Pac-10 2010 - Week One!

OK, the first weekend of college football is in the books. What did we learn in the Pac-10?

Here is my opinion...

Oregon - whupped up on New Mexico 72-0. Good news: it's clear the Ducks are loaded on O and D, and that new QB Darron Thomas is solid. A week one "warm up" game is good. The Ducks sure could have used one like this last season before meeting Boise St. for example. Bad news: New Mexico is hardly the team to measure against, so we don't really know how good Oregon is yet. Conclusion: 1-0 is good for now, but next week vs. Tennessee will be a much bigger test for the team as a whole and Thomas as its QB. All will need to step it up.

Washington - lost to BYU 17-24 in Provo. Good news: The Huskies were competitive and there is little shame in losing to a solid team on the road by only a touchdown. Bad news: Defense is suspect and Locker...the supposed Heisman candidate and program saviour QB...could not deliver the goods when needed late in the game. Conclusion: UW will still win more than it loses this season, but overconfident Dawg fans need to stop thinking this squad is going to deliver a Rose Bowl berth or a Heisman Trophy winner.

WSU - lost to Oklahoma State 17-65. Good news: not much. Bad news: Not the way to start a new season in which you are trying to improve. Conclusion: It's gonna be a long season for the Cougs.

USC - beat Hawaii 49-36 at Hawaii. Good news: offense looks good as usual. Bad news: Hawaii scored 36 on the USC defense. Huh? Conclusion: Good warm up game, but chinks in the armor may have been exposed.

Oregon State - lost to #6 TCU 21-30. Good news: Beavers were competitive on the road against a Top 10 team in their very first game of the season. Bad news: RB Rodgers was limited in this game only gaining 75 yards, so perhaps other teams on the Bark Rats schedule will copy the "shut down Jacquizz and make the brand new QB try and beat us with his arm" defense. Conclusion: The Rodents are usually a slow starting team and I suspect they'll quickly put this one in the rear view mirror, get it together shortly and start winning.

Arizona - beat Akron big time. Good news: 1-0. Bad news: Like the Ducks vs. New Mexico, not sure what this win can tell us other than the Wildcats are clearly better than Akron.

Arizona State - beat Portland State by 43 points. Good news: 1-0. Bad news: see comments about Oregon and Arizona.

UCLA - lost to Kansas State on the road. Good news: close game played on the road. Bad news: opportunities to win missed and you wonder if the Bruins can put it together.

Cal - beat UC Davis 32-3. See comments about ASU, UA and UO.

Stanford - beat Sacramento State 52-17. Only comment is: how did Sac St. get 17 on the board?