Pac 10 Power Poll Week Seven

Evie
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Pac 10 Power Poll Week Seven

The anticipated matchup of the week was Oregon-USC but that ended up turning in to mauling where upon USC put up 44 unanswered points. UO has some major concerns one being the lack of a passing game and the inability of the defense to defend against the pass, particularly the play action pass. One wonders if these factors might be related. Oregon has had the most trouble this year against the two teams they played (USC and Boise State) that had the most traditional Pro-style offenses. Perhaps the defense, while practicing against the Oregon offense has adapted to shutting down the spread but can’t handle a good Pro-style set. Makes for an interesting argument, many people in Duck land are calling for Nick Alliotti’s head but again I would be much more surprised to see him not in Eugene next year than I would Chip Kelly. Oregon can still finish 10-2 but I think 8-4 is more likely with the two losses coming to a combination of Cal, Zona and OSU. ASU played Cal a little closer than I would have thought but again the Bears physically beat up on ASU and it looks like Rudy is out for the USC game. Probably a good plan, ASU has no shot at UCLA and will then get a bye week to rest for Oregon with what should be a somewhat healthy Rudy Carpenter. In other games Arizona not shocking destroyed Washington. Too little too late for Stanford who played just well enough to lose to Notre Dame. Oregon State had Utah on the ropes then lost at the end, now the Beavers look like they can go on a 4 game winning streak with the Washington schools, UCLA and ASU on the schedule, they better because with a 1-2 OOC record and the loss to Stanford they would need to finish the Pac 10 schedule 5-3 even to be in the bowl discussion and would need 6-2 to secure a bowl. I won’t even bother discussing the WSU-UCLA game other than I sort of watched it while licking my wounds from the USC/Oregon blowout.\
1. USC (1) –UO played well early but had a series of foolish coaching decisions and bonehead plays on offense and defense that gave the Trojans their mojo back. USC if they can get by the hurdles of Cal and Zona still has a shot at the BCS championship game but clearly needs help with the disappointing play of the Pac 10 in OOC games this year. ASU will present no problem to USC this week at all expect lots of pressure on Danny Sullivan from the USC front seven.
2. Cal (3) – I think Cal stuck the final stake in ASU’s season. The Bears on the other hand have the inside track on the Holiday Bowl with Oregon suffering the USC loss while the Bears will get to play Oregon in Strawberry Canyon. Cal gets a week off to prepare for Arizona and hopefully get their QB situation figured out along with Jahvid Best back in the lineup.
3. UO (2) – It could be argued that Oregon is winning with mirrors. They have yet to beat a quality team this year and struggled with a clearly subpar Purdue team. However UCLA and Slick Rick are back in Eugene this week and UCLA has shown no sign of having an offense on the road this year. If Oregon doesn’t blow UCLA out there is an issue.
4. UA (6) – At Stanford is a huge game for the Cats, win it and they keep themselves in the position of being the team with, based on schedule, with the best chance of dethroning USC as league champs. Arizona has had a very easy schedule so far and the only blemish is the New Mexico loss but they frankly should be 5-0 at this point. Stanford is a tough team and is way more battle tested than Arizona is.
5. OSU (4) – The schedule eases up for the Beavs and that is needed. At 2-3 they can’t afford to drop more than 1 of the next 4 games if they want to be over .500 this year. Erase a few bonehead plays versus Stanford and Utah and the Beavs are 4-1 with only a road loss to a Top 10 team and in control of their own destiny for Pasadena.
6. ASU (5) – In the midst of a now 3 game losing streak the wheels on the bus are falling off for ASU. With USC a bye then Oregon the streak should be five games by months end.
7. LSJU (7) - Play Notre Dame tough but couldn’t pull out a must needed win. Now they need to go 4-2 from here on out to get to secure a bowl game and 3 to be eligible, losing to Arizona would make that all but impossible with Cal, USC and Oregon still on the schedule.
8. UCLA (8) – Not sure what beating WSU shows at this point, will face an Oregon team that is looking to get back in the swing of things and has Justin Roper so the Ducks should be able to throw down the field again.
9. UW (9) - Got mauled by the Cats, the Dawgs get a week off to prepare for Beaver Nation.
10. WSU (10) – Was at least marginally competitive versus UCLA now face a 30 point spread in Corvallis. I’d be surprised if Oregon State has ever been a 30 point favorite in a Pac 10 conference game.