Special Teams Spark Oregon Win Over Washington State

De'Anthony Thomas breaks into the open field against the Cougars
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

LaMichael James and Darron Thomas returned to a loud ovation Saturday afternoon as they looked to shake the rust off against the Washington State Cougars. Thomas connected on a 55 yard touch down pass to Lavasier Tuinei but also accounted for two interceptions and was pulled in favor of back up Bryan Bennett at the half as Chip Kelly commented that he felt Bennett gave them the best opportunity to win the game. Coach Kelly has hinted at the fact that much of the reason for Thomas' benching was as much to protect his injury for later in the season as much as it was riding Bennett's hot streak.

Special teams set the tone early as the Ducks opened the game with a three and out on defense. Avery Patterson broke through around the corner to get his hands on the punt and Boseko Lokombo picked up the ball to put the Ducks on the board first. Jackson Rice completed a short pass to Alejandro Maldenado for the two point conversion to put Oregon up 8-0 after the first quarter. After a WSU field goal Oregon began to drive again. Darron Thomas was flushed out of the pocket and threw a deep pass to a waiting Lavasier Tuinei who turned and stumbled into the end zone to add some separation between the two squads.

Oregon was threatening to blow the doors off the game as they were getting into Cougar territory but on a 4th and 7 play Washington State got their first touchdown on the day when Thomas' second interception was returned 76 yards by Damante Horton to bring the Cougars within 5 points just before the half.

The Ducks got back to form as they rattled of 21 points in the third quarter, including a 45 yard screen pass from Bennett to De'Anthony Thomas who put some spectacular moves on inside the 10 to go practically untouched into the end zone. The Cougars responded with a scoring drive and a 24 yard touch down pass to Jared Karstetter but the momentum swung back the Ducks instantly as De'Anthony Thomas took the next kick off 93 yards for his second touchdown of the quarter.

Kenjon Barner scored to open the scoring for the Ducks in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach but Washington State kept fighting. Marshall Lobbestael lead the visitors on a 13 play drive capping it off with a 9 yard Ricky Galvin run and a two point conversion, again to Karstetter to give the final tally of 43-28. Oregon collected the ensuing onside kick attempt and ran out the clock as the Ducks got out of Autzen with their 21st consecutive win in Autzen Stadium.

Coming into the game, Washington State boasted a top 10 passing attack and it showed as Lobbestael racked up 337 passing yards against a young Oregon secondary. Marquess Wilson turned in a career high 11 receptions to lead all receivers with 126 yards.  In addition to the touchdown Jared Karstetter had 114 receiving yards in his second consecutive 100 yard day against the Ducks.

The Cougars made Oregon earn this one and showed promise moving forward in the year as they were able to slow the Oregon run game in the first half but ultimately didn't have the depth to contend with the Ducks. Oregon made several mistakes through the game and WSU capitalized to keep the game competitive.

For the Ducks, Kenjon Barner lead the rushing attack, turning in his third consecutive 100 yard effort in spite of James adding 53 in limited action. James looked comfortable carrying the ball, even with the large, bulky brace on his elbow.

Moving on for next week, Oregon is on the road to face a tough Washington squad who held off a rejuvenated Arizona squad. There is no love lost between these two teams and the game may very well get chippy as Washington tries to return to Pac-12 prominence. Washington State also is on the road again as they travel down to the bay area to face California at AT&T Park in San Fransisco.

Washington State Vs. #7 Oregon: Preview

LaMichael James can hurt the Cougars if he gets the chance.

Last year's trip to Pullman is one a lot of Oregon fans would rather forget. Oregon ended up winning that game by a score of 43-23 but they paid a price to get that win. On a kickoff, Kenjon Barner fielded the ball just inside his own end zone and started bringing it out. A WSU defender coming off of a block, was propelled forward and laid a scary hit on Barner that forced a fumble and Kenjon Barner out of the game. Barner missed several weeks with a concussion but made a full recovery. That injury really seemed to put a damper on the Oregon offense which had a hard time getting into their rhythm. Then, Darron Thomas went down with a shoulder injury and would not return for the remainder of the game.

The Cougars put up more of a fight than most expected, keeping the game reasonably close throughout and took a 14-8 lead late in the first quarter against the eventual Pac-10 champions. Quarter back Jeff Tuel threw for 245 yards and a score in the loss and the defense forced three Oregon turnovers. Oregon's QB tandem of Darron Thomas and Nate Costa were just too much to handle though. They combined for over 300 yards through the air and between them only threw 5 total incompletions.

This year, the Cougars come into town reeling from back to back blowout losses. In the last two games, Washington state has been outscored 88-35, the most recent defeat coming in Seattle against North rival Oregon State. Senior Marshall Lobbestael will get the start under center as Jeff Tuel re injured his shoulder last week against the Beavers. The Cougars have a prolific passing offense which ranks in the top 10 nationally and that is due in part to Lobbestael's efforts, he has thrown for 1739 yards already this season. It's also thanks to the receivers he has at his disposal. Marquess Wilson is probably the best wide receiver in the Pac-12 that you haven't heard about. Only a sophomore, Wilson has 41 receptions for 763 yards and 6 touchdowns to this point in the year. He is complimented by a pair of senior wide outs Isiah Barton and Jared Karstetter. Last season against the Ducks Karstetter went for over 100 yards on 10 receptions and looks to do the same again this year.

Washington State can pile up the yards through the air in a hurry, as they have shown throughout the year. However, to beat a talented squad like Oregon, they need to have balance to keep the speedy secondary honest. To this point in the season, no rusher for the Cougars has eclipsed the 100 yard mark in a game. A lot of that is due to the potency of the passing game, but they will need to show that the run is a threat to keep Nick Alioti from deploying his speedy DB's to stay back in pass coverage. The rushing attack is lead by Freshman Rickey Galvin who is averaging 6.4 yards a carry. He just hasn't had as many opportunities to carry the ball as someone like LaMichael James.

Early in the week, coach Chip Kelly was still evasive about players injuries, specifically LaMichael James and Darron Thomas. It's speculated but not unreasonably so that Thomas and James will be a full go as it appeared he was capable to start last week, but ceded to Bryan Bennett who lead the Ducks to a 45-2 victory over Colorado. James was suited also for the Colorado and was able to play according to him but did not see action as the Ducks had put that game away early. Both Bennett and running back Kenjon Barner proved to be more than capable to pick up where James and Thomas left off as they have headed wins over Arizona State and Colorado.

