SB Nation - Kerry Taylor

College Football Halloween Morning Open Thread

Avinash — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:00:24 -0000

Saturday Morning Bears. In case you've been spending the entire week deliberating on your Halloween costume, here's the Cal-ASU news that you should be ready for this week.

Darian Hagan was suspended for missing a class. Josh Hill will take his place. Marc Anthony and Charles Amadi will also be ready just in case, Amadi could see snaps.
Derrick Hill and Matt Summers-Gavin are out with shoulder injuries. Kendrick Payne or Aaron Tipoti (Chronicle is saying Tipoti) takes Hill's place, Boskovich and Fisher will split snaps in replacing Summers-Gavin.
Sean Cattouse will be starting over Marcus Ezeff; Ezeff will still play.
Although this is homecoming, expected attendance at Sun Devil Stadium is around 46k, well short of the 53,000+ that showed up for the Washington night game. And you didn't think the start time would make a difference.
As for ASU injuries, receiver Kyle Williams will be returning for the Sun Devils after missing last week's game at the Furd. He also spots as their punt returner.
ASU is missing their starting center Altieri though, so that hopefully cancels out the loss of HIll. Garth Gerhart will shift from right guard and handle snap duties. Tom Njunge will also replace the starter against the Furd, Matt Hustad, at right tackle.
ASU Cornerback Omar Bolden is out, and wide receiver Kerry Taylor is questionable.

After the jump, sample the early morning slate before our game.

The ghosts are out, and they've blessed us this morning with a fantastic slate of games.

Noon PM EST/9 AM PST
Indiana at Iowa, ESPN
Purdue at Wisconsin, ESPN2
Cincinnati at Syracuse, ESPNU

12:21 PM EST/9:21 AM PST
Ole Miss at Auburn, SEC TV/CSN California

12:30 PM EST/9:30 AM EST
Nebraska at Baylor, Versus HD

1:30 PM EST/10:30 AM EST
Missouri at Colorado, FSN HD/CSN Bay Area

Oh. Um.

Well, at least Gameday's in Autzen! Enjoy that as we get set for our rumble in Tempe (pregame/1st quarter thread should be up 45 minutes before kickoff).

Poll

My current state is...

Excited

24 votes

Disinterested

4 votes

Calm

15 votes

Scared

10 votes

Drunk

8 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Dawg Sports Interviews House of Sparky's C.W. Before Georgia-Arizona State Game

T Kyle King — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:31:38 -0000

My SB Nation colleague, C.W. of House of Sparky, was kind enough to agree to exchange interview questions on the eve of the intriguing cross-sectional matchup between Georgia and Arizona State. My answers to his questions are available at his site. C.W.’s answers to my questions follow:

All right, let's go ahead and get it out of the way: Arizona State was caught looking ahead against UNLV. How will the loss impact the Sun Devils' performance on Saturday? Will the loss demoralize the team, energize the team, or have no effect at all?

Kyle, thank you for bringing up a very basic truth about last Saturday. Arizona State is a much better football team than UNLV, and it was very obvious that the Devils were dreaming of an unprecedented showdown between two 3-0 squads before they should have.

Rudy Carpenter has stepped up and made it very clear that the loss to UNLV has been very motivational. Unable to sleep, he and Dennis Erickson are not going to allow the team to come out flat against Georgia. The damage has been done to the fan base, however. This season appears nearly lost to the casual observer who has seen so many promising Sun Devil teams fall by the wayside after an early season defeat.

ASU has been very enigmatic in recent years. You never really know what you’re going to get, whether it’s a gutsy victory (see: 2007 at Washington State), or a demoralizing loss (see: 2007 vs. USC on Thanksgiving, Holiday Bowl vs. Texas). I don’t think any of us really understand just what this team is capable of, and unless Carpenter can play up to his ability as senior signal caller, we may never truly know.

In the end, losing to UNLV has to feel like a slap in the face to every player on the team. The Sun Devils will come out fired up, as the season can still be salvaged very quickly with a win against the Bulldogs.

