“I know a great realtor...”
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Mike Stoops isn’t alone any more.

The Arizona Wildcats football coach was fired on October 10. Since then we’ve been watching the rest of the Pac-12 to see if any other coaches would join him.

The hot seat proved to be especially cruel in 2011.

Arizona State fired Dennis Erickson on Monday. UCLA canned Rick Neuheisel the same day. Washington State’s Paul Wulff lasted until Tuesday.

For seven weeks we have been trying hard to keep these guys employed. Alas, the positive thinking from the Cheap Seats wasn’t enough.

Jeff Tedford at Cal and Oregon State’s Mike Riley survived. We weren’t even tracking Erickson at first but he came out of nowhere by losing to almost everyone else on the list.

The four coaching changes in a single season are the most in the Pac-12 since after the 2002 campaign. Interestingly enough, Neuheisel and Erickson were leaving then too.

Neuheisel was fired from Washington and replaced by Keith Gilbertson. Erickson left to go to the NFL (for the second time) so Oregon State hired Mike Riley (for the second time). Mike Price left Washington State to coach at Alabama (for about 27 seconds) and Bill Doba replaced him. UCLA fired Bob Toldeo and hired Karl Dorrell, the guy Neuheisel would eventually replace. It’s like the circle of life but with mediocre football coaches.

(The school with the best hire in the Pac-12 that year wasn’t even in the Pac-12 yet. Following the 2002 season Utah hired a guy named Urban Meyer.)

What does all this turnover mean for Arizona? First, it means the Wildcats are very happy to already have their guy locked up. But UA fans are still going to be paying close attention since two of the new coaches will represent 40% of the competition in the Pac-12 South.

If someone is going to make a home-run hire you want it to be WSU since they’re in the other division. The problem is the Cougars have the lowest national profile of the three openings. UCLA and ASU have been carrying the “sleeping giant” banner for years.

Arizona and Arizona State will both be starting a season with new coaches just 11 years after the last time it happened. Back then the Cats went retread (John Mackovic) then young (Stoops). The Devils went young (Dirk Koetter) then retread (Erickson). The four coaches produced a combined three bowl wins.

Wildcat Universe now hopes a young retread is the answer. As for the other three Pac-12 coaching searches?

If anyone needs some help we’ve got a list they can use.

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Scott Terrell failed in his quest to cool the hot seat. Do not look for career advice on Twitter and Facebook.

Pac-12! Pac-12! Pac-12!
Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Long live the Pac-12!

A very, very long time.

Larry Scott’s announcement that his conference will not be expanding was music to the ears of fans in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Now those in the proposed Mountain Pod can go back to enjoying the beauty of the Pac-12 South and, you know, real life football games.

Texas and Oklahoma can do what they need to do. Out here on the West Side the bowl picture looks like this after Week 3:

Wait, Washington moves up after losing? The Huskies have shown some offensive firepower in their three games, even at top-10 Nebraska. I like their chances of getting four more wins considering they have Cal, Colorado, Arizona and WSU at home. Of course, if they lose against the Bears this week they’ll drop right back down.

The University of Utah Utes’ bump was easier thanks to a dominating road win against BYU. Add in Utah’s soft Pac-12 schedule and it’s safe to say U³ will be extending its eight-year bowl streak.

WSU has been downgraded to Bubble Out. The Cougars really needed a 3-0 non-conference record because they only have four Pac-12 home games and three of them are against Stanford, ASU and Utah. If Wazzu can get one of the next two (at Colorado, at UCLA) I’ll bump them back up to the Muddle.

With four teams trending like they won’t make it to the land of bowl eligibility it looks like all Arizona has to do is get to six wins and a bowl invite will be waiting. Are there five more wins on the schedule? That’s the question of the year in Tucson (at least it should be).

- – -

Looking at the Pac-12 South race, only two of the South 5 have played conference games and both lost so ASU, UCLA and Colorado remained tied for first by not playing. The Buffaloes are continuing that strategy by delaying league play for another week.

If USC beats ASU and UCLA loses on the road – neither out of the question – Colorado would be alone in first place among eligible Pac-12 South teams with a 0-0 record.

- – -

Notes from re-watching the Stanford game, if you dare:

• Andrew Luck’s first two passes were to a tight end and he was open both times. The Wildcats couldn’t correct that the entire night.

