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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 Timeouts are a passing fancy for the USC-UCLA crosstown rivalry.

For 59 minutes this crosstown rivalry was like many other football games played throughout the season.

Nothing special. Just two teams slugging it out.

But then, with less than a minute to play, and as USC head coach Pete Carroll’s team was taking a knee to end the game, a timeout was called.

Down two touchdowns, Rick Neuheisel decided enough wasn’t enough. He called a timeout. And, sure, he still had all three timeouts left. But what could he had really accomplished?

By the time the UCLA Bruins might have gotten the ball back they wouldn’t have had more than a few seconds remaining. Certainly not enough time to score two more touchdowns.

So what does Pete Carroll do after that first timeout was called? Well, he did what any many would do. He dialed up a 48-yard pass down the middle of the field for a touchdown. Matt Barkley three a strike to Damian Williams who caught the ball in stride and raced into the end zone.

A brawl almost ensued as the Trojans players cheered and taunted. They moved toward mid-field — as did the Bruins players. Words were said and the two teams were separated.

The stage is certainly set for next season’s version of this rivalry which takes place on the UCLA Bruins’ home field of the Rose Bowl.

For more on this story read Bill Plaschke’s story on LATimes.com:
Sportsmanship takes a timeout in USC-UCLA game — latimes.com

For a game recap read the ESPN recap:
USC-UCLA ESPN Game Recap

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 Stanford crushes USC 55-21

Wow! Thirty-five points, folks. That’s right — Stanford beat down the USC Trojans and won by 35. If you recall, it was only a few weeks ago that Oregon beat USC by 27. Read More…

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 Oregon in Rose Bowl driver’s seat

It was definitely fright night in Eugene on Halloween night for the USC Trojans as the Oregon Ducks whooped on the Trojans beating them 47-20. And those 47 points were the most allowed by the Trojans in 1996. Read More…

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 USC survives late Notre Dame rally

What a game.

Just when everyone thought it was over the Fighting Irish cut into USC’s 34-14 fourth quarter lead to come within one touchdown. Read More…

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