Dennis Erickson has a reputation as a vagabond coach who has succeeded at every stop along the way. After winning two national championships at Miami, spending two separate stints in the NFL bookended by two separate stints at Idaho, and coaching at every Pac-10 school with "State" in its name, Coach Erickson now says he's ready to spend the rest of his career in Tempe. Is ASU Dennis Erickson's last coaching gig? What are the long-term prospects for the program if it turns out to be?

To answer this question, I have to reflect upon his attitude. I think his first year here was the most telling aspect of his happiness to be at Arizona State, and his motivational skills are undeniable. He brought an expectation of greatness that former coach Dirk Koetter never insisted upon. Erickson isn’t a coach that lets the inmates run the asylum; it is very clear who the boss is when you are watching the sidelines.

With that said, 2007 was a storybook year for ASU, going 8-0 before faltering down the stretch and finishing 10-3. In Erickson’s first year, he saw just how loud the fans could be when the product on the field is worth cheering for. He has a great situation here in Tempe, making at minimum $1.275 million a year. The weather is perfect; the players and the city revere him.

In my opinion, Dennis Erickson isn’t going anywhere. His latest recruiting class is incredibly solid from top to bottom, and the program can only benefit from his presence. If Erickson stays around for 4 more years, I can see ASU legitimately competing with USC on an annual basis for the Pac-10 crown.

Last year, coming off of back-to-back seven-win seasons, the Sun Devils surprised most observers by winning ten games and sharing the Pac-10 title. However, losses to Oregon, Southern California, and Texas in the Holiday Bowl came by double-digit margins. What would a win on Saturday do to validate Arizona State's recent resurgence? Conversely, what would a loss do to ASU's reputation as a player in the Pac-10?

I think it is very important to look at this from a few angles.

First of all, a close loss to Georgia would signal more to ASU’s strength than to Georgia’s weakness. In that same vein, a victory over the Bulldogs would put Arizona State back in the thick of the Top 25, and well on their way to challenging for the Pac-10 championship.

Last year felt odd to many Sun Devil fans, because deep down we knew our team was still a year away from really showing us what they could do. They beat the teams they were supposed to beat, but they couldn’t put away similarly ranked teams. In fact, they couldn’t even come close to matching up against USC or Texas.

ASU’s schedule last season was very easy from the outset, with home games against San Jose State, Colorado, and San Diego State. After that, despite an impressive come-from-behind win at home against Oregon State, ASU didn’t play any great squads until they traveled to Oregon in the 9th game of the season.

These reasons are yet more indicators of why the loss to UNLV hurt so much. That just wasn’t supposed to happen. Should Georgia blow out Arizona State, consider the resurgence postponed until 2009.

The Sun Devils' aerial offense, ranked first in the Pac-10, features conference passing leader Rudy Carpenter and three of the league's top ten receivers in yards per game in Michael Jones, Kerry Taylor, and Kyle Williams. What are the keys to the undeniable success of the ASU passing game?

You’ve summed up a few good reasons right in the question, Kyle. Depth has been the key for the wide receiving core. One receiver you didn’t mention was Chris McGaha. He is arguably the most essential cog in our passing game, being Rudy’s favorite target on 3rd down. McGaha reminds me of a young Wes Welker; a possession receiver with great hands who can catch nearly anything thrown at him.

Kerry Taylor really stepped up this season thus far, showing determination and skill in running precise routes with control, yet still showcasing breakneck speed when the opportunity arose. Kyle Williams, while having a penchant for muffing punts, is a threat to return a kickoff or a punt any chance he gets. UNLV did a great job of neutralizing his presence by punting short and forcing Williams to call for a fair catch on multiple occasions.

Most importantly is Michael Jones. He is a tall, sure-handed receiver who can alter games with his long reach and speed. Jones is skilled enough to play baseball at powerhouse ASU, and was drafted by the New York Yankees in June’s entry draft. Watch for him to make a few big plays.

Rudy Carpenter has been starting since the 2005 season, racking up passing efficiency records from the get-go. A warranted knock on Carpenter, unfortunately, has been his inability to knock off a highly ranked team. One thing you cannot take away from him is his undeniable toughness, and even with a broken thumb last year he still played through the pain and led the Sun Devils to a 10-3 season.

Look for all of these players to make a big impact if the running game can establish itself.

