The phrase west coast, best coast is true in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to taking in college football games.
Continue readingThe West Coast is the Best Place for College Football Fans
Pac-12 Football Preseason Power Rankings 2019-20
Welcome to the Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings. A team from the Pac-12 has a real chance to make the College Football Playoffs in 2019. The conference starts off with five teams in the preseason AP Poll. Oregon, Washington, and Utah all start the season ranked inside the AP top 14. The conference has a chance to quiet all the outside noise about money and tv deals, and the Pac-12 network by winning a national championship. Join and participate in the new Pac-12 Sports Subreddit for all your Pac-12 news, info, and smack talk.
Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings:
The Pac-12 Power Rankings will available on Unafraid Show every Monday morning. Make sure you send your comments and grievances to immad@unafraidshow.com.
12. Oregon State Beavers
The Beavers should be markedly better in Jonathan Smith’s second season as head coach. Oregon State returns their top passer, running back, wide receiver, and top nine tacklers from last season. They finished 2018 with a 2-10 record and lost nine games by 17 points or more, so truthfully, there is nowhere to go but up. The best thing they have going is Sophomore running back Jemar Jefferson. He finished 4th in the conference in running as a freshman last year with 1,414 yards. Fans should expect another 2-10 season, but the games should be much more competitive.
11. Colorado Buffaloes
Mel Tucker’s first season as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes should not be a bad one. He did not inherit a full rebuild like Jonathan Smith at Oregon State. Tucker returns veteran QB Steven Montez who has won big games. And they have the best offensive weapon in the conference WR Laviska Shenault.
The Buffaloes started last season 5-0 with wins over Nebraska, UCLA, and Arizona State. The back half of their schedule was much tougher, but losing seven games in a row seems more of a loss of confidence and focus than just being terrible.
10. Arizona Wildcats
The biggest wildcard in the Pac-12 is the Wildcats. On paper, this team looks very average. Their players don’t have a ton of recruiting stars behind their names, but when they play as a team they can be a force. If QB Khalil Tate can rekindle the magic from his sophomore season that landed him on magazine covers before last season, the Wildcats will make a bowl game. The combination of Tate and RB JJ Taylor in the read-option can a nightmare for defenses. But, can head coach Kevin Sumlin convince Tate not to worry about proving his passing abilities to NFL scouts and just play to his strengths?
9. Arizona State Sun Devils
A year ago so many people were questioning the hiring of Herm Edwards as ASU head coach. They said he was too old, hadn’t coached recently, and his “NFL model” would not work. Then the Sun Devils went 7-6, made a bowl game, and did a helluva job recruiting. Now all the critics are silent. Herm and his staff will have their hands full in the Pac-12 starting a freshman at QB. But they return eight starters including the 2018 Pac-12 leading rusher Eno Benjamin (1,642 yards, 16 TDs) who should make life a little easier.
8. Washington State Cougars
I am still irritated that the Cougars magical 11-2 season last year was not rewarded with a New Years’ Six Bowl game. They were passed but by the bowl selection committee for teams ranked lower and the conference didn’t make a big deal about it. They just took the scraps and stayed quiet about it.
Mike Leach’s ‘Air Raid’ offense gives Pac-12 teams fits when he has a good QB. Last year Gardner Minshew came out of nowhere to be an NFL draft pick after transferring from East Carolina. Can Leach recreate that magic with grad transfer Gage Gubrod or Anthony Gordon at QB? Word on the street is that Gordon has the edge for this job. Hence the #8 spot on the Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings 2019. The Cougs also have Max Borghi who is expected to have a breakout season in 2019.
7. UCLA Bruins
Call me crazy, but this is the team I picked to win the Pac-12 south. I expect the Bruins to be much improved in 2019. Chip Kelly proved he is a great football coach in 2018. He is known for his up-tempo style, but by seasons end the Bruins were in three tight end sets running smashmouth football winning games. He adjusts his offense to whatever will win. The Bruins started the youngest team in the nation in 2018. Their 2-deep was full of lineup freshman and sophomores.
I expect that with a full offseason of work Chip will have a new wrinkle and magic trick up his sleeve. He made it to a national championship and won a ton of games with guys like Daron Thomas and Jerimiah Masoli at QB. So, he should be able to have success with expected sophomore starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
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6. Cal Golden Bears
There is only one thing that can keep Cal from back-to-back bowl games, quarterback play. If Cal could have switched QBs with ANY team in the conference they would have won 10 games in 2018. Cal’s defense was just devouring offenses. They only gave up more than 20 points six times in 2018. The Golden Bears held USC and conference champion Washington to a combined 24 points last season. Their defense returns seven starters including the best secondary in the Pac-12 and top 5 in the nation.
QB Chase Garbers is no longer a freshman and should be much better in 2019. If he plays really well, Cal could shock the Pac-12 world. I wanted to put them higher on the Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings but the north division is just stacked.
5. USC Trojans
USC should have enough motivation to right the ship in 2019. They had their first losing record since 2000 and only the 3rd one since I have been alive (1981). The Trojans are playing for well-like head coach Clay Helton’s job. And they are being absolutely disrespected nationally. USC only got one vote in the preseason AP poll and are behind Appalachian State and Army.
QB JT Daniels should make huge strides in 2019 because he is throwing to the 2nd best WR core in the nation. The combination of St. Brown, Vaughns, and Pittman is special. USC is not short on talent, so anything besides a Pac-12 south title is a failure.
4. Utah Utes
The Pac-12 media (except me) is in love with Utah and even picked them to win the conference. The Utes are well-coached, play hard, and have a three clear cut 1st-2nd round NFL players (Zack Moss, Jaylen Johnson, and Leki Fotu). But, their Achilles heel this year will be their QB play. They play a very favorable conference schedule but have to play USC and Washington on the road. Tyler Huntley is back healthy at QB. He is a solid QB but Utah will need him to be special to manage 10 wins out of this schedule.
