Pac-12 Notes

December 5th

… Foe Pause … 

Pac-12 North in shambles as Oregon falls to winless Cal; Washington loses to Stanford

Cal 21, Oregon 17 … From ESPN …  Chase Garbers threw for a touchdown and ran for a short score, Muelu Iosefa had a late fumble recovery, and California earned its first victory of the season by beating No. 21 Oregon 21-17 on Saturday night.

Oregon (3-2) got the ball back with 2:01 left and Tyler Shough marched the Ducks down the field, but his team gave the ball away once again in what has become a problematic pattern for the Ducks this season.

Garbers outshined young Oregon star Shough, who threw for 231 yards in his fifth time with 200-plus yards passing in as many career starts.

Shough’s 67-yard completion to Travis Dye in the final minute of the second quarter set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Cyrus Habibi-Likio that lifted the Ducks to a 17-14 halftime lead.

They didn’t score again.

Garbers completed 10 of his first 13 passes and wound up 20 of 32 for 183 yards for the Golden Bears (1-3), who had an extra-point attempt blocked in the waning moments of a 24-23 loss to rival Stanford in the Big Game last Friday on their home field.

Nikko Remigio’s 28-yard TD in the third was his longest reception of the season and his six catches were a season high. Makai Polk also made six receptions and Cal’s defense stopped the Ducks on fourth-and-1 at the Bears 18 early in the final quarter. Kuony Deng forced the late fumble by Johnny Johnson III that Iosefa recovered.

And Cal cleaned up all the mistakes on special teams from the past two weeks.

Shough wound up 14 of 26. He lost a fumble after he throwing two interceptions in last week’s loss to Oregon State.

The Ducks dropped 12 spots from ninth in the AP poll this week. Losing to the Beavers cost Oregon whatever shot it had at a spot in the College Football Playoff after the team had been ranked 15th in the first CFP rankings.

Stanford 31, Washington 26 … From the Seattle Times … The siren sounded.

And for a second, it seemed like the Huskies would follow a familiar formula to another improbable win.

Same as a week ago, Washington trailed by three touchdowns at halftime on Saturday. And same as a week ago, the Huskies somehow managed to storm back in the second half.

They used three consecutive touchdown drives to whittle a seemingly insurmountable deficit from 24-3 at halftime to 31-23 with 11:03 left in the fourth quarter of an eventual 31-26 loss. And then, before Stanford (2-2) could cross midfield, cornerback Trent McDuffie sprinted around the edge to strip Cardinal running back Austin Jones at the 49-yard line. Same as a week ago, a UW defender — this time Edefuan Ulofoshio, not Zion Tupuola-Fetui — scooped up the bouncing ball and brought it back, before being forced out of bounds at the Stanford 10-yard line.

On the next play, UW quarterback Dylan Morris faked a handoff, set his feet and delivered a dagger to wide-open wide receiver Ty Jones in the corner of the end zone. The siren sounded. The Huskies celebrated. The mirage teased and faded.

The referee threw a flag.

“It was a great call by (UW offensive coordinator John) Donovan,” coach Jimmy Lake said. “We got what we wanted … and we had a holding call.”

Instead of scoring the touchdown that could have potentially tied the score, left guard Ulumoo “M.J.” Ale was called for a 10-yard holding penalty. Following a one-yard Sean McGrew run, left tackle Jaxson Kirkland was subsequently flagged for a second hold. Suddenly, the Huskies faced third-and-goal from the Stanford 29-yard line. Morris managed an essentially meaningless 2-yard scramble, and kicker Peyton Henry connected on a 45-yard field goal to shrink the Stanford advantage to 31-26.

Continue reading story here

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December 4th

… Foe Pause … 

All Clear: Pac-12 to finally get in a full weekend of games?

From the San Jose Mercury News

All clear

The Pac-12 has yet to play all six games (as scheduled) on any weekend this season. But as of lunchtime on Friday, each team was on track to play.

That includes Washington State and USC, which were forced to shut down last weekend — the last two weekends, for WSU — and have had little margin-for-error with COVID test results.

That also includes Stanford, which relocated to Seattle for the week after Santa Clara County prohibited contact sports.

Silly us. We thought this might be the most chaotic week of them all.

All locked up?

The North division could be signed and sealed by the end of the weekend.

If Washington (3-0) beats Stanford and Oregon (3-1) and Washington State (1-1) both lose, the Huskies would be 4-0 with one game remaining.

