By Pigskin Pete

As we reach the halfway point of the current season, we find our three 
choices for Pac10 dominance are still alive and well. USC remains 
undefeated, Cal and Oregon have lost one apiece. UCLA and Washington 
are the surprises, the Bruins with a 4-1 season mark, the Huskies are unexpectedly 4-2. Things will change in conference standings after the
final whistles blow on Saturday: Oregon (4-1 for the season) hosts UCLA, 
and we expect the Ducks to emerge with a 10 point win by showing an 
inspired reaction to a collapse at Cal, thus the Ducks will be 3-1 in league 
play, UCLA 2-2. Cal should enjoy a trip to the Palouse with a narrow 6 
point win over WSU, with the Cougars slipping to 2-2. USC should maintain
its unbeaten Pac10 leadership by dumping Arizona State, who will fall to 0-3