Washington State has had it's secondary be exposed by it's last few opponents. It was to be expected that Andrew Luck was going to throw the ball all over the yard, but last week, Oregon State's Sean Mannion threw for nearly 400 yards against them in an offense that has otherwise not looked impressive. The vertical threat will be there with Josh Huff starting to get back into the action and dynamic freshman DeAnthony Thomas lining up all over the field. If WSU losses track of DeAnthony, it could spell trouble for them throughout the day as Thomas to Thomas has started to gain momentum. This is the last game for the Ducks before they start to face a more challenging schedule, starting with a road trip up to Seattle, to face the Huskies, then down to Palo Alto for the conference game of the year against Stanford.

Oregon Will Win If:                           WSU Will Win If:
Thomas spreads the ball around            Lobbestael shreds Oregon's DBs
Oregon gets a big lead early                 Control the ball
Minimize penalties                               Force multiple turnovers

Rule Changes Are Ruining the NFL: An Editorial

Last night, the Ravens and Jaguars locked up in a game that made you unsure if the defenses were that good, or the offenses were that bad. Jacksonville fumbled three times, once inside the 1 yard line and the Ravens didn't get a first down until nearly 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. What stood out to me was not the action by the players, but the actions of the referees.

I took the following information from the ESPN.com staff as the discussion was going on there as well. This is according to the NFL Rule Book.

Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8 (Unnecessary roughness) in the NFL rulebook
(f) If a player uses any part of his helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/”hairline” parts) or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily. Although such violent or unnecessary use of the helmet and facemask is impermissible against any opponent, game officials will give special attention in administering this rule to protecting those players who are in virtually defenseless postures, including but not limited to:

(1) Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head, neck, or face with the helmet or facemask, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him; or

(2) Lowering the head and violently or unnecessarily making forcible contact with the “hairline” or forehead part of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body.

Now, let's take a look at the two plays in question and their direct effect on the game as it was. With 12:40 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Jacksonville faced a 3rd and long play. Blaine Gabbert dropped back to throw and Deji Karim got his hands on the ball. It squirted through for what would have been an incompletion and then was punished by Baltimore safety Bernard Pollard. Here's the video of the hit.

By my estimation, that is a clean, legal hit. The only reason Pollard lowered his helmet was to avoid contact with Karim's. He squares him up wraps his arms around him and takes him to the ground. Did he make contact to the receiver's head or neck forcibly? There is a little contact but it's little more than the face mask brushing the top of Pollard's helmet as he comes in to make the play. So in light of the rules, by the book this play should not have been called unnecessary roughness. After this play, the Jaguars were given a first down and new life as they went down to kick a field goal to go up by 9.

It's a play that looms large because let's say for the sake of argument, the rest of the game goes unchanged. The Ravens score a touchdown to make the score 9-7 with just over 2 minutes remaining. Now, without that penalty, the Jaguars do not get their third field goal of the game at that point. Remember that we're under the assumption the rest of the game has the same result. If the Jaguars do not get that field goal, the Ravens take the lead with 2 minutes remaining at 7-6 and in that instance would not need to attempt an onside kick and make Jacksonville drive the length of the field to try and win it with either a touch down of field goal. That is a game changing call and one that directly affected the outcome of last nights game.

Later in the game, the Ravens were on their only scoring drive of the night, late in the fourth quarter. On a 1st and 10, Joe Flacco threw the ball deep to Torrey Smith who was leveled on the play and knocked out of bounds. Smith held onto the ball but was ruled out before he came down to the ground. Here is the video from that play. Scroll to 3:36 on the video, I couldn't figure out how to link it at a specific time.

Again, the receiver goes up to catch the ball and is leveled by the defender. Well, where's the flag? If Karim was defenseless, why wasn't Smith? Was it because he caught the ball? Look at it from the point of view from the defender. The player in front of you gets his hands on the ball and you are running toward him at full speed and then you make a hit. It's a bang bang play in both cases and in my opinion both plays are clean, hard hits. In my opinion, both plays either need to be flagged or not flagged but they should be treated fairly. Not make it a guessing game for defenders. What's frustrating about the unnecessary roughness call is the last part of the rule. Again, thanks to the ESPN.com team who illustrated the rule on their website this morning:

"If in doubt about a roughness call or potentially dangerous tactics, the covering official(s) should always call unnecessary roughness."

So according to the last statement, if a referee doesn't know if the play was an illegal hit, it should be treated as an illegal hit. I don't like that. These players have been trained for years that you hit the guy with the ball as hard as you can to make him drop the ball. That helps your team. Let's say Pollard pulls up and doesn't lay a hit on Karim and he holds onto the ball. He stops for fear of drawing a penalty and Karim takes it up the middle of the field for a big gain. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. I don't like that a referee's unsureness can change a game so drastically.

The other rule which is ruining the NFL is moving the kick off to the 35 yard line. In the NFL, kickers were already getting touch backs on a regular basis. Now, it's a surprise if it's not kicked out of the back of the end zone, or the returner takes a knee. It's making the kick off a pointless endeavor. If the NFL is truly trying to put out the best possible product while prolonging players' well being, just start every drive after a score at the 20. Acting as though the kick off is still the same as it was is a sham. It's a wasted play and an insult to fans watching on TV and at the stadium.

I understand that these rules are in the best interest and the safety of the players. I get that. However, it seems that the NFL is getting too gun shy with these games and is getting to the point of alienating it's fan base. People go to games to see big plays, big guys and big hits. No one wants to see a concussion, but at the same time people want to see these players playing to their full potential. One solution I've heard and it makes sense to me is to take away the helmets all together. Maybe guys won't throw their head around like wild men if their head isn't protected and the superman complex is gone.

Atlanta Braves/MLB: Offseason Tidbits/Transactions

Hello people, I would like to take this brief opportunity to introduce myself and my column here on http://www.jaketabor.com/. I’m a lifelong Oregonian who grew up loving 2 things: Ducks football and Atlanta Braves baseball. Now you may be saying to yourself, “I understand the Ducks part (being 100 miles in proximity to Eugene) but Atlanta in 3000 miles away.” Well, when I was growing up we had 5 channels and WTBS Superstation was one of ‘em; thus making my transition into a 3rd generation Brave. I chose to write solely about the Braves and the MLB because Jake does a great job on covering my other passion, the Ducks, so it made sense. I would like for this to be a weekly column revolving around the Braves but sometimes the off-season can be a little thin on stories. Now, onto my Braves column:

As it stands now, the Braves are doing a little internal managerial housekeeping. Since our season was prematurely cut short (I will not bore anyone with stories of my broken heart) the Braves have fired 1 coach, hitting coach Larry Parrish. This came as no surprise as the Braves dipped to a .229 batting average for the month of September; not to mention the paltry .211 the Braves hit with runners in scoring position. The Braves have hired former White Sox hitting coach, Greg Walker. This Brave was pulling for Dave Magadan, hitting coach of the Red Sox; but hey, what do I know? The Braves main activity this off-season has been to hire a new “special assistant” to the GM; this position is to gather video footage on pitchers so the hitter can have a more effective approach to hitting, timing, etc..

