Week Three Review and Pac 10 Power Poll

The big story of the week has to be UCLA losing to a previously winless Utah team by a score of 44-7. Though certainly there is no shame in losing to Utah in most years in Salt Lake City (Oregon lost there in 2003) losing 44-7 to a team without its starting backfield by 37 is beyond shameless. With the amount of returning starters UCLA brought to the table this result confounds me. UCLA has dropped further in two weeks than any school in the history of my pool I would be willing to wager. I will hand out kudos to Oregon, USC and Cal for rolling but my biggest props actually go out to Jim Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinal who shut out the always pesky Spartans from San Jose State. After going zero for Mountain West and losing at home to neighboring New Mexico it will take a major miracle for Mike Stoops to be in Tucson in 2007. To assure the job saving bowl invite the Cats are now in the position of having to win 6 Pac 10 games to get to 7 wins. Starting out the league slate in Strawberry Canyon is a horrible way to kick that off. Karl Dorrell lost all the good will he built up with winning 10 games in 05 and beating USC last year with that horrible Utah performance. Look for Stoops, Dorrell and possibly Doba if the Cougs struggle in league to be on the unemployment line come December . . .

1. USC (1) – Went out and did what they do, the running game is dominant, outside of some injuries in the back 7 and inexperienced wide receivers this team looks lethal.. LSU is probably the better team now but give USC another month and they will deserve their #1 ranking. I see no issues with them facing WSU at home this week. Brink will get some numbers but the WSU defense can’t hold the Trojans down.
2. UO (2) – Finally blew out Fresno State. I am glad to see that series end, the Bulldogs always put up a fight and seemed to leave the Ducks with a series of injuries. Oregon shouldn’t have too much problem with the Trees so hopefully they will be 4-0 heading in to the match-up with Cal.
3. Cal (3) – Blew out La Tech and should have revenge on their mind next week for Arizona which cost them a Rose Bowl bid last year. If I could put both UO and Cal at 2 I would but I decided to keep my ranking the same from last week.
4. ASU (5) – Didn’t have much trouble with San Diego State now they will face an emotional home game versus Dennis Erickson’s old Beaver squad. ASU hasn’t been challenged much this year and I don’t see the Beavs putting up much of a fight either.
5. UW (6) – Somehow they lost by 19 and went up a spot. Well no shame in losing to Ohio State and the Dawgs were ahead at halftime. UCLA all of a sudden looks very vulnerable, I think the Dawgs go down to the Rose Bowl and put up a W next week.
6. WSU (7) – The Cougars put up big numbers versus Idaho but again they should do that. The defense is too shaky to have any shot at USC.
7. OSU (8) – If you are going to schedule a 1-AA team at least play Portland State to give that program a little green and keep it in state. The Beavs will face a much better defense at ASU than Idaho State and unless Canfield has drastically improved the Beavs will get get shredded in the desert.
8. UCLA (4) – Not much more I can say. Dropping from 2nd to 8th in two weeks takes talent but the Bruins pulled it off. They now face a very tough home game versus UW. Better not drop any more winnable games Dorrell or you’ll find yourself an NFL assistant next season.
9. LSJU (10) – When was the last time Stanford shut someone out? Don’t celebrate too long boys the Ducks are coming to town.
10. UA (9) – Hey Mike, better call up Bob to see if he has a spot on his staff for you in 2008.