3. Stanford Cardinal
2018 was a huge disappointment for David Shaw and the Stanford Cardinal. Their 9-4 record looked fine on paper. But they could have been 11-2. Their inability to run the football with Heisman candidate Bryce Love was surprising. However, they did get some good news. They found out they have a sure-fire NFL QB in KJ Costello.
The thing I love about Stanford is that their schedule is always good. They don’t schedule themselves 2-3 easy non-conference game. But that could ultimately be their undoing in 2019. The Cardinal have Northwestern, at USC, at UCF, Oregon, and Washington in the first six weeks of the season, with no open week. OUCH!
2. Washington Huskies
The defending Pac-12 champions only return two starters on what was one of the nation’s best defenses in 2018. Their defense will still be well-coached but there will be a natural dip when you lose five starters to the NFL draft. Chris Petersen does believe he has an upgrade at QB in Georgia transfer Jacob Eason.
The Huskies have a very easy non-conference schedule so navigating the brutal Pac-12 north will be the only thing that stands between them and another Rose Bowl and potential CFB Playoff berth.
1. Oregon Ducks
There can be no excuses for the Mario Cristobal and Oregon in 2019. The Ducks have an NFL 1st round QB in Justin Herbert, the best OL in the nation, and a very solid defense. It all starts on Aug. 31against Auburn in the most important game a Pac-12 team will play this season. This game will determine the national respect of the Pac-12 in 2019.
Their road schedule (Stanford, Washington, USC, Arizona St) is tough, but they avoid Utah with the schedule rotation.
This is the season the Ducks must prove they “are back” as a national championship contender. They have a real shot at the CFB Playoff if they beat Auburn and don’t lose more than 1 Pac-12 game. However, undefeated would guarantee them a spot.
Check back every Monday for the Pac-12 Power Rankings.
Best College Football Week One Games to Watch and Where to See Them
College football week one is nearly here and with it comes a great slate of games. Here are the best week one college football games.
Continue readingNCAA Tournament March Madness Round 1: From the Front Row
March Madness is Even More Exciting in Person
The SAP Center in San Jose, Ca hosted round 1 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament in San Jose, Ca. The March Madness round of 64 was without a doubt some of the most exciting showcases we have seen in a while. It was a joy to watch from nearly the front row.
Walking in on the arena floor and staring up into the seats it was easy to feel the buzz in the air. To misquote the great Jim Nance, The NCAA Tournament is a tradition like no other. Parents, friends, families, alumni, and fans all gather from various places and descend to take part in March Madness.
To pull back the curtain of separation between fan and sportswriter just a bit, I have covered many different events in my short time as a sportswriter but nothing quite like this. I have covered chalk talks, football games, conference championship games, and nothing gave me the jitters and feelings of sentiment quite like this.
The Tournament is a special thing yet continued to be a generational bridge in love of sports. Everyone appreciates the pageantry of March Madness. The passion of college athletics and fandoms alike as 64 teams are all equal in search of achieving the same common goal, cutting down the nets in US Bank Stadium.
UC Irvine vs Kansas State
The UC Irvine Anteaters took on the Kansas State Wildcats in the opening game of the day. In what was a back and forth contest all the way up until the last 1:25 seconds of the game we were treated to run and counter run. Junior guards Max Hazzard #2 and Evan Leonard both scored 19 points in the contest and were the last scorers in the first and second halves.
The Anteaters achieved their first ever NCAA tournament win and a classic #13 seed over #4 seed upset 70-64. It took a complete team effort every man on the bench was of vital importance as they wore down the Wildcats with their open court attack.
Nothing is better in the NCAA tourney than an upset. It brings out the best in fans and underdogs whom nobody gave a chance. The Anteaters had very little belief outside of their players and fanbase but it was clear they belonged from the start.
Winning in the tournament meant the world to their fanbase who made the trek down to support their team. The Anteaters haven’t lot since January, however they find themselves with a difficult round two matchup in the University of Oregon. The Anteaters expected this outcome because they know how much work they have put in to get here. Victory is the ultimate reward for focus dedication and execution.
Oregon Ducks vs Wisconsin Badgers
The Oregon Ducks did battle with the Wisconsin Badgers in the second matchup of the afternoon. Early on it was a chess match, as the two teams felt each other out. Back and forth it would go in a bit of a defensive struggle, at the half the teams would find themselves tied at 25.
And then Oregon head coach Dana Altman would go into the locker room and whatever he said, whatever he drew
RS Sr. Paul White opened up the half on absolute fire. He scored in the paint he scored from behind the three-point line, and he scored from the free throw line. Within 9 minutes of the second half, White went 4-4 from the field, 2-2 from deep, and 2-2 at the line. Providing the Ducks the spark they needed to take flight.
Kenny Wooten Jr. was sensational and a major reason why the Ducks were able to go on a run and nearly double up the Badgers in the second half. Wooten was the defensive enforcer and no shot or layup was safe when he was in proximity. Wooten possesses the unique ability of being able to damn near jump out of the gym.
His bounce was magnificent and he soared up and over all of the Badgers futile shot attempts. Wooten slapped layups off the backboard, he got clean stuffs, and this one time at March Madness he swatted a shot off the court from just outside the paint.
Winners of four straight and the Pac-12 Championship the Ducks are thrilled to have this moment yet remain focused on the larger picture, winning a championship.
Liberty Eagles vs Mississippi State Bulldogs
#12 seed Liberty University Eagles and #5 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs was a true underdog story. The Bulldogs led for 29:34 seconds of the game. They held the lead up until about the final 2:30 seconds of the game. The Eagles dug deep and when they needed stops and timely shooting they got them.
Redshirt Jr. Caleb Homesley drop a region-leading 30 points on the Bulldogs, going 10-16 from the field, 5-11 from deep, and 5-6 at the charity stripe. Myo Baxter-Bell was a beast down low and out of his 13 points the last four free-throws actually sealed the game for the Eagles by continuing to extend the score in the closing moments of regulation.