There is a ton more to come as Braves GM Frank Wren opens up the coffers and tries to fill the glaring holes in shortstop, bench positions, as well as someone to fill in for Prado in LF when he has to fill in for an aging Chipper Jones at 3B. I’m positive I will have an entire week devoted to that no-winning waste of space Derek Lowe….brb, gotta go punch a hole in something…

It appears heading into this off-season that the Braves are staring at more questions than answers. Sure we got Michael Bourne providing the necessary speed and OBP, but we MUST give him ample chance to run and score. This lies within the, so far, inept Fredi Gonzales. I will try like hell to make this an informative blog and not a platform in which to bash the Braves moron….err the Braves manager. NOW ONTO TRADE RUMORS...

That being said, here are the goings-on from around the MLB that doesn't have anything to do with the World Series:

-The biggest story from around the league involves Theo Epstein leaving the BoSox to try to resurrect everyone's lovable losers, the Cubbies. On Friday night, the Sox and Cubs finally announced that Theo Epstein will take over as the Cubs' President of Baseball Operations. Both organizations will forgo further comment until Tuesday, which is the next scheduled non-game day in the World Series. Compensation has not yet been agreed upon but the issue will be "resolved in the near term" according the the joint press release. The two sides have struggled to reach agreement this past week, with the Red Sox requesting Pitcher Matt Garza from the Cubs.

-Meanwhile, the Cubs will also pluck Jed Hoyer and Jason Mcleod from the Padres, but San Diego won't seek compensation. The Padres are set to promote internally with Josh Byrnes taking the GM job.

-It's widely assumed that Yu Darvish will be playing in the Major Leagues next year, but the 25-year-old right-hander wrote on his personal blog on the matter and explained that "nothing is decided." Earlier in the week, it was suggested that the Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals, Royals, and Mariners are among the early favorites to land the hurler.

-This Braves fan is almost upset that we can't be in the running for the Prince Fielder Sweepstakes (we have ROY candidate Freddie Freeman). After his team was knocked out of the playoffs, Brewers owner Mark Attanasio told his fans that the club will be in the mix to try and retain free agent 1b Prince Fielder. Tim Dierkes writes that he would be very surprised to see the Brewers re-sign Fielder within the exclusive negotiation period. I personally don't see this happening, what with the small African Village promised to Ryan Braun.

-The Orioles continue their GM search this week and interviewed Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks, Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays, and most recently Dodgers assistant GM De Jon Watson. They asked to talk with Marlins assistant GM Dan Jennings but were denied permission.

-Speaking of the O's, reliever Jeremy Accardo is a free agent after refusing last weeks assignment; meaning he was designated to be assigned to the minors, refused, and thus was fired.

-The Angels top choice for GM is Rays' executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, but he's unlikely to leave his post in Tampa Bay for the job. The Halos will now move on to other candidates including their own Tory Hernandez, Kim Ng of MLB, Rick Hahn of the White Sox, Damon Oppenheimer and Billy Eppler of the Yankees and Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks. *YAWN*

-The Nationals and righty Chien-ming Wang continue discussions about an extension, but the two sides aren't yet close to a deal.

-Veteran reliever Arthur Rhodes states he would rather pitch in 2012 than retire. Rhodes' preference is to pitch for the Cardinals in 2012, which would be Rhodes' 21st Major League season. This just in: Rhodes interested in pitching in the Old-timers Game if it ever comes back.

-THIS WEEK IN SOAP OPERA NEWS: Frank and Jamie McCourt confirmed that they have FINALLY COME TO AN AGREEMENT: Jamie will obtain $130MM and relinquish any claim to a share of the Dodgers. She will also no longer stand in the way of Frank's plan to sell the team's media rights. Again proving women don't belong in baseball...I KID I KID!

-After saying earlier this month that there was "too much drama" surrounding the club, Big Papi David Ortiz has expressed interest for his 10th season with the Red Sox in 2012.

AND FINALLY IN LEAGUE NEWS:
-In a radio interview this week, Selig said that the collective bargaining agreement talks were "constructive," though it would be 'pretty optimistic' to hope that a new deal could be announced before the end of the World Series.

That wraps it up for me, the following weeks will be shorter than this 1st installment. Till next week, keep those tomahawks handy.

~RAC

Bennett, Barner lead #10 Oregon in Rout of Buffaloes

Kenjon Barner runs to daylight in the first half
(AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

Darron Thomas and LaMichael James both dressed to play for the road trip to Colorado. It was clear after the first quarter that neither of them would be needed against the Buffaloes. Oregon opened the game going 6 plays for 80 yards, capped by a 4 yard Kenjon Barner touchdown. The play that really set the tone for the drive though, and the day was a Bryan Bennett scramble for 43 yards that was capped with a personal foul penalty that put Oregon in the red zone. After the two point conversion, Oregon's defense stood tall, as they would do throughout the game to force a punt and get the ball back to the dynamic Oregon offense. The Ducks rattled off 29 points in the first quarter and cruised to a 45-2 win. It was Oregon's 6th consecutive game in which the offense tallied more than 500 yards.

Colorado quarter back Tyler Hanson left the game in the second quarter and the Buffaloes didn't score until late in the third quarter on a bizarre play. After the Duck defense forced a punt, Cliff Harris went back to field a punt inside his own 10. Harris ran back and his momentum carried him back into his own end zone and he was unable to get back out as the Colorado punt team forced a safety breaking up the shut out for the Ducks.

For the offense, Kenjon Barner lead the Oregon rushing game with 115 yards on only 10 carries and had two scores, before coach; Chip Kelly shut him down for the day. Barner's highlight came in the first quarter as he sprinted to daylight scoring on a 84 yard rush to put the visitors up 22-0. Bryan Bennett completed just over half of his passes but did connect for two touchdown scores, one to De'Anthony Thomas and a one handed catch by David Paulson to get Bennett his second passing score of the day. Bennett truly showed his dual threat capabilities in his first collegiate start by adding another score on the ground, part of his 69 rushing yards on the day.

Colorado's offense was often stymied by an defense that sacked the quarter back 5 times and got themselves on the board with a interception return for a touch down by Michael Clay. The defense dominated the line of scrimmage and made Colorado play from 3rd and long throughout the day.