• The loss to Stanford snapped a five-game (and four-year) winning streak for the blue-on-blue-on-blue uniform combination. That leaves the hottest combos as blue helmets-red jerseys-blue pants and blue helmets-red jerseys-white pants. Both have won their last two appearances and haven’t lost since 2007.

• On the quest for progress: Stanford had a 1st-and-goal at the 3 on its second possession. The Arizona defense held firm by stuffing the run on 1st down followed by two strong plays from Trevin Wade. The senior corner had good coverage on an incomplete fade attempt (remember Oklahoma State running that play like they were the only ones on the field last week?) and the 3rd down (overturned) interception. A ton more work to do but something to build on.

• Garic Wharton may have track speed but he needs to get it out of second gear on kickoff returns. If he can’t, put Ka’Deem Carey back there by himself a la Michael Bates and let the kid fly.

• The “1st Down – BEAR DOWN!” chant attempt was a good idea. I’ve been saying for years that Arizona Stadium needs some new cheers. My little corner of the bleachers continues to yell “BEAR DOWN!” after every kickoff. ZonaZoo, if you lead the way on either, it’ll happen.

Maybe a second glove would’ve helped.
Photo by David Kadlubowski/The Arizona Republic

• Would the second half have been different if Juron Criner had been able to complete that one-handed catch at the end of the second quarter? The fact I was shocked when he didn’t make the play is a testament to his greatness.

By the way, before the 2008 season the UA coaching staff said GRONK! could catch 100 passes on the year. He ended up with mono and a serious back injury.

What does that have to do with this year? Leading up to the season Arizona coach Mike Stoops said Juron Criner could catch 100 passes in 2011. He then popped out an organ after the first game.

The next time Arizona has an elite pass-catcher, I suggest limiting his potential to 99 receptions.

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Scott Terrell likes the sound of Pac-12. Pac-12, Pac-12, Pac-12. Choose not to expand on Twitter and Facebook.

Adding Texas would elevate any conference.
Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic

The first games have yet to be played in the Pac-12, the supersized Big Ten and the minimized Big 12, yet the winds of conference realignment are blowing again.

If Texas, Oklahoma and friends agree to the form the Pac-16 it would be the best move commissioner Larry Scott could make.

That is, unless you are an Arizona Wildcat or ASU Sun Devil.

It only took one year but talk of big-time conference expansion (or, more specifically, Big 12 disintegration) is back with news of Texas A&M bolting for the SEC. No matter what the official status is, the word on the cattle trail is still yes, just not yet.

It makes absolute sense for Scott to make a second run at adding the Longhorns, Sooners and two other Big 12 schools. As a football conference the Pac-16 would have perfect symmetry with USC and Oregon as the football anchors in the West and Texas/Oklahoma as the beasts of the East. Those programs have appeared in six of the last eight BCS championship games.

(Yes, SEC fans, the Pac-16 would only have one non-vacated win in those six appearances. Y’all are pretty good. But with Ohio State in disarray you could be looking at an SEC/Pac-16 championship matchup for years to come.)

The greatness of the Pac-16 would extend to all sports. The Pac-12 already has the top three schools in terms of total Division I national championships and taking four more institutions from the Big 12 would make it the top four and five of the top eight.

And the money? Holy steer. If the current Pac-12 is worth $3 billion in TV dollars, how much is it worth to have a conference footprint that includes the two most populated states in the nation (by a wide margin)?

Victories! Prestige! Insane riches! The Pac-16 would be the greatest thing ever to hit college sports! Unless you root for Arizona or Arizona State.

There was heated debate when the Pac-10 had to decide how to split into two divisions. Structuring a 16-team league would take three seconds. The original Pac-8 would gleefully reunite in the Pac-16 West and the East would be made up of the New Guys, the Still Pretty New Guys and the Only Been Around for 33 Years New Guys.

In football you would play the other seven members of your division and just two teams in the other division. If means the Wildcats would host each West division team only once every eight years. That’s not a rival; it’s a non-conference game.

This has nothing to do with avoiding competition. The UA has done just fine avoiding football championships where it is. Looking up at Texas schools instead of California schools isn’t going to change anything. But Arizona wants to be associated with the West. Why do you think the state sits in the Pacific Time Zone most of the year?