The Bulldogs played a great game for 36 minutes but the lone 10 point run they gave up was the difference in the game. Guards Lamar Peters #2 and Quinndary Weatherspoon #11 scored 21 and 27 points respectively and kept their team moving along in the led. Unfortunately down the stretch when they couldn’t score nobody else stepped up for the Bulldogs.
Saint Louis Billikens vs Virginia Tech Hokies
The final game of the evening pit the #15 seed Saint Louis University Billikins against the #4 seed Virginia Tech Hokies. After an upsetting evening to the favorites the Hokies restored the natural selection balance. SLU was outclassed across the board, the court and the sideline and it showed.
Lacking a low post scoring presence allowed the Hokies to run a defense which looked like a combination of a 3-2 zone and a half court trap and it completely baffled the Billikin’s offense.
It took the SLU offense nearly 15 minutes to acquire double digits in points. Up close it appeared they only were allowed to score because the coach of the Hokies chose not to employ his trap strategy on every possession.
Meanwhile there was nothing the SLU defense could throw at the Hokies that they weren’t ready for. The Hokies went to the rack at will, had no problems locating and converting shots, and to further assert dominance went coast to coast on inbounds numerous times.
SLU trailed by 15-20 points for the majority of the game until they began making a push halfway through the 2nd half to cut the lead to ten. The Hokies responded by going back to the trap defense and it re-stymied the Billikin offense all over again. 66-52 would be the final score and conclude an excellent opening round of basketball.
Reaction: Is Jim Leavitt Leaving the Oregon Ducks? Why? What’s Next?
*updated 7:43am 2/14/19
Reports came out Wednesday evening that the Oregon Ducks would be parting ways with their defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. Yet, no official statement has been made by the university or Jim Leavitt. He did remove “Oregon LB coach/defensive coordinator” from his Twitter profile. And Bruce Feldman tweeted that Oregon and Jim Leavitt have reached a financial settlement. The biggest questions are why have Leavitt and head coach Mario Cristobal struggled to co-exist, and will he be fired, resign, or will they make up? There had been grumblings of discord within the coaching staff for the quite some time. Apparently, those frustrations have come to a head.
There are four possibilities in this situation: Oregon fires Leavitt and pays out the rest of his contract, Leavitt resigns, Oregon fires Leavitt for cause, or athletic director Rob Mullens and the rest of the decision makers get the coaches to work out their differences.
It seems unlikely that the Ducks would want to fire Leavitt who is under contract through January 31, 2022, at $1.7 million per year. Technically, that could be done, but that would be a high price to pay to get Leavitt to go away. It also seems extremely unlikely that Leavitt just quits without having another job lined up. He would forfeit the remaining money he is guaranteed. I don’t know one person who would leave that kind of money on the table. If Leavitt did something for Oregon to fire him for cause, we would have heard about it before now. So, that leaves Leavitt and Cristobal kissing and making up as a viable option.
What will the fallout be if Leavitt leaves? Will players enter the transfer portal? Who will be the next defensive coordinator?
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Pac-12 Conference: Five Things Must Change to Keep Pace in College Football
The Pac-12 is called the “Conference of Champions” because it boasts the most national championships in all of college athletics. That statement is true. Yes, it’s nice and fun to win track, volleyball, softball, baseball, and golf championships. But the reality is that college football is king and the Pac-12 conference hasn’t won a national championship since USC in 2004. If the leadership stays on the current course, only God knows when it will happen again. I will examine the problems the conference faces and the steps it needs to take to remedy them. I promise not to even mention the officiating and replay drama.
1. Admit There is a Problem/Speak Up
The first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem. It seems that everyone outside of Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott realizes the Pac-12 is at the beginning stages of a free fall behind the other four power 5 conferences. Public perception, revenue-sharing payout projections, television contracts, officiating, and conference play schedules are all bad.
The Big Ten and Big XII commissioners have been outspoken when they believe their teams have been slighted by the CFB Playoff committee. They are 100% right to do so because the reality is that there is a tremendous imbalance in the schedules which affects rankings. The ACC and SEC play eight conference games while the Pac-12, Big Ten and Big XII all play nine. In contrast, when Pac-12 teams get slighted the conference just takes it in stride and makes no waves. Here was commissioner Larry Scott’s statement about Washington State being left out of the New Years’ Six Bowls:
“Washington State University had a fantastic season, a very strong record, and captured the attention of the nation with their thrilling style of play and remarkable competitiveness in every game. While we are disappointed that they were not selected for a New Year’s Six bowl, we made the case for Washington State to the selection committee through the established communications protocols, and we were aligned in our approach with Washington State in this regard. At the same time, we know that the selection committee has difficult decisions to make, and we respect the committee and its members.”
Does this sound like the statement of anyone who is willing to demand change? Or does this seem like the statement of someone who just takes what they can get? My mom always said the squeaky wheel gets the oil. The Pac-12 is not making enough noise or disruption to cause change. The Big Ten has been left out of the CFB Playoff for three straight years. Their commissioner Jim Delany sees the bias and is now demanding an 8-team playoff. Guess which commissioner is more likely to get something done to help his conference?
2. Fix Pac-12 Network and TV Contracts
The problems with the Pac-12 network are accessibility and revenue generation. Pac-12 fans cannot watch if they have DirectTV or have streaming service providers like Hulu TV or YouTube TV. In the era of cord-cutters, that is a total disaster. The conference doesn’t even have an app on Apple TV or Amazon Fire Stick. To make matters worse, their contract with Uverse was not renewed. If the Pac-12 cannot be seen by most college football fans, the perception of the conference suffers.
The Pac-12 loves to boast that it is the only conference that wholly owns its own network. Fox owns 49% of the Big Ten Network. The SEC and ACC Network are entirely owned by ESPN. Who cares if the Pac-12 owns the entire network if it is not generating the revenue the other conferences do? More revenue means more resources for coaches and recruiting. Better players and coaches lead to more success which comes full circle to more money.