Nobody else would have fewer than two losses.

UW could waltz into Autzen Stadium next weekend with a division in hand and trash talk at the ready.

If the Huskies and Ducks win this weekend, the division would be on the line for both teams.

All locked up (II)?

USC is within range of the South title.

If Colorado (3-0) loses and the Trojans (3-0) beat Washington State, then USC would clinch at least a share of the division.

In the event they finish deadlocked with Colorado in the loss column, the Trojans would have the tiebreaker advantage.

The difference: Division record.

USC would be no worse than 4-1. The Buffaloes could match that, but because of the canceled game against Arizona State, their division record would be a half-game worse than USC’s.

Based on the tiebreaker policy, that would hand the division to the Trojans.

Continue reading story here

Pundits unanimous in their picks: Take CU over Arizona (uh-oh!)

From azcentral.com … The Colorado Buffaloes (3-0) and Arizona Wildcats (0-3) are scheduled to face off on Saturday in a Pac-12 Conference game in Tucson.

Which team will win the game?

Check out these picks and predictions for the contest, which is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. and can be seen on FS1.

Colorado is a 7-point favorite in the game.

Sports Chat Place: Go with the Buffaloes over the Wildcats

Chris Ruffolo writes: “Colorado is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. Arizona is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall and 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 home games while the under is 4-1 in their last 5 games against a team with a winning record. Colorado is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. A home dog is usually worth at least a look, but the issue is that the Arizona Wildcats just can’t seem to figure it out. When the offense plays well, the defense doesn’t stop anything and when the defense plays remotely well like it kind of did against UCLA, the offense puts up just 10 points. On the other hand, Colorado is just clicking right now, with the offense doing its part if a shootout happens, or the defense stepping up like it did against San Diego State. Only being asked to lay 4 points on the road is too good to pass up, so I’ll lay the points with the Buffaloes in this spot.”

Picks and Parlays: Colorado 30, Arizona 17

It writes: “Colorado is 3-0 straight up against the spread through its first three games of this season. The Buffaloes have covered the number in six of their last seven and in four the last five against an opponent from the Pac-12 Conference. Arizona struggled to end last season and has had the same results this season as the Wildcats have failed to cover the number in eight of the last 10 and have lost each of the last 10 SU.”

Winners and Whiners: Colorado will roll over Arizona

Scott Reichel writes: “These two teams have looked very different all season long so I have to side with the much better team in this spot. Colorado is still undefeated as it has won each of its first three games while Arizona has lost each of its first three games so there is a serious talent disparity present within this matchup. Plus, Arizona has been extremely inconsistent offensively as it scored just ten points last week while Colorado has scored at least 20 points in every game. As a result, I expect the Buffaloes to win this game by at least ten points.”

Pick Dawgz: Take the Buffaloes over the Wildcats

It writes: The Buffaloes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games, however, are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. Arizona. The Wildcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games and 1-8 ATS in their last 9 December games. Colorado is not as good as their 3-0 record might indicate, however, I do believe Arizona is as bad as their 0-3 record shows. Arizona’s defense has really struggled so far this season and as the Buffaloes have a balanced offensive attack that should have success, I think the play here is to take Colorado to cover this road spread.”

Picks Wise: Colorado should cover comfortably vs. Arizona

It writes: “The Colorado Buffaloes may not be completely setting the world on fire so far this season, but they have displayed more than enough to suggest they can take care of the Arizona Wildcats without too much trouble on Saturday. Colorado is perfect 3-0 so far, whereas Arizona is at the other end of the spectrum with a 0-3 record. The Buffaloes have defeated UCLA, Stanford, and San Diego State, averaging more than 34 points per game. Sophomore running back Jerek Broussard has been outstanding, with 432 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He has surpassed the 100-yard mark in each of his team’s three contests. Of course, what you have to like most about the Buffs this weekend is that they are going up against Arizona. The Wildcats have kicked off their campaign with losses to USC, Washington, and UCLA. They actually opened in respective fashion (fell to USC 34-40) but have since declined, most recently succumbing to UCLA 27-10. Dating back to last year, the ‘Cats are in the midst of a ridiculous 10-game losing streak. It should also be noted that quarterback Grant Gunnell may not be able to go due to a shoulder injury. Colorado should cover this spread comfortably.”

