Pac-12 Week 9 Predictions

Longingly looking at other team's schedules that include an actual bye week. Sigh.

I'm 40-19 with my picks this season, but more importantly, I'm 8-2 over the last two weeks. AYOOB!

Colorado (1-5, 1-3) at No. 4 Oregon (7-0, 4-0)
Insert Colorado joke here. I mean what can you say about this one? Oregon's pissed that it fell in the BCS standings AFTER it dismantled a 5-1 ASU squad. Colorado is looking to do all it can to not be considered the conference's bottom feeder.

Don't expect much to change this week.

Oregon 63 Colorado 10

UCLA (5-2, 2-2) at Arizona State (5-2, 3-1)
Now this should be a fun one to watch. Two different spread attacks with solid defenses face off with the winner still in the race for the Pac-12 South title. I'm liking ASU a bit more, especially with the news that defensive lineman Will Sutton should be back. UCLA also hasn't been nearly as sharp on the road as they've been at home, which spells bad things with them playing in Tempe.

ASU 35 UCLA 24

No. 9 USC (6-1, 4-1) at Arizona (4-3, 1-3)
The Wildcats broke their three game losing streak with a dominant performance over Washington. This offense will be able to score on any team not named Oregon. The problem is their defense which will have its hands with the bevy of playmakers on the Trojan squad.

And I don't think enough people are realizing that USC's defense has quietly emerged as one of the best defenses in the country.

USC 38 Arizona 24

Washington State (2-5, 0-4) at No. 17 Stanford (5-2, 3-1)
Some people are suggesting that Washington State could give the Cardinal fits because their spread attack presents similar challenges that Stanford faced against Arizona. Not buying it. Arizona's offense is infinitely more potent than what Mike Leach's squad has going on right now, and the game is at Palo Alto in what's bound to be a raucous crowd of 8,000 or so.

Stanford 31 Washington State 13

No. 7 Oregon State (6-0, 4-0) at Washington (3-4, 1-3)
Bob Canzano from the Oregon Live calls Washington the "softest, least resilitent team in the conference." Ouch. It's just one man's opinion, but you'll have a hard time disputing it if the Huskies fall again to the seventh ranked Beavers. I don't think it won't be as easy as showing up, but OSU is firing on all cylinders right now and the Huskies are desperately looking for answers on offense other than having Keith Price running for his life before throwing a desperation throw.

Thinking Washington puts up a fight, but having a hard time seeing the Huskies pull out this one.

Oregon State 24 Washington 17