Last year, the most glaring deficiency on the Arizona State squad was along the offensive line, which returned five starting upperclassmen yet still allowed more sacks than any Division I-A team not named Notre Dame. How has this year's less experienced line performed thus far? How do you expect the ASU offensive line to hold up on Saturday against the toughest front seven the Sun Devils have seen so far this season?

The offensive line had looked good against Northern Arizona and Stanford, but they let up against UNLV. The Rebels were able to apply an ample amount of pressure on Carpenter, sacking him way too often for my liking, including back-to-back sacks at a crucial juncture in the third quarter.

I can only hope for the best, seeing that the line is still young and full of potential. Unfortunately for them, if they can’t hold up UNLV, they definitely will not be able to keep Georgia at bay. The vaunted speed of the SEC will be on full display against the inexperienced linemen. In order to succeed, Carpenter will have to hit his receivers quickly, and I imagine a lot of sideline passes from the spread formation will be the key to breaking the pressure.

We know the Sun Devils can pass. However, ASU ranks seventh in the Pac-10 in rushing offense despite having run the ball exactly as many times as Arizona State has thrown the ball. Georgia, on the other hand, allows 2.5 yards per carry, gives up 59.7 rushing yards per game, and limited South Carolina to 18 yards on 16 carries. Will the home team be able to run the ball? How critical a role will ASU's ability to run the ball play in determining which team wins?

If Keegan Herring plays on Saturday, you will see a much different run game than has been on display so far this season from Arizona State. Herring is well known for his east to west running style, and for being able to make big plays out of nothing. Without that aspect of the running game, Dimitri Nance has been hung out to dry facing defenses that know just what to expect. Herring has been nursing a hamstring injury that won’t go away, and we don’t know his status just yet.

Georgia’s defense is truly spectacular against the run. They get to see Heisman Trophy candidate Knowshon Moreno every week in practice, so they know what greatness looks like. I can’t even tell you how much respect I give to the Bulldog front seven.

I think the running game is only as good as the line that protects it. Should Herring and Nance get solid protection and find decent gaps to burst through, it really could be a long night for the Bulldogs. But that seems more like fantasy than reality at this point.

A team must be able to run to have any success in the air. If they can’t move the ball on the ground, the defense can drop back and cherry pick the quarterback’s passes. Should the running game be stopped by the ‘Dawgs, the passing game will soon follow, making this Saturday another miserable night in the desert.

Once again, my thanks go out to C.W. for taking the time to take part in this exchange. I’m looking forward to what promises to be an exciting duel in the desert tomorrow night.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Too Much Information: Georgia Bulldogs v. Arizona State Sun Devils

T Kyle King — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:30:47 -0000

The weekly breakdown that we call "Too Much Information" evolved---some would say devolved---from a segment of the same name in "The Dawg Show," which aired on Henry County local cable access from 1999 to 2004. Each week, I provided a torrent of statistical and (more often) historical minutiae having no particular bearing on the matter at hand.

It was an amusing bit as far as it went, although it occasionally lurched uncontrollably into eerie prescience. For instance, the 1968 Bulldogs won the S.E.C. championship and finished the season with one loss, then, in the first road game of the following season, Georgia beat Clemson 30-0. I pointed that out in the 2003 season preview show, since the 2002 Bulldogs had won the S.E.C. championship and finished the season with one loss and the 2003 ‘Dawgs were to play their first road game at Clemson. I turned out to be right: Georgia won, 30-0.

In the show immediately following the 1999 Georgia Tech game, I pointed out that two previous Georgia squads had gone to bowl games following 7-4 regular seasons. Those two teams were the 1947 Bulldogs, who tied Maryland in the Gator Bowl, and the 1984 Bulldogs, who tied Florida State in the Citrus Bowl. Since the 1999 Bulldogs had gone 7-4, as well, I predicted a Georgia overtime victory in the bowl game before I knew either the bowl or the opponent. I turned out to be right: Georgia came back to beat Purdue 28-25 in extra innings.

Mostly, though, I was just tossing out miscellaneous data of interest but no real importance. I mention that because I went a little retro with last week’s Too Much Information and I’m doing it again this week, interspersing a handful of historical observations amid the various numerical comparisons. Why? Because Senator Blutarsky, Doug Gillett, and Paul Westerdawg have you covered on the actual analysis, so it falls to me to offer not a dash of data, nor a modicum of insight, but, rather . . . Too Much Information.