In the late 1970s UA president John Schaefer wasn’t talking with the Big 8 or Southwest Conference. He wanted his school in the Pac-10, aligned with the West Coast. That’s where a large portion of Arizona’s out-of-state students come from. That’s where the alumni live.

Sadly, it may not be where the future lies, at least athletically. Larry Scott has a Manifest Destiny air about him. He’s not going to be satisfied until his conference extends (clap-clap-clap-clap) deep in the heart of Texas.

So, Wildcats and Sun Devils, enjoy the Pac-12 South while it lasts. If you like your western rivalries root for the Big 12 to add Houston or SMU instead of standing pat. Root for Texas to go independent.

Or root for the Pac-20.

- – -

The worst part about the re-expansion rumors is they’re keeping us from focusing entirely on the start of a monumental season for the premier conference in the West. The start of divisional play is causing significant changes to how football is played in this league:

Bye-bye, bye.
With the advent of the Pac-12 Championship Game the regular season ends Thanksgiving weekend for everyone, which means going back to only one bye week per season. Will injuries be a bigger factor down the home stretch? For Colorado the ninth conference game combined with a trip to Hawai’i eliminated byes altogether. The Buffalo training staff is going to go through a lot of ice packs during 13 straight weeks of football.

You can’t lose if you don’t play.
The unbalanced schedule means who you don’t play is just as important as who you play. Utah misses Oregon and Stanford this year. Arizona skips Washington State and Cal. If the Utes finish exactly two games ahead of the Cats in the standings, this is probably why.

Rivalries won’t smell as sweet.
It was a common sight. If a team went into its rivalry game needing a win to clinch the conference crown its fans brought roses to the game. Win and you wave them in the face of your opponent, lose and the sidewalks get covered with trampled petals. The ultimate was two years ago when Oregon played OSU in a winner-take-all Civil War and everyone brought roses. No more. With divisional play you can no longer clinch the Rose Bowl against your fiercest rival. Carrying soda cans won’t have the same effect.

Things will be different in the Pac-12 but the changes are worth it. The South division loves being grouped with the L.A. schools and the Pac-12 North dates back to 1919. What’s not to like?

Fans from the Grand Canyon State hope it’s worth liking for a long, long time.

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Scott Terrell wants to enjoy this new ride for a while before trading it in. Buckle up on Twitter and Facebook.

The Cats and Devils collided in the Pac-10 for more than three decades.
Photo by David Wallace/The Arizona Republic

The Pac-12 is 234 years and 362 days younger than the United States.

Sounds like the perfect time to break down the Pac-10’s baseball history!

After digesting football, basketball, and more football it’s time for your data dessert.

This is where we’re reminded that college baseball is a non-revenue sport. Dating back to the 1920s the conference was split into North and South divisions to save on travel costs. This structure continued when the Arizona schools were added, with the four Pacific Northwest schools in the North division and the “6-Pac” in the South.

Here are those standings from 1979 through 1998:

When Oregon cut its baseball program following the 1981 season the remaining three North teams rounded up some neighborhood friends and continued to call it Pac-10 baseball. As a result WSU winning 61% of its conference games isn’t nearly as impressive as Stanford winning 61% of its conference games.

(For those following along with the Pac-10 media guide, good news! Oregon State’s three missing losses from 1994 have been found. I will now turn my attention to larger pursuits.)

In 1999 the Pac-10 threw fiscal caution to the wind and formed a single, majestic collegiate baseball league. A decade later Oregon got the hardball itch and made the Pac-10 an actual 10. To add a little symmetry, the Ducks played in the first three years and the last three years of the Pac-10.

After the merge the composite standings look like this:

Add them together and you get 33 years’ worth of baseball:

(Silly me, I left the conference championship data out of the original post. Here it is now.)

For the first 16 years of the Pac-10 the winner of each division received a share of the conference championship. In each of the final 13 years after the merge a single champion was crowned, except in 2000 when three teams tied for first. In the four years in between, 1995-1998, the two division winners met in a championship series with the winner earning the outright Pac-10 title. Add it all up and it looks like this:

Wazzu really misses the Pac-10 North.

Since the merge ASU leads the way with the Pat Murphy-fueled four-peat from 2007-’10 and a share of the 2000 title. Stanford won three outright championships and a share of that 2000 title as well.