Seeing as how two of Oregon's superstars, Darron Thomas and LaMichael James, dressed but did not play, it's reasonable to assume they will both be back in action next week when the Ducks return home for an upstart Washington State squad. Colorado on the other hand will go on the road to Tempe to play South division leader Arizona State.

#10 Oregon Vs. Colorado : Preview

LaMichael James may be back this next week after spending last week on the sidelines.
(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The Ducks travel to Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado to face a new conference foe in the Colorado Buffaloes. The last time these two teams saw each other was in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl in which Oregon routed Colorado 38-16 in a game that put the Ducks in the national spot light. Since then, Colorado has joined the Pac-12 so these two squads will be seeing a lot more of one another from this point on.

Oregon will be making it's first trip to Boulder since 1978 and they will be making it without their two biggest play makers on offense. According to Rob Moseley, Bryan Bennett has been taking all the first team snaps this week, in spite of Darron Thomas being suited up for practice without a brace or limp.

Thomas injured the knee early in the third quarter against Arizona St. and Bennett came in, leading the Duck offense to victory, trailing 24-21 at the time. Bennett was just 2 of 5 but showed promise in running the read option, the cornerstone of the Oregon offense. Also injured is star running back LaMichael James. He, on the contrary plans to make the trip to Colorado and will play if the team needs him. “I definitely could play,” James said. “ Kenjon (Barner’s) doing a great job running the ball, and De’Anthony (Thomas). And Darron and Bryan Bennett, those guys are doing a great job right now. I don’t know if they’ll need me."

On the other side of the ball, Colorado is also going to be without their leading rusher, Rodney Stewart. The Buffs will miss Stewart who is well on his way to setting school career records for all purpose yards as well as yards from scrimmage. Stewart sprained his knee in their loss to Washington and will be out at least 2 weeks. Not only does he lead the team in rushing, he is also a very capable receiver out of the backfield, being #2 on the team in receptions. Colorado will turn to a running back by committee and hope that the three running backs on the roster can pick up the slack of the offense's most viable weapon.

Injuries have been a big story for the home team this year. Already on the year, the defense has lost 59 games from it's projected 2 deep from the beginning of the year. Most notably in the medical report for the defense is Douglas Rippy, inside linebacker and the team's leading tackler. Even before the injuries decimated the Buff's defense, the secondary was already thin; due to a suspension for what coach Embree called failure to meet team obligations and responsibilities. What's left of the defense is going to face a tall task in containing an Oregon offense that didn't seem to miss a beat with back up running back and a quarter back. They need to get to Bennett and try to shake him up early and try and rattle him. A first start on the road could prove to be a difficult adjustment for the red shirt freshman and if Colorado can force some miscues they have a puncher's chance in this one.

Colorado Will Win If:                         Oregon Will Win If:
Rattle Bryan Bennett                             Run the ball well
Score Early                                           Protect Bennett
Force Miscues                                      Get production from Bennett

A Bit of Housekeeping

Tabor's Big League Chew would like to welcome the Chop Talk segment to the blog. Written by Ryan Crouch, it will be covering rumors in the MLB with a focus on the Atlanta Braves. I am very excited about this as I hope to bring in a larger audience from the baseball world.

What A Coach Is

I was going to write recaps of the weekends events, the Oregon game, Michigan game, and the Sunday Night game but I had something come to my attention today that is going to put that on hold for the day. Through his son's facebook I learned today that my high school basketball coach passed away last night, so if you'll indulge me I'm going to take the day off from sports and just remember Coach.

I wanted to say a couple things about him. Fond memories and such about a man who I spent the majority of two of the most pivitol years of my life with. For two years I spent 3 hours of my free time every night in a cold gym with him and my high school team. He always pushed us to be better and go that one more step.

I remember how funny he was and to this day I will still always want to go to Dairy Queen and have "a double dip" cone. He taught me how to react to adversity and most importantly he taught me how to be a winner. Thanks coach.

USC Forces 5 Turnovers, Rout California

Dion Bailey returns his second interception on the night.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Coming into last night's game, USC had only forced 5 turnovers on the season. You wouldn't have been able to tell as the turnovers kept pouring in, starting with a Keenan Allen fumble which set up USC in Cal territory early in the first. By the end of the game, the Trojans had doubled that yearly total forcing 5 turnovers for Zach Maynard and the Golden Bears. USC opened up the offense with a deep pass from Matt Barkley to Marqise Lee to put the Trojans in business at the 6 yard line. After three plays though, USC was unable to punch it in for a touch down and on 4th down lined up in a swinging gate like formation. With an errant direct snap to tight end Rhett Ellison, California escaped the opening drive not allowing any points.

USC and Cal traded punts through most of the rest of the first quarter until Nick Perry broke through the line and forced a fumble from Zach Maynard. USC was once again starting with the ball deep in Cal territory, but the Golden Bear defense stood strong and forced a Trojan field goal. That seemed to open up the flood gates as USC scored another 17 points in the second quarter highlighted by two Barkley touch down passes, one to Marqise Lee and the other to Brandon Carswell.

With time winding down in the first half, California got some offensive momentum and got the ball down into the Trojan red zone. With under a minute to play, Cal's most promising drive was thwarted by Dion Bailey's first of two interceptions in the end zone and the Trojans would go into the break holding a commanding 20-0 lead. After a USC field goal to open the second half scoring, Cal had their chance to move the ball down the field and broke their scoring drought, getting into the red zone and converting on a field goal. The reeling Cal defense made a stop and the Bears looked to get back into the game. Maynard connected on 4 consecutive passes and then ran it in himself from 3 yards out to bring the Bears within 23-9 after the extra point attempt was blocked.

Cal had the opportunity to really put some pressure on USC, forcing successive punts but were unable to do anything with the ball, giving it back on a punt and then Dion Bailey again intercepted Zach Maynard and returned it inside the 10 yard line. Curtis McNeal punched it in from 2 yards out to render the final margain of 30-9.

Keenan Allen continues to impress, last night he reeled in 13 receptions for 160 yards. It is clear that Allen is Maynard's favorite target as more than half of Maynard's completed passes went to Allen. As good as Allen is and has been, you have to wonder if defenses are going to focus on shutting down the talented sophomore and force Zach Maynard to look elsewhere to get his yardage. You can't stop Allen from getting the ball but you can minimize his impact.

For USC, injuries are a concern as they lost starting running back Marc Tyler and Marqise Lee to shoulder injuries. The Trojans need those guys as they move into the heart of the Pac-12 schedule as well as their yearly showdown with Notre Dame. Also, Barkley looked shaky in the early going and missed on some passes that he would normally make. It could be just a blip on the radar for the Junior signal caller and it must be if the Trojans are going to be successful this season.