One of these days, we’re going to have to YouTube a few of the old "Dawg Show" episodes. In the meantime, for those of you who never saw it, think of it as "Wayne’s World" without the stoner/slacker mentality or the production values.

What do you need to know about the Arizona State game that you don’t know already? Consider these data:

Numerically, the Bulldogs and the Sun Devils are more similar than you may suspect. The Georgia O has picked up 62 first downs and averages 446.3 yards per game of total offense. The Arizona State O has picked up 65 first downs and averages 442.0 yards per game of total offense. The Georgia D has given up 55 first downs and allows 296.0 yards per game. The Arizona State D has given up 56 first downs and allows 295.3 yards per game.

Last Saturday, for just the fifth time in series history, the Classic City Canines scored exactly 14 points against South Carolina. In the previous four such seasons (1919, 1958, 1959, and 1996), the ‘Dawgs were 4-0 in games immediately following the showdown with the Gamecocks. Three of those four victories came by double-digit margins.

The ‘Dawgs are equally adept at moving the chains on the ground and through the air: Georgia has picked up 31 first downs via the forward pass and 31 first downs via either running plays (28) or penalties (3). The Devils are equally susceptible to surrendering fresh sets of downs on the ground and through the air: A.S.U. has given up 23 first downs on passes and 23 first downs on runs.

Offensively, though, the Sun Devils are explosive, thanks to a quarterback so accomplished that they made a movie about him.

The Bulldogs lead in the S.E.C. in total touchdowns scored (15) and offensive touchdowns scored (14). The Red and Black rank second in the league in rushing touchdowns scored (9) and passing touchdowns scored (5). The Classic City Canines have scored on all ten of their trips into the red zone and have come away with touchdowns on nine of their ten treks inside the opposition’s 20 yard line.

The last time the ‘Dawgs played a game west of the Mississippi River against a team from the Copper State, the result was a tie with the Wildcats in the 1985 Sun Bowl. Should that datum prove as prophetic as my aforementioned forecast of the 2000 Outback Bowl, it is noteworthy that the Red and Black are 4-2 in overtime games, including 2-0 under Mark Richt. I haven’t taken the time to check Dennis Erickson’s or Arizona State’s overtime records, but I know they’re 0-1 in the last week.

Although the Georgia offense has been criticized in the wake of the South Carolina game, the Bulldog O does not let up after intermission. The Red and Black have scored 115 points this season, notching 58 of them in the first two quarters and 57 in the second half. The Sun Devils, by contrast, perform distinctly differently after the break: Arizona State has outscored the opposition 60-20 in the first half this autumn, but A.S.U. holds a cumulative 31-30 edge in the last two stanzas in 2008 and has been outpointed 20-14 in the fourth quarter.

The Devils start strong but finish weak in Tempe, just like in the New Testament.

Arizona State, obviously, is a passing team: Rudy Carpenter leads the Pac-10 in passing yards per game (325.0), pass efficiency (183.6), and total offense (332.7 yards per game) and three of the league’s top ten receivers in yards per game are Sun Devils (Michael Jones, Kerry Taylor, and Kyle Williams). Nevertheless, A.S.U. strives for balance, having run the ball 95 times and thrown the ball 95 times this season, and four of the Devils’ six red zone touchdowns have come on running plays.

Despite the foregoing facts, Georgia is the markedly better team at running the ball and at stopping the run. Arizona State gives up very nearly as many yards per carry (3.6) as the Sun Devils gain (3.7), whereas the ‘Dawgs pick up more than twice as many yards per rush (5.6) than they permit (2.5).

You already know that Mark Richt is 32-2 against non-conference teams and is 26-4 in opponents’ home stadiums. What you might not know, though, is that Georgia has not followed up a win over the Gamecocks with an out-of-conference road loss since 1974 and no Bulldog squad has come out of the South Carolina game with an unblemished record and lost on the road to a non-league foe in the Red and Black’s next outing since a 7-6 loss to Yale at New Haven in 1924.

