FArting

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10/18/2012 Bold Prediction

ASU beats Oregon

Mulli

Did the author of that go to UofA or something?

krepitch

No kidding...what did that information have to do with anything? LOL.

HooverDam

That seems like a realistic prediction. My optimistic but still realistic hope is for a 10-2 season, with the only losses being to USC and UGA. Then I hope for SC to either go undefeated and be in the National Title game, so ASU can be in the Rose Bowl, or for SC to somehow fall apart and lose 2 conference games after ASU plays them (ASU beating them would obviously be better, I just don't see it happening).

Skkorpion

UGA seems to be self-destructing this summer and I don't think as highly of them as many, so the game is winnable.

In general, I share your positive outlook but my gut still says we'll lose at least one game to some team who will be much better than we recognize right now. A 3 loss season would still make me happy.

We are a year away, I think, from being a serious Rose Bowl contender.

ASUCHRIS

Seems like a good plan...I'd love for us to beat USC or Georgia and still have a hope with Erickson on board, but if we take care of business against everyone else I will be satisfied. Go Devils.

MaoTosiFanClub

The most newsworthy item about this is a sportswriter actually picked a 7-6 Cal team that lost almost half it's starters to finish ahead of USC.

I also think ASU beats Georgia, but loses three or four in the Pac.

HooverDam

I think Quarterback play is so important in the Pac 10, I think with Rudy gone next year, it may be tough for the Devils to take a step forward. Erickson doesn't have the ball rolling to the level that Carroll does at SC where they seemingly just plug in players and have success. Will Sullivan be able to step right in without having a year of starting and be able to succeed?

Out of curiosity, which 3 or 4 do you think those will be? Oregon has probably taken a step back w/ out Dixon. Cal and Oregon State seem beatable, the Washington schools don't seem to be able to beat ASU on paper, UCLA maybe will get into a Las Vegas bowl type of game, the UA game is always a toss up, but ASU certainly has more talent.

MaoTosiFanClub

1. USC because it's obviously USC.
2. Oregon State plays well down the stretch and the southern Pac-10 schools generally struggle in the Northwest in late October/November.
3. One other random game probably on the road somewhere. Maybe UW if Ty keeps it together that long. Most likely not UA as I foresee the Cats packing it in mid-October. UCLA could be a wild card with Chow and Slick Rick running things.

spikecop02

Dont Sleep on the Ducks, they return there whole oline, and there deffense is back stronger than ever, for the first time in a long time the d is going to be the strenght of the ducks. but for the ducks it all depends if Costa can fill some of the void dixon left of not it will be a long fall for the ducks.

Bufalay

Are they planning on beginning every game with a big deficit again this year?

ASUCHRIS

You clearly don't give Erickson much credit. Perhaps we can wager on this one, I can't possibly believe that you seriously think we can lose four games in the Pac. Other than USC and ASU, I think everyone else is down.

MaoTosiFanClub

I give Erickson plenty of credit, he's clearly the second best coach in the Pac-10 and I wanted Arizona to hire him years ago. I think ASU loses three Pac games, which is pretty fair considering that's only one more than they lost last year with a very favorable schedule. I also don't think the Pac-10 is as down as you make it out to be considering the conference wasn't all that good a year ago. USC lost a bunch but they'll be fine. Other than them you could argue Oregon's O and Antoine Cason but after that not much is gone that can't be replaced.

I'l bet, no problem. The +/- at three, I'll take the over but I'm guessing neither of us win.

ASUCHRIS

Fair enough...my point with Erickson is he is the kind of coach that won't allow letdowns against inferior competition...which is why I think outside of USC on the road, we should be favored in the rest of our Pac-10 schedule...including Oregon at home.

Yes, the conference wasn't that good a year ago, but you can't really point at any other team outside of USC, ASU and Oregon that really sticks out to you. I am definitely scared of Neuheisel at UCLA, but his impact will be felt more down the road, probably not this year. I'll take the line at 3, beer at a Cards game at the end of the year?

Skkorpion

Agree. Usually, when least expected, the Ducks quack all over a few highly ranked teams.