#11 Michigan Vs. #23 Michigan State: Preview

Last Year the Spartans got to hoist Paul Bunyan, The Wolverines hope to change that.
(Photo annarbor.com)

There is no love lost in this instate rivalry between the Wolverines and the Spartans. Michigan and dynamic quarter back Denard Robinson head into East Lansing looking to take back the Paul Bunyan trophy which has been in the Michigan State camp for the past three years. It will be coach Brady Hoke's first opportunity to take back the trophy as former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez went 0-3 against the Spartans including two losses in Michigan Stadium. Spartan coach Mark Dantonio has not shied away from the importance of the rivalry between the two schools stating, "From day one when we walked in here, we pointed towards that. There were others who said that we couldn't (beat Michigan). So, we wanted to make a point. I think we've made the point and we'll go on from there." Sparty looks to continue the Wolverine woes on their home field as they press to win their fourth consecutive in the rivalry. All this to say, the winner of this game will have an inside track to the Big Ten championship game at the end of the season.

Much of the focus this week is going to be on quarter back play. Looking to stop the skid against the Spartans is Denard Robinson, one of the most electric players in the country. Robinson is not only the leading passer on the team, but he also leads the Wolverines in rushing with 720 to this point in the season. Last week in a win against Northwestern, Robinson rushed for 117 yards and passed for 337 as Michigan rattled off 28 unanswered points in the second half to win after trailing by 10 at the half. While Robinson accounted for 4 scores; two rushing and two passing, it also must be noted that he was picked off three times by the Northwestern defense. Not only is Robinson tough to defend because of his running ability, he also likes to spread the ball around. Last week, Robinson completed passes to 9 different receivers. Junior Hemingway lead all receivers with 5 receptions for 124 yards. Holding onto the ball is going to be a major factor in this game if Michigan wants to win because Michigan State boasts one of the most challenging defenses statistically in the NCAA. Last week, the Spartans won a tight one against Ohio State but limited the Buckeyes to only 7 points and 178 total yards from scrimmage.

That defense forced Robinson into three interceptions, and limited him to only 86 yards rushing last year as the Spartans won 34-17. If Robinson can get out of the pocket and run and keep the State defense honest he could have a big day, but he can't do it alone. The offensive line is going to have to give him time to throw when he does, and finish their blocks when he takes off. On the other side of the ball, Kirk Cousins looks to repeat his success from last season where he threw for 284 yards and a touch down in Michigan stadium. Cousins is an accurate passer whose favorite target is clearly Senior wide out, B.J. Cunningham. To this point in the season, Cunningham has accounted for 38 receptions for 582 yards. He has added two scores on the year for the Spartans. It will be interesting to see if Michigan keys on Cunningham, and tries to force Cousins through his progressions to his other targets on the field. If they can make him check down, they could get pressure and either force an errant pass or get the sack.

This heated rivalry could come down to the last second as this game often does and something has to give in the battle between a prolific offense and a stingy defense. If Robinson can cut loose, it could be a long day for Sparty's faithful, but if they can shut him down Paul Bunyan will stay in East Lansing another year.

Michigan will win if:                                   State will win if:
Robinson finds a groove                                Shut down Robinson
Receivers are effective                                   Force Turnovers
No mistakes                                                 Hold on to the ball

#9 Oregon Vs. #18 Arizona State Preview

ASU and Oregon meet again this Saturday for Gameday

There is much intrigue going into the night cap of a big Saturday night. A potential preview of the inaugural Pac-12 conference championship game, two explosive offenses, flashy uniforms on both sides of the ball and last but certainly not least, the eyes of the country will be on Eugene, Oregon as they wake up for Lee Corso and the whole College Gameday crew.
Last season, Arizona State proved to be one of the tougher tests of the regular season as they held a 24-14 lead over Oregon in the second half. The Ducks responded though, scoring twice on defense and forcing 7 turnovers from the Sun Devils. ASU proved themselves a challenge for the Duck defense though, racking up 597 yards on offense. Steven Threet passed for 3 touch downs but his undoing was the four interceptions he threw and ultimately Oregon's defense is what won this game for Oregon.

Arizona State limited Oregon's run game and LaMichael James, containing him to 98 yards on 28 carries. The bulk of that yardage came early on in the game with a 40 yard sprint up the sideline on which James scored. The Sun Devils forced 11 punts from the Ducks but Jackson Rice was equal to the task, dropping five of them inside the 20 yard line and making ASU gain every yard.

That ASU defense, lead by dynamic Vontaze Burfict looks to stymie Oregon's offense again this Saturday in front of a national audience as the teams face off once again. There are several storylines that litter this game, whether ASU can keep up with Oregon as they did last year, injuries and turnovers.

A lot of what ASU needs to do to keep up with Oregon is to stay on the field offensively. Quarter back Brock Osweiler has been effective, completing 2/3 of his passes for over 1300 yards to this point in the season with 13 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. Where the trouble might come is that the ASU offensive line is giving up an average of 2.3 sacks per game and on the road it's a staggering 4 sack per game average. 6 of those sacks came against Illinois who were able to pressure Osweiler and force him into two interceptions and a pedestrian 25 of 45 passing day. If Oregon can pressure the quarter back like Illinois did, it could be a long day for the Sun Devil offense.

When the Ducks do get the ball they are going up against a defense who has forced 10 interceptions. With star cornerback Omar Bolden out, the ASU secondary looked to be the weakness of the defense when the season started, but so far they have passes with flying colors. They have play makers all over the field but one pleasant surprise for the secondary has been Alden Darby, a sophomore safety who had to be converted to corner. Darby has 3 interceptions in the past two games against Oregon State and Utah. It will be interesting to see how the young corner performs against the top tier of the conference and and experienced quarter back in Darron Thomas. There are two sides to every statistic and while Arizona State's 10 interceptions are impressive. 7 of them came against quarter backs Sean Mannion and Jon Hays, both of whom were making their first collegiate starts. A lot will be shown about this defense this Saturday, whether they are for real or if they have just been feasting on lesser opponents.

