Report: Jahvid Best to leave Cal for NFL Draft – San Jose Mercury News

Cal running back Jahvid Best is expected to announce today that he will forgo is senior season and enter the 2010 NFL draft.

A press conference is scheduled for 3:00 pm PDT today.

Report: Jahvid Best to leave Cal for NFL Draft – San Jose Mercury News.

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 Pac-10 Bowl Projections

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
No. 18 Oregon State Beavers vs. No. 14 BYU

Why you should watch: This will be one fun game to watch. I don’t see the score getting out of hand, but these teams will trade back-and-forth touchdowns.

BYU finished strong winning their last four games including a 26-23 win against their rival Utah. Oregon State always plays well late in the season and into the bowl games, but they’ve got to be disappointed losing to Oregon and missing out on a trip to the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row. I’m curious how this second blow will affect them come bowl time.

Jacquizz Rodgers is always fun to watch, but if BYU can contain him the Beavs might not make it out on top.

On the opposite side you’ll get to see BYU QB Max Hall who threw for over 3,300 yards, 30 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions this season.

Prediction: Oregon State 34, BYU 31

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Poinsettia Bowl
No. 23 Utah vs. California

Why you should watch: Hmmmm…. well, if Jahvid Best plays then you may get to see a really good running back in motion. Other than that, quite frankly, this is one of the snoozer bowls for me. Best had a real scary fall at the end of a touchdown run against Oregon State. He suffered a severe concussion and and injured his back and missed Cal’s final three games. He has been cleared to resume workouts and practice and will be evaluated daily.

Best, a junior, could very well make the jump to the NFL and one final showing in the Poinsettia Bowl would serve him well before draft time.

Cal just did not live up to expectations this season — and really has been the case for the past several years. They seem really lack luster when things aren’t going their way.

Prediction: Utah 34, Cal 28

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Emerald Bowl
Boston College vs. No. 24 USC

Why you should watch: Look, don’t you just want to see how USC will play in a non-BCS bowl. Aren’t you interested to see how they’ll do against Boston College. I mean, seriously, I’m wondering just well QB Matt Barley will play, if the Trojans will step up and play or have they already given up on this season.

The USC isn’t careful Boston College just might surprise them and flat out beat them. I don’t see that happening, though. I think USC comes in looking to avenge much of their season.

Prediction: USC 31, Boston College 17

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EagleBank Bowl
UCLA vs. Temple

Why you should watch: This is Temple’s first bowl appearance in 30 years, so you know these kids will be playing their hearts out. UCLA is happy to have slid in to the EagleBank Bowl thanks to Navy beating Army on December 12th. They’ll be playing to win as well knowing they could have just as easily been sitting at home.

UCLA does have a descent defense; especially their secondary. Temple running back Bernard Pierce is a pretty good  back.

Prediction: UCLA 31, Temple 17

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Holiday Bowl
No. 20 Arizona vs. No. 22 Nebraska

Why you should watch: If you like defense this is the game for you. Both Arizona and Nebraska play some good D. Nebraska standout and Heisman candidate defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is well worth watching himself. And he’s from right here in Pac-10 country having attended Grant High School in Portland, Oregon.

Nebraska really finished the season strong having won five of their last six games. And, oh yeah, that game they lost was to Texas in the Big 12 championship. We all know how that ended. The Cornhuskers were so close to winning that game. They did out play Texas and really feel like they should have won. I don’t think that bodes well for Arizona.

I look for Nebraska to be ready for some redemption — even if it has to be at the mercy of the Wildcats.

Prediction: Nebraska 27, Arizona 24

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Brut Sun Bowl
Oklahoma vs. No. 21 Stanford

Why you should watch: The Stanford Cardinal will be led by their Heisman candidate Toby Gerhart (he finished second to Mark Ingram in the Heisman race). Gerhart led the nation in rushing yards and touchdowns. Stanford QB Andrew Luck may not play because he recently had surgery on a finger on his throwing hand due to an injury he suffered in Stanford’s win over Notre Dame. If cannot go it may be a long day for the Cardinal.

Oklahoma really needs this bowl win. I know, it’s not a BCS bowl, but the Sooners need to get some kind of win in the post-season. They’ve lost five of the last six bowls they’ve been in.

This will be a grind-it-out punishing game that just might come down to special teams.

Without Luck playing I give the edge to Oklahoma. If Luck gets in, the edge swings the other way. Unfortunately at this point it looks like he’s out.

Prediction: Stanford 17, Oklahoma 24

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Rose Bowl
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Oregon

Why you should watch: Aside from seeing a No. 7 team play a No. 8 team, there’s plenty of reasons to watch this one. This will be the first time Ohio State has been to the Rose Bowl since the 1997 game when the Buckeyes beat Arizona State 20-17. This will also mark the first time the Buckeyes have been to the Rose Bowl under head coach Jim Tressel.

Oregon hasn’t been to the Rose Bowl since the  1995 game when they lost to Penn State 38-20.

This game really seems like the Jekyll and Hyde of bowl games. If either team gets rolling and in sync they can be very good. But if not, they’re pretty bad. It’s just going to come down to which team gets it going.

Oregon has only allowed 127 rushing yards per game. Ohio State just doesn’t pass well. Advantage to the Ducks.

Ohio State’s defense has played well, but I’m not sure they’ll be able to keep pace with Oregon’s spread attack — not many have.

Prediction: Oregon 37, Ohio State 27

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 Cal bounces back strong against UCLA

The Cal Bears were a perfect 3-0 heading in to conference play. They looked like a team that was finally ready to make a legitimate run at the Pac-10 title. But then Oregon happened. And then USC. And after being outscored 72-6 by those two conference foes, the Cal Bears were struggling to find themselves. Read More…

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 Football: Week four review in the Pac-10

In week four we saw the race for the Pac-10 crown get all shook up. Also, USC RB Stafon Johnson had a serious weight lifting accident the other day. Let’s all hope for a speedy recovery.

