266 yards passing, 72 rushing -- and the Ducks offense struggled, gaining just 260 yards.
And there was much rejoicing!
So, what have been the Pac-12 highs and lows of this often confounding system? Thanks for asking!
Best
1. USC drubs Oklahoma for the 2004 national title: The 55-19 victory over unbeaten Oklahoma was the most dominant display of the BCS era. It was also the pinnacle of the Trojans' dynasty under Pete Carroll. It's worth noting that future Pac-12 member Utah also whipped Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl to finish unbeaten that same year.
[+] Enlarge
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesReggie Bush and USC ran away with the 2004 national title.
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesReggie Bush and USC ran away with the 2004 national title.3. The year of the Northwest: After the 2000 season, three teams from the Northwest finished ranked in the AP top seven. Washington beat Purdue in the Rose Bowl and finished third. Oregon State drubbed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and finished fourth. Oregon beat Texas in the Holiday Bowl to finish seventh.
4. Oregon gets left out but finishes No. 2: One of the grand faux paus of the BCS era was Nebraska playing Miami for the 2001 national title. Nebraska was coming off a 62-36 loss to Colorado, but the computers failed to notice, and the Cornhuskers were euthanized by the Hurricanes before halftime. The Ducks would whip that same Colorado team 38-16 in the Fiesta Bowl and finish ranked No. 2.
5. Oregon and Stanford both win: The 2012-13 bowl season wasn't good to the Pac-12, but Oregon pounded Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl and Stanford beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks finished ranked No. 2 and Stanford was seventh. It was just the second time two Pac-10/12 teams won BCS bowl games in the same season.
Worst
1. Just one BCS national title, lots of frustration: No conference has more legitimate gripes with the BCS system than the Pac-12. Multiple seasons saw the conference have teams skipped over, most notably Oregon in 2001 and USC in 2003 and 2008. And ask California fans about how Texas coach Mack Brown gamed the system in 2004, preventing the Bears from playing in the Rose Bowl.
2. USC's three-peat gets Vince Younged: It's difficult to look at Texas's epic 41-38 win over USC as anything but great college football art -- perhaps the all-time greatest game -- but Trojans fans don't feel that way. The loss prevented USC from claiming three consecutive national titles and, of course, a second BCS crown for the Pac-10/12.
3. Oregon falls short versus Auburn: Oregon looked like a great team and Auburn a team with two great players before the BCS title game after the 2010 season. The Ducks chose a bad time to play one of their worst games of the season, but they still nearly prevailed before being undone by a dramatic game-winning drive from the Tigers.
4. Make a field goal, Stanford: Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed three field goals, including a certain game-winner from 35 yards on the last play of regulation, in the Cardinal's 41-38 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2011 season. Williamson also missed from 43 yards in overtime, which set the Cowboys up for the win. Stanford dominated the game, outgaining the Cowboys 590 yards to 412, with a 243-13 edge in rushing.
5. Ducks drop Rose Bowl: Oregon fell flat in Chip Kelly's first BCS bowl game, with the favored Ducks losing to Ohio State 26-17 in the Rose Bowl after the 2009 season. Buckeyes QB Terrelle Pryor had perhaps the best game of his career -- 266 yards passing, 72 rushing -- and the Ducks offense struggled, gaining just 260 yards.
We analyzed and graded bye weeks for the South Division just two hours ago!
So here we go with the North Division.
California: Sept. 21 (before visit to Oregon) and Nov. 30 (last weekend of season)
Skinny: We previously wrote that the "worst weekend for a bye is the opening weekend" in regard to Arizona State's draw. The second worst is the season's final weekend, unless your team is playing in the Pac-12 title game. We don't think that will happen this fall for Cal, so the second bye is pretty worthless. The first is good in terms of timing -- fourth week, before the Pac-12 schedule starts, after a tough game with Ohio State. But the Bears are going to be a big longshot at Oregon, and the Ducks are off the same week, neutralizing any Cal advantage. It would be better for the bye to precede a game that feels more winnable. Further, after that bye, the Bears play nine weeks in a row.
Grade? D+. Just one more challenge for what might be the nation's toughest schedule.
Oregon: Sept. 21 (before visit from California) and Nov. 2 (before visit to Stanford)
Skinny: This is a solid set-up in terms of breaking up the season into manageable bits (three games, five games, four games). It's also nice to have an off week before beginning Pac-12 play. And, obviously, it would seem to benefit the Ducks to have a bye before facing Stanford. But that advantage is written off by the Cardinal also having the same off weekend before the critical Thursday night clash.
Grade? B. The best part of the bye arrangement is the placement of the off-weeks. This would be an "A" if Stanford didn't share the same second bye week before the meeting on the Farm.
Oregon State: Oct. 5 (before visit to Washington State) and Nov. 9 (before visit to Arizona State)
Skinny: This is a pretty fantastic setup. The Beavers play five games (bye), four games (bye) and then three games. That's close to ideal, mostly because there are no brutal runs of, say, nine games in a row. A bye before the Cougars isn't as good as a bye before Stanford, USC or Oregon, but it comes after an initial stretch that suggests a 5-0 start, which likely would come with a high national ranking. Not a bad time to take a breath. Then, after tough consecutive home games against Stanford and USC, the Beavers get a weekend to rest before a visit to the Sun Devils sets up a tough troika down the home stretch (ASU, Washington at Oregon).
Grade: A-. The schedule is backloaded, but the bye-week arrangements work well for the season's big picture.
Stanford: August 31 (opening weekend before visit from San Jose State) and Nov. 2 (before Oregon).