Thomas is going to have to step up in this game. Last year against ASU he was a bit wired, throwing the ball harder than he should causing the ball to ricochet off of normally sure handed Jeff Maehl. He started to settle down late in the game hitting a beautiful deep ball to Josh Huff for 54 yards and a score. With LaMichael James listed as day to day, no one really know the status of the shifty speedster so one has to focus on known quantities. Assuming James is out, the load will shift to Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas. Both have performed admirably to this point in the season, but it will be interesting to see how they step up when they are forced to carry the load. Thomas has shown explosiveness but is still a freshman. Getting him in a rhythm and involved early will be key to the Ducks' prolific scoring attack. Darron Thomas is going to have to be accurate, it was noted last week that he has matured as a passer and he is going to need to continue that maturation and get his receivers in the game early and often. If the Ducks can get their play makers into one on one match ups in open space, they have a good shot to move the ball a lot against a ASU defense that is talented but not very deep. Look for the Ducks to attack at home on both sides of the ball where they have the ominous Autzen crowd in their favor. 

ASU Will Win If:                        Oregon Will Win If:
Force turnovers                            Make Osweiler make mistakes
Make Ducks 1 dimensional           Spread the field
Keep Oregon off the field               Win the line of scrimmage

Lions Over Bears, Remain Undefeated

Calvin Johnson fends off Brandon Meriweather on his way to the end zone.
(AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

The Detroit Lions are 5-0. If that sounds foreign, don't feel bad. It's the first time that Detroit has started a season 5-0 since 1956. It was only a 12 game season in those days and the Lions ended up 9-3 on the year. What was interesting about that team, as with this one is the meteoric rise going from worst to first. Something this same Lions team looks to do this year in the NFC North.

Amid the hoopla surrounding the upstart Lions, they had the home field in the Monday night affair with division rival Chicago. After a scoreless fourth quarter, the Lions found pay dirt as Matthew Stafford connected with Calvin Johnson for a 73 yard touch down pass and catch. After making the catch, Johnson fought off Safety Brandon Meriweather and trotted into the end zone. Johnson had a big night, with a total of 5 catches and 130 yards, but really set the tone with his scoring catch.

Jay Cutler started off accurately in the first half, completing 11 of his first 14 passes including a 9 yard hook up to Kellen Davis for the Bears only touch down of the night. It was good enough for Chicago to take the lead into the break at 10-7. From that point on, it was all about the Lions' defense. They continually put pressure on Cutler, sacking him 3 times and knocking him down 6 more. That pressure forced Chicago into costly penalties with 9 false starts stunting the offense that needed all the help it could get.

Much of that help came in the form of Matt Forte, who continues to be a force on the offensive side of the ball. Coming into this week, Forte was the 3rd in the NFL in yards gained from scrimmage since he came into the league in 2008 and he continues to impress. Forte, as it stands seems to be the only true viable threat on the Bears' offense and last night he accounted for 116 yards on the ground and added 4 receptions for 35 yards. Forte has been a stalwart since he put on a Bears helmet and he is showing his talents in a contract year that could net him a good paycheck the next time around, as he seems to be the only moving part in the Chicago offense.

 After the Lions forced a three and out, the offense went on a methodical 7 play drive, complete with 2 3rd down conversions and capped by an 18 yard pass to Brandon Pettigrew to put the Lions back in front. When the Bears got the ball back they started moving the ball up field but the drive stalled near mid field and Chicago was forced to punt. Stefan Logan was forced to fair catch the punt and Detroit was backed up, deep in their own territory on the 12 yard line.

This was no problem for Jahvid Best as he sprung loose after some solid blocks to open the hole and took the first play from scrimmage for 88 of his 163 yards and a score that would put the game out of reach. After Best's run it put Detroit ahead 21-10. It would end up being the last touch down scored as both sides managed a field goal in the final frame to make it 24-13. After the game, Best was asked about the turn around from a team that went 0-16 only three years ago to a squad who is contending for the NFC North crown. He stated, "Some of our guys were on the team, so they know what the city's been through. They know what this team's been through. I can definitely feel the sense of how hungry the city is."

Hopefully for Detroit they continue to feed off their city's hunger and show some themselves as their match up with suddenly explosive San Francisco looms large next week. "We'll start on San Fran in about an hour and a half," Coach Jim Schwartz stated, not satisfied with a 5-0 start. At least they get the 49ers at home next week while the Bears travel back to Chicago to face other division foe, the Minnesota Vikings.

How the lockout affects the NBA fan: An editorial

Shaq is a lot taller than Earl Boykins and I miss him already.

This isn't so much as how it affects every NBA fan, but maybe more so how it affects me. I'm a fairly young man and so when I started watching the NBA, certain things and players became commonplace. It's interesting to me to see an era of basketball slowly closing. For me, it started with the retiring of Shaquille O'Neal.

For as long as I can remember, "The Diesel," "Shaq Fu," "The Big Aristotle," "Superman," or whatever you want to call him has been moving up and down the floor, being one of the most dominant big men in the history of the game. He was certainly the most dominant of his era. It struck me as he clowned his way through his retirement ceremony that a lot of my sports icons were sure to be following in his path.

It made me a little sad realizing that iconic players who have been capturing my imagination like Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan are getting older and won't be playing much longer. It truly is as I mentioned before the end of an era. These athletes will go down into the annals of time and many of them will be discussed as some of the greatest to ever do what they do, and even though they've battled the odds, each other and even gravity they can't battle time, at least not forever.

That's why to me and fans like me, this lock out is turning into one of the largest injustices to sports fans that I can remember in quite some time. As I write this, owners and players still have not met on an agreement which means, according to Commissioner David Stern; games are going to be cancelled. With the entire season in jeopardy it makes it a possibility that the fans won't get to see these tremendous athletes play at all this year, a year that could push many players past their abilities and won't be the players we remembered them being the last time they picked up a basketball.

The effects of this are far reaching, especially with current champion the Dallas Mavericks. Jason Kidd was the heart, soul and behind Dirk Nowitzki the leader of the team. Well, if the season starts the way it's supposed to the Mavericks come back looking to repeat with largely the same squad with which they won the title. After another year though? A year without game speed competition, but most importantly another year. Do I personally think that Kidd can come back and play like he did in the playoffs after missing an entire year of basketball? Not really, but I've been wrong before. I was wrong about the Dallas team that won it all.

So maybe I'm wrong about this. Maybe a year off, a year of rest letting Garnett and Duncan rest their knees could help them in the long run to extend their already sparkling careers. It could be just what the doctor ordered to keep these players in the league. Yet, the inverse is also possible. Maybe apathy sets in and they get out of shape. We certainly see it with Baron Davis every year. These players return as a shell of their former selves and realize that they have to hang it up sooner than they thought. This is all pure speculation of course. There are few athletes with the competitive drive that Kevin Garnett displays, but you have to wonder as he approaches the twilight of his career if his window is closing.

