SO, the plan to maintain a constant stream of posts fell through near the end of summer, but in the light of UCLA's stunning victory over Texas, I decided that I will try once more to keep up on my blog.
Don't worry, this post isn't about me drooling over UCLA (although I could do that pretty easily), instead here are my preseason rankings going into legitimate Pac-10 play.
1. Oregon: I know that Stanford has looked mighty fine over the first four games, but I just can't pick against Oregon. They have yet to prove that there's anything not to love about that team. They haven't missed a beat with Masoli leaving and their defense is full of playmakers like Kenny Rowe, Casey Matthews and John Boyett who will somehow make Luck (who is one heck of a QB) make some tough decisions and eventually some mistakes. I could legitimately see Oregon going undefeated this year if they keep up the pace- although USC, Arizona and Oregon State won't be gimmes.
2. Stanford: Jim Harbaugh is mean. He is rude, cocky and he knows how to coach a football team. There is no reason for him to be in college football- he should really make everyone in the Pac-10's life easier and just jump to the next available coaching position in the NFL. Stanford is a well-disciplined, well-oiled machine that all starts in the trenches and just works it's way to Andrew Luck. I know, I know, everyone has heard enough about Luck this year (especially with ridiculously corny headlines that use his name in what some editor thought was "really creative") but he really is as good as advertised. The real kudos should go to the Stanford O-line though. They made Toby Gehart look like a God last year and they're doing the same with Luck this year. Those five guys just know how to control their man and give Luck the time necessary to make a play. Stanford does have some weaknesses like a lack of talent on the outside with Ryan Whalen going down, but I fully expect them to give Oregon a run for their money this year in the Pac-10.
3. Arizona: I just didn't want to buy into these guys at the beginning of the year, but as they proved against Iowa- they have some players. I am actually much more impressed defensively with Arizona despite Nick Foles getting most of the ink when Arizona is in the paper. The front line led by Brooks Reed, Ricky Elmore, Justin Washington and Lolomana Mikaele has done an excellent job of holding their gaps and letting the linebackers make plays. Tevin Wade has also lived up to the hype as the best corner in the Pac-10 thus far. Arizona may have a let down or two throughout the season, but I fully expect them to win at least 8 games this season.
4. Oregon State: Record wise, they have been unimpressive at best, but lets see you take on Boise State, TCU and Louisville and come out unscathed. Yes, they have underachieved, but there is no doubt that they will still be one of the top five teams in the Pac-10. Both Rodgers brothers are healthy and playing well while Ryan Katz has come out and played better than expected. The weakness through the first three contests has been the defense. Half-man, half tank Stephan Paea has not lived up to the Pre-Season All-American hype like he can, but when you're double and triple teamed on every play, it can be hard to make a difference. Oregon State has an experienced secondary and a solid linebacking core led by Dwight Robertson who has had one hell of a year so far, so I fully expect Oregon State to get back on track and compete for the Pac-10 title.
5. USC: USC could be the worst ranked team in college football. Their 4-0 record is about as impressive as a debate between George W. Bush and Lane Kiffin in molecular cell biology. They beat a mediocre 2-2 Hawaii team, giving up 36 points and over 450 yards, a 2-1 Virginia team who's wins come against Richmond and Virginia Military Institute and two 1-3 teams in Minnesoda and Washington State. Now, there is no denying that they do have talent on that team, espcially on the offensive side of the ball with Matt Barkley, WR Ronald Johnson and up-and-coming wideout Robert Woods but a spotty offensive line and an unsure stable of running backs has some questioning how well USC's offense who is averaging 37 points/game will hold up against some fantastic Pac-10 defenses like Oregon and Stanford.
6. UCLA: Call it a homer pick, but what UCLA did in Austin last Saturday was not a fluke. That was a team that went out and played like they could play. Now, no one knows yet whether the team who played Stanford or the team who played Texas will step out onto the field each week, but my guess is UCLA will show up for some big games this season. All of the talk has been (deservedly) about the UCLA running game led by Johnathan Franklin and the 'Filthy Five', but the UCLA front seven held its own last week against a solid Texas offensive line. Defensive Coordinator Chuck Bullough did a fantastic job of mixing schemes and rotating superstar Akeem Ayers from OLB to DE, allowing him to make two HUGE plays- one sack and forced fumble from the defensive end position and one interception from the linebacker position. I know that college players aren't supposed to get paid but if there's a guy that deserves a paycheck, it would be Akeem Ayers. As I digress, UCLA will have to work on consistently bringing the same energy to the field each week, and if they do, I can see them challenging teams like Oregon and Arizona and possibly competing for the Pac-10. Wishful thinking? We'll see.
7. Arizona State: I think the only team more disrespected in the Pac-10 preseason poll than UCLA was Arizona State. They were predicted to finish 9th. Arizona State raised some eyebrows across the nation, especially on the west coast after giving #11 Wisconsin all they could handle IN Wisconsin. The defense is fantastic in the middle with Lawerence Guy and Jamarr Robertson as the defensive tackles and future NFL Pro-Bowler Vontaze Burfict at MLB, which has been the main reason as to why they had such success against a power team like Wisconsin. I do not expect ASU to make a lot of noise in the hunt for the Rose Bowl, but I would not be surprised at all if they play spoiler and knock off one of the top tear teams later in the year.
8. California: In my eyes, Cal was a top 5 Pac-10 team going into the year. My eyes were poked after Nevada ran for 316 yards in Reno. Granted, Cal's best defensive player Mike Mohammed did not play in the game, but I seriously doubt that one player would have kept Nevada from putting up 52 points on what was thought to be a pretty solid Cal defense. Offensively, there are bright spots with Shane Vareen and freshman wideout Keenan Allen, who will be one of the best wideouts in the Pac-10 and maybe the nation by the time he leaves for the NFL. Nevertheless, I just don't see a winning football team in Cal, despite the solid effort they showed against Arizona last week. I expect them to have a fairly lackluster season with a few bright spots here and there.
9. Washington: OH MY GOSH, JAKE LOCKER!!! JAKE LOCKER!!! Aren't you glad you aren't hearing that anymore? After a poor 1-2 start that was capped off by a 56-21 beating from Nebraska at home, all of the 'Jake Locker for Heisman' talk has been silenced in a hurry. Washington showed against Nebraska that they simply are not a team that looks like the possible Pac-10 contenders everyone thought they would be. Of course, whenever you put together the offensive talent like Jake Locker, Jermaine Kearse and Chris Polk, there's always a danger of a tough game, but until they prove that they are going to live up to their talent on paper, Washington will be in the bottom half of the Pac-10.
10. Washington State: They will eventually get out of the cellar, but this year isn't the year...