Skinny: As previously noted, the worst weekend for a bye is the opening weekend. Then the Cardinal plays eight games in a row. And, as previously noted, the bye before the potentially epic Oregon matchup is zeroed-out by the Ducks also being off. In other words, Stanford's bye arrangement provides no advantage. The only positive is getting a week to heal before the tough finish: Oregon, at USC, Cal and Notre Dame.
Grade? C-. It could be worse, but Stanford is done no favors by the arrangement of off weeks.
Washington: Sept. 7 (before visit to Illinois) and Nov. 2 (before visit from Colorado)
Skinny: If the first weekend is the worst for a bye, the second shouldn't be much better. On the other hand, the matchup with Boise State in a remodeled Husky Stadium should be loaded with pre-game hype, so a break after that emotional showdown -- win or lose -- might be a good thing. The second off weekend comes after seven consecutive games, so a break will feel good. But there's not much advantage in having the next foe be Colorado.
Grade? C. Not terrible, just not ideal.
Washington State: Oct 26 (before a visit from Arizona State) and Nov. 9 (before a visit to Arizona)
Skinny: This one is pretty strange. The Cougars play eight games before getting a weekend off. Then they get another bye a week later. They are the last team in the Pac-12 to get a bye. Arizona is the only other team to have both byes come in a three-week span, with the Wildcats going early season and the Cougs going late. Further, any advantage gained from extra prep for Arizona State is offset by the Sun Devils also having an Oct. 26 bye. The off week before the Wildcats, however, might set up nicely for an upset special.
Grade? D+. Washington State, in Year 2 under Mike Leach, could use some scheduling help. The off weeks don't offer much.
So here we go with the North Division.
California: Sept. 21 (before visit to Oregon) and Nov. 30 (last weekend of season)
Skinny: We previously wrote that the "worst weekend for a bye is the opening weekend" in regard to Arizona State's draw. The second worst is the season's final weekend, unless your team is playing in the Pac-12 title game. We don't think that will happen this fall for Cal, so the second bye is pretty worthless. The first is good in terms of timing -- fourth week, before the Pac-12 schedule starts, after a tough game with Ohio State. But the Bears are going to be a big longshot at Oregon, and the Ducks are off the same week, neutralizing any Cal advantage. It would be better for the bye to precede a game that feels more winnable. Further, after that bye, the Bears play nine weeks in a row.
Grade? D+. Just one more challenge for what might be the nation's toughest schedule.
Oregon: Sept. 21 (before visit from California) and Nov. 2 (before visit to Stanford)
Skinny: This is a solid set-up in terms of breaking up the season into manageable bits (three games, five games, four games). It's also nice to have an off week before beginning Pac-12 play. And, obviously, it would seem to benefit the Ducks to have a bye before facing Stanford. But that advantage is written off by the Cardinal also having the same off weekend before the critical Thursday night clash.
Grade? B. The best part of the bye arrangement is the placement of the off-weeks. This would be an "A" if Stanford didn't share the same second bye week before the meeting on the Farm.
Oregon State: Oct. 5 (before visit to Washington State) and Nov. 9 (before visit to Arizona State)
Skinny: This is a pretty fantastic setup. The Beavers play five games (bye), four games (bye) and then three games. That's close to ideal, mostly because there are no brutal runs of, say, nine games in a row. A bye before the Cougars isn't as good as a bye before Stanford, USC or Oregon, but it comes after an initial stretch that suggests a 5-0 start, which likely would come with a high national ranking. Not a bad time to take a breath. Then, after tough consecutive home games against Stanford and USC, the Beavers get a weekend to rest before a visit to the Sun Devils sets up a tough troika down the home stretch (ASU, Washington at Oregon).
Grade: A-. The schedule is backloaded, but the bye-week arrangements work well for the season's big picture.
Stanford: August 31 (opening weekend before visit from San Jose State) and Nov. 2 (before Oregon).
Skinny: As previously noted, the worst weekend for a bye is the opening weekend. Then the Cardinal plays eight games in a row. And, as previously noted, the bye before the potentially epic Oregon matchup is zeroed-out by the Ducks also being off. In other words, Stanford's bye arrangement provides no advantage. The only positive is getting a week to heal before the tough finish: Oregon, at USC, Cal and Notre Dame.
Grade? C-. It could be worse, but Stanford is done no favors by the arrangement of off weeks.
Washington: Sept. 7 (before visit to Illinois) and Nov. 2 (before visit from Colorado)
Skinny: If the first weekend is the worst for a bye, the second shouldn't be much better. On the other hand, the matchup with Boise State in a remodeled Husky Stadium should be loaded with pre-game hype, so a break after that emotional showdown -- win or lose -- might be a good thing. The second off weekend comes after seven consecutive games, so a break will feel good. But there's not much advantage in having the next foe be Colorado.
Grade? C. Not terrible, just not ideal.
Washington State: Oct 26 (before a visit from Arizona State) and Nov. 9 (before a visit to Arizona)
Skinny: This one is pretty strange. The Cougars play eight games before getting a weekend off. Then they get another bye a week later. They are the last team in the Pac-12 to get a bye. Arizona is the only other team to have both byes come in a three-week span, with the Wildcats going early season and the Cougs going late. Further, any advantage gained from extra prep for Arizona State is offset by the Sun Devils also having an Oct. 26 bye. The off week before the Wildcats, however, might set up nicely for an upset special.
Grade? D+. Washington State, in Year 2 under Mike Leach, could use some scheduling help. The off weeks don't offer much.
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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