1.) ASU (-4) at BYU - Two ranked teams (BYU - 23, ASU - 19). One would think this was a good match up due to such metrics, but truth is, neither has done anything to deserve said rankings. BYU finally got redemption after losing 11 in a row to Utah. They exorcised all demons in that game although a look inside the numbers show they weren't really that dominant. Expect BYU to not be nearly as hyped going into this game. In fact, I believe they blew their wad against Utah. I expect a letdown despite the game being at home in what should be the 2nd most raucous crowd for them this season. ASU hasn't played anyone with a pulse and hasn't exactly looked great but hasn't had to. This is probably the game where they put it all together and jump into the top 15. Don't be fooled though. They are not a top 15 level team.
ASU - 30
BYU - 21
2.) Utah (-8.5) at SDSU - This is a really tough one. SDSU is a lot better than people think. They still are the same SDSU though. Pretty easy to scout but always tough to play. They play a simple 12 personnel most of the time and will run left off tackle, right off tackle, on zone schemes and every once in a while run some read option and draw plays. Oh yeah, they throw in play action passing in there with a QB who is barely capable of completing 50% of his passes. Defensively, they run that 3-3-5 stack defense that is really hard to prepare for (see UNC-G game for CU). This is the only team Utah will see that runs the scheme so they will have their issues in the first half. SDSU, as always, has a tremendous defense. Utah, on the other hand, is a bit of a quandary. So much returns for that team and they upgraded the positions that didn't return. 3 stud transfers at RB, 3 stud additions at QB, additions at safety, WR, on the line and All Pac 12 defensive player of the year returning at LB. Yet, somehow, all of that looked quite pedestrian against BYU. QB Brewer, just like at Baylor, can get deer in the headlights look in his eyes if he's forced to hold the ball. Not a runner either so you don't get that element to the offense Utah got so used to having in the past. Defensively, Utah gave up WAY too many yards in the running game for a group that returns such a formidable front 7. Not good news when you play SDSU who can literally only run the ball. Game will be close but I expect Utah will pull it out in the end (barely). Low scoring affair as always SDSU games.
Utah - 17
SDSU -14
3.) Fresno St. at UCLA (-11) - People are really putting ALL of their eggs in the UCLA basket. Yes they have been dominant. All of their new parts have had amazing chemistry on a team with a 4 year starter at QB who hasn't even found his groove yet. Is this the year UCLA wins the Pac? Or is this just a mirage? We will find out this week. We know one thing, Fresno is for real. They are 1 bad over pursuit of a QB from being 2-0 and ranked. Fresno has the 2nd best QB in the MWC in Haener, a future NFL player. I wouldn't want anything to do with Fresno, but Fresno is still very G5ish in their lines. They can be bullied in the trenches as we saw late with Oregon. Give Haener time though and this could be an upset. I'm going with UCLA for no other reason than they seem to be on a roll and it's their 3rd home game in a row. No blowout in this one though.
Fresno St. - 24
UCLA - 28
4.) Stanford at Vanderbilt (-12.5) - Stanford has a QB who can really play in Tanner McKee, the 6'6" freshman 5* QB off of a mission. Might be 2-0 Stanford if they had gone with him all camp and started him against KSU. Vandy made a surprising comeback against the most inept team in FBS, CSU. Vandy looked so bad in that one early they could have been FCS. I suspect they put up a bigger fight against Stanford even, but I suspect Stanford beats them up in the trenches in half 2.
Stanford - 28
Vanderbilt - 10
5.) USC (-7.5) at WSU (+7.5) - Damn, I had this as a blowout coming into this week. Now... I don't know. Who knows how USC responds in this one. WSU will pull out all the stops and have the right QB now. Could be an upset on the way here if things fall right for WSU. I suspect that USC is just too good though and Slovis won't let them down. WSU's defense is just not what it used to be so I don't think they can pull it off. If this was a Leach defense, I would take WSU straight up. With this new defense, no way can I go with them. Taking USC in this one.
USC - 27
WSU -17
6.) Arkansas State at Washington (-17) - Washington should pound Arkansas State and release all of that anger at being 0-2 after starting the year off ranked. Right now, they are 11th in the Pac 12, just above Cal. Who thought the North would be so bad. I suspect the North makes a comeback this week. Washington doesn't have the offense this year to blow a lot of teams out, but I suspect the defense will get takeaways making it a lopsided score anyway.