When payments are made for this year, the Pac-12 will be last amongst the Power-5 conferences in distributions to their member schools. Over the next five years, the conference will fall even further behind and won’t even reach $38 million in payouts per school until 2023.
By comparison, the Big Ten is expected to provide payouts to schools this year that exceed $51 million. The SEC is currently at $42 million, and the Big 12 is at $38. Even the Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to pass $40 million after previously ranking last. Each of those conferences future projection increases are larger than the Pac-12.
The Pac-12 has to find a way to generate significantly more revenue in a hurry. The schools and Pac-12 leadership need to do away with the arrogant attitude that the conference can achieve success equal to the Big Ten and SEC on a “lean” budget. Success in football drives the revenue for all conferences. Can the Pac-12 have the success necessary on the football field to warrant a network shelling out big cash to air their games?
Jon Wilner does a great job detailing more about the Pac-12 finances.
3. Poorly Designed Schedules Hurt the Pac-12
Pac-12 football schedules are set with a three-step process. The individual teams set their own non-conference schedules. Those are then sent to a company that builds the conference schedules around those. The athletic directors then view and approve the schedules.
The Pac-12 is already playing at a disadvantage to the SEC and ACC by playing nine conference games. I detail how the amount of conference games dramatically affects rankings here. The conference does not do itself any favors by creating competitive disadvantages during conference play. The SEC schedules its teams for success. Their biggest rivalry games are almost always preceded by a bye week or FCS opponent. The LSU-Alabama, Auburn-Alabama, and Florida-Georgia games are prime examples. And they would never have one team coming off a bye playing a team on a Friday night or in the conference championship. The conference’s most important rivalry games are typically played toward the end of the season for the committee to talk about. The Pac-12 literally does the complete opposite of this.
Oregon-Washington, USC-UCLA, USC-Stanford, and any other combination of those games should be highlighted by the conference. Instead, most of these games are at the beginning of the season in 2019 and will be forgotten by the time the committee decides the top four. Stanford plays three of its most critical Pac-12 games against USC, Oregon, and Washington in the first six weeks of the season without a bye. Washington and Oregon are projected to be some of the best teams in the Pac-12 but have similar situations. How on earth does this make sense?
Imagine if the conference scheduled those games towards the end of the season when those teams are 7-0 or 6-1 like the SEC does. You would have “epic matchups of college football heavyweights.” And the loser would fall minimally in the rankings. The Pac-12 has to be more strategic with scheduling because it drastically impacts perception, rankings, and ability to make the playoff.
USC, UCLA, and Stanford typically put together schedules of 11 Power-5 games which no other teams from any other conference would attempt, especially the SEC. This year Stanford plays ZERO FCS opponents and plays 11 Power-5 teams plus UCF. I applaud these schedules and believe every team in college football should follow suit. However, they do need to include strategically plans bye weeks.
4. Game Times
East Coast Bias is real, but the Pac-12 exacerbates the problem with atrocious start times. “Pac-12 After Dark” is always a trending topic on fall Saturday nights, but it’s a thing that nobody on the east coast or midwest sees. These 10p ET kickoffs mean east coast college football fans would be on their 13th hour of games when they end at 1-2a ET. It is unreasonable to expect that fans and media east of the Mississippi will watch. It does a complete disservice to some of the best teams and players in the nation.
Christian McCaffrey didn’t win the Heisman trophy in 2015 because of “Pac-12 After Dark”. Seven of his games started after 10p ET that season. He had one of the most incredible seasons when broke Barry Sanders single-season NCAA all-purpose yardage record (3250), but didn’t get the hardware.
When rankings and postseason accolades are affected, clearly a change has to be made.
5. Make it Matter More to Fans
Pac-12 fans as a whole are just not engaged and invested at the same level as SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 fans. As a Pac-12 fan, it is frustrating and sad to admit that. The schools have to find a way to ignite the rabid nature of fans. It is time to do away with the casual kind of fandom. There is no reason that USC and UCLA games are quiet as a church mouse until something good happens. Fans have to live and die with the games. That is the only way to get respect from the rest of the nation.
The Pac-12 has some of the best football in all of college football, but until these things are fixed, it will continue to be underappreciated.
Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers: The Not So Civil War Game
The Jokes
Breaking News: It is being reported that Oregon State head football coach Jonathan Smith will only be able to dress twenty players for the Oregon game. The rest of the players will have to get dressed by themselves!!
Eugene and Corvallis are separated by one highway, but the separation between the Green/Gold and the Black/Pumpkin Orange is much greater. In Eugene we have a saying, if you see a Beaver with a Championship ring, call the Police, He’s a thief!!
The Rivalry
2019 marks the 123rd meeting between the two schools. The Ducks lead the series 65-47-10.
The Civil War, Ducks vs. Beavers, is not so civil!!! There couldn’t be bigger differences between the two schools that are only about 47 miles apart. The rivalry is like Big Brother vs. Little Brother, the Haves vs. the Have-Nots, or the popular vs. the unpopular kids. The Beavers look at themselves like blue-collar, hard workers who are the meat and potatoes of this country. They feel they earn everything they get, but we get everything handed to us on a silver platter. So when the Beavers play the Ducks, they have a big chip on their shoulder, because they live in the humongous shadow of the “O.”
If the Beavs feel the Ducks look down on the kids that play for Corvallis, they should. We do! OSU is a team to be respected and never taken lightly, but Duck players and fans feel we should never lose to “little brother.” The guys from Corvallis take our hand-me-downs and left-overs. We didn’t want Orange, so they took it. We get the newest uniforms; they get what is left. We get nationally televised games; they get the occasional regional broadcast plus radio. The Ducks are striving higher for National Championships while the Beavers are trying to climb from the Pac-12 cellar.
Why is my disdain for the Beavers so great? Simple. I’m a Duck. During my four years at Oregon, the Beavers beat us twice!!! That includes a 45-24 Shellacking in Corvallis my last year at Oregon. Until 3 days ago I had blocked that memory out of my mind. Honestly, until I was reminded I really thought we won (I’m blocking, I know lol). It still haunts me. So yes, we should run up the score like the 69-10 beat down last year if given the opportunity. I assure you the Beavers would if they could.