I don't know. Maybe a new era in the NBA would be a good thing. Once the old guard is retired, young promising stars like Kevin Love, John Wall, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Brandon Jennings will get their day in the sun. Maybe it's for the best. All I know is I want basketball.

#9 Ducks win game, Lose James

LaMichael James breaks free against California (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

At the half, it appeared that Oregon was on upset alert at home. They trailed 15-14 going into the break after Keenan Allen's 12 yard touch down reception and memories of last season began to well up in the minds of the home crowd. Oregon had a chance to respond, but Darron Thomas' errant pass was intercepted by D.J. Campbell and Cal was on the march again..After driving to the Oregon 23, Giorgio Tevecchio had a field goal blocked by John Boyett and the Ducks took a little momentum back heading into the locker room at the break.  However, the upset effort was shut down as the Duck defense shut down and shut out California in the second half en route to a 43-15 win for Oregon.

 California opened up the scoring with a Tevecchio field goal after a promising drive. The Cal kicker had a career night going 3 for 4 including a career best 54 yard kick which brought the bears within 5 early on at 14-9. Oregon answered back with a two play 64 yard drive to answer back. The drive was capped off by a 53 yard run by LaMichael James for his only rushing touchdown of the game. James went for 239 yards but encountered a scary moment early in the fourth quarter when on a rushing play, James dislocated his elbow and stayed on the ground for several minutes. In a great sign of support for the injured superstar, 54,000 began to chant his name as they feared the worst. LaMichael, the NCAA's leading rusher left the field with a smile on his face to the relief of the home town crowd.

California quaterback Zach Maynard missed on several passes early, but started to find his rhythm as he threw for 218 yards, Keenan Allen a nice compliment with 170 receiving yards and the only touchdown California would score on the night. As good as Allen and other Cal receiver Marvin Jones were, Oregon's defense was simply better. They put pressure on Maynard early forcing high and errant throws and locked down  Isi Sofele, not letting him get rolling in the second half.

On the other side of the ball, Oregon really got rolling in the second half as fans have grown accustomed to seeing, rattling off 29 unanswered points to put the game away early in the fourth. James had the yardage but the player of the game had to be De'Anthony Thomas who had two receiving touchdowns as well as one on the ground on a beautiful end around after a bit of misdirection by Darron Thomas.

Oregon put the game away with 68 yard touch down run by Kenjon Barner which seemed to break the spirit of the Golden Bears' defense. Coach Tedford was forced to pull Maynard early in the fourth and replaced him with Sophomore Allen Bridgeford. It appeared that Maynard got sandwiched between two defenders and would not return. By that point the Ducks had the game well in hand as Bridgeford was ineffective in running the offense.

The loss gives the Cal Bears their second in the Pac-12 giving them a 0-2 record in conference, both losses coming against fellow members of the North division. Cal has won a game against a conference opponent, Colorado but due to the conference realignment and scheduling conflict the game was not ruled as a conference game. After this game, they have to go home to AT&T field to face a challenging game against the USC Trojans. The Ducks now 2-0 in conference have an extra two days of rest to prepare for #22 Arizona State in a potential conference championship preview. It will be interesting to see if LaMichael James will return against the talented ASU run defense and Vonteze Burfict.

Drop the puck, let's play hockey.

Hoisting the Stanley Cup is a big deal.
Barbara Johnston-US Presswire

Stepping out from behind the keyboard, I just want to say I love hockey. I wish more people watched and liked hockey so it would get more TV time and so more people could watch and like hockey and the cycle would continue. With the impending lockout in the NBA, it's going to leave us with only one professional sport. Hockey. Often times, I find that people dismiss hockey because it's difficult for them to follow, or they don't understand what's going on. I hope to explain some of the rules and nuances of the game so maybe you'll consider flicking on a Sunday morning game when the NFL is done playing football.

Goals

It may seem simple but I feel the need to explain this. Hockey is more like soccer than it is football in respect to scoring. By this I mean the entire puck has to cross the goal line instead of like football where only part of the ball has to cross the line. Once the entire puck is in the goal, a point is awarded.

What the heck is "icing?"

Icing is when a player shoots the puck across both the center red line and the opposing team's goal line without the puck going into the net or being able to be touched by an opposing player in their neutral or defensive zones. If an offensive player touches the puck first after it crosses both the red line and the goal line, icing is negated. Icing can also be negated by the goalie touching the puck back behind the goal line. When icing occurs, a linesman stops play. Play is resumed with a face off in the defending zone of the team that "iced the puck." Another time when icing is nullified is when a team is on a "power play" (which will be explained next,) the defending team can send the puck down the ice to stop the man advantage.

Power Play

A power play occurs when one team has more players on the ice than the other team as a result of penalties assessed to the shorthanded team. A power play can end one of two ways. Either the clock (usually 2 minutes) expires, or the team with more players scores a goal.

Offsides

If a player enters the attacking zone ahead of the puck but does not touch it, the play is offside but no whistle is blown immediately, thus creating a delayed offside. When all players from the offside team leave their offensive zone and go into the neutral zone the linesman cancels the offside infraction. Conversely, if the offending team touches the puck before leaving their offensive zone the whistle is blown for the offside infraction.

Hat Trick
When one player scores three goals in one game.

Why do people throw octopus onto the ice?

According to answers.com, it started during the 1952 Stanley Cup Playoffs. At that time there were only 6 teams, and to win the Stanley Cup required 8 playoff victories (two best of seven series). The owner of a local fish shop in Detroit threw an octopus onto the ice claiming that the 8 tentacles represented the 8 games that the Red Wings would win to get the Stanley Cup. The Wings won the Cup, and the tradition of using an Octopus to rally the Red Wings was born.

These are some real basic rules but I find some of the most confusing. I hope you tune in to a few games and enjoy one of the most fast paced sports in existence. It's fast, fun and great entertainment.

California at #9 Oregon Preview

Chris Conte is gone but it remains to be seen what impact that will hold Saturday.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)

Last season's match up between Oregon and California was mired in controversy that left both sides pointing the finger for dirty tactics. Much was made of feigning injuries by California and the illegal pick play by Oregon. Truly, that's all that needs to be said about those two topics. If you feel the need to look them up, Google is your friend. It was a hard fought, low scoring game that saw Oregon held under 20 points for the only time in the regular season. The game turned on a Cliff Harris punt return which made the difference in the game. Oregon made several stops down the stretch and held the ball for the final 9:26 as they escaped Memorial Coliseum with a 15-13 win to keep their national title hopes alive.