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December 3rd

… Foe Pause …

Oregon State quarterback likely out for the season

… Backup Chance Nolan has taken all of one snap this season … 

From The Oregonian … Oregon State quarterback Tristan Gebbia is ruled out for Saturday’s game against Utah and could be finished for the season because of a hamstring injury sustained against Oregon last Friday.

Gebbia hurt his leg while attempting a goal-line quarterback sneak on the Beavers’ penultimate offensive play against the Ducks. Backup quarterback Chance Nolan replaced Gebbia and scored the game-winning touchdown in a 41-38 win over Oregon.

Speaking to The Oregonian/OregonLive’s John Canzano on radio Wednesday, coach Jonathan Smith said Gebbia was out for Utah.

“He’s not going to play this weekend,” Smith said. “There’s a chance he’s done for the year.”

The decision to sideline Gebbia was made after he visited a specialist in Portland following Tuesday’s practice. The redshirt junior started the first four games this season, leading the Beavers (2-2) to wins over California and Oregon.

“He was very limited yesterday in practice. You could just kind of see it,” Smith said. “We wanted to get another set of eyes on it, a specialist, and the end result is he’s not going to be play this weekend.”

Nolan, a junior college transfer who joined OSU’s program in January, is the likely starter against Utah in Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Nolan has taken one snap this season, the quarterback sneak against Oregon.

Continue reading story here

Rose Bowl (CFP semi-final) will be played without spectators

From the Daily Camera … No spectators will be allowed at the Rose Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 1 because of COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the state, county and city of Pasadena.

The Tournament of Roses said Thursday that it requested special permission to allow for a limited number of spectators or a select number of guests of players and coaches at the 90,888-seat stadium but was denied.

Los Angeles County is under a stay-home order that took effect this week and runs through mid-December. Pasadena has its own public health department and can set its own rules, but has mostly followed the county’s lead during the coronavirus pandemic.

“While we are disappointed that the Rose Bowl Game will not be played in front of spectators, we are pleased that we are still able to hold the game this year, continuing the 100-year plus tradition of The Granddaddy of Them All,” said David Eads, executive director and CEO of the Tournament of Roses. “We continue to work closely with health department officials and the Rose Bowl Stadium to provide the safest possible environment for our game participants.”

The Rose Bowl is hosting one of the playoff semifinals; the other is at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The CFP selection committee will set the pairings for the semifinals on Dec. 20. The national championship game is set for Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Fiesta Bowl also announced Thursday that no fans would be allowed at the Jan. 2 game in Glendale, Arizona, though the immediate families of players will be able to attend.

Continue reading story here

Knight Commission recommends FBS split off from NCAA

From ESPN … A commission of higher education administrators recommended Thursday that the Football Bowl Subdivision should be split from the NCAA and form its own system of governance.

The Knight Commission, a reform-minded independent group of university presidents, former athletic directors and others, spent the past year studying the current state of college sports before making its recommendation. The group surveyed Division 1 leaders before deciding that the oversight of college sports was due for a major overhaul.

“Now is the time for big solutions,” Knight Commission co-chair Arne Duncan said during an online presentation Thursday. “That’s what people are looking for: big solutions, not incremental changes.”

The proposal would leave the 130 schools that participate in FBS-level football to form a new governance structure. That group already stands apart from most of college sports by using a separate group — the College Football Playoff — to organize its championship. The NCAA would no longer be responsible for overseeing the enforcement of rules, determining eligibility or creating health and safety guidelines for FBS football in this structure.

All other sports would remain under the NCAA’s control, including college basketball and the March Madness tournament. FCS football programs would also remain under the NCAA’s governance structure.

The Knight Commission does not have any authority to enact change in college sports. The recommendations were provided in hopes of being “an essential first step” for leaders in higher education to rethink the current model of governing college sports. Knight Commission executive director Amy Perko said she met with NCAA President Mark Emmert Thursday morning to share their recommendations. They plan to present their recommendations to NCAA leaders in more detail in the near future.

Continue reading story here

Pac-12 mid-season awards: Dorrell, Landman and Broussard honored

From Jon Wilner the San Jose Mercury News … It’s the mid-point of the Pac-12 season, to the extent that you can have a mid-point when some teams have played four games, two teams have played two games, and one team has played one.

We took sample size into account for the coach and player honors.

*** Top coaches

1. Colorado’s Karl Dorrell: No matter what else happens, Year One has been a success.

*** Top Defensive Players

2. Colorado linebacker Nate Landman: A tackling machine who can be disruptive in the backfield. Has been productive since the day he arrived but seems to have gone next-level in his final season.

