(7) USC 30 - (24) California 3 : USC emphatically ended California's hopes of un-throning the Pac 10 champs. Nothing worked for the Golden Bears as Jahvid Best was contained for the second straight week and the game was put into Kevin Riley's hands. He fumbled it again. Riley cannot get over the hump as a playmaking quarterback. He completed just 15 of 40 passes (holy sh*t) for under 200 yards. He also sprinkled in an interception for good measure. Jeff Tedford has got to be thinking what we're all thinking: maybe Riley just doesn't have it. And Jeff Tedford better be on the lookout too, because Cal's AD might be wondering the same thing about him...
(16) Oregon 52 - Washington State 6 : Oregon kept the ball rolling against the conference's worst. QB Jeremiah Masoli really didn't even need to pass as the Ducks rumbled to 318 yards on the ground. Since the suspension of RB/heavyweight contender LeGarrette Blount the Ducks' "running back by committee" approach has been vastly successful. The defense has been solid also even after losing top CB Walter Thurmond III to injury.
Recent Development*: Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli will have his knee examined this week to determine the severity of an injury sustained this weekend. Also, RB LeGarrette Blount could return to the Oregon lineup later this season after seemingly being suspended for the entire year. As we all remember after the season-opening loss at Boise St. Blount jacked a Bronco player in the jaw for jawing at him. All in all it was funny, but definitely made a badly played game even worse for the Ducks.
Stanford 24 - UCLA 16 : Stanford anyone? The Cardinal haven't played a team that's a contender yet but they are playing sound football. Ground control and tough defense. Jim Harbaugh has got these kids believing they can win and they're doing it. I'm not sure there is a more rugged runner in the nation than RB Toby Gerhart. This dude is old school. He not only gets it 25 to 30 times a game but he wants it that many times. He's helping to take the pressure off of redshirt freshman QB Andrew Luck for whom the sky seems to be the limit. He hasn't wowed with his stats quite yet, but he has managed a run-based offense with a solid completion percentage and 6 to 10 yards when they need it. He's not putting the defense in bad situations which is all you can ask at this point. The biggest test since their loss at Wake Forest looms next week at Oregon State, who does their best work at home. I'm not ready to hand the Cardinal the Pac 10 title by any means. I'm just saying it's fully conceivable for them to be 7-1 heading into the Oregon game Nov. 7th. We'll keep an eye on 'em.
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