This year California makes the trip up to Eugene with revenge on their mind. Last season, they were able to contain Oregon's dynamic offense by playing a Cover-Zero package, meaning they were committing to the run and essentially playing one on one with the wide receivers. They dared Oregon Quarterback Darron Thomas to beat them over the top, which he was unable to do. Cal was able to do this with a disciplined attack on the defensive side of the ball and force Oregon's hand. It will be interesting to see if this years defense which had to replace more than half of its starters can be as disciplined and contain Oregon again this year. Cal loses standouts from every level on the defensive side of the ball. Cameron Jordan, Mike Mohammed and Chris Conte were who made that defense click and their absense could spell trouble for California's efforts.

On offense, the lefty Zach Maynard will get his first taste of Autzen Stadium. Along side him in the back field is, Junior first year starter Isi Sofele. Maynard has played well to this point in the season already throwing for 10 touchdowns, 3 a piece to dynamic weapons on the outside Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones. Both Allen and Jones average over 16 yards a catch and have the ability to break a big one at any point. The key to stopping any offense is to make them one dimensional. The Ducks won't stop Keenan Allen but if they can contain him, they stand a good chance to keep Cal's play makers off the field and do what Oregon is wont to do, run the football and wear down Cal's defense. As far as running goes, Sofele has 380 yards on the year. In his last game against Washington, Sofele went for 98 yards and two catches out of the back field. Standing 5'8", Sofele will remind Oregon fans of LaMichael James for his quickness and explosiveness with the ball in his hands.

For the Ducks, it all starts and stops with the offense. If Thomas and James can push the tempo and get Cal back on their heels early, it could be a long day for the Bears. Last time we saw James he was carving up the Arizona defense to the tune of 288 yards on the ground, a school record. The Golden Bears must stop him if they want to hang tough. On a lot of big plays against Cal, they were often caused by poor tackling. They will have to wrap up and make the stops early to keep players like Josh Huff, Kenjon Barner, DeAnthony Thomas and Darron Thomas from breaking a big one. It will be interesting to see what defensive strategy the Golden Bears come out with to stop the Oregon offense. Darron Thomas has matured as a passer and receivers Rashaan Vaughn and Lavasier Tuinei have stepped up for a graduated Jeff Maehl and a hobbled Josh Huff.

California Will Win If:                    Oregon Will Win If:
Maynard has time to throw                Offense spreads the field successfully
Sofele proves to be a weapon            Contain Allen and Jones
Defense contains running game          Receivers make an impact

Trojans outlast Wildcats in Shootout

Robert Woods hauls in one of his 14 receptions against Arizona
(AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

The Arizona Wildcats have a record setting defense. Unfortunately, they aren't setting the records that they want to be setting. Last week, the allowed LaMichael James to rack up 288 yards on the ground, setting an Oregon rushing record. This week, Arizona fell victim to Matt Barkley's 468 passing yards, good enough to set a school record for USC.

Arizona dug themselves into a hole early, stalling on their first drive and then allowing a 2 play 91 yard touch down drive. Matt Barkley went to Sophomore sensation Robert Woods on both plays, the second an 82 yard reception which would set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Of Barkley's passing yards 255 of them went to Woods who fell just 5 yards short of breaking the USC receiving mark for a single game. With under a minute in the first, Barkley connected with Marquis Lee for 38 yards and a score and it appeared the rout was on.

Arizona would not go quietly. Nick Foles continued to show his passing prowess as he also threw for over 400 yards. His streak of passes thrown without an interception was broken though when T.J. McDonald got his hands on the ball at the USC 30, stopping a promising drive from the Wildcats. Arizona continued to battle back though and got within a touch down at 34-27 as Ka'Deem Carey showed some signs of life for the previously anemic Wildcat running game. But it was not to be as the squads exchanged touchdowns, the final coming through the air as Foles connected four four yards to Austin Hill to render the final score 48-41 USC.

The Wildcats' skid against FBS foes continues as they have not beat a FBS squad in nearly a year. They have their best shot of the season so far when they go on the road to visit Oregon State who have struggled their way to a 0-4 record but showed some fight against Pac-12 South favorite Arizona State. The secondary for the Beavers looks to be improving and could provide problems for one of the Pac-12's most accurate passers. USC on the other hand have a week and a half to prepare to travel to AT&T park in San Fransisco to face the California Golden Bears. Cal will be playing their second consecutive Thursday night game as they travel to Eugene to play the #9 Oregon Ducks.

Wisconsin Survives Early Charge, Dominate Nebraska

Russell Wilson throws on the run against conference newcomer, Nebraska. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

For Nebraska, it was their first chance to make a statement. They were matched against a talented Wisconsin team in a hostile environment. Coming out of the gates they looked like a team that could finally give the Badgers some trouble but Wisconsin responded to adversity, walking away with this one 48-17. Much could be made to this point about the level of competition Wisconsin has faced, beating their previous four foes by a combined score of 194-34.

In Nebraska's first game in the Big Ten they also provided the Badgers with their first deficit of the season when Taylor Martinez ran it in from 1 yard out to open the scoring, then again early on in the second quarter when Rex Burkhead punched it in to put the Huskers up a score early in the second. It was all Wisconsin from there.

The Badgers rattled off 34 consecutive points before Brett Maher tacked on a vanity field goal for Nebraska early in the fourth. However, on a day where every thing was going right for the Badgers, Montee Ball answered with his 4 touch down from 15 yards out to tie a career mark for most scores in a game.

While Ball did the heavy lifting, the star of the game was once again Russell Wilson. The NC State transfer threw for 255 yards and two scored of 36 and 46 yards. Wilson also added a score on the ground, once again proving himself as a dynamic running threat from behind center. When asked about Wilson's performance to this point in the season, coach Bret Bielema stated "If there's a better player in college football right now, I'd like to see it,"  He makes a compelling case for his quarter back who has thrown for 1391 yards and 13 touch downs against only 1 interception thus far in the year.

Wilson's fleet footed counter part did not fair so well. After showing promise in the first two drives which resulted in touch downs, Martinez finished the game completing only half of his passes and threw 3 interceptions against a stingy defense that still has not allowed more than 17 points on the season and an average of just over 10 points per game.

If Nebraska takes care of business in their half of the Big Ten, they could meet Wisconsin again in the conference championship game with redemption on their mind. They have a tough road to go however still having to face traditional conference powers Ohio State and must go on the road to the big house and their own multi-tooled quarter back Denard Robinson. For Wisconsin, they have a bye week leading up to a showdown with Indiana, closer to the end of the year, their stiffest challenge on paper would be Illinois, on the road. To this point, Wisconsin appears to be the class of the conference and the road to the Big Ten title goes through Madison. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain their level of play.