Arizona
Arizona went into Reser Stadium with several injuries and also starting a new QB. They didn’t figure to leave Corvallis with a win, but they shocked Beaver nation with their 37-32 win. The ‘Cats have found a new starter in Nick Foles who went 25 or 34 for 254 yards and three touchdowns.

RB Nic Grigsby only carried the ball once, but went down with a shoulder injury and didn’t return.

Arizona State
The Sun Devils almost upset then-ranked No. 21 Georgia. It took a Bulldogs field goal at the end of the game to capture the win. The Sun Devils got torched by Georgia WR A.J. Green for 153 yards. It was the second year in a row that he worked over the Sun Devils’ secondary.

Cal
Cal went to Autzen Stadium as the No. 6 ranked team in the country. They left with only one field goal and getting outplayed, out coached and flat out whooped by the Oregon Ducks 42-3. We learned Cal can be man-handled and Jahvid Best can, in fact, be bottled up. Best was held to just 55 yards rushing. It put a serious dent in his Heisman hopes.

Oregon
As mentioned, Oregon whooped Cal 42-3. We learned Oregon can still put on a lot of points as they seemed to have found their rhythm again. It looks like it will continue next week as they face Washington State. Having Oregon be in sync two week in a row will probably not be good for the rest of the Pac-10.

Jeremiah Masoli went 21 of 25 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. TE Ed Dickson caught all three of the touchdown passes. The Oregon passing game was really spot on against Cal and the running game kept piling up yards.

The Oregon defense was once again stellar and the looked unbelievably fast on Saturday.

Oregon State
The Beavers are not the same team they’ve been these past several years. I don’t see them “over achieving” this season as they usually do. I know, they’re known for their slow starts and then winning late. But, this team just seems to be missing something.

Luckily, they have the Rodgers brothers. If not for James and Jaquizz the Beavers would be stuck in quicksand.

Don’t be surprised if we see a starting QB change from Sean Canfield to Lyle Moevao. Moevao did see action in the loss to Arizona and he played well. The change might be the rally-cry this team needs.

Stanford
For the second week in a row Chris Owusu returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Last week’s was 94 yards and this week’s was 91 yards against Washington.

The Cardinal used Toby Gerhart to muscle past the Huskies 34-14. Gerhart carried the ball 20 times for 200 yards and a score. Stanford is 3-1 on the season and in each of three wins Gerhart reach the 100 yards mark. Their loss came to Wake Forest as Gerhart only reached 82 yards.

Recipe for victory: Give the ball to Toby and let him run.

UCLA
UCLA had the week off. Time to rest and get healed up where they can.

The Bruins are a team that looks like they can play with any other Pac-10 team and really give them fits. So far they’re playing well.

USC
What to think of the Trojans. They barely beat Washington State, they have a lot of injuries, and their offense isn’t scoring like we’re all used to seeing. The defense is playing well and really giving the offense their chances to win games. They’re still the team to beat, in my opinion. But, it’s looking more and more like they’re vulnerable this season.

Washington
Washington didn’t last long in the polls having dropped out after Saturday’s 14-34 loss to Stanford. I don’t think their USC victory was a fluke, still. Stanford is a good football team and the Huskies just got caught. I think they bounce back and upset Notre Dame in South Bend.

Washington State
The Cougars were certain to get blown out in this game. After all, USC was coming off their upset loss at the hands of Washington and needed to blast their next opponent to show the nation they would be alright. But that didn’t happen. The Cougs’ only lost by 21 (I know, “Only?”) and managed to keep the Trojans scoreless during the second and third quarters. Maybe something of a moral victory there?

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 Oregon dismantles No. 6 Cal, 42-3

Not many gave the Oregon Ducks much of a chance of winning against then-ranked No. 6 Cal. After all, Cal boasts one of the nation’s best running backs and Heisman hopeful Jahvid Best. Best entered this game atop the touchdown list of all RB’s with nine and ranked third on the rushing list with 429 yards.

Oregon’s offense has struggled mightily compared to years past, so they certainly haven’t given anyone reason to believe the Ducks could win against the Golden Bears.

But Oregon wasn’t intimidated. Especially not in the raucous Autzen Stadium.

Walter Thurmond III received the opening kickoff, but after returning it 13 yards he was hit and fumbled. Cal recovered and the pressure was on early. Oregon’s defense stepped up right away forcing Cal to go three-and-out and kick a field goal; 3-0. But that’s all Cal would score.

Let me say it again: three points is all the No. 6 ranked Cal Golden Bears would score all afternoon.

For the first time this season it was both Oregon’s offense and their defense that shined. And QB Jeremiah Masoli looked like he did last last season when he could do no wrong. He went 21 of 25, 253 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 23 yards.

Tight end Ed Dickson was the beneficiary of all three of Masoli’s touchdown throws. Dickson also had 11 catches for a career-high 148 yards.

LaMichael James carried 21 times and rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown. It was the second straight games James reached the 100 yard mark.

It took four games, but the offense really looked in sync. It was critical for the passing game to get something going this season, and they picked the right time to do it.

The defense played extremely well, too. Cal entered the game as the nation’s tenth best rushing offense. But the Oregon defense held them to 77 yards on 32 carries. They bottled up Jahvid Best who was held in-check with 55 yards. Cal QB Kevin Riley was limited to only 123 passing yards as the Bear offense struggled all day.

The win over Cal jumped Oregon back in to the AP Top 25 with a No. 16 ranking. Cal dropped to No. 24.

The Ducks will host Washington State next Saturday, while Cal will host USC for their homecoming game.

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