Arizona football at Washington
Last year at this time, a 3-5 Arizona squad with one win in five Pac-10 Conference contests charged into the Pacific Northwest and upset then-No. 25 Washington State. This year a 2-6 Arizona squad with just one win in five Pac-10 games finds itself in the same situation entering Saturday’s game at Washington. Sure, history could repeat itself at the site of Ortege Jenkins’ flip, and the Wildcats could always follow that up with another pair of upsets before breaking everyone’s hearts by losing to ASU with a bowl berth on the line (like last season). But, then again, this isn’t last year.
Washington 27, Arizona 17
-Michael Schwartz
assistant sports editor
Despite Arizona’s recent struggles, the defense has finally shown some resemblance to last year’s squad. Washington hasn’t won a Pac-10 Conference game this season, but it hung tough with No. 1 Ohio State and No. 9 USC for more than three quarters, and ended Boise State’s 14-game win streak. This game should come down to execution and fundamentals, and if Tuitama keeps mismanaging the play clock, as well as the red-zone offense, it’ll be another long day for the Wildcats.
Washington 27, Arizona 20
-Brian Kimball
sports writer
The only way Arizona wins is if the Huskies forget where Husky Stadium is – that fog can be brutal sometimes. Last week’s loss to Stanford was the final nail in the coffin: Recruits can see a sinking ship and are jumping overboard before it even leaves the dock. UW quarterback Jake Locker can run, and he can throw for more than four yards on any given play. He is a good playmaker with a bright future in Seattle; maybe it’s better to have some cloudy days once in a while.
Washington 38, Arizona 17
-Michael Fitzpatrick
sports writer
No. 9 USC at No. 5 Oregon
The Trojans sure fought on last week against the green-jerseyed Irish, winning that game by a lot more than a Reggie Bush push. This impressive display came after playing bad enough to make Arizona and Stanford look like they belonged on the same field as mighty USC at the Coliseum the previous two weeks. The Ducks have galloped to video game numbers on offense, but the defenses they’ve played have been jokes. Oregon won’t be laughing after the Trojans sends it tumbling down the polls.
USC 38, Oregon 31
-Michael Schwartz
assistant sports editor
Oregon boasts the nation’s second-best offense in terms of yards gained per game and points scored, but the Ducks can’t stop anybody of late. With USC seeming to hit its stride, this game should be high-scoring. Autzen Stadium is a difficult place to play, and it should be rocking due to Oregon’s No. 5 ranking in the BCS rankings. If Oregon wins, the Pac-10’s BCS bid should be a lock for the Ducks.
Oregon 45, USC 38
-Brian Kimball
sports writer
Oregon is a very good team. Its only loss came to No. 18 California on a last-second fumble. The Ducks are led by the two-headed monster of quarterback Dennis Dixon and running back Jonathan Stewart and have the unofficial No. 1 scoring offense in the nation – Hawaii doesn’t count – averaging 46.6 points per game. USC has struggled of late and will struggle in the confines of Autzen Stadium, especially if Mark Sanchez gets his third consecutive start. Quack, quack, quack …
Oregon 38, USC 27
-Michael Fitzpatrick
sports writer
World Series
After their Sept. 16 game, the Rockies trailed the Wild Card race by 4.5 games and needed to jump over three teams just to make the playoffs. With 21 wins in 22 games entering the Series, the Rockies need just four wins in five games to be called champions. Piece of cake, right? Then again, in beating up on the NL’s best in the Dodgers, Padres, Phillies and D-backs, they never had to play a team as good as the Sox. However, if the bounces keep going their way, Colorado will be MLB’s fourth Wild Card champ in six years.
Rockies in 7
-Michael Schwartz
assistant sports editor
The Colorado Rockies in the World Series? Weird. It’ll be tough not to pick the Rockies, but the 21-of-22 magic has to end sometime. Last year, the Detroit Tigers entered the World Series on a hot streak. But they fell flat after a similar week-long layoff before the Series, and the Tigers were considered to be better than their opponent. The Rockies aren’t – Boston’s pitching is too deep, and Ortiz and Ramirez are locked in right now.
Red Sox in 6
-Brian Kimball
sports writer
The Rockies entered the Fall Classic having won 21 of 22 games and were undefeated in the postseason, and they are the only NL team with an AL offense. That being said, they had an eight-day layoff and are facing an actual team for the first time since July. The Sox are led by Josh Beckett, who has been dominant, and they have Jonathan Papelbon for the ninth. That’s not to mention a formidable lineup led by David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
Red Sox in 5
-Michael Fitzpatrick
sports writer
