If you're only interested in our opponents the week we're slated to play them, then this piece isn't for you. This is a look at all 12 13 of our opponents in 2011 and how they did from week-to-week. Eventually, this will be a measure of our schedule strength, but since there's a pretty good chance we're not playing for a BCS bowl this season, it's just a friendly update about those teams that we'll be facing at some point. Also, with us playing Cal in '10 and this season, OSU is the only Pac-12 team we don't know anything about, so I figured we should follow them a bit so we know what to expect when we face them finally in 2013. And because they're important too.
Hawaii Warriors (5-4, 3-2 WAC)
The Golden Warriors coughed up a 21 point halftime lead to the Utah State Aggies. They now sit two losses behind conference leading Nevada, who they face this weekend. That game will have something to say about who wins the Western Athletic Conference. But can Hawaii come back from that loss? I guess we'll see.
Follow the jump because I'm actually a wizard!
California Golden Bears (5-4, 2-4 Pac 12)
They beat up on Washington State, but lost QB Zach Maynard to injury during the game. I don't know his status this week. Cal needed the win, but it doesn't do much to make Cal's fans feel any better about the season. They had higher hopes than this. Oregon State is up next for the Bears, but that looks like a much tougher game than it did at the beginning of the season.
Colorado St. Rams (3-5, 1-2 MWC)
They had last week off, and this week they face the team that sits above them in the Mountain West, San Diego State. I know we are rebuilding, but CSU is going to have a better record than us this season...
Ohio St. Buckeyes (6-3, 3-2 B1G)
They beat the CU of the B1G (Indiana, also sitting at 1-9). QB Braxton Miller was one of three Buckeyes to rush for more than 100 yards. This week they face a beatable Purdue team, but it would be tough for them to catch up with Penn State in the Leaders division so that they could compete in the conference championship game.
Washington St. Cougars (3-6, 1-5 Pac 12)
After starting the season strong, they're looking like the WSU that we've seen over the last decade. Coach Paul Wulff's seat is very hot, and they may not get another win this season. And not to put too fine a point on it, but their only conference victory was against us... next up is Arizona State.
Stanford Cardinal (9-0, 7-0 Pac 12, #4 BCS)
It was close early, but the Cardinal and Andrew Luck beat the Beavers handily to make sure this week's matchup with Oregon is still the Pac 12 game of the year. I still like Stanford to end the season undefeated, but they are still figuring some things out on both sides of the ball. We'll see if they've got everything put together against those dangerous Ducks.
Washington Huskies (6-3, 4-2 Pac 12)
They definitely look like the best in the Pac 12 North after Stanford and Oregon (their only two conference losses), and getting beat by the Ducks proved it. Polk wasn't able to get going, and that really hampered their offense. They face USC next, which should be a very good game.
Oregon Ducks (8-1, 6-0 Pac 12, #7 BCS)
They beat Washington with defense and LaMichael James proved he was back (150+ yards rushing), which means the Stanford game this week should be a doozy. They are still 5th in the nation in points per game and rushing yards per game.
Arizona St. Sun Devils (6-3, 4-2 Pac 12)
Ouch...Their FG kicker missed his 3rd FG of the game as time expired to secure a loss to none other than UCLA. Really, they just couldn't get it done. They had multiple chances to win this game but they left with an L instead of a W. The Pac-12 South really is weak right now. It's a shame we couldn't do anything with that. Next up they face Washington State, but we'll see if they can pick themselves up after that kind of loss.
USC Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Pac 12)
They beat up on...oh wait. That's right, the secondary that Matt Barkley was dissecting was ours. They got a confidence-building win before facing Washington in what is the next best game in the conference after Stanford-Oregon.
Arizona Wildcats (2-7, 1-6 Pac 12)
They lost to Utah because they couldn't protect Nick Foles. If we have any shot at beating the Wildcats this week, it will be sending everything we can at the QB and hope to force him into mistakes like the Utes did. They can move the ball, but they are undisciplined and make mistakes as well. Hopefully we can take advantage of that.
UCLA Bruins (5-4, 4-2 Pac 12)
Ugh, so the Bruins are currently tied for the Pac 12 South lead and have a tie-breaker over ASU. They actually have a shot at playing in the conference championship game. Hopefully Utah will beat them senseless this week (not too likely, though), setting us up for the kill shot before the USC game. What looked like it might be the one, certain conference victory for us on the schedule, may end up looking like most of the other games. UCLA is playing much better now...feh.
Utah Utes (5-4, 2-4 Pac 12)
They beat Arizona with some good defense, and good enough offense from backup QB Jon Hays and another 100 yard day from RB John White. They didn't turn the ball over (while forcing 3 turnovers), and our Black Friday matchup with them is also looking a lot tougher. Up next are the suddenly hot Bruins.
***Oregon St. Beavers*** (2-7, 2-4 Pac 12)
They were never going to beat Stanford, yet played them surprisingly close for a half. Next up they face Cal in a game that may mean a lot for HC Mike Reilly's job security.