Oregon Ducks News

Matt Hayes These are the bland Saturdays when no one is safe. No, really. How often have we seen this is the past: the relatively uneventful developing into the remarkably significant. Even No. 1 Florida, playing host to cupcake Florida International, isn't immune at this late stage of the season. "We know what's on the line," Florida linebacker Ryan Stamper said. "We're going hard." Maybe it's some cosmic balance in response to the wild... weekends of the last three years, but just when you think 2009 couldn't be more predictable we give you these six wild possibilities (ranked in order of likelihood it will happen) that could develop Saturday: 1. A Stanford player wins the Heisman Trophy How it can happen: Hey, it has happened before (Jim Plunkett, 1970), why not again? No BCS league tailback has more yards (1,395) or touchdowns (19) than Toby Gerhart, who has surged to the top of Heisman Trophy lists with 405 yards and six touchdowns in back-to-back victories over teams in the BCS top 10 (Oregon, USC). Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said it best on his Twitter account, two hours after Stanford's rout of USC: "Stop the madness. Hand him the Heisman." 2. Kansas State wins the Big 12 North How it can happen: It's embarrassing enough for the Big 12 that K-State can beat Nebraska on Saturday and win the North Division, or lose and not qualify for a bowl. It's worse that we have no idea which Nebraska team shows up: The team that lost at home to Iowa State and Texas Tech with 10 combined turnovers, or the team that physically battered Oklahoma (and could potentially do the same to the Texas spread offense) in a 10-3 win? 3. Arizona one step closer to its first Rose Bowl How it can happen: It'll be loud in the Zona Zoo, and it'll be your typical Pac-10 game: no defense and more offense than a Big Ten fan can stomach. And that's the last thing Oregon wants. The Ducks have the Pac-10's best defense, but have given up 72 points in the last two games. The longer Oregon lets Arizona hang around, the more streaky Cats QB Nick Foles builds confidence. Related Links Hayes: Week 12 story lines SN staff picks for Week 12 Who will replace USC in Rose Bowl? SN Conversation: Jim Tressel Week 12 matchups, scoreboard 4. Michigan upsets Big Ten champion Ohio State How it can happen: Rose Bowl-bound Ohio State has nothing (OK, obviously The Game is something) for which to play; Michigan is playing for a bowl game -- and maybe, as crazy as it sounds, coach Rich Rodriguez's job. We know Michigan can score on offense. But is this the game the Wolverines play inspired on defense (hasn't happened yet) and give Rodriguez a Get Out of Jail Free card? 5. SMU and Temple: conference champions. How it can happen: SMU won one game in each of the last two seasons, yet needs wins over slumping Marshall and awful Tulane to secure the C-USA West Division. The Mustangs likely would face ECU in the C-USA title game, and SMU beat the Pirates in October. And Temple? Been a nice run, fellas. Kent State on Saturday shouldn't be tough, but at Ohio on Nov. 27 will end the ride before a potential MAC championship game against heavyweight Central Michigan. 6. Kansas rallies behind embattled coach Mark Mangino and beats No. 3 Texas How it could happen: Mangino said earlier this week he hadn't lost his team -- a sure sign that a coach has. The Jayhawks could get a big game from struggling QB Todd Reesing, and Texas could commit multiple turnovers and play lethargic on Senior Day, but that's about as likely to happen as Mangino keeping his job. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Place: Tucson, Ariz. Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: ABC Line: Oregon by 6 Three reasons Oregon will win He's back: LeGarrette Blount could contribute for Oregon against Arizona. Double trouble: After LeGarrette Blount TKOd much of his 2009 season, LaMichael James became the newest Ducks running back to jump from unknown to all-conference-caliber in less than a season. Now, Blount is back on the squad, and indications are he'll see playing time Saturday for the first time since before Labor Day.... Arizona has decent statistics against the run, but Cal's Shane Vereen, a backup to injured star Jahvid Best, went for 159 yards on the 'Cats last weekend. Oregon averages 237 yards per game and needs a big edge in this area to win on the road. Coach Chip: Chip Kelly's two encounters with Arizona as Oregon's offensive coordinator resulted in some odd results. Dennis Dixon's injury left the Ducks helpless in a 2007 loss. Last year in Eugene, Oregon rolled up 45 first-half points, then