Arkansas State - 13
Washington - 35
7.) Northern Arizona at Arizona - After week 1, I figured Arizona would blow NAU out of the state. Man, wondered if Fisch really did have something brewing down in the desert; then, last week happened. They looked like an FCS team against SDSU in the first half. Really failed in all facets of the game (gave up TDs on offense, defense, and special teams - block punt). Offense isn't good enough to get them out of a hole. Game might be more competitive than people think. Hopefully Zona blows them out though.
Northern Arizona - 20
Arizona - 31
8.) Stoney Brook at Oregon - Jeez, why are we playing this stupid game. Oregon's 4th team will get lots of playing time.
Stoney Brook - 3
Oregon - 55
9.) CSUS at Cal - Who the heck is CSUS. Sacramento St?? Doesn't matter. Cal's first win. Cal was competitive against TCU. I take it their 3rd teamers will get lots of time and a must needed blowout after going 0-2 with recruits decommitting after seeing the light that Cal is a lost cause.
CSUS - 0
Cal - 42
10.) Idaho at Oregon State - Idaho is actually not a bad team since they were Division I-A just a few years ago. They will probably be better than CSUS anyway. Oregon St. racked up over 600 yards of offense last week. Chance Nolan has them rolling. Sam Noyer will get some time under center again. Should be a fun home game for Oregon State. Their only blowout of the season no doubt.
Idaho - 17
Oregon State - 55
11.) Minnesota at Colorado (-2.5) - This game will prove to be better than the ASU @ BYU game. Minnesota is a GOOD team. They are 1-1 but, like CU, should probably be 2-0. Would be the game of the week if not for a bounce or two here and there. Both teams might be better than ASU and BYU. Minnesota's WRs are coming alive as they got healthy and the transfer (Wright) looks really, really, good. Minny is 1 Ibrahim from being elite on offense. Not to worry though, their backup (Potts) went for 180 against Miami of Ohio. Morgan is efficient and a senior. Defensively, Minny has given up some huge plays in the passing game 2 weeks in a row. Even Miami of Ohio with little brother Gabbert (the youngest Gabbert brother) went wild with big plays against Minny's D. Was thinking low scoring when we first had this game on our schedule, but with Minnesota's trouble with the passing game, I don't know. Of course, CU hasn't been able to throw the ball at all which helps the Gophers. CU can't be great every week on Defense, so I predict we have a letdown on defense this week. That means, this week, the offense must come alive. Need Lewis to get it right. Minnesota will blitz all day in hopes of getting some 3 and outs while they methodically move the ball down the field like A&M did in the 4th quarter. CU has to counter with balance on offense. Need some screen plays, quick hitting runs and passes to punish them for gambling. OL should be worlds better this game than it has been in the first 2 games. Great tossup game, but one CU can win if the special teams finally start producing. I suspect they will this game.
Minnesota - 24
Colorado - 27
ASU - 30
BYU - 21
2.) Utah (-8.5) at SDSU - This is a really tough one. SDSU is a lot better than people think. They still are the same SDSU though. Pretty easy to scout but always tough to play. They play a simple 12 personnel most of the time and will run left off tackle, right off tackle, on zone schemes and every once in a while run some read option and draw plays. Oh yeah, they throw in play action passing in there with a QB who is barely capable of completing 50% of his passes. Defensively, they run that 3-3-5 stack defense that is really hard to prepare for (see UNC-G game for CU). This is the only team Utah will see that runs the scheme so they will have their issues in the first half. SDSU, as always, has a tremendous defense. Utah, on the other hand, is a bit of a quandary. So much returns for that team and they upgraded the positions that didn't return. 3 stud transfers at RB, 3 stud additions at QB, additions at safety, WR, on the line and All Pac 12 defensive player of the year returning at LB. Yet, somehow, all of that looked quite pedestrian against BYU. QB Brewer, just like at Baylor, can get deer in the headlights look in his eyes if he's forced to hold the ball. Not a runner either so you don't get that element to the offense Utah got so used to having in the past. Defensively, Utah gave up WAY too many yards in the running game for a group that returns such a formidable front 7. Not good news when you play SDSU who can literally only run the ball. Game will be close but I expect Utah will pull it out in the end (barely). Low scoring affair as always SDSU games.
Utah - 17
SDSU -14
3.) Fresno St. at UCLA (-11) - People are really putting ALL of their eggs in the UCLA basket. Yes they have been dominant. All of their new parts have had amazing chemistry on a team with a 4 year starter at QB who hasn't even found his groove yet. Is this the year UCLA wins the Pac? Or is this just a mirage? We will find out this week. We know one thing, Fresno is for real. They are 1 bad over pursuit of a QB from being 2-0 and ranked. Fresno has the 2nd best QB in the MWC in Haener, a future NFL player. I wouldn't want anything to do with Fresno, but Fresno is still very G5ish in their lines. They can be bullied in the trenches as we saw late with Oregon. Give Haener time though and this could be an upset. I'm going with UCLA for no other reason than they seem to be on a roll and it's their 3rd home game in a row. No blowout in this one though.