Throw in USC’s back-to-back crowns in ’01 and ’02, and UCLA winning the third share in 2000 plus the final Pac-10 title this year, and the entire Pac-10 North (minus Oregon State) misses the Pac-10 North.

(And now back to your regularly scheduled post.)

Just five wins separate Stanford and Arizona State atop the standings. It’s no surprise those two lead the way when it comes to trips to Omaha:

That representation has resulted in hoisting a number of trophies:

Four different members of the Pac-10 with multiple titles. That’s getting it done right there.

As an added bonus, since South Carolina just went back-to-back to join this club, here is the complete list of schools with more than one college baseball national championship:

(A Texas fan once tried to tell me the Longhorns were “the Yankees of college” because they’ve been to the College World Series more than anyone. I told him the Yankees aren’t famous for losing the World Series. That makes Texas the Brooklyn Dodgers of college.)

Unlike the last time the conference expanded, the new guys aren’t bringing any baseball tradition. Utah has been to the College World Series once (in 1951) and Colorado never made it before discontinuing their program in 1980 (get the itch, Buffs!).

For the time being the Pac-12 will have 11 teams. ¡Viva Paco Once!

- – - – -

Scott Terrell would never split his love for baseball into divisions. Unify on Twitter and Facebook.

ASU’s Frank Kush had to let go of some wins.
Photo by The Arizona Republic

Last week we took a look at the composite results from 33 years of Pac-10 football. The problem is the numbers didn’t add up.

I thought I could just take the totals from the 2010 Pac-10 media guide and add in the 2010 season. But when something as great as the premier 10-team conference comes to an end it’s worth doing the extra math.

Now we have the complete football won-loss records – both on the field and in the history books – from 1978 through 2010.

It turns out the all-time records in the media guide were incomplete. So I took the standings for each of the 33 years, dusted off a spreadsheet and selected some text-to-columns delimiters. (And the nominees for Biggest Sports Nerd are…)

Here are the real-life, on-the-field, sanctions-not-included football standings from the Pac-10 era:

The same number of wins and losses; that’s more like it. And the Trojans may want to ask the Pac-10 office where their extra 10 wins went.

Next we have the re-added overall records:

Stanford leads its Bay Area rival in Pac-10 victories but Cal racked up enough non-conference wins to jump the Cardinal in the overall standings.

Now for the confusing part. What happens when cheaters force you to rewrite history? Everyone knows about the vacated wins from the Reggie Bush saga but ASU and Oregon got busted in the Pac-10’s early days and Cal was penalized in the late ‘90s.

Here are the official sanction-sanitized Pac-10 totals for conference games since expansion in 1978 with a breakdown of who had to give wins back to whom:

USC - Vacated 1 W in ’04 and 8 W in ’05. Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’99
Washington - Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’79
UCLA - Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’99
Oregon - Forfeited 1 W in ’78 and 2 W in ’79
Arizona St. – Forfeited 3 W in ’79. Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’99
California - Forfeited 3 W in ’99. Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’79
Washington St. – Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’78 and 2 W in ’79
Oregon St. – Gained 1 W by forfeit in ’79

A couple thoughts:

-Now if you add in USC’s nine vacated wins the numbers match.

-All those forfeited wins flying around and Arizona couldn’t even get one?

There you have it. Take these numbers, reflect on the greatness of the Pac-10, and enter your next rivalry debate with confidence.

It all adds up to an exciting 33 years.

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Scott Terrell is happy to put his nerdery to good use. Excel on Twitter and Facebook.

Lute Olson was used to stomping on the rest of the Pac-10.
Photo by Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic

The official birth of the Pac-12 is Friday, ending the conference’s 33-year run as a 10-team league.

If you’re a fan of the Arizona Wildcats and averted your eyes during the look back at Pac-10 football, it’s safe to come out now.

Here’s how the schools stack up in terms of won-loss record, NCAA tournament appearances, Final Fours and championships after 33 years of Pac-10 basketball.

Last week we thought it was interesting that only three teams had won the Rose Bowl more than once in the Pac-10 era. In hoops only three teams even posted a winning record during the same span. How’s that for top-heavy?

The two heavyweights separated themselves even more on the list of conference championships:

The UA and UCLA combined to win 2/3 of the titles. It’s fitting they battled until the final weekend for the last Pac-10 championship.

To give Sean Miller something to shoot for, here’s the all-time conference championships list for the PCC/AAWU/Pac-8/Pac-10:

Cal, you’re next.