It would have been remiss of me not to have included a reference to our dear friend Herbert I. McDunnough, who met his future wife, Edwinna, in the county lockup in Tempe.

Rudy Carpenter has thrown four more touchdowns (6) than interceptions (2). Matthew Stafford has thrown four more touchdowns (4) than interceptions (0).

This is a weird detail of which I do not know what to make: Arizona State’s longest game was five minutes shorter than Georgia’s shortest game. I get why being on for-real big-deal T.V. made the Bulldogs’ showdown in Columbia last three and a half hours, but, given the extent to which the ‘Dawgs are a running team and the Devils are a passing team, shouldn’t A.S.U.’s longest game be longer than Georgia’s shortest game? Anyway, if the game starts to stretch beyond the three-hour-and-fifteen-minute mark, will the home team have as much left in the tank as the visitors?

There simply are too many variables in play to have any idea in the world what to expect. In addition to questions about the Georgia pass rush versus the A.S.U. offensive line, or the Sun Devil aerial assault against the Red and Black secondary, there are such essential immeasurables as how the ‘Dawgs will respond to playing so far from home for the first time since their head coach was in first grade and how the Devils will react after last weekend’s debacle against U.N.L.V. There’s just no telling. This ought to be fun.

My Prediction: Georgia 41, Arizona State 35.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Pac-10 Preview and Predictions, Week #3, Part 2

Cory Williams — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:13:57 -0000

The week #3 preview continues with...

Stanford Cardinal @ TCU Horned Frogs. 4:00 PM Pacific, The Mountain Network.

Stanford's weaknesses were rightly exploited by Arizona State last Saturday. The passing game is suspect, and their defense can be thrown over for big plays. We shouldn't discredit their strong running game, led by Toby Gerhart, and the consistent defensive pressure on ASU QB Rudy Carpenter.

TCU is perhaps best known as "that school LaDainian Tomlinson went to," but the Horned Frogs are no slouches. Tied for first in the Mountain West with #22 Utah and Air Force, TCU has given up a total of 10 points combined against New Mexico and Stephen F. Austin, while posting 93.

TCU QB Andy Dalton is 28/37 on the year for 251 yards. The consecutive blowout victories have given TCU the opportunity to get their backups invaluable game experience, but I get the feeling they won't be inserted in this matchup save for injuries.

The running back situation at TCU needs to be quickly looked into. The starting RB, Joseph Turner, scored 3 touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin, but only ran for 44 yards. Other running backs that made impressions were Ryan Christian and Jai Cavness, who each got 11 carries and a touchdown. It will be interesting to see how the Stanford defense deals with such intense RB rotation.

Prediction: TCU 35, Stanford 24

Continuing the preview with #3 Oklahoma Sooners @ Washington Huskies...

#3 Oklahoma Sooners @ Washington Huskies. 4:45 PM Pacific, ESPN.

Oklahoma features a dynamic offense, led by QB Sam Bradford. Bradford has really stepped into the starting QB position with poise and maturity, and already has connected with his wideouts for 7 touchdowns in two games.

Freshman WR Ryan Broyles, playing in his first game after being suspended for the first game of the season, had 7 receptions for 141 yards and 2 TDs against Cincinnati. He must be contained if Washington is to have any chance.

That being said, Washington doesn't have a chance. The Sooners have seen what the Huskies did to BYU, and they won't allow it to happen to them as well. Despite Jake Locker's best intentions, he won't be able to play big enough to keep the game close, as Washington is running with two walk-ons starting in the defensive core.

Prediction: Oklahoma 56, Washington 27

#5 Ohio State Buckeyes @ #1 USC Trojans. 5:00 PM Pacific, ABC.

The big kahuna of week #3 is Ohio State invading The Coliseum to take on the Trojans of Southern California.

We can't take OSU's close victory against Ohio as any indication of their true talent. It is entirely possible that, given the fact that USC was at home watching the game, that Jim Tressel was running a vanilla scheme in order to protect his secrets.

USC's only game this year was a blowout victory at Virginia. Once the game was in hand, Pete Carroll undoubtedly pocketed the interesting plays for Ohio State.

This sounds all so contrite. I think Ohio State is overrated and nearly lost to Ohio because they didn't show up for the first three quarters. If they don't show up for the first three minutes against USC, the game will already be over.