Classic Civil War Story
One time during the week of the civil war Samie Parker, Onterrio Smith and I were in Red Robin, and I saw TJ Housh “Your daddy” Houshmandzadeh (OSU wide receiver) sitting there with his wife and daughter. I had our waitress deliver him a note that said we were gonna beat the breaks off of him. TJ is a friend of mine now and a great guy. I was talking to him about that before the season started and he said, “man, I thought I was gonna have to fight ya’ll with the family there.” LOL, it was all done in good fun. TJ got the last laugh tho, Oregon State won the game.
What makes the “Un”-Civil War so great? You never know who is gonna win. What’s on the line in this game? BRAGGING RIGHTS! Two great programs are competing with their whole heart and soul to represent the state of Oregon. If you win, no one can say a word to you, but if you lose, you have a year of heckling to deal with. Both schools alumni have so much pride and love for our perspective schools that a loss is devastating. In recent years, this game had gotten coaches fired (Helfrich), and determined which team would go to the Rose Bowl.
2018 may not be the Biggest game in UO/OSU history, but it is important for both schools. Oregon’s head coach Mario Cristobal cannot afford a loss to the 2-9 Beavers. And the Beavers would love nothing better than to make Ducks fans question their future. The Ducks have been to multiple Rose Bowls and National Championships in the last 10 years. The Beavers haven’t been to the Rose Bowl since 1965… but that only makes the game that much more important for both schools. The Ducks want to keep their little brother in his place, and Oregon State wants to knock some of their big brother’s shine off. The intensity in Reser Stadium will be nothing less then ELECTRIFYING!!!!
Fun Fact:
The 1983 Civil War game is commonly referred to as the ‘Toilet Bowl’ because of the poor quality of play in the game. There were eleven fumbles, five interceptions, and four missed field goals. It was the last Division I football game to end in a scoreless tie.
See where these teams are in the Pac-12 Power Rankings week 13.
Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 13: Apple Cup, Civil War, Territorial Cup, Rose Bowl
There is so much parity in Pac-12 that it is a tough undertaking to rank the teams outside of #1 Washington State. Washington lost to Oregon and Cal who lost to Arizona who lost to UCLA who lost to Arizona State who lost to Colorado, who lost to Oregon State who lost to USC who lost Stanford, who lost to Utah who lost to Washington. Teams 2-10 have switched up a lot this season and are pretty fluid from week to week. The Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 13 is based on four things: quality wins, schedule played, dominance, and how teams are playing now. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here.
You can see last weeks rankings here.
Pac-12 Bowl Projections are after the rankings.
Send all your questions, comments, and grievances to: Immad@unafraidshow.com
12. Colorado (5-6)
(L) 7-30 Utah
Not only has Colorado lost six straight games since starting 5-0. The Buffaloes have scored a grand total of 14 points in the last two weeks! The team isn’t playing as hard and their intensity is gone. It is obvious that the team sees the writing on the wall. Mike MacIntyre likely won’t be retained as the head coach for next season. He deserves credit for bringing stability to a program that was in total dysfunction. However, after six seasons and only one of those with more than five wins, it is hard to advocate for him. The Buffaloes will try to get bowl eligible this weekend at Cal.
11. Oregon State (2-9)
(L) 23-42 Washington
Everyone knew there would be no upset against Washington, but things are looking up for the Beavers. While their defense still can’t stop anyone ever their offense is continuing to show promise for the future. Jonathan Smith can at least take solace in the fact that multiple times this season the Beavers were not the worst team in the Pac-12.
10. Arizona (5-6)
(L) 28-69 Washington State
The Arizona defense returned back to form against Washington State. They allowed Wazzu quarterback Gardner Minshew to have a career day with 473 passing yards and seven touchdowns. The Wildcats defense had been poor all season against the pass and run despite back to back solid performances against Oregon and Colorado. Khalil Tate was one of the few bright spots this week. He finished with 319 total yards and four passing touchdowns. It seemed the freezing temperatures in Pullman took a toll on the warm-blooded Wildcats as they fumbled the ball six times. Coach Kevin Sumlin has to get his team back firing on all cylinders if he hopes to make a bowl game year one.
9. USC (5-6)
(L) 27-34 UCLA
The doomsday scenario has happened for USC. They do not have a school President, the athletic director Lynn Swann will likely be leaving soon, the boosters, fans, and alumni are demanding Clay Helton be fired, and they lost to a 2-8 UCLA team. The game against UCLA looked like it was going in Helton’s favor until a pair of horrendous second-half interceptions by quarterback JT Daniels sealed the Trojans fate. USC allowed UCLA running back Joshua Kelley to rush for 289 yards. So, I have no idea how they are going to compete against Notre Dame this week. If Helton can upset the Fighting Irish and knock them out of the College Football Playoff, he just might be able to save his job.
8. UCLA (3-8)
(W) 34-27 USC
It is all smiles for the “boys in blue”. I actually have never heard anyone other than Maurice Jones-Drew call them that, but whatever. They beat USC after starting off the season 2-8. Chip Kelly has started 20 freshmen this season. Their start was slow, but have improved more than any other Pac-12 team from the beginning of the season until now. Their rushing offense and pass defense have steadily improved throughout the season. The future is extremely bright for the Bruins. I believe Chip Kelly will have UCLA in the College Football Playoff discussion in two more years.
7. Arizona State (6-5)
(L) 29-31 Oregon
If I told ASU fans that they would hire Herm Edwards (who hasn’t coached in forever), and have a chance to finish 7-5 year one they would have been happy. It will only take a win against their rival Arizona to make that a reality. The Sun Devils had to feel like they let a game slip away against Oregon. After a slow start, their defense held the Ducks to only a field goal in the second half. They picked off Justin Herbert twice and put up 16 points as well. If ASU can hold Khalil Tate in check this weekend, their bowl game destination will improve.