*** Top Freshmen

2. Colorado tailback Jarek Broussard: Technically, he’s a sophomore, but we’re using editorial license because  Broussard missed back-to-back seasons after arriving in Boulder (redshirt and injury). Second in the conference at 144 yards per game.

Read full story here

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December 2nd

… Foe Pause … 

Las Vegas Bowl canceled

From the Daily Camera … The Las Vegas Bowl has been canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Executive director John Saccenti says it was a difficult decision but the right one considering the game was founded to help drive tourism to the gambling mecca.

The decision comes as Nevada state officials ordered a statewide pause that includes smaller public and private gatherings.

The game was slated to be the first bowl game played in Allegiant Stadium and was to feature a new matchup between the Pac-12 Conference and Southeastern Conference as part of a rotating cycle that also includes the Big Ten.

 

(Grudging) respect from Wilner: CU No. 3 in Pac-12 Power Rankings

… Not bad for a team which Wilner projected to have a 1-5 record (with the win coming over Arizona) … 

From the San Jose Mercury News … And the Sun Bowl makes three.

The longtime Pac-12 partner has been canceled because of the pandemic, according to multiple reports.

It becomes the third bowl affiliated with the conference to shutter for 2020, following the Redbox and Holiday.

That leaves five still standing, but that could prove a mirage.

Two of the five are seemingly in danger of shutting down, as well:

The Las Vegas Bowl has not announced a time or date — an ominous sign, for sure — and the Los Angeles Bowl could get swept up in the tightening restrictions in California.

To the power ratings …

1. USC (3-0)
Last week: 1
Result: No contest vs. Colorado
Next up: vs. Washington State (Sunday)
Comment: Plenty can change — five times over — between now and the weekend, but if the Trojans are cleared to play and WSU isn’t, we don’t see an obvious replacement option for USC … Except UTEP.

2. Washington (3-0)
Last week: 3
Result: Beat Utah 24-21
Next up: vs. Stanford
Comment: Huskies at home for the fourth time in four weeks — and this time against an opponent that will have been through tumultuous preparation. Cozy environment for a rookie quarterback to develop confidence and rack up victories.

3. Colorado (3-0/2-0)
Last week: 4
Result: Beat San Diego State 20-10
Next up: at Arizona
Comment: Mike MacIntyre recruited some extremely talented players, and Karl Dorrell is putting that talent to good use.

4. Oregon (3-1)
Last week: 2
Result: Lost at Oregon State 41-38
Next up: at Cal
Comment: Moveable force (Oregon’s defense) vs. resistible object (Cal’s offense). We figured this might be the game of the year in the North. Instead, it is even the game of the day in Berkeley?

12. Arizona (0-3)
Last week: 12
Result: Lost at UCLA 27-10
Next up: vs. Colorado
Comment: The last-minute Week One cancellation was a sign of troubled times in Tucson.

… Read full list here …

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December 1st

… Foe Pause … 

Three Pac-12 teams in CFP Rankings (none higher than 20th)

From ESPN … The top seven teams in the College Football Playoff rankings remained unchanged Tuesday, as Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State continue to occupy the top four spots.

The Buckeyes stayed at No. 4, despite canceling Saturday’s game at Illinois following an increase in COVID-19 cases within the program, which included head coach Ryan Day testing positive.

Despite having played only four games, Ohio State remains ahead of one-loss Texas A&M, which last week beat LSU at home, and one-loss Florida, which beat Kentucky at home.

Selection committee chairman Gary Barta said the committee discussed ranking Texas A&M ahead of Ohio State, but for now the Buckeyes and their potent offense led by quarterback Justin Fields are holding down the final playoff spot.

“When those two teams were put side-by-side this morning and last night, there just wasn’t enough there to put Texas A&M ahead of Ohio State,” Barta said.

The Buckeyes resumed team activities Tuesday and expect to resume play this week at Michigan State. They likely must play this week and next week to qualify for the Big Ten championship game.

… Defending Pac-12 champion Oregon fell eight spots to No. 23 following a road loss to rival Oregon State. Washington, which improved to 3-0 after a historic comeback against Utah, makes its CFP rankings debut at No. 22. The Ducks and Huskies are scheduled to play next week at Oregon. USC, which canceled last week’s game against Colorado because of COVID-19 issues within its program, is the Pac-12’s highest ranked team at No. 20.

