Arizona Wildcats (6-4) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-7)
Saturday, November 28, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Arizona -3.0
Continue reading 'Week 13 Game Matchup: Arizona Wildcats VS. Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-7 Overall (2-6 Conference)
This Week’s Score: UCLA 23 – Arizona State 13
Next Week’s Opponent: Arizona
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 12 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Arizona State Sun Devils (4-6) vs. UCLA Bruins (5-5)
Saturday, November 21, 1:00 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: UCLA -5.0
Continue reading 'Week 12 Game Matchup: Arizona State Sun Devils VS. UCLA Bruins'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-6 Overall (2-5 Conference)
This Week’s Score: Oregon 44 – Arizona State 21
Next Week’s Opponent: @UCLA
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 11 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
USC’S REIGN AT THE TOP IS OVER – FOR NOW
Ding Dong’ the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!
For some reason, this song was running through my head as I watched Stanford pummel USC.
For Trojans fans, it has been a fantastic ride for the last seven years. So fantastic, in fact, that Trojan fans are completely guilty of taking it for granted. Every single one of them (myself, included).
Virtually every hiccup along the way has cost USC a trip to the National Championship, which in turn turned the Rose Bowl into a consolation prize of sorts. USC fans are always disappointed to “only” win the Pac-10 and “only” go to the Rose Bowl.
And that’s one of the reasons why fans around the conference have hated the USC Trojans and their fans for the better part of a decade now, and as Stanford drove the final nail into the coffin that Washington had opened and Oregon had closed, there is plenty of reason for the rest of the conference to celebrate.
A friend of mine asked me, “Dave, you know your Pac-10; Is USC done for? I mean, I know they are this season, but are they done for good?”
I’m surprised at how many people are living in the moment so badly that they are actually asking this question. NO, USC isn’t done for good. They still have one of the best coaches in the country and a never-ending stable of 4 and 5-star talent. They will be a serious contender for the Pac-10 title next year, as well as the years to come.
The beauty, though, is that they won’t be the only serious contender. 2009 will not mark the beginning of the end of USC as a football power; but it will mark the end of their stranglehold over the rest of the conference.
Arizona State Sun Devils, Arizona Wildcats, California Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars
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Arizona State Sun Devils (4-5) vs. Oregon Ducks (7-2)
Saturday, November 14, 7:20 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Oregon -18.0
Continue reading 'Week 11 Game Matchup: Arizona State Sun Devils VS. Oregon Ducks'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-5 Overall (2-4 Conference)
This Week’s Score: USC 14 – Arizona State 9
Next Week’s Opponent: @Oregon
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 10 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
State of the Program
Like almost every other Pac-10 team this season, Arizona State will be searching for a new identity. The Sun Devils enter the 2009-10 season without two of the best players in program history. G James Harden and F Jeff Pendergraph accounted for 34.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG, and 5.1 APG per game last season, but both are now in the NBA.
Will ASU be able to survive without the superstar duo? I believe the answer is yes for one simple reason: Herb Sendek. Sendek has proven that his Devils can compete against anyone because of a deliberate offense and meticulously crafted zone defense. Aside from Pendergraph and Harden, ASU returns every major contributor from last season’s NCAA Tournament team. The challenge this year will be incorporating a talented freshman recruiting class into Sendek’s complicated system.
While this ASU team won’t have an All-American guiding it, the squad appears to be deeper and more talented from top to bottom than it has been in quite some time. Sendek has raised the profile of the program with newfound exposure (NBA Draft picks, NCAA Tournament Birth, 3rd place finish in Pac-10, 2nd place finish in Pac-10 Tourney) and a brand new practice facility (Weatherup Center).
