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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 Civil War win more than just Roses for Ducks

Now that the dust has started to settle here is yet another Civil War article. But this isn’t the typical Ducks beating Beavers story.

We all know by now that the Oregon Ducks have beaten the Oregon State Beavers by the final score of 37-33 for the 2009 Civil War. And yes, the Ducks are the Pac-10 champions and will face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

This game has become an instant classic. But it’s more than that.

Just a few short years ago, who would have thought we’d be talking about the importance of the Civil War for both teams? Who knew it would some day be deciding the Pac-10 championship, which team from the state of Oregon heads to the Rose Bowl, or become a classic for the ages. The 113 edition of the in-state rivalry will be one we tell our kids and grand kids about.

This Civil War was also about more than just football.

First, you have former head coach and current Oregon AD Mike Bellotti. He helped raise Oregon to the current level of recognition and play that they’re at right now. Yet, he never had the opportunity to make it to the Rose Bowl as head coach. Bellotti didn’t take over the head coaching position until after the 1994 season. It was that 1994 team that made it to the Grand Daddy of Them All playing on January 2, 1995.

For 14 season Mike Bellotti coached the Oregon Ducks. He had ups and downs (mostly ups) during his tenure and in 2001 his team went 11-1 — barely missing out on a chance to play for the National Championship. The Ducks were the Pac-10 champs that season, but back then they didn’t play all four BCS bowls plus a National Championship game like they do now. Instead, they played three of the BCS bowls with the fourth being the National Championship. And that year the Rose Bowl was designated for the National Championship game. So, the Ducks went to the Fiesta Bowl where they smoked Colorado 38-16.

Fast forward to the 2009 season. In March of 2009 Bellotti officially stepped down as head coach and became the AD. Chip Kelly took over as the head coach and led the team to a 10-2 record, Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl berth. Bellotti gets sandwiched in between Oregon’s visit to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

Then there’s LeGarrette Blount. Before the season he was being talked about as a Heisman Trophy candidate and NFL prospect. And there was no reason to think otherwise. Then, on September 3rd, on a nationally televised ESPN Thursday night game, it all went wrong for Blount — and it could have been disastrous for the entire team as well.

After Oregon’s loss to Boise State Blount punched one of the Broncos players. He went berserk and scuffled with teammates and then wanted to unload on Boise State fans who taunted him (one actually slapped Blount) as coaches and players tried to get Blount off the field. Chip Kelly suspended Blount for the remaining of the season.

Or did he.

You see, it would have been easy for LeGarrette Blount to quit, walk away from Oregon football and from school. All he had to do was get with a personal trainer and begin working hard for a shot at the NFL. But he didn’t. Blount stayed in school. He worked with the scout team helping prepare his teammates for upcoming opponents. He also spoke to several people who helped keep him on the straight path. He spoke to the likes of Tony Dungy, Kermit Washington and Jon Gruden among others. All while thinking he would never play on game day for the Ducks.

But then, on October 2nd something happened. Head coach Chip Kelly held a press-conference telling everyone he would be willing to let Blount rejoin the team if certain academic, football and human “ladders” were achieved by the running back. Oh man, did many come down hard on Chip Kelly –including some Ducks fans. They’d say things like, “he went back on his word,” or “how can anyone trust what he says,” and “what’s this teaching Blount.”

Listen, I believe Chip Kelly when he says lifting LeGarrette Blount’s suspension has nothing to do with football. I believe him when he says he wanted Blount to actually believe he would be suspended for the remainder of the season and that he wanted to see how Blount would react thinking he had no reason to be a part of Oregon — for football or academics. I mean seriously, it would have been so easy for Blount to bail and leave Oregon behind. But he didn’t. He faced his wrongs and I believe is trying to do right.

Sure, Blount has an awful lot to lose with the NFL and all. But does it really matter why someone makes the effort to change for the better? It seems to be the more important issue is if they’ve actually made the change that lasts a lifetime.

Getting Blount into the Civil War game surely ignited a spark in the team and the Oregon crowd. He was able to make the best of it and even scored a touchdown. But you know what? Although that touchdown will never erase what was done on September 3rd, it can now be what may be a final impression for his Oregon football career. And that has to go a long way in helping him out in the future as a person.

Maybe, just maybe, down the road people won’t immediately or only remember Blount as the guy who punched a Boise State player. Maybe they’ll remember Blount as the guy who faced adversity, turned his life around and sparked one of the greatest Civil War wins in Oregon history.

I’m hopeful LeGarrette Blount will play in the Rose Bowl — if even for one play. But if not, I’ll always remember his final game as a Duck.

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 Pac-10 Bowl Schedule

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
www.lvbowl.com

No. 18 Oregon State Beavers vs. No. 14 BYU
Tuesday, December 22nd – 5:00 pm PDT – ESPN

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San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
www.poinsettiabowl.com

No. 23 Utah vs. California
Wednesday, December 23rd – 5:00 pm PDT – ESPN

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Emerald Bowl
emeraldbowl.cstv.com

Boston College vs. No. 24 USC
Saturday, December 26th – 5:00 pm PDT – ESPN

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EagleBank Bowl
www.eaglebankbowl.org

UCLA vs. Temple
Tuesdaym December 29th – 1:30 pm PDT – ESPN

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Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
www.holidaybowl.com

No. 20 Arizona vs. No. 22 Nebraska
Wednesday, December 30th – 5:00 pm PDT – ESPN

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Brut Sun Bowl
www.sunbowl.org

Oklahoma vs. No. 21 Stanford
Thursday, December 31st – 11:00 am PDT – CBS

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Rose Bowl
www.tournamentofroses.com/rosebowlgame

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Oregon
Friday, January 1st – 1:30 pm PDT – ABC

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 Stanford beats No. 8 Oregon 51-42, becomes bowl eligible.

Surely the Oregon Ducks were on the high wave of emotion after beating USC last weekend. They controlled their own destiny toward their march to the Rose Bowl.

Then they traveled to Palo Alto and faced a Stanford Cardinal team that punched them right in the gut. Stanford flat out bullied Oregon up and down the field on their way to winning 51-42. 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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