needed to hold on for a 55-45 victory. Each game featured significant in-game adjustments from both coaching staffs, something Kelly expects will continue Saturday in the desert. "Every year, there's been a new wrinkle," he said on a teleconference. "There will be that chess match that goes on within the game to see how they're going to try to defend us, and do we have answers." A Kelly-Mike Stoops scheme-off makes football junkies salivate. Kelly's got the edge here because of his better players. Pass prevention: Oregon can boast about some of its defensive performances this year—holding Boise State to 19 points and USC to 20 spring to mind. Then there are the lowlights, starting and ending with Stanford's six offensive touchdowns two weeks ago in Palo Alto. So which Ducks defense will show up? Oregon ranks No. 1 in the Pac-10 against the pass, both in yards allowed and efficiency. From Kenny Rowe's seven sacks to Talmadge Jackson's three interceptions, the good set of Ducks can stay with Arizona's improving attack. But a Stanford re-do will lead to an upset loss. Three reasons Arizona will win Saint Nick: Nick Foles has found a fit at Arizona, where he won the starting job in late September and has led the Wildcats to the brink of their first Rose Bowl. He possesses the size and arm strength to play quarterback in the Pac-10, and he said last month he has felt in sync with offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes' scheme since he got to campus. His achievements look more remarkable given some injuries to RB Nic Grigsby and the Wildcats' struggles running the ball. "It puts more pressure on the quarterback," coach Mike Stoops said on a teleconference. "That's what you can't really have against a quarterback this young." Foles has held up so far, and he could use another huge game against the toughest defense he's seen so far. Related Links Hayes' Week 12 picks SN staff Week 12 picks Curtis vs. Grams B Week 12 picks Hayes' Week 12 story lines Curtis: Who's in running for Rose? Pac-10 Conference Call Return to winning: Oregon has drawn raves all season for its improved play on special teams. But the Wildcats look capable of more big plays in the kicking game. The 'Cats have only returned seven punts this year, but one went for a score (William Wright, against Washington State). And Travis Cobb is reliable on kickoffs and has big-play potential—he ran one back against the hapless Cougars, too. Some consistent kick returns can give Foles and the offense a big edge on the Ducks. Line strength: In a league famous for flash, Arizona's ascent toward the top of the conference is based at the line of scrimmage. The statistics spell out the program's success there—in the Pac-10, only USC sacks the quarterback more often per game than the 'Cats, and only Stanford allows fewer sacks. Oregon, which humbled the Trojans' defense in Eugene, must find ways to keep Ricky Elmore (8.5 sacks) and Earl Mitchell (4.5 sacks) from disrupting things in the backfield. If Arizona owns the game up front, it will own victory at the end of the night. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Dave Curtis The Week 12 slate for Grams looks curious because of who didn't make the cut. No Florida, Alabama or Texas. No Ohio State-Michigan. No forecast on the future of Notre Done (more on this later). Go ahead and insert an "every week is a playoff" joke here. With the top 10 on furlough from national prominence, Grams considered a bye week here in November. "Got to rest up for Thanksgiving," she said. Don't despair, Grams. Somehow,... five compelling contests emerged. Penn State looks to upgrade its Florida bowl trip (Orange trumps Capital One). Bill Snyder goes championship-hunting in Lincoln. The Big Game is, well, a big game. Here are the big five, straight up: No. 13 Penn State at Michigan State, 3:30 p.m., ABC The Skinny: As Grams gains steam down the stretch (that 1-4 week looks like an aberration), she's thinking JoePa and his boys might be losing it. "A couple of times, I picked them and they lost," she said. "They're not going to come through." Grams B: Michigan State, 31-24 Dave: Penn State, 20-14 No. 10 LSU at Mississippi, 3:30 p.m., CBS The Skinny: The Skinny: LSU is a top-10 team. Its only losses came against No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama -- and both games were decided late. Yet Ole Miss is a four-point favorite. Does Vegas know something here? Well, besides the fact the Tigers have no offense. Grams goes with Vegas on this one. Grams B: Mississippi, 24-16 Dave: LSU, 17-13 California at No. 14 Stanford, 7:30 p.m., Versus The Skinny: Although