The Oregon Ducks have a bye this week, but there is still plenty to be excited about around the Pac-12.
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The game that is most interesting to me is in Corvallis, right up the road from Eugene where the Oregon State Beavers welcome the Utah Utes. The Beavers won their first Pac-12 Conference game since 2014 last weekend in defeating Cal at Reiser Stadium and would love to make it two Conference wins in a row.
Gary Andersen is rebuilding the team and you can begin to see some of the dividends. Mother Nature brings an addition to the game today with 50+ mile per hour wind gusts and rain. I’m not sure if it will effect Utes Quarterback Troy Williams who leads a heavy passing Utah team with over 1500 yards on the season. Armand Shyne leads the ground attack for Utah with just under 400 yards on the season so far.
Elsewhere around the Pac-12, a resurgent USC team heads to Arizona who a few weeks ago took Pac-12 North Leader Washington to the wire in Overtime. The Trojans appear to have found their Quarterback in Sam Darnold who has passed for 1100 yards. Arizona, not quite as bad as the Ducks, has given up over 450 yards on Defense so far in 2016.
The Stanford Cardinal head East for a Non-Conference game at Notre Dame, but both teams bring issues to the table. Brian Kelly appears to have lost control and doesn’t know who to blame for the Fighting Irish and their rough start. Stanford has been solved by Washington and lost Star Player Christian McCaffrey last weekend against Washington State. It is not known if he will play today.
The UCLA Bruins take on Washington State in what could be a barn burner as both teams have been able to put up the points. Luke Falk has made his way into the Heisman Trophy Conversation. UCLA has gotten off to a better start than USC, but the Trojans have caught up. The Bruins QB Josh Rosen will cross the 2000 passing yard mark on the season on Saturday.
The marquee game of the day has Arizona State heading to Boulder to take on Colorado. The Buffs took out both Oregon and Oregon State before stumbling last weekend against USC.
Colorado brings one of the more balanced attacks in the Pac-12 Conference averaging 300 yards passing and close to 200 yards rushing for the season. Arizona State is the surprise team out of the South. The Sun Devils are scoring on average 40 points per game and giving up 33 on Defense. A Special Teams play could be the X-Factor in the game this evening.
Next: State Of Oregon Football: Let's Talk Perspective
The Oregon Ducks are on a bye this week and head to Berkley to take on the California Golden Bears next Friday.