Stepping onto the national stage we have the Pac-10’s participation in March Madness (which does not include vacated years):

Washington needed this year’s appearance to move into the upper division where it joined the other three participants in the 2011 Big Dance.

UCLA’s fifth Four during the era was vacated.

As far as national championships the basketball side of the conference was less successful than football. After a post-expansion drought UCLA won it all in 1995 and the Cats cut down the nets two years later. It looked like the Pac-10 was back on top but no one from the conference has been able to break through since.

Arizona lost the championship game in 2001 and the Bruins were the runners-up in 2006 but that’s it. The league is definitely overdue for someone carrying the Pac flag to the top of the mountain.

The first Pac-12 coach to win a title will be instantly tied for the most championships out of the conference since John Wooden.

Take aim, Coach Miller.

- – -

Don’t change that dial. The look at Pac-10 baseball history is on the horizon!

- – - – -

Scott Terrell wonders if Idaho still hangs its two Pacific Coast Conference banners. Celebrate your championships on Twitter and Facebook.

Where do the Cats and Devils rank after 33 years?
Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic

We are less than two weeks away from the official start of the Pac-12. It will begin a time of increased excitement, exposure and prosperity for the conference.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is July 1 will be the official end of the Pac-10, the most balanced, competitively perfect league in college sports.

Dab your misty eyes and let’s look back at the won-loss records, bowl appearances and championships from 33 years of Pac-10 football.

In the summer of 1978 the Pacific-8 added the University of Arizona and Arizona State to form a 10-team conference. Here’s how the league stacks up in only Pac-10 games after 3+ decades on the gridiron:

(Edit: The above totals were corrected after the original post and do not include vacated or forfeited games. For the complete records including sanctions go here.)

No one is closer to exactly .500 than Arizona. That about sums up the last 33 years for Wildcat fans.

Here is each school’s overall football record since expansion:

(These totals were also corrected since the original post. All the following numbers are correct.)

Next we have the bowl records from the Pac-10 era:

(WSU’s bowl record has been corrected since the original post due to reader input. It takes a village!)

The fact that the Bruins and Huskies have been down recently should not be taken for granted. Steve Sarkisian has momentum on his side in Seattle after the Holiday Bowl win but the pressure is really on Rick Neuheisel at UCLA this year.

Upping the ante are the BCS bowl records, and by “BCS” I mean the current five biggest bowls: the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and BCS Championship Game:

Just in case UCLA was feeling a little too good about itself:

The Pac-10 won four national championships in its 33-year run. USC was voted No. 1 after the 1978, 2003 and 2004 seasons, and Washington was awarded the hardware in 1991.

One of the best parts about the Pac-10 as a football conference was its balance. Every single team won at least a share of at least one league championship. Here’s the full list:

The same balance wasn’t found when 30 Rose Bowl bids were handed out. Tie-breakers apparently don’t take into account a fan base’s level of historical suffering.

It’s interesting that in the last 33 years only four Pac-10 schools have won the Rose Bowl, with only three winning it more than once.

Perhaps the best part about conference realignment for Arizona fans is the Cats now have company on the Pac-12/Big Ten Never-Been-To-The-Rose-Bowl list. Colorado and Utah, the UA’s new Pac-12 South-mates, have never played in the Granddaddy of Them All. Nebraska, however, has. Twice already. The nerve.

I know every one of the Pac-12’s changes was necessary to allow the conference’s member schools to better compete on a national level. I’m on board with Larry Scott’s quest for world domination.

That doesn’t mean I won’t still miss the round-robin schedule. I’ll miss having an on-the-field champion without having to play a conference championship game. I’ll miss the Pac-10.

But hey, Arizona is tied for first on every single all-time Pac-12 list. Let the new era begin.

- – -

Stayed tuned for the basketball numbers and, oh yes, even baseball!

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Scott Terrell wants to be on your list. Don’t wait 33 years to follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Pac-12 fans are going to want to hug Commissioner Larry Scott.
Photo by Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

No new Sean Miller rumors this week?

Good. Now we can go back to talking about the games. Specifically, what does the new Pac-12 media rights deal mean to those of us who watch the games?

Yes, the money is the key thing. The dollar amounts are staggering (going from $54 million a year to a quarter of a billion dollars a year?!) and the huge revenue bump will help the conference and its schools better compete on a national level.