she's rolled with Stanford the last two weeks, Grams wanted a thorough report on the Bears. Then, according to witnesses, a member of the Cardinal band emerged from behind the recliner and clocked her with a trombone. She's OK, and we're guessing she'd stay with her squad. Grams B: Stanford, 41-21 Dave: California, 33-28 Kansas State at Nebraska, 7:45 p.m., ESPN The Skinny: This was supposed to be Notre Dame vs. Connecticut, but Grams threatened to boycott the rest of the year if forced to deal with the Irish again. "I'm sick of them," she said. "Can't figure them out." You and the rest of the country, Grams. The Huskers look too good to her in this one. Grams B: Nebraska, 30-17 Dave: Kansas State, 27-22 No. 11 Oregon at Arizona, 8 p.m. ABC The Skinny: This newest nominee for "Pac-10 Game of the Year" could shake up the league even more. Arizona won this matchup in Tucson two years ago. Both Ducks losses in '09 came on the road. The winner controls its own destiny for the Rose Bowl, a game 'Zona has never reached. Grams B: Oregon, 44-33 Dave: Arizona, 30-27 Related Links Sporting News staff picks Pac-10 conference call Best football broadcasters Last Week Grams B: 3-2 Dave: 3-2 Season Grams B: 34-21 Dave: 28-27 Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Jeremiah Masoli has thrown for 1,581 yards and run for 558 more this season. After watching his team get walloped for the second time in three weeks, USC coach Pete Carroll confessed the obvious: The gap between his Trojans and the rest of the Pac-10 had shrunk to almost nothing. Now the best of the league's nine dwarves will duel in the desert to determine who'll gain the inside track for a Rose Bowl berth. This week's main event, No. 11 Oregon's visit to Arizona, will establish who replaces... USC in control of the conference. The changing-of-the-guard out west might be temporary, but it ranks among the nation's top story lines this season. Within the league, though, the surprise isn't as strong. "It's all in college football," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said on a teleconference this week. "I don't think there's a big discrepancy among the top 20, 30, 40 teams. There's some significance in some teams, but you look. Everyone has some flaws." The Pac-10's portion of the parity will produce a new BCS bowl participant in January. And Oregon looks like the strongest candidate to play in Pasadena. The Ducks are the lone team with one conference loss and will claim the Pac-10 title outright by winning at Arizona, then taking down Oregon State at home on Dec. 3. Arizona, though, would take control of the league with a victory. Head-to-head victories over Stanford, Oregon State and Oregon would give the Wildcats a shot to go to the Rose Bowl if they win out. Arizona finishes with road games against Arizona State and USC. Since the start of league play, no Pac-10 team has looked as impressive as Oregon. Except for a meltdown at Stanford, the Ducks have dominated, scoring more points and allowing fewer than any Pac-10 team. Arizona, meanwhile, has a back-loaded schedule, making the Wildcats the team with the most to prove. How well they prove their worth will be tied to whether quarterback Nick Foles can continue his incredible season. A transfer from Michigan State, he lost the starting job to veteran Matt Scott. That experiment lasted three games: Stoops gave Foles the job in late September, and he has completed 70 percent of his throws for 13 touchdowns against six interceptions. "I've gotten pretty comfortable," Foles said recently. "But the guys around me have played great." Across the field, Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli might be the league's top playmaker. Stoops this week called Masoli the prototypical quarterback for the Ducks' offense, which four times this season has rung up more than 500 yards of total offense. In training camp last year, Masoli was fifth on the Ducks' depth chart and destined for a redshirt year. But his skills and coach Chip Kelly's scheme seemed such a sure match that the junior QB earned some preseason Heisman Trophy buzz this year. He'll fall well short of that talk, but he has managed the offense well enough to push Oregon toward its first Rose Bowl since 1995. "Early this season, he tried to shoulder a lot of the load himself," Kelly said of Masoli during a teleconference. "Now he realizes we have some weapons around him." That help has become more evident during the second half of the season, especially during the primetime rout of the Trojans. Ducks tailback LaMichael James is averaging 6.98 yards per carry. Oregon lacks a superstar receiver, but Ed Dickson and Jeff Maehl have emerged as reliable targets. A big day from them—and Masoli—would put the Ducks on the brink of a conference title—and in position to replace USC atop the Pac-10. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News' Matt Hayes analyzes those feeling the heat heading into Week 12. 1. A coach's life So I've got this guy who emails me every so often, more frequently in previous years but less so this fall. It seems as though the target of his vitriol—Dave Wannstedt—is out of range. For now, anyway. After Pitt blew a 14-point lead against N.C. State in September and lost for the only time this season, his email was succinct and to the point: Wannstedt will ruin Pitt like he ruined the Bears and... Dolphins. It's a brutal business, people. Coaches are paid millions, but that cash can't salve the mental anguish coaching families go through while their husband or father is judged by anyone and everyone. Every. Single. Day. "It's where we are in this business," Texas coach Mack Brown told me earlier this season. "Winning, unfortunately, is all that matters." Before we go further, spare me the argument that you'd take the millions to take the abuse, too. It doesn't wash. The mental stress is overwhelming, and the tentacles are far reaching. Ann Bowden woke up one morning earlier this year and had to read about a member of the Florida State board of trustees comparing her husband of 50-plus years to an old dog that needed to be put to sleep. Before publicly criticizing a coach like Dan Hawkins, think about his family. Cody Hawkins woke up one morning this fall and had to read that his father, Dan, put his son before his Colorado team by naming him the starting quarterback and not playing backup Tyler Hansen. Not only is Cody doing his best to win games for the Buffs, but he's also 21 years old and now thinks he's the reason his father could be facing unemployment. Maura Weis was driving her son, Charlie Jr., to school one day in August, and up on a billboard in downtown South Bend was a sign that read "Best wishes to Charlie Weis in the 5th year of his college coaching internship." Steve Kragthorpe and his family have been hearing and reading the nonsense for two years now in Louisville. So have Al Groh and Tommy West and Mike Sanford and Dennis Erickson and Mike Sherman ... and the list goes on and on and on. Still want that million-dollar job? Imagine this as your daily lifestyle: Nothing is ever good enough on the field. You feel like a professional failure. You're losing years off your life. Football problems lead to family problems. And it's not just the unfortunate coaches. Urban Meyer has won two of the last three national championships, yet his team constantly hears it isn't playing well enough. He has to go into every postgame locker room this season and remind his team that, yes, it now has won 20 straight games. Pete Carroll has been the most successful coach this decade, his USC team a machine that, until this season, barely made a mistake. Now whack-jobs on message boards are proclaiming Carroll's "win forever" motto should be changed to "win this week." And, really, that's what it's all about: winning. But all that really does is stave off the inevitable. 2. The big step Dear Dabo: I was wrong. Earlier this year, I said, "Same ol' Clemson: new coach, same results." And now look: You've got the Tigers poised to win the ACC Atlantic Division for the first time; to win a conference championship for the first time since 1991; to make Clemson fans feel like they haven't felt since Danny Ford walked the sidelines long ago. You were never a coordinator before getting the Clemson job last season, never in a position to manage players or systems and schemes. How could we have seen what could be? Your athletic director, Terry Don Phillips, did. He now looks like a genius. Since an unthinkable loss to Maryland in the first week of October, your team has won five straight and needs only a victory over lowly Virginia (which has beaten Clemson in two of the last three meetings between the teams) to secure a spot in the ACC championship game. No pressure, man. 3. The weight of Iowa If you think freshman James Vandenberg felt pressure with a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl bid on the line last week at Columbus, get a load of this week's setup: Vandenberg, Iowa's backup quarterback now thrust into the starting role, merely has the holiday plans of an entire state on his back this week against rival Minnesota. And the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. Here's how it plays out: If the Hawkeyes beat the Gophers (and