1. Alabama (8-0)
2. Notre Dame (9-0)
3. Clemson (8-1)
4. Ohio State (4-0)
5. Texas A&M (6-1)
6. Florida (7-1)
7. Cincinnati (8-0)
8. Georgia (6-2)
9. Iowa State (7-2)
10. Miami (7-1)
11. Oklahoma (6-2)
12. Indiana (5-1)
13. BYU (9-0)
14. Northwestern (5-1)
15. Oklahoma State (6-2)
16. Wisconsin (2-1)
17. North Carolina (6-3)
18. Coastal Carolina (9-0)
19. Iowa (4-2)
20. USC (3-0)
21. Marshall (7-0)
22. Washington (3-0)
23. Oregon (3-1)
24. Tulsa (5-1)
25. Louisiana (8-1)

Stanford to hit the road for two weeks after County bans gatherings

From the Daily Camera … The Stanford football team announced it will relocate to Seattle and Corvallis, Ore. for the next two weeks in response to Santa Clara County’s three-week ban on contact sports announced Nov. 28.

The Cardinal travels to Seattle Tuesday to prepare for its game against the Washington Huskies on Dec. 5. The following week, Stanford will travel to Corvallis, Oregon. to prepare for their Dec. 12 game against the Oregon State Beavers, which was relocated from Stanford Stadium to Reser Stadium.

Stanford is one of a handful of teams based in Santa Clara County that is relocating elsewhere to proceed with their seasons. The San Francisco 49ers will play their next two “home” games at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. — home of their NFC West foe Arizona Cardinals.

Monday, county health department executive Jeff Smith reiterated frustrations that sports teams in the area are circumventing health orders.

“Historically, sportsmanship has been about building a team and protecting that team,” he said. “Coaches, managers and owners used to want to protect their players from harm. Those values seem to have been placed on hold during the COVID pandemic. If leaders want to protect their teams and communities, they should not play anywhere until it is safe. One might envision a reemergence of team-building if the teams spent their time building a COVID relief fund for the community rather than trying to put the community at more risk.”

Continue reading story here

Arizona all too-familiar with having to swap out starting quarterbacks

From Tucson.com … Aizona began preparations for Colorado on Monday with uncertainty at the most important position on the field. The status of quarterback Grant Gunnell, who injured his throwing shoulder on the first play from scrimmage at UCLA last week, is still being determined.

Regrettably, this has been a common occurrence for the Wildcats in recent seasons.

Arizona hasn’t had the same player start at quarterback in every game since 2014, when redshirt freshman Anu Solomon started all 14 contests. That marked the second year in a row that the UA had stability at quarterback; B.J. Denker started every game in 2013.

At least two players started at QB in each of the next five seasons.

In 2016, three quarterbacks made at least one start: Solomon, Brandon Dawkins and Khalil Tate.

If Gunnell can’t play against Colorado, that streak will hit six years.

“We’ll see where he is,” UA coach Kevin Sumlin said Monday. “If he can go, he can go. If not … I think it’s too early to even talk about that.”

Sumlin declined to go into detail about Gunnell’s injury. He got hit hard and landed on his right shoulder after releasing a pass. He was not wearing a sling while watching the remainder of the game from the sideline.

“I’m not going to go specifically on where he is right now,” Sumlin said. “He wants to play. But … we’re going to do the best thing for him and his career.”

Gunnell is a sophomore. No matter how many games he plays this season, he will have three more years of eligibility, per NCAA rules during the coronavirus pandemic.

Freshman Will Plummer replaced Gunnell and likely would start against the Buffaloes on Saturday at Arizona Stadium. Plummer completed 17 of 35 passes for 151 yards with two interceptions against UCLA. He also had 49 rushing yards.

Plummer never had taken a college snap before jogging onto the field at the Rose Bowl. He didn’t even have time to loosen his arm before subbing for Gunnell.

“For a guy that didn’t even get a chance to warm up … didn’t have a chance to throw a football or do anything … that has never played at this level, to go out there and do what he did, I thought it was a pretty good performance,” Sumlin said. “Could he have been better? Yeah. There were mistakes he made.

“The two picks (were) not necessarily his fault. … He got hit a bunch. But he’s a tough guy. And he moved the chains.”

Arizona managed just 10 points against UCLA and suffered its school-record 10th straight loss. Plummer led the Wildcats into scoring range three times, but a dropped snap on a field-goal attempt prevented the UA from cutting its deficit to one score in the fourth quarter.