But Joe Q. Fan doesn’t see any of that money. The price of his season tickets are going to continue to go up. How does he benefit from this?

He gets to see his favorite team play. A lot.

That’s all we want as fans. We want to see the games. We want to go to as many games in person as we can and we want to watch the rest of the games on TV.

Thanks to Larry Scott’s historic deal, Pac-12 fans are about to have their dream come true.

Let’s break down the most important issues for We The People:

What channels will show the games?

Pac-12 football games will be carried by over-the-air networks ABC and Fox, cable networks ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and FX, and the soon-to-be created Pac-12 network. There will also be live online broadcasts on the Pac-12’s version of ESPN3.com.

Men’s basketball games will be on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports Net, the Pac-12 network and online.

It means even if you only have rabbit ears for your TV you’ll get to see some football games. If you have basic cable you’ll get a lot of football and basketball. If you have the Pac-12 network, you’ll get everything.

When Mr. Scott says all the games will be on TV does he really mean all the games?

Yes. Every single football and men’s basketball game will be broadcast somewhere.

All hail Women’s Tennis Guy!

Indeed.

But we already see all the Arizona Wildcats basketball games every year.

If you’re a basketball-only fan this isn’t going to mean much to you, but if you live and die (and die…and die) with UA football this is monumental. There was an entire generation of Wildcat fans who had no idea what Oregon State’s home uniforms looked like.

Gone are the days of hunting for a sports bar that can pick up an obscure satellite feed from the Pacific Northwest. No more sitting through the tape-delayed broadcast of a game that you already know who won. No more radio-only games.

It’s also a chance for fans of the non-revenue sports to see some games on TV. For a baseball guy like me it’s like a sub-1 WHIP (which, trust me, is really good).

What cable/satellite/internet provider do I need to get?

That’s the missing piece right now. The Pac-12 network first has to start existing, then it needs distribution partners. The Big Ten had to fight to get cable companies to carry its network. ESPN3.com is only available on select internet service providers.

It’s still possible there will be grumbling if it turns out Pac-12 fans won’t be able to get the new network from their existing satellite/cable provider but Larry Scott is confident his channel will be widely distributed. If we’ve learned anything in the past two years it’s that one messes with a confident Larry Scott at one’s own risk.

Aren’t the new guys getting really lucky in all this?

Tell me about it. Colorado would’ve been stuck shoveling cow pies behind Bevo. Utah would have giddily agreed to join the Pac-10 even if the new TV contract was for 27 bucks. Now, not only does Utah get access to the BCS – and BCS money, and the best of the BCS bowls – but the Utes fall into the richest media rights deal in the nation. Nice work if you can get it.

Forget the Utes. This is the greatest news ever! I’m going to get to see every game of Nick Foles and Juron Criner’s senior season!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there, cowboy. The Pac-12 starts this fall but the new Pac-12 TV deal doesn’t begin until the fall of 2012.

2011 games will still fall under the old deal which means hoping your games get picked up by ABC, ESPN, Versus, Fox Sports Arizona (and other regional FSN channels), or FX.

The Wildcats already have a third of their ’11 football schedule selected by ESPN but the road games at OSU and Washington might not be as attractive. If you can’t make it to Arizona Stadium you probably aren’t going to see the epic clash with Louisiana-Lafayette over Thanksgiving weekend.

Hang tight, Pac-12 fans. Let 2011 serve as one final reminder of the way things were so we can all fully appreciate everything we see in 2012.

Everything.

- – - – -

Scott Terrell loves to tote the remote. Change your channel to Twitter and Facebook.

Oregon's offense might not touch the ground against Washington.
Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic

One Pac-10 game features an epic match-up. One will be an epic blowout.

And one Pac-10 team got some epically bad news about its 2011 Pac-12 schedule.

This is the last time five league games will be played on the same day this year. You owe it to yourself, your conference and the entire Western United States to watch as many of them as you can.