At the same time, if Chris "Beanie" Wells can show up at 100% and become unhinged, Ohio State may very well have the chance to shock the Trojan men. But really? Not gonna happen.

Prediction: USC 42, Ohio State 30

Arizona Wildcats @ New Mexico Lobos. 5:00 PM Pacific.

Arizona goes on the road to take on the mighty New Mexico Lobos. UNM lost to TCU 26-3 last week. Arizona has outscored opposition 111-16 this year.

This game will be more of the same, as the cupcake schedule that Mike Stoops is plowing through so far in 2008 will lead them halfway to a hugely disappointing bowl loss in mid-December.

Prediction: Arizona 54, New Mexico 13.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels @ Arizona State Sun Devils. 7:00 PM Pacific.

UNLV's best player is running back Frank Summers, so it's only natural that they be called the Runnin' Rebels. They were unable to put a scare into Utah last week, losing 42-21. The girthy Summers did collect 87 yards and 2 touchdowns, so he has to be contained by the stout defensive core of ASU.

UNLV will be unable to contain the spread offense, and the experience Rudy brings to the field is not going to be stopped by a middling MWC team.

Watch for Kerry Taylor to score another big play TD, and for Keegan Herring to continue to run the ball with purpose.

Prediction: ASU 48, UNLV 10.

Lets go Devils!

Pac-10 Preview and Predictions, Week #2

Cory Williams — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:12:10 -0000

The Pac-10 got off to a strong start as a whole last week, collecting six victories (two of which came against Pac-10 foes). The biggest victory of the week was UCLA's triumph over #18 Tennessee, in a game that was nearly impossible to watch in the first half.

This week, BYU rolls into Washington, Oregon State crosses the country to play Penn State, and Stanford takes on the Sun Devils in a battle of unbeaten squads. USC and UCLA have much-deserved off weeks after their victories in week 1.

On to the prognoses...

#15 BYU Cougars @ Washington Huskies. Saturday, September 6, 12:10 PM Pacific.

I was wrong last week when it came to my prediction about UCLA having "no chance" against Tennessee. Dead wrong. Tennessee was not nearly as good as I gave them credit for; it was probably all the SEC bias that gets tossed around on ESPN.

This week, I am willing to make another bold statement. Washington has no chance against BYU. QB Max Hall has looked phenomenal and will throw all over the Husky secondary.

UW QB Jake Locker gives Washington a change to keep this close, but if he falters at all, down they go, like a dogsled team falling into a frozen lake during the Iditarod.

Prediction: BYU 45, Washington 28

Oregon State Beavers @ #19 Penn State Nittany Lions. Saturday, September 6, 12:30 PM Pacific, ABC.

The Beavers take on the Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium... in Pennsylvania. What a coincidence, huh? Penn State is implementing a new quarterback for 2008, junior Daryll Clark. He looked good against Coastal Carolina, going 11/14 for 146 yards and a touchdown before getting pulled in the blowout victory.

On the other side of the coin is the OSU attack. Led by QB Lyle Moevao and WR Sammie Stroughter, the air game picked up 404 yards against Stanford in week 1's losing effort. The interceptions Moevao threw were backbreakers, and ended up being the difference between victory and defeat.

I can't help but wish for a huge upset, seeing as I think Penn State is perpetually overvalued, but in reality it just won't happen. Oregon State is known for being awful at the start of the year, and they won't go into one of the most hostile stadiums in the country and walk away with a win.

Prediction: Penn State 42, Oregon State 17

Utah State Aggies @ #18 Oregon Ducks. Saturday, September 6, 12:37 PM Pacific.

Allow me to quickly put this game into perspective. Last week, Utah State lost to UNLV 27-17. In 2007, UNLV was 2-10. Need I say much more?

Oregon won 44-10 last week against an overmatched Washington team. The most interesting part of this game will be how well concussed QB Justin Roper plays for the Ducks. He was out last week, and backup Jeremiah Masoli took care of business.

Prediction: Oregon 52, Utah State 7

California Golden Bears @ Washington State Cougars. Saturday, September 6, 3:30 PM Pacific.