Fresno St. - 24
UCLA - 28
4.) Stanford at Vanderbilt (-12.5) - Stanford has a QB who can really play in Tanner McKee, the 6'6" freshman 5* QB off of a mission. Might be 2-0 Stanford if they had gone with him all camp and started him against KSU. Vandy made a surprising comeback against the most inept team in FBS, CSU. Vandy looked so bad in that one early they could have been FCS. I suspect they put up a bigger fight against Stanford even, but I suspect Stanford beats them up in the trenches in half 2.
Stanford - 28
Vanderbilt - 10
5.) USC (-7.5) at WSU (+7.5) - Damn, I had this as a blowout coming into this week. Now... I don't know. Who knows how USC responds in this one. WSU will pull out all the stops and have the right QB now. Could be an upset on the way here if things fall right for WSU. I suspect that USC is just too good though and Slovis won't let them down. WSU's defense is just not what it used to be so I don't think they can pull it off. If this was a Leach defense, I would take WSU straight up. With this new defense, no way can I go with them. Taking USC in this one.
USC - 27
WSU -17
6.) Arkansas State at Washington (-17) - Washington should pound Arkansas State and release all of that anger at being 0-2 after starting the year off ranked. Right now, they are 11th in the Pac 12, just above Cal. Who thought the North would be so bad. I suspect the North makes a comeback this week. Washington doesn't have the offense this year to blow a lot of teams out, but I suspect the defense will get takeaways making it a lopsided score anyway.
Arkansas State - 13
Washington - 35
7.) Northern Arizona at Arizona - After week 1, I figured Arizona would blow NAU out of the state. Man, wondered if Fisch really did have something brewing down in the desert; then, last week happened. They looked like an FCS team against SDSU in the first half. Really failed in all facets of the game (gave up TDs on offense, defense, and special teams - block punt). Offense isn't good enough to get them out of a hole. Game might be more competitive than people think. Hopefully Zona blows them out though.
Northern Arizona - 20
Arizona - 31
8.) Stoney Brook at Oregon - Jeez, why are we playing this stupid game. Oregon's 4th team will get lots of playing time.
Stoney Brook - 3
Oregon - 55
9.) CSUS at Cal - Who the heck is CSUS. Sacramento St?? Doesn't matter. Cal's first win. Cal was competitive against TCU. I take it their 3rd teamers will get lots of time and a must needed blowout after going 0-2 with recruits decommitting after seeing the light that Cal is a lost cause.
CSUS - 0
Cal - 42
10.) Idaho at Oregon State - Idaho is actually not a bad team since they were Division I-A just a few years ago. They will probably be better than CSUS anyway. Oregon St. racked up over 600 yards of offense last week. Chance Nolan has them rolling. Sam Noyer will get some time under center again. Should be a fun home game for Oregon State. Their only blowout of the season no doubt.
Idaho - 17
Oregon State - 55
11.) Minnesota at Colorado (-2.5) - This game will prove to be better than the ASU @ BYU game. Minnesota is a GOOD team. They are 1-1 but, like CU, should probably be 2-0. Would be the game of the week if not for a bounce or two here and there. Both teams might be better than ASU and BYU. Minnesota's WRs are coming alive as they got healthy and the transfer (Wright) looks really, really, good. Minny is 1 Ibrahim from being elite on offense. Not to worry though, their backup (Potts) went for 180 against Miami of Ohio. Morgan is efficient and a senior. Defensively, Minny has given up some huge plays in the passing game 2 weeks in a row. Even Miami of Ohio with little brother Gabbert (the youngest Gabbert brother) went wild with big plays against Minny's D. Was thinking low scoring when we first had this game on our schedule, but with Minnesota's trouble with the passing game, I don't know. Of course, CU hasn't been able to throw the ball at all which helps the Gophers. CU can't be great every week on Defense, so I predict we have a letdown on defense this week. That means, this week, the offense must come alive. Need Lewis to get it right. Minnesota will blitz all day in hopes of getting some 3 and outs while they methodically move the ball down the field like A&M did in the 4th quarter. CU has to counter with balance on offense. Need some screen plays, quick hitting runs and passes to punish them for gambling. OL should be worlds better this game than it has been in the first 2 games. Great tossup game, but one CU can win if the special teams finally start producing. I suspect they will this game.
Minnesota - 24
Colorado - 27