Continue reading story here

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November 30th

… Foe Pause … 

Pac-12 loses another bowl game – Sun Bowl canceled

A tweet from Brett McMurphy at the Stadium Network … The Sun Bowl has been canceled this year, sources told @Stadium. Tied as 2nd-longest running bowl game behind only the Rose Bowl, the Sun Bowl had been played 86 consecutive seasons since 1935. It is 4th Pac-12 bowl canceled this year & 3rd with an ACC tie-in

Where we stand on Pac-12 bowls … there may only be three or four for the conference, which might leave a 4-2 CU team at home (and almost certainly a 3-3 team) …

Pac-12 Bowl contracts: One berth in New Year’s Six bowls: Rose (national semifinals); Sugar (national semifinals); Peach, Cotton, Fiesta; Orange. Considering the state of the conference nationally, the Pac-12 champion will go to the Fiesta, but that will be the only New Year’s Six berth.

2nd … Alamo Bowl vs. Big 12

3rd … Holiday Bowl vs. ACC – canceled

4th … Las Vegas Bowl vs. SEC – Many are predicting it will be canceled.

5th … Redbox Bowl vs. Big Ten – canceled

6th … Sun Bowl vs. ACC – canceled

7th … Independence Bowl vs. Army

8th … LA Bowl vs. Mountain West – There are rumors this game might not happen, either.

Arizona writer: Wildcats “completely outcoached and outclassed”

From zonazelots.com … We have witnessed some ugly football these past few weeks, and after dropping now, 10-straight games, things are far from good in Tucson. Things don’t get any easier either, as the Arizona Football team (0-3, 0-3), will have to take on a Colorado team (3-0, 2-0), that is exceeding expectations.

As you may recall, sophomore quarterback, Grant Gunnell went down on the first play of the game on Saturday evening, as Arizona got completely outcoached and outclassed in their 27-10 loss to UCLA.

Coming into this week, a lot will be discussed about the status of their signal-caller. His absence certainly makes winning on Saturday much tougher.

And so far in 2020, it appears this season has been a wash anyway. The team is struggling, there is also growing apathy among the fans and perhaps the players as well, and with Colorado and ASU looming, it is looking very likely this group finishes with zero wins, which is a stark contrast to where they were four years ago.

The preparation has been horrible, so has been the player development, and in an abbreviated, Covid-riddled season, the issues facing Arizona Football are magnified.

Right now, this is a bad football team that doesn’t have a whole lot of confidence, and with numerous players that are sitting out or are injured, and it is going to make things tough moving forward.

My Prediction: Last week was yet another bad week for Arizona Football. College Football is a game of momentum and confidence, and right now, this team doesn’t have any. When you lose 10-straight games, it wears on your program and players, and it’s hard getting rid of that stink.

Colorado comes in 3-0, they aren’t in the midst of a losing streak, and they don’t have multiple players sitting out, or a team that has gone apathetic. Bet on Colorado with the over, as running back Jarek Broussard runs all over the Cats in this one. Colorado 38 Arizona 24.

Prediction record so far: 3-0

Read full story here

Pac-12 Betting lines: CU a 3.5-point favorite over Arizona

From DraftKings.com

Saturday, December 5th

— No. 23 Washington … a 10.5-point favorite at home over Stanford … 2:00 p.m., MT, Fox

— No. 21 Oregon … a 9.5-point favorite on the road over California … 5:00 p.m., MT, ESPN

— Colorado … a 3.5-point favorite on the road over Arizona … 5:00 p.m., MT, FS1

— Utah  … a 9.5-point favorite at home over Oregon State … 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN

— Arizona State … a 3.5-point favorite at home over UCLA … 8:30 p.m., FS1

Sunday, December 6th

— No. 17 USC … a 14.5-point favorite at home over Washington State … 8:00 p.m., MT, FS1

—–

November 29th 

… Foe Pause … 

Pac-12 Kickoffs: CU at Arizona set for 5:00 p.m., MT, FS1

From CUBuffs.com … The Colorado at Arizona football game on Saturday, Dec. 5 will kickoff at 5:00 p.m. MST and will be televised nationally by FS-1. (this time of year, Boulder and Tucson are on the same MST).

