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The computerites with their infamous BCS rankings have splashed into the college football pool with both feet and Bay Area fans are swimmingly furious over Utah's No. 6 placement, which guarantees the Utes a spot in one of the three big-money postseason BCS bowls. California's faithful are worried that if Utah treads in the BCS, the Golden Bears will be denied a deserved big New Year's payday.
Actually, if USC and Cal win the rest of their games, the Trojans would most likely go to the Orange Bowl and the Bears would head to Pasadena to play Michigan in the Rose Bowl, not exactly a chump game for Cal. The Boys from Berkeley haven't been to a Rose Bowl in 45 years.
But to read the San Francisco Chronicle, one would think the Golden Bears' season is ruined. "Utah is probably a top 20 team, they might get three wins in the SEC, they would be competitive in the ACC and would handle some Pac-10 teams as the league--aside from Cal and USC--isn't very good this year," bellowed the Betting Fool, a somewhat over-opinionated sports columnist. "But if Cal and Utah played in the Sugar Bowl this week, Cal would be at least a 10-point favorite."
The Watcher pointed out three weeks ago that Utah could be a "BCS buster" because the Utes were unbeaten and their schedule wasn't all that formidable. But the BCS' computers sweetened the pot even more for Utah. The Betting Fool blamed Cal's woes on its 23-17 loss to USC three weeks ago. "What the computers [and voters] don't take into account is that Cal pretty much ran the Trojans off their own field. If Utah played at USC this Saturday, it would be USC 38, Utah 13.
USC Coach Pete Carroll tried to put to rest the lingering perception that his team was outplayed by California on Oct. 9 at the Coliseum. Carroll, reminding skeptics that the USC defense has given up an average of just 10 points a game this season, said, "Cal scored 17 points against us and they were lucky to get them," Carroll said.
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USC (7-0, 4-0) is ranked No. 1 by a large margin on both the Associated Press and the USA/Today Coaches poll, is at the top of the BCS rankings, ahead of Oklahoma and Miami. The Trojans hit the road the next two weeks for games at Washington State this Saturday, and a night game at Oregon State on Nov. 6. WSU won 10 games the past two seasons but this year the Cougars (3-4, 1-3) are struggling and have lost three straight. Still, Coach Bill Doba is trying to find a positive spark for his team. "I think you've got to look at this as an opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the nation," Doba said this week in a conference call with Pac-10 writers. "It's not like we're 6-0 and they're going to destroy our season. So we can try some things we always wanted to try." Freshman Alex Brink will start at quarterback for WSU. USC is hurting at tailback (LenDale White has ankle and thigh injuries), but Trojans are 24-point favorites at Pullman. The contest will be televised by ABC in Los Angeles.
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Stanford and UCLA, both 4-3 overall, play a Pac-10 game at the Rose Bowl Saturday. Consecutive losses to California and Arizona State have pretty much knocked the Bruins from any chance of playing in the Rose Bowl New Year's Day, and the Cardinal could add to UCLA's loss column. UCLA had a 42-31 lead late in the fourth quarter last weekend against ASU at Tempe, but squandered it when Sun Devils roared back to score two touchdowns and win 45-42. Stanford could put as many points on the scoreboard against a leaky Bruin defense, with its passing combination of quarterback Trent Edwards and tight end Alex Smith, one of the Cardinal's key offensive weapons.
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In the Big 12, Baylor is hoping that heavily favored Texas A&M will be looking ahead to next week's showdown against Oklahoma when the Bears face the Aggies at Waco, Texas, on Saturday.... Meanwhile, Texas travels to Boulder to play Colorado. The last time these two teams met was in the Big 12 title game two years ago, but since then the Buffalos have lost six straight to Big 12 South teams. And, the Longhorns have won 19 of their last 20 road contests. The Big 12 North is in such a shambles that if Colorado could win the rest of its games it would have a 5-3 conference record and could represent the North in the conference's championship game.
POWER SWEEPS: Utah puts its undefeated record on the line against Mountain West Conference opponent San Diego State on the road. The Utes have four games left--with the Aztecs, then Colorado State, Wyoming and BYU. They should run the table and secure the No. 6 BCS spot. ...Arizona State, which has been thin at tailback for most of the season, announced that Hakim Hill would be available against California in what figures to be a high-scoring Pac-10 shootout. Hill was held out of last weekend's Sun Devil win over UCLA for presumably disciplinary reasons. Coach Dick Koetter wouldn't say why Hill was benched. ... Trent Edwards, who was knocked out of last week's game against Oregon with a bruised shoulder, is expected to be back at quarterback for Stanford on Saturday. ... Washington (1-6, 0-4 in Pac-10) is assured of its first losing season since 1976.... USC's visit to Washington State will mark the first time a No. 1 team has ever played at Pullman, Wash. The last time the Trojans played the Cougars at Martin Stadium, the Cougars won in overtime, 30-27, on Drew Dunning's 35-yard field goal in 2002. ... California will play Arizona State without the services of offensive coordinator George Cortez. Cortez, considered head coach Jeff Tedford's top assistant, is recovering from surgery for a detached retina. He did not make the Golden Bears' trip to Tucson last weekend to call the plays in Cal's 38-0 win over Arizona.... Tommy Chang of Hawaii needs 241 passing yards to break the all-time NCAA record of 15,031 held by BYU's Ty Detmer. Detmer set the record in 1989. The Rainbow Warriors visit No. 18 Boise State Friday night in a nationally televised game. On the line will be the Broncos' 18-game winning streak, the longest of any team in Division 1-A. football.
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