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Basketball Preview – Arizona State Sun Devils'»
USC Trojans (6-2) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-4)
Saturday, November 7, 5:00 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: USC -10.0
Continue reading 'Week 10 Game Matchup: USC Trojans VS. Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-4 Overall (2-3 Conference)
This Week’s Score: California 23 – Arizona State 21
Next Week’s Opponent: USC
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 9 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Cal Bears (5-2) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-3)
Saturday, October 31, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Cal -6.5
Continue reading 'Week 9 Game Matchup: Cal Bears VS. Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-3 Overall (2-2 Conference)
This Week’s Score: Stanford 33 – Arizona State 14
Next Week’s Opponent: Cal
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 8 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
Arizona State Sun Devils (4-2) vs. Stanford Cardinal (4-3)
Saturday, October 24, 7:25 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Stanford -6.5
Continue reading 'Week 8 Game Matchup: Arizona State Sun Devils VS. Stanford Cardinal'»
Arizona State Sun Devils 4-2 Overall (2-1 Conference)
This Week’s Score: Arizona State 24 – Washington 17
Next Week’s Opponent: @Stanford
Continue reading 'Pac-10 Week 7 Notes and Observations: Arizona State Sun Devils'»
#1 Star: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (10/19): 33 Carries for 133 Yards, 3 TDs, 5 Receptions for 45 Yards
With the Jacksonville Jaguars still struggling, and Maurice Jones-Drew publicly stating his frustration about not getting the ball enough this season, Jones-Drew showed exactly what he can do when given the opportunity this week against the St Louis Rams. His 33 rushes (most in the NFL) for 133 yards (fourth this week) and three TDs (most in the NFL) led the Jaguars to a 23 – 20 win over the Rams.
Maurice Jones-Drew scored all three touchdowns for the Jaguars this week, but the fourth quarter was really where he took over the game. Jones-Drew ran for 74 yards in the fourth quarter with two TDs. His one yard TD run with 8:05 left in the game gave the Jags a 13 – 10 lead, and his three yard shot up the middle also gave them the lead at 20 – 17.
With this big win the Jacksonville Jaguars moved back to .500, and it looks like they are starting to understand that their best chance of winning is to give opponents a healthy dose of Maurice Jones-Drew.
#2 Star: Brian Cushing, Houston Texans
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (10/19): 9 Tackles, 1 INT, 2 Forced Fumbles, 2 Pass Deflections
With the Houston Texans going into Cincinnati to play one of the hottest teams in the league, not many people were picking Houston to win. The Texans did pull off the upset though, thanks to Brian Cushing’s huge performance and allowing zero points in the second half of the game for the 28 – 17 victory.
The Houston Texans took a 21 – 17 lead in just under four minutes into the third quarter, and this is when the defense really stepped up. Cushing’s first forced fumble came on the next possession, stopping the Bengals at midfield with a hit on Daniel Coats. With 5:38 left in the game and the Bengals down 28 – 17, Cushing once again forced a fumble, this time on J.P. Foschi to all but seal the victory for the Texans. The Texans couldn’t run the clock out though, and Cushing did seal the game with 1:48 left when he intercepted a Carson Palmer pass at the Houston 26 yard line.
The Texans moved to 3-3 after their impressive win against the Cincinnati Bengals, and with the offense clicking as well as it is, if Brian Cushing and the Texans defense continue to play at a high level, they should be a tough team to beat down the stretch.
#3 Star: Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders
Alma Mater: Arizona State
Stats (10/19): 6 Receptions for 139 Yards, 1 TD
After an embarrassing 44 – 7 loss to the New York Giants last week and the Philadelphia Eagles coming into Oakland this week, it looked like it was going to be another disaster for the Oakland Raiders. Shockingly, the Raiders were able to pull off the huge upset, thanks in large part to Zach Miller. His six receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown led all Raiders receivers in all categories, and his yardage was tops among NFL tight ends.
Zach Miller’s biggest play of the game came in the first quarter when Jamarcus Russell dumped a 16 yard pass to him down the middle and let Miller do the rest of the work. Miller got a few key blocks from Louis Murphy and was able to finish the play with an 86 yard touchdown reception, the longest pass play for the Oakland Raiders in 25 years. This touchdown also proved to be the only touchdown of the game, and the Oakland Raiders were able to fight off the Eagles 13 – 9.
13 points isn’t an offensive explosion, but it was enough to get the Raiders a much needed win.
Honorable Mentions:
Cal’s Aaron Rodgers (29-37 358 yards 2 TDs 1 INT, 3 Rushes for 9 Yards, 113.7 QB Rating)
Any other week Rodgers would have made the top three with this line, but in a big week for other players I would have liked to see a few more TDs and 0 INTs against the Lions to crack the list.
Oregon State’s Sammie Stroughter (3 Receptions for 65 yards, 142 Return Yards, 1 TD)
Stroughter also had a game worth talking about where his biggest play was a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown to narrow the Panthers lead to 21 – 14.
Stanford’s Oshiomogho Atogwe (10 Tackles)
Oregon State’s Nick Barnett (8 Tackles, .5 Sacks)
Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (16 Rushes for 50 Yards, 6 Receptions for 78 Yards)
Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart (17 Rushes for 110 Yards, 1 TD, 1 Fumble)
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