Other Games (MST):

2:00pm – Stanford at Washington, FOX

5:00pm – Oregon at Cal, ESPN

8:30pm – Oregon State at Utah, ESPN

8:30pm – UCLA at Arizona State, FS1

Moved to Sunday, December 6

7:00pm PT – Washington State at USC, FS1

CU back among “others receiving votes” in polls (No. 30 in AP; No. 33 in USA Today Coaches’ Poll)

From CBS Sports … For a college football weekend with three games between teams ranked in the top 25, there was surprisingly few major adjustments to the new AP Top 25 poll released on Sunday. Alabama remained the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, collecting all 62 first-place votes, followed by Notre Dame at No. 2, Ohio State at No. 3 and Clemson at No. 4. Texas A&M held on to its advantage over Florida for No. 5 and with Cincinnati and BYU in place, the entire top eight saw no changes from last week’s balloting.

Iowa State is a team to note as it moved up No. 15 to No. 12 after its win against Texas in Austin, marking the highest ranking for the Cyclones in the poll since the team got all the way up to No. 9 in 2002 with Seneca Wallace at quarterback and Dan McCarney as head coach. Matt Campbell has Iowa State one win away from clinching a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game after beating the Longhorns, who fell from No. 20 to outside the top 25.

The jump for Iowa State comes in part as a result of two previously undefeated teams taking their first losses of the season. Oregon was up at No. 9 in last week’s balloting after a 3-0 start but now checks in at No. 21 after losing to Oregon State. Northwestern fell from No. 11 to No. 16 after a loss at Michigan State dropped the Wildcats to 5-1 on the season.

Elsewhere, the exits of Auburn and North Carolina, in addition to the Longhorns, opened up the door for Washington, Iowa and Liberty make an appearance in the top 25 in this week’s balloting.

  1. Alabama (62 first-place votes)
  2. Notre Dame
  3. Ohio State
  4. Clemson
  5. Texas A&M
  6. Florida
  7. Cincinnati
  8. BYU
  9. Miami
  10. Indiana
  11. Georgia
  12. Iowa State
  13. Oklahoma
  14. Coastal Carolina
  15. Marshall
  16. Northwestern
  17. USC … up two spots from last week
  18. Wisconsin
  19. Oklahoma State
  20. Louisiana
  21. Oregon … down 12 spots from last week
  22. Tulsa
  23. Washington … up three spots from last week
  24. Iowa
  25. Liberty

Others receiving votes: North Carolina 65, Buffalo 56, Texas 39, Auburn 25, Colorado 21, North Carolina State 11, Boise State 8, San Jose State 8, SMU 8, Oregon State 1, UCF 1

The USA Today/Coaches’ Poll 

  1. Alabama (59 first-place votes)
  2. Notre Dame (2)
  3. Clemson
  4. Ohio State (1)
  5. Florida
  6. Texas A&M
  7. Cincinnati
  8. BYU
  9. Miami
  10. Georgia
  11. Indiana
  12. Iowa State
  13. Oklahoma
  14. Coastal Carolina
  15. Marshall
  16. USC … up two spots from last week
  17. Northwestern
  18. Oklahoma State
  19. Wisconsin
  20. Oregon … down nine spots from last week
  21. Louisiana
  22. Tulsa
  23. Washington … up three spots from last week
  24. Iowa
  25. Liberty

CU Bowl projections – Buffs heading to El Paso?

From ESPN … After a college football weekend with postponements, cancellations and altered schedules, we return with another bowl game outlook.

Will the final four change with the second College Football Playoff ranking coming this Tuesday? Where will Ohio State fall in the mix?

Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach weigh in with their latest bowl projections …

Pac-12 bowl tie-ins (Note: the Holiday Bowl and RedBox Bowl have already been canceled) … 

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: BYU vs. Washington
Schlabach: USC vs. Indiana

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. USC
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Washington

Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
Bonagura: Oregon vs. Missouri
Schlabach: Oregon vs. Tennessee

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m. on CBS

Bonagura: Boston College vs. Colorado
Schlabach: Boston College vs. Colorado

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: Army vs. UCLA
Schlabach: Army vs. Oregon State

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
10:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: Boise State vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: Boise State vs. UCLA

—–

14 Replies to “Pac-12 Notes”

  1. So in the top 25 this week? Booya………….Cooler than the other side of the pillow……..SS. he was really really good.

    So the top 25 losers
    13 BYU
    15 Okie state
    16 Wisconsin
    21 Marshall
    22 Wash
    23 Ducks

    There has got to be room for the Mighty Buffs

  2. “Sorry, CU fans, but the winner here is going to be anointed as the No. 2 team in the South for 2021. Bruins have played well since the first half of the opener v. CU” That is from the poll question about the UCLA-ASU game. Where did that comment come from, Stu? Did you make it up or did you read it somewhere? I’m just curious because it seemed to come out of nowhere.