6. Cal (6-4)
Postponed vs Stanford (Dec. 1)
Cal is last in the Pac-12 in scoring offense (22.7 ppg). Ordinarily, that would be a huge impediment to winning games. But the Cal defense is only giving up 21.1 ppg. If they can get two wins to finish the season 8-4 coach I am positive you will start to hear Justin Wilcox’s name floated around for other head coaching jobs.
5. Oregon (7-4)
(W) 31-29 Arizona State
The good news is Ducks offense showed signs of life against Arizona State. The bad news is that it was only for one half of football. The Ducks offense scored 28 points in the first half. But only managed three more points and under a hundred yards of total offense in the second half. If the Ducks finish off the Beavers in Corvallis they will finish the regular season 8-4. It will be a could games less than I predicted preseason, but the future still appears bright. The biggest question for the Ducks is will their stars return for their senior seasons Herbert, Mitchell, Dye) . If they do, the Ducks will be in the preseason national championship conversation.
4. Stanford (6-4)
Postponed vs Cal (Dec. 1)
There has been nothing “Stanford-like” about this season. They still need two more wins just to tie David Shaw’s worst record at Stanford. UCLA and Cal won’t be pushovers the next two weeks. The Cardinal will need to get refocused after their game got postponed due to the California fires.
3. Utah (8-3)
(W) 30-7 Colorado
Everyone thought the Utes were done competing for the Pac-12 South crown when they lost their top two offensive playmakers, Tyler Huntley, and Zach Moss. Kyle Whittingham’s team had no intention of packing it in. They have had decisive victories against Oregon and Colorado since then. No matter what happens this week against BYU this week, Utah will still play the winner of the Washington vs. Washington State game in the Pac-12 Championship game. The conference needs Utah to dominate BYU and Washington State to beat Washington. It would set up at top 15 matchup in the championship game. The Utes will have an opportunity to make it to their first Rose Bowl appearance.
2. Washington (8-3)
(W) 42-23 Oregon State
The Huskies had been battling injuries all season, but are finally getting healthy. Myles Gaskin returned to the lineup last week and rushed for over 130 yards in both games. Washington’s offense came back to life and the look like a team that can win the Apple Cup. It will be interesting to see how the #2 defense holds up against the #1 offense in the Pac-12. A potential berth in the Rose Bowl will come down to Jake Browning’s ability to make throws and be special. Washington’s preseason hopes of playing for a national championship are gone, but there is still plenty on the line this week.
1. Washington State (10-1)
(W) 69-28 Arizona
DOMINATION. The Cougars whipped Arizona at every part of the game. Mike Leach’s team had 55 points at halftime. If he were Steve Spurrier in his Florida days he may have just done it. This was one of the statement games Washington State needed to send a message to the College Football Playoff committee that they deserve real consideration for the top four.
Now if they can survive the Apple Cup against Washington on a short week, and handly beat Utah in the Pac-12 championship, the Cougars just may get a berth in the playoffs. There feels like there is something magical about this squad. If they get in the playoffs, everybody better watch out!
BOWL PROJECTIONS
via- Sports Illustrated
Rose Bowl– Ohio State vs. Washington State
Holiday– Iowa vs. Washington
Sun– Syracuse vs. Cal
Alamo– Iowa State vs. Utah
Red Box– Indiana vs. Oregon
Cheez-It– Army vs. Arizona State
Las Vegas– Utah State vs. Stanford
Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 11: Time to Close the Deal
The Pac-12 is still not decided yet. The south division is wide open, and the north is a two-team race. There are still four teams with a shot to win the south. The Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 11 is based on three things: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here.
You can see last weeks rankings here.
Pac-12 Bowl Projections are after the rankings.
Send all your questions, comments, and grievances to: Immad@unafraidshow.com
12. Oregon State (2-7)
(L) 21-38 USC
Oregon State returned to earth after beating Colorado the week before. The good news is they have a quarterback Jake Luton. The bad news is that Luton is a senior. They have a legit running back for the future in Jemar Jefferson who already has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman. Oregon State didn’t win one Pac-12 game last year, so this season should be seen as an improvement… right?
11. Colorado (5-4)
(L) 34-42 Arizona
The Buffaloes are spiraling out of control. Granted, they have been without their All-American wide receiver Lavishka Shenault. They started the season 5-0, but have dropped their last four against USC, Washington, Oregon State, and Arizona. Mike MacIntyre’s job will be in danger if Colorado drops their last three games against Washington State, Utah, and Cal. They have fallen from the top tier of the Pac-12 in rushing defense, rushing offense, 3rd down conversions, and sacks against.
10. UCLA (2-7)
(L) 21-42 Oregon
Their 2-7 record doesn’t show improvement, but when you see the Bruins play, it is clear their team is on the rise. They have found a running back in transfer Joshua Kelley. Their defense held Oregon’s offense in check for three quarters. The offensive line is blocking better and Chip Kelly is getting his college football playcalling legs back under him. At this point, the Bruins goal for the rest of the season should be getting one more win. A win against USC would make the entire season worth it.
9. USC (5-4)
(W) 38-21 Oregon State
USC had been inconsistent rushing the football all season but had their best rushing output of the season against Oregon State. Clay Helton called the plays, and the Trojans finished with 332 yards on the ground against the worst rushing defense in the Pac-12. Can USC keep up the momentum through the rest of the season? Cal brings the best pass defense in the conference to the Coliseum this week. USC cannot go to sleep in this game. If they do, Cal will beat them to sleep.
The USC faithful are trying to be patient, but everyone knows that losses to Cal, UCLA, and Notre Dame will take things to DEFCON 1.
8. Cal (5-4)
(L) 13-19 Washington State
Cal suffered a brutal loss against Washington State. Justin Wilcox has his team playing phenomenal defense, but his offense continually lets him down. They had an opportunity to go up on Wazzu late in the 4th quarter, but sophomore quarterback Brandon McIlwain threw an interception in the end zone. Cal switched quarterbacks like they were running backs all game. I’m not sure why they won’t just stick with Chase Garbers who is the better passer. If Cal can manage at least their 23 point season average, they will have a chance to get bowl eligible.