California took care of business against Michigan State, and QB Kevin Riley is no longer in a platoon with Nate Longshore. Talk about a bust. Longshore was supposed to be the Golden Boy.

Washington State showed how bad they were in Seattle last week, getting dismantled by a 40-year old man to the tune of 39-13. This game will be in Pullman, so the final result might be closer, but I can't see Washington State winning this game. California is a team with a lot of potential. That doesn't mean it won't be close.

Prediction: California 28, Washington State 17

Toledo Rockets @ Arizona Wildcats. Saturday, September 6, 7:00 PM Pacific.

Arizona subscribed to the theory ASU has been working off of for years: play really crappy teams at the start of the season, and have a head start in the bowl chase. Toledo was 5-7 last year in the MAC, losing to teams like Kansas, Purdue, and Bowling Green.

Anyway, Toledo hasn't played a game this season, and Arizona already took it to Idaho 70-0 last week. I can only imagine more of the same in this match up, as Arizona improves to 2-0 and the polar ice caps begin to freeze over anew.

Prediction: Arizona 58, Toledo 13

Stanford Cardinal @ Arizona State Sun Devils. Saturday, September 6, 7:07 PM Pacific.

Check out "Breaking Down The Stanford Cardinal" for more information about the intruders from Palo Alto.

ASU can exploit the holes in the Stanford secondary with their quick speed at WR and their experience at QB with Rudy Carpenter. I think Kerry Taylor and Chris McGaha will have a field day, whether or not Mike Jones is 100%.

Prediction, Arizona State 42, Stanford 14. No mercy.

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Observations From Inside Sun Devil Stadium

Cory Williams — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:17:30 -0000

The student section was rowdy and ready for another season of college football. After taking a beating in the Holiday Bowl at the hands of Texas, Rudy Carpenter and the boys looked prepared to show their fans that they are a legitimate Pac-10 contender.

The first thing I noticed was the inexperience of the offensive line really shining through. While statistically looking good on paper, Rudy was flushed out quite often. He showed his mettle and got rid of the ball when he needed to, rather than taking those sacks he was so familiar with.

To be fair to the line, they look promising. There are no guarantees in college football, but if they can give Carpenter 4 seconds to find a receiver, there will be hell to pay.

Lets move on to the skill positions.

Kerry Taylor found a seam up the gut to score the first touchdown of the season, a 52-yard beauty that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Taylor is really developing his routes and looks to be a deadly combination receiver playing alongside Chris McGaha and Michael Jones.

Keegan Herring was out with his sore hammy, but it was a good idea to give Dimitri Nance the majority of the carries (and allow Jarrell Woods the opportunity to play). Nance punched in multiple touchdowns, showing his size on the goal line opportunities.

Danny Sullivan has been looking awful. If he can't do any better than 1/7 on passing attempts against a Division 1-AA opponent, Dennis Erickson may have to reorder the depth chart.

This was Danny Sullivan's first Pac-10 passing attempt ever, against UCLA in 2007.

Thomas Weber hasn't slowed down at all, and looks every bit as good as he did last year when he won the Lou Groza award for best kicker in college football. His punting is much improved as well, with a long of 59.

On the other hand, Robbie Dehaze, NAU's punter/kicker, has a fantastic leg. I would not be surprised to see him land an NFL gig when all is said and done. His 63-yard punt was an absolute bomb, and to have actual coverage downfield would make him an asset.

Speaking of punts, NAU's starting QB, Lance Krieisen, tried a pooch punt on 4th and 12 in the ASU 36. It was a complete disaster and ended up going out at the ASU 23 for a whopping 13 yards. Better than an incomplete pass, right?

Kriesien is a speedy player, and his option runs are good practice for the big time opponents like Knowshon Moreno. With experience against a roving quarterback, everything else will fall into place with our maturing defensive core.

Luis Vasquez and Dexter Davis didn't skip a beat and look ferocious on every down. They chase restlessly until the play is over, and set good precedent for the young defensive tackles like Jonathon English.

The new dance/cheer combo looks good in their new uniforms, and the band sounds as good as ever. Now, if only I could get the student section to stop cheering "F*** NAU" or "F*** the Lumberjacks" and come up with something a little more biting...