    1. That’s on me, but I believe it.
      Look at where we are with the South right now … USC is undefeated, though shaky. Won’t matter come 2021, the predictions will all be that the Trojans will win the division.
      At the bottom, Arizona – at least for now – has set up camp.

      In between, you have Utah, Colorado, Arizona State and UCLA.
      UCLA … other than the first half of the CU game, the Bruins have played well – blew out Cal; stayed close to Oregon (with a backup QB, on the road) and thumped Arizona. A win over ASU, and the Bruins will look like a team on the rise. Even if they lose to USC in the finale, they will get the preseason love as the No. 2 team.
      Arizona State … Ranked to open the season. Everyone was in love with Herm Edwards. But for a meltdown in the final few minutes against USC, the Sun Devils would be 1-0, with games against UCLA and Arizona remaining. With a win over UCLA, the ship will have been righted, and the love for ASU will return.
      Utah … currently 0-2, though they may have caught a break with Oregon State’s quarterback being out for this weekend. Even if the Utes finish strong, they won’t have the cache of ASU or UCLA going forward into 2021
      Colorado … Forget about it. Even after the Buffs won the Pac-12 South in 2016, with an 8-1 record in Pac-12 play, the media poll to start the 2017 season had Colorado … wait for it … fourth.

      So, CU and Utah won’t get the national love from the media next summer (regardless of what happens the next few weeks), while USC will be the media favorite to win the division.
      Ergo … “Sorry, CU fans, but the winner (of the ASU/UCLA game) is going to be anointed as the No. 2 team in the South for 2021” …

      I’m certainly open to other opinions, but that’s the way I see it …

      1. I don’t disagree. CU has not earned the benefit of any doubts. To paraphrase John Houseman, Buffs will have to get respect the old fashioned way, we have to EARN it!

        Anyone who gets that reference is old like me.

        Go Buffs, stampede the mildcats!

      2. You could be correct.

        Buffs

        Maybe not too.

        So this pac 12 schedule thing.

        As I recall 6 conference games with a cross over game. It appears both CU and USC have played their crossover game. So Buffs vs USC seems like it should happen?

        Championship week. The pac has to rethink this if The Buffs and USC both win.

        They can do anything they want eh?

  3. Ok, I know this isn’t a CU Buff comment, but I have to say something somewhere about the Santa Clara “county health department executive” Jeff Smith. He says “they should not play anywhere until it is safe” How about a 99.98% chance that all players and coaches under the age of 50 will survive if they get Covid? That’s if they get it. Pretty good margin of safety. Not only that, there is not one documented example a Covid infection transmitted by interacting in a football game, not one. And yes I am a doctor, a doctor of enough is enough of this nonsense.

    1. Then where are these players who are testing positive get it from? Some doctor. You either ignore or dont know the meaning of the word contagion. Go talk to a real doctor working in a covid ward. How about his chances of contracting the virus?…and piss on everyone over 50….right?

  4. I think we should give micky mac some credit for the 2016 season and the good recruiting years that followed, resulting in a talented group of upper classmen and their leadership this season. Its been fun to watch.

  5. Jon Wilner? Who is that? the guy who never leaves the west coast states? Same guy that says the Buff players suck and now calls them extremely talented? Isnt there anyone else besides him that really delves into the entire PAC 12?…and doesnt think USC should be the conference king for life?
    If jon wilner is respected by his peers then that is more proof they are all lazy name gamers who would be more productive sweeping floors

  6. I seem to remember Wilner wrote somewhere that if the Buffs won 3 games, he would vote for Dorrell as the coach of the year. Does anyone else remember that?
    I think the Pac12 should forget about bowl games and announce that they will play a full schedule – every Pac12 team should play every other Pac12 team. Who cares how long it takes. That would be 66 total games that could be televised for $5M each. That’s some real cabbage.

  7. Just to be discussed for a decent bowl by ESPN, and to have both polls included CU is a huge step for our team. Got to help with recruiting and retaining players. To all those (including me) who questioned Rick and Lance’s pick of KD as head coach, I’m eating my words along with left over turkey. Great for our school, keep it up!

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