Texas wins out and plays in the BCS national championship game), they and their 30,000-plus traveling fan show are a lock for the Fiesta Bowl. If the Hawkeyes lose to Minnesota, then they could fall all the way to the Outback Bowl, because the Capital One Bowl likely would rather have Penn State and iconic coach Joe Paterno. Another year in the Outback Bowl may cause more than a few thousand Iowans to stay home, save the dough and endure the brutal winter one more week. 4. The Fiesta dilemma No one is pulling harder for Oklahoma State these last two weekends than the BCS. It begins with Thursday night's game against Colorado and ends with the Nov. 28 Bedlam game at Oklahoma. Win those two games, and Oklahoma State will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Lose either of the two (assuming Texas wins out), and the Fiesta Bowl likely won't take the No. 2 Big 12 team with nine wins to preserve the conference tie-in. That means Boise State and TCU would be playing in big-boy bowls. In the last three weeks, USC and Notre Dame have fallen out of contention for a spot, and the BCS-league alternatives are slim. The only real possibility would be Georgia Tech, if it wins out and loses the ACC championship game and finishes 11-2. 5. Two for the money Related Links Hayes' BCS breakdown SN's bowl projections Bowl matchups we'd like to see This Week In Schadenfreude Conference Calls It's a simple process for Oregon: beat Arizona and Oregon State, and go to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1995. Now, the problem: The Ducks have struggled on the road much of the season, with the only comfortable win at lowly Washington. Even the win at UCLA (albeit with backup quarterback Nick Costa playing) wasn't all that pretty. The two losses—to Boise State and Stanford—were downright ugly. Arizona is 5-0 at home this fall and can still win the Pac-10 by winning out against Oregon and at Arizona State and USC. Even if Oregon wins this week, it's going to get much tougher on Dec. 3, when the Ducks host bitter rival Oregon State for a spot in the Rose Bowl (if OSU beats Washington State this week). Buckle up, Duck fans. It's about to get a little bumpy. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News' Matt Hayes analyzes what Monday's buzz means to college football. Like it never happened Let's all give a warm welcome back to Oregon tailback LeGarrette Blount, reinstated Monday because, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said, Blount "paid a significant and appropriate price" and has "learned important, lifelong lessons." So let me get this straight. You can cold-cock an opponent on the field. You can take swings at teammates trying to pull you away from the situation. You can... walk 30-40 yards away—plenty of time to realize the severity of your actions—before trying to go into the stands to take a couple of shots at a few taunting fans. But heaven help you if you lie to NCAA investigators. If you, while thinking you did something wrong even though you really didn't, make a foolish mistake and lie about something you did do, well, you're done. Exactly what message does this send? Somewhere, Dez Bryant is working out and preparing for the NFL draft and trying to forget that his junior season at Oklahoma State was snuffed out by the NCAA because he lied about meeting Deion Sanders. In less than two months, Blount will be frolicking on the field in Pasadena, a member of the Oregon Ducks Rose Bowl team who simply "made a mistake" and "learned a lesson" and "paid a heavy price." Poor guy. I hope Blount can find it in his heart to forgive those mean administrators at Oregon and the Pac-10 who ruined his senior season before wising up and changing their minds. The truth, everyone, really will set you free. A tight right-cross will cost you only two months on the sidelines. Memphis is first in line Memphis fired Tommy West on Monday, two days after an ugly loss to Tennessee and three weeks before the end of the season. Two things we've learned from the firing: Memphis wants a big name to take advantage of fertile Southeast recruiting region, and the Tigers will get the first shot at two former championship coaches currently unemployed—Tommy Tuberville and Phil Fulmer. Both had big careers in the SEC, and both know the recruiting region. Terry Bowden, another former SEC coach, is also a possibility if Memphis wants a coach with regional connections. "I would like to move as fast as possible for the sake of recruiting," said Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson. The importance of getting the right fit is for more than just recruiting, it's