Embrace the TWIT-Pac Football TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 6 (all times Arizona/Pacific)

Road Team	Home Team	Time	TV
Washington	Oregon	12:30 p.m.	ABC/ESPN3.com
Cal	WSU	1 p.m.	FSNW
OSU	UCLA	4 p.m.	Versus
ARIZONA	Stanford	5 p.m.	ABC/ESPN3.com
ASU	USC	7:30 p.m.	FSN

Washington (3-5 / 2-3) at Oregon (8-0 / 5-0)
The Huskies just lost 41-0, and that was with Jake Locker. This is a name-your-score game for the Ducks. There is no escape, Washington. Oregeddon is here.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
A trillion people could root against the Ducks (and they might be) but it wouldn’t matter.

Cal (4-4 / 2-3) at WSU (1-8 / 0-6)
From the perspective of the Wildcat Universe Washington State picked the worst possible time to have their worst conference loss last week. Add in Cal’s 37-7 defeat and the two teams should just sit at midfield and console each other.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
WSU. This is your punishment, Oski. If you’re going to lay down, lay all the way down.

OSU (4-3 / 3-1) at UCLA (3-5 / 1-4)
Jacquizz Rodgers has just one fewer touchdown pass than UCLA’s starting quarterback. That qualifies as a bad sign for the Bruins.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
UCLA. Arizona beating Stanford would be incredible! The Cats taking down the Ducks would be unbelievable! And it would only put the UA in the Alamo Bowl if Oregon State wins out.

ARIZONA (7-1 / 4-1) at Stanford (7-1 / 4-1)
It’s interesting that Stanford’s season is shaping up just like Arizona’s 1998 campaign. The ’98 Wildcats lost early to undefeated UCLA and then watched helplessly as the Bruins completed a perfect Pac-10 season. Can the Cardinal complete an 11-1 run? Would it get them the BCS bowl bid that eluded Arizona 12 years ago?

ASU (4-4 / 2-3) at USC (5-3 / 2-3)
What better prepares a team: Beating a really bad team or losing to a really good team? That age-old question may get answered in this game.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
USC. You would think I would have learned my lesson after picking OSU to beat ASU the week before they came to Tucson. The best-case scenario is USC wins but looks really bad – penalties, turnovers, Matt Barkley throwing balls into the turf. And then ASU blows the game with a muffed punt.

Does a win automatically mean USC comes into Arizona Stadium next week and plays like champions? I’m going to say no. But, then again, I’m the guy who thought the ancient Trojans were Greek.

- – -

By process of elimination we know who Arizona will be playing next year in the first season of Pac-12 play.

Or, more specifically, we know who the Wildcats will not be playing.

Here’s the quick version: Each year moving forward the UA will miss one of the two Bay Area schools and one of the four Northwest schools. The other three “Mountain” schools (ASU, Utah and Colorado) will have a similar rotation with the Pac-12 North schools. No two Mountain schools will miss the same Northwest school in a given year.

Here’s what we know: ASU will not play Washington next year, Colorado will not play Oregon State, and Utah will not play Oregon.

Guess who that leaves off Arizona’s schedule? That’s right, the team with one whole Pac-10 win the past three years combined.

Someone much smarter than me has projected which of the Bay Area schools will not be playing Arizona in 2011, and I think you can figure out where this is going. Cue the music, it’s time for another installment of…

Things Nobody Else Does

The start of the Pac-12 means the return of unbalanced schedules. In a tight race who you miss from the other division can be a huge advantage (see Michigan State making a run at the Big Ten title without having to play Ohio State).

Only two teams from the Pac-12 South will miss WSU. Since Washington’s playing USC the other school avoiding Wazzu in 2011 will be UCLA. That means the Bruins’ second miss will be either Oregon or OSU while the Wildcats miss Cal.

In other words, the UA will be playing the toughest schedule in the Pac-12 next year.

Congratulations I’m Sorry.

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For the Wildcats every dream remains in play with a win at Stanford on Saturday but a loss significantly lowers the season’s ceiling.

When comparing the two teams Arizona has more question marks going into the game. Can the secondary prevent big plays? Can the defensive line keep Andrew Luck from scrambling for first downs? Which Wildcat quarterback will start? If it’s Nick Foles will he look sharp? If it is Foles and if he doesn’t look sharp will Mike Stoops yank him for Matt Scott?

You wish this game was in Tucson. You wish Foles had a game to get his timing back. But Opportunity doesn’t take appointments. She knocks when she sees fit.

Time to answer the door.

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(I always feel like somebody’s watching me… on Facebook and Twitter.)