7. Stanford (5-4)
(L) 23-27 Washington
David Shaw’s teams are usually a shoo-in for 10 wins. The “intellectual brutality” is missing in 2018. Stanford is still averaging under 100 yards per game rushing, only scoring 26.1 ppg, and 11th in the conference in total offense. The combination of K.J. Costello to JJ Arcega-Whiteside was only good for one catch for 11 yards against Washington. Costello finished the game throwing for 347 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Even with so many things going wrong in 2018 Stanford still has the opportunity to finish 8-4. Their last three games against Oregon State, Cal, and UCLA are all very winnable.
6. Utah (6-3)
(L) 20-38 Arizona State
Utah is in a bad spot right now. They were in control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 south and were just starting to get respect nationally. Then they lost their starting quarterback Tyler Huntley to a broken collarbone. The Utes backup quarterback Jason Shelley struggled to complete passes and move the football. Oregon makes their way to Salt Lake City this weekend. Only a fool would count the Utes out of this game because Oregon has struggled to take their game on the road.
5. Arizona State (5-4)
(W) 38-20 Utah
Herm Edwards has his team in prime position to get to a bowl game in year one. After back to back wins against USC and Utah the Sun Devils are in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 south. N’Keal Harry torched the Utah secondary. He finished with nine catches for 161 yards and three touchdowns. This was the kind of monster game we had been waiting all season to see. Arizona State has moved up to 4th in the conference with 435 yards of total offense per game. Their last three games are against UCLA, Oregon, and Arizona. If they can keep up the scoring, they have a legit shot to make the Pac-12 title game.
4. Washington (7-3)
(W) 27-23 Stanford
Huge win for the Huskies. Their defense and running game fueled the victory. The defense forced three turnovers and only allowed Stanford 77 rushing yards. Jake Browning and the Washington offense has continued to be underwhelming this season, but they did get their running game going. Myles Gaskin returned to the lineup and rushed for 148 yards. Despite all the negatives, the Huskies are a win against Oregon State and Washington State away from a birth in the Pac-12 Championship game.
3. Oregon (6-3)
(W) 42-21 UCLA
Oregon got a much-needed win at home against UCLA. Their defense and special teams led the way. The score would fool you into believing the Ducks offense is back where it needs to be; it’s not. However, the Ducks did flash some big play ability again with a long run from Tony Brooks-James and a 67-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Mitchell.
Oregon heads to Utah to face Utes on Saturday. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo will need to have his offense firing on all cylinders if they are going to put up points against the Pac-12’s best defense.
2. Arizona (5-5)
(W) 42-34 Colorado
The “eye test” and stats tell me that Arizona is a middle of the road Pac-12 team, but they just continue to win games. The results say Arizona is the second hottest team in the conference right now. I have no clue how they keep winning with one of the worst defenses in the conference. They are ranked 10th against the run, 9th against the pass, and 10th in total defense. Khalil Tate being nearly healthy is a significant difference maker for the Wildcats. His legs help him extend plays, but the magic happens when he passes the ball. Arizona wide receivers make more acrobatic catches and draw more pass interference penalties than any team in the Pac-12. They have a bye this week and will need one win at Washington State or against Arizona State to secure a bowl game.
I predicted Arizona would win the Pac-12 south, but I never fathomed it would look like this.
1. Washington State (8-1)
(W) 19-13 Cal
The Cougars are sitting at #8 in the College Football Playoffs. Something special is brewing in Pullman, Washington. Mike Leach has turned one of the worst college football teams into a playoff contender. No one expected their success after they lost their starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski to suicide during the offseason. However, graduate transfer Gardener Minshew II has shown up and thrown for nearly 400 yards per game.
If one of nations top defenses cannot stop the Cougars, they should be able to finish their Pac-12 schedule unscathed.
BOWL PROJECTIONS
via-USA TODAY
Rose Bowl– Ohio State vs. Washington State
Holiday– Iowa vs. Stanford
San Francisco– Northwestern vs. Utah
Sun– Boston College vs. Oregon
Alamo– Texas vs. Washington
Texas– Oklahoma State vs. Colorado
Independence– Duke vs. California
Cheez-It– Nevada vs. USC
Las Vegas– Utah State vs. Arizona State
Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 10: Nobody is Safe From the Upsets
What a crazy week in the Pac-12. Betters everywhere probably lost a mint with all the upsets in week 10. Oregon State beat Colorado. Arizona destroyed Oregon. And Cal beat Washington without scoring an offensive touchdown. The Pac-12 Power Rankings Week 10 is based on three things: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. The “eye test” and preseason rankings are not factored into the Unafraid Show’s rankings. I know some of you are used to the biased rankings, but you won’t find those here.
You can see last weeks rankings here.
Pac-12 Bowl Projections are after the rankings.
Send all your questions, comments, and grievances to: Immad@unafraidshow.com
12. Oregon State (2-6)
(W) 41-34 Colorado
I apologize to the Beavers. Last week I said, “The Beavers blew their last shot at a Pac-12 win in 2018.” I was wrong. Jonathan Smith inserted Jake Luton at quarterback after halftime, and he torched Colorado’s defense. I know that game is an outlier, but there is part of me that believes the Beavers can beat USC this week.
11. Colorado (5-3)
(L) 34-41 Oregon State
Oregon State is undoubtedly the worst defense in the Pac-12. Colorado lost a 21 point lead 3rd quarter lead Oregon State and ultimately lost the game. They were still without mid-season All American wide receiver Lavishka Shenault (toe), but there are no excuses for that loss. The Buffaloes have lost three straight games and will need a fantastic effort to get a win against Arizona.
If Mike MacIntyre can’t coach his team to a bowl game his seat will go from warm to scorching hot.