also a chance for Memphis to show the Big East it's serious about football—and joining the league, should expansion be on the horizon. The reality is Memphis and Houston should be dominating Conference USA because of their geographical footprints. Houston has made huge strides under coach Kevin Sumlin, but Memphis hasn't been able to string together consistent seasons. If recruiting is the top priority for Johnson, he could also look beyond the big names to Temple coach Al Golden and Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong. Before Golden left for Temple, he was the architect of those recruiting hauls early in coach Al Groh's career at Virginia. Coach 'em up, Jimbo Here it is, everyone: your mini referendum on Florida State coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher. Now that starting quarterback Christian Ponder (shoulder) is out for the season, Fisher's coaching ability comes squarely into focus. FSU's backup, heralded recruit E.J. Manuel, was Fisher's most important recruit two years ago—the player he desperately wanted and the player he would build his future program around. Now Manuel is thrown into the difficult situation of leading the Seminoles to two wins in the final three games (at Wake Forest, Maryland, at Florida), or FSU will have its first losing season since 1976—and its streak of 27 consecutive bowl appearances will be snapped. Don't see this as a test of Manuel; FSU would have a difficult time getting two wins if Ponder were healthy. Wake Forest has won the last three games between the teams, and the 'Noles haven't beaten Florida since 2003. It's more of test for Fisher, who has had two years to work with Manuel and get him ready to play. This Wake team is considerably less talented than the previous three that mauled FSU by a combined 66-24. And this is the game FSU must have to get to six wins. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Each week, Sporting News' Matt Hayes ranks the Division I-A conferences—and the teams within each league. Conf. rankings No. 1 SEC No. 2 Pac-10 No. 3 ACC No. 4 Big 12 No. 5 Big Ten No. 6 Big East Nos. 7-11 2. Pac-10 1. Stanford 2. Oregon 3.... USC 4. Arizona 5. Oregon State 6. California 7. Arizona State 8. UCLA 9. Washington 10. Washington State Rising Stanford: Because Pac-10 teams like to use "body of work" as a poll argument, we will, too. Who's playing better than Stanford right now? For the time being, anyway. Falling Washington: Without a freak interception return for a touchdown against Arizona—yet another blown replay call this season—the Huskies would be riding a six-game losing streak since upsetting USC. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News' Matt Hayes analyzes what Wednesday's buzz means to college football. Tim Tebow says the Bulldogs gave as good as they got Saturday. Tebow's coach isn't pleased about that. Clean up the mess Welcome, everyone, to the World's Largest Steel Cage Match. You want dirty? We've got dirty. Earlier this week, when Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was getting gouged by the court of public opinion for his dirty play in the Georgia game, Florida QB Tim Tebow defended Spikes—an odd moment... for Mr. Clean in such an obvious situation of guilt. But when Tebow said earlier this week that Florida didn't do "anything in that game that (Georgia) didn't do," he wasn't kidding. Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Wednesday's SEC teleconference that he sent tape into the SEC office showing a late hit Tebow sustained against Georgia. The video is just as brutal, perhaps more, as Spikes' fingers in the facemask of Georgia tailback Washaun Ealey.   Meyer said "that should've been a penalty, in my opinion." This, of course, brings us to another sticky situation. It was last week when SEC commissioner Mike Slive told league coaches to stop publicly criticizing officiating—or feel the consequences of a fine or suspension. What does Slive now do with these comments from Meyer: "Obviously it should have been (a penalty). You have to protect the quarterbacks. That's the whole purpose. It's right in front of the referee." All about Bobby Poor Jimbo Fisher. At some point, you start feeling for the Pinata in Waiting. Bobby Bowden took it upon himself during the ACC's weekly teleconference to announce that, yes, he will make the decision on who replaces Mickey Andrews as defensive coordinator. "It's one of those things I'll make the final decision on," Bowden said. "But I'll definitely get (Fisher's) input—and very strongly." That and a quarter will get a ducat to a game at Doak Campbell Stadium, where there were more than 15,000 empty seats for last week's victory over N.C. State. Bottom line: Bowden again is asserting himself—and digging in—to coach the 2010 season. What defensive coordinator would want to step into this mess? Ladies and gentlemen, your new FSU defensive coordinator: Tommy Bowden! Fed to the lions The way Oregon has been canonized this week for rolling an—can we finally say it?