Ask Texas if UCLA has any talent.
Photo by Brendan Maloney/US Presswire

The Pac-10 is ready to turn some heads this weekend.

It’s a beautiful Saturday with a full five conference games. All three of the Pac’s ranked teams are on the road and all of them will have kicked off by 5 o’clock.

With no late games this would be a great week to put on a good show for the East Coast voters.

Of course, those ranked teams have to make sure the heads aren’t turning because “Upset Alert!” popped up on the screen.

Your Pac-10 Football TV Schedule:

Sat. Oct. 30 (all times Arizona/Pacific)

Road Team	Home Team	Time	TV
ARIZONA	UCLA	12:30 p.m.	FSN
Cal	OSU	12:30 p.m.	FCS
WSU	ASU	4 p.m.	-
Stanford	Washington	4 p.m.	Versus
Oregon	USC	5 p.m.	ABC/ESPN3.com

ARIZONA (6-1 / 3-1) at UCLA (3-4 / 1-3)
Will it be the battle of the backup QBs? Richard Brehaut (pronounced like this) will be making his second start and first at home for the Bruins. If he plays anything like Matt Scott the Wildcats will be in trouble.

Cal (4-3 / 2-2) at OSU (3-3 / 2-1)
The Beavers haven’t won since beating Arizona. Of course, that only covers one game because they had last week off. Really big game for the bowl bubble.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
Cal. Well done last week, Oski. Now can you take your show on the road?

WSU (1-7 / 0-5) at ASU (3-4 / 1-3)
ASU AD Lisa Love probably had games like this in mind when she said the seating capacity of Sun Devil Stadium should be reduced to “something more appropriate for our fan base.” Wouldn’t it be interesting if Arizona’s expended stadium ended up bigger than ASU’s contracted stadium?

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
WSU. The Cougars’ margin of defeat has decreased in each of their past three games, from 20 to 17 to 10. The Cult of the GameDay Flag has good reason to be fired up about this one.

Stanford (6-1 / 3-1) at Washington (3-4 / 2-2)
It’s an even-numbered game for the Huskies so it’s time for the good Jake Locker to return and throw for at least 280 yards and win…right?

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
Washington. This is the game where you want the 6-1 team looking ahead to the game with the other 6-1 team.

Oregon (7-0 / 4-0) at USC (5-2 / 2-2)
I don’t know if the Trojans have enough defense to hang with the Ducks but they did have the lead at Stanford with four seconds left. It would be nice for Oregon to look at least a little bit vulnerable.

Who do Wildcat fans want to win?
USC. It’s perfectly fine to root for the Ducks to be 10-0 when they face Arizona. I’m not there yet however.

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If you were going to design a trap game for a ranked team this is what it would look like. The favorite is coming off an impressive win and a week of back-slapping…facing a short-handed opponent dealing with injuries and suspensions…on the road…the week before a monster game. The only way it would be more cliché is if the underdog gave up 60 points the previous week. Oh wait…

Don’t read too much into the loss of UCLA’s starting quarterback and receiver. Kevin Prince has only thrown for three touchdowns all year and Ricky Marvay only has 14 receptions. Not exactly Aaron Rodgers to DeSean Jackson.

The guy to watch is running back Johnathan Franklin. He has 748 rushing yards and he’s averaging a tidy 5.6 yards per carry. He averaged over six yards per attempt for four straight games including Stanford and Texas. The Bruins are going to run, run, and run some more.

The Arizona defense needs to lead the way. The best way to prevent an upset is to keep the underdog from scoring. B.Reed needs to abuse UCLA’s new starting left tackle. Get into the backfield and disrupt the running game before it starts.

On offense the Cats need to be patient. The worst thing you can do is force things and give the Bruins a short field with a turnover. Don’t abandon the run just because UCLA puts up more resistance than Washington.

Oh, and don’t fall into the trap.

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The Pac-12 caught some flak about its divisional map that conveniently skewed the location of new members Utah and Colorado. Some have gone so far as to say Larry Scott lied.

Yes, the map was strategically off but if you’re looking for liars among college athletic conferences the Big Ten has been spreading falsehoods about its size for two decades now (and the lie is about to get 9% bigger with Nebraska joining). Shame, shame.

What the Pac-12 should have done was call their divisions Northwest and Southeast. One division has the northernmost and westernmost schools while the teams farthest south and east are in the other division.

That’s the truth.

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