10. UCLA (2-6)
(L) 10-41 Utah
After winning two consecutive games UCLA ran into the Utah buzzsaw. It didn’t help that they were without their electric true freshman quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson. We don’t know if he will be back this week against Oregon. Chip Kelly will likely pull out all the stops as he returns to Oregon for the first time as an opposing coach. Everyone in the stadium should be prepared for fireworks. UCLA has to believe they can win the game after they saw what Arizona did to Oregon. However, if DTR is not in the lineup, the Bruins don’t stand a chance of walking out of Autzen Stadium with a win.
I will be in attendance at this game and cannot wait.
9. USC (4-4)
(L) 34-38 Arizona State
It almost feels like Clay Helton is coaching on borrowed time. He has taken over playcalling duties for the Trojans. So, now there are no more excuses allowed for USC’s offense to struggle. They head to Corvallis Saturday to play the Beavers. I would say there is no chance USC loses this game, but Oregon State did beat Colorado last week. There is good news though. USC gets starting quarterback JT Daniels back from concussion protocol for this weeks’ game.
Fans are disappointed, and Athletic Director Lynn Swann may be painted into a corner. He may have to make a change at head coach on the tarmac at the airport (Lane Kiffin style) if the Trojans fall this weekend.
8. Arizona State (4-4)
(W) 38-34 USC
Arizona State had their most impressive offensive performance of the season against USC. N’Keal Harry showed up and showed out. He caught for a touchdown, returned a punt for a touchdown, and made one of the most difficult catches of the 2018 season.
Herm Edwards has his team sitting at 4-4, with a chance to win the Pac-12 South. The future is extremely bright for the Sun Devils. This week a red-hot Utah team comes to Tempe. Will they be able to continue the Pac-12 upsets and defeat the Utes?
7. Washington (6-3)
(L) 10-12 Cal
The Huskies are light years away from the team many people expected to compete for a national championship. Their defense has been the only thing keeping them in games. If not for stout defensive play this team would be 3-5 instead of 5-3. Washington’s offense is painful to watch. Jake Browning has been underwhelming. And the offense has been unable to dominate rushing the football whether Miles Gaskins is in the lineup or not.
Washington gets a chance to bounce back against Stanford. Chris Peterson will have his team prepared, and this will be a heavyweight title fight.
6. Cal (5-3)
(W) 12-10 Cal
If I told you Cal would beat Washington without scoring an offensive touchdown you would have called me a crazy fool. But, the Golden Bears did just that. The job Justin Wilcox and his staff have done with this defense is remarkable. They don’t have 4 and 5* athletes at every position, but they are well coached and play hard. Cal has the top-ranked defense against the pass in the Pac-12. However, they have to travel to Pullman to play the top passer in the nation, Gardner Minshew. Something has to give.
If Cal wins, they will be bowl eligible. That would be a huge accomplishment for the team to make a bowl game out of the most competitive division in college football.
5. Oregon (5-3)
(L) 15-44 Arizona
What on earth happened to the Ducks last week in Tucson? Oregon’s loss to Arizona would have been the most shocking result of the week had Colorado not lost a 21 point halftime lead to Oregon State.
Oregon’s offense has been virtually non-existent the first half of the last two weeks. They have punted nearly 15 times in two games. That is a far departure for the offense that was leading the conference in scoring. Coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo need to right the ship this week against UCLA. The Ducks must run the football early and often so Justin Herbert can get open passing lanes for play-action passes.
The next 4 games are crucial to cementing Ducks fans trust in this coaching staff.
4. Arizona (4-5)
(W) 44-15 Oregon
The Pac-12 is insane. How else can you explain Arizona losing to UCLA in week 9, then beating Oregon badly the very next week? The Arizona defense had their most outstanding performance of the year against Oregon. They were fast and extremely physical which was a departure from the swiss cheese defense they displayed through their first eight games.
Now the biggest question is will the Wildcats return back to the team that earned a sub .500 record or have they turned a corner. This week they get Colorado on Friday night.
3. Stanford (5-3)
(L) 38-41 Washington State
David Shaw proved again why he is a great coach. Stanford had been unable to run the ball as effectively as they had in the past. Instead of continuing to beat his teams’ head against a wall, Shaw decided to throw the football a lot. Stanford was extremely successful throwing the ball against Washington State, which is one of the top pass defenses in the conference. KJ Costello threw the ball 43 times for 323 yards and four touchdowns.
Stanford is tough and consistent even in defeat.
2. Utah (6-2)
(W) 41-10 UCLA
The Utes are continuing to steamroll through Pac-12 opponents. They disposed of UCLA pretty easily at the Rose Bowl. Utah’s defense is one of the best in the nation. Zack Moss carried the Utah offense on his back. He finished with 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns. If Utah can run the ball this successfully, they will be tough to beat.
The recipe to beat the Utes is stopping their running game. SOmeone can force Tyler Huntley to throw the ball 30+ times he will throw a few interceptions.
1. Washington State (7-1)
(W) 41-38 Stanford
At this point, I am rooting for the Cougars to finish the season 12-1 including the Pac-12 Championship. The conference needs a representative in the College Football Championship and Washington State is the last hope. It is increasingly frustrating for Pac-12 fans to see the conference with the most parity to consistently be dismissed in conversation.
Mike Leach is an offensive genius, and it will be interesting to see his ‘Air Raid’ offense against the likes of Alabama and Clemson. Gardener Minshew is lighting up the stat sheet for nearly 400 passing yards per game. They will get a real test this week from the stingiest pass defense in the Pac-12.
This could be Leach’s last season in Pullman if the USC job or other top jobs become available.
BOWL PROJECTIONS
via-USA TODAY
Rose Bowl– Michigan vs. Washington State
Holiday– Iowa vs. Washington
San Francisco– Northwestern vs. Stanford
Sun– Boston College vs. Oregon
Alamo– Texas vs. Utah
Texas– Texas Tech vs. Colorado
Cheez-It– Baylor vs. USC
Las Vegas– Utah State vs. Arizona State