—overrated USC defense, you would think Stanford is preparing to play the Indianapolis Colts this weekend at The Farm. And Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh is feeding the masses. Pun intended. Harbaugh said he has been watching a YouTube video of a baby water buffalo that gets attacked by lions and then bitten at by an alligator.  Related Links Spikes asks to sit out full game; Florida obliges News: Meyer says Tebow received cheap shot Cook: The All-Mickey Andrews Team "I don't think we got it as bad as this baby water buffalo, and he was in maybe even a little more of a predicament," Harbaugh said. "He was able to survive, though. So we draw some inspiration from that." Stanford has lost seven straight to Oregon and eight of the last nine. Yet this has the potential to be a classic letdown game for the Ducks after their big win over USC. This story appears in Nov. 5's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Each week, Sporting News' Matt Hayes ranks the Division I-A conferences and the teams within each league. Conf. rankings No. 1 SEC No. 2 Pac-10 No. 3 Big Ten No. 4 ACC No. 5 Big 12 No. 6 Big East Nos. 7-11 2. Pac-10 1. Oregon 2. USC 3. Arizona... 4. Oregon State 5. Stanford 6. California 7. Arizona State 8. Washington 9. UCLA 10. Washington State Rising Oregon: Ducks have outscored their last five Pac-10 opponents 208-58 and are primed for first Rose Bowl in 15 years. Falling USC: All that talk about USC's dominating defense has come to this: In the last three games, the Trojans have given up 110 points and 1,462 yards. Yikes. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News college football expert Matt Hayes projects the BCS bowl games: BCS national championship game: Florida vs. Texas Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Iowa Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia Tech Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.  

Sporting News' Dave Curtis analyzes what Sunday's buzz means to college football. Head duck: Tim Tebow has proven the perfect quarterback for Florida's offense, and a year ago, Michael Crabtree looked born to play in Mike Leach's Texas Tech scheme. Now a perfect running back-offensive concept combination has emerged at Oregon, where redshirt freshman LaMichael James runs until he's too tired to run any farther every Saturday. James, who went all Quizz Rodgers on USC on Saturday night with 183... yards and a score on 24 carries, gets better every week, his Oregon coaches insist. He has five 100-yard performances in his first seven college starts. "His vision has improved," coach Chip Kelly said of his redshirt freshman back. "When you call a run to the right, he's not just burying his head and jamming it up the right side." James danced his way through the Trojans' back seven on several carries, but he also held up between the tackles, especially in the first half. Kelly described the 5-9, 190-pound James as "short, not small," and able to take a hit inside. If the burlier LeGarrette Blount returns, he and James could form the best 1-2 back tandem out West since Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Where are the victors? Sorry, state of Michigan. It's time to pile on a little more. The Great Lake State fell far short of gridiron greatness Saturday, with all five Division I-A teams losing. Central Michigan got pummeled at Boston College, Eastern Michigan gave up 63 in a blowout loss at Arkansas, Western Michigan added a stinker against Kent State, and Michigan State allowed Eric Decker-less Minnesota run wild in a shootout. The big blow came midday, when Michigan got shut out in the second half and made 2009 Juice Williams look like 2007 Juice Williams in a 38-13 loss at Illinois. "We just have a lot of things to fix and get right," Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez told reporters after the game. That's not good news for UM, which has lost four of five games and still needs a victory to become bowl eligible. Related Links SN's top 24 AP top 25 Hayes: Title picture comes into focus Curtis: Ducks are Pac 10's new studs Big Bernard: Duke and SMU might trump Temple down the road. But for now, the Owls rank as the most unlikely member of the bowl-eligible club. They gained membership after Saturday's 27-24 win at Navy, a game highlighted by true freshman running back Bernard Pierce's 267 yards. Pierce first attracted coach Al Golden with a 4.41 40-yard dash at an Owl camp and has become the fulcrum of a Temple offense that has won six straight games and eight of 10 dating to last year. "He is driven to be the very best," Golden told Sporting News in an e-mail. "He works hard every day on his game, but especially blocking, catching and finishing runs." Already Pierce owns most of the Owls' freshman rushing records. And as the MAC's leading rusher (and the nation's third-best), he should earn his third East Division offensive player of the week honor. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

LaMichael James wings his way to to 184 yards rushing. EUGENE, Ore. -- The sign, in black ink on yellow cardboard, bobbed in Autzen Stadium's Section 41 as the Oregon band belted out another refrain of "Thriller." Its message, for sure, doesn't reflect the reality of college football on this particular date: Oct. 31, 2009.   But by the end of Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 on Saturday night, it wasn't far from the truth.   "Welcome to the Fall of Troy" the sign read, and it's mistake was in the... details. The stunning beatdown Ducks fans witnessed didn't so much prove that the wounded Trojans are destined for the Holiday Bowl, and then a string of 5-7 records. It proved that Oregon ranks as the nation's new hot program. And soon, it might rank among the nation's elite.   "The polls are still probably going to be Florida and Alabama," Ducks safety T. J. Ward said. "We feel like we're right there with anybody."   In the here and now, the rout puts Oregon on track for an outright Pac-10 championship and establishes it as the one-loss team best set to sneak into the BCS national championship game. In other words, Ducks fans, a postseason in Pasadena looks mighty likely.   Oregon's victory is its most uplifting in ages. But the night, and really this whole weekend, stands out as a celebration of where Oregon football is. Its offense, which rang up 391 rushing yards and 613 overall on the Trojans, is the nation's best north of Austin, Texas. Its stadium, complete with students clad in special black "Fright Night" T-shirts, features half the capacity of some of its big-conference peers but brings as much volume as any venue.   And don't forget the charismatic coach. With the sun still in the sky Saturday morning, Kelly donned the Oregon mascot's duck head and rolled through ESPN's live pregame show.   "I had trouble seeing," Kelly said later. "And it smelled."   As the sun set Saturday night, his top pupils — quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LaMichael James — were whipping a Pete Carroll-coached defense like it's never been whipped before.   Forty-seven points? Most allowed by Southern Cal under Carroll. The 27-point margin? Most lopsided loss in Carroll's nine years. The rushing yards? Best performance against the Trojans since Texas A&M in the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl.   "It was a real mess for us," Carroll said. "Oregon did everything they wanted to do."   Related Links Hayes: National title picture gains definition Curtis: Who need LaGarrette Blount anyway? Recap: Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 Hayes: Florida foes, fear the wrath of Tim Recap: Gators 41, Georgia 17 Recap: Texas 41, Oklahoma State 14 Samson: Top players, Heisman Watch Samson: Week 9's top teams, Poll Vault SN's full college football scoreboard As Carroll reflects, he'll realize he might be saying that more in coming years. Kelly said that just five of the Ducks' top 44 players are seniors. They always have recruited well coast-to-coast, and this sort of energy and result will only bolster those efforts.   Even if the sign forecasting Southern Cal's demise is wrong, and the Trojans continue on as a top 10-worthy program each year, they finally could have company within their own conference. And they'll have competition for the title of "Coolest football program in the West."   Saturday, the coaches and players said all the right things about focusing on Stanford next week, taking the necessary steps toward a conference title. Always, though, there's the thought of lapping Southern Cal and becoming the Pac-10 Conference benchmark.   "We're going to try to push them," Kelly said of his own players, "and take them to places they've never been before."   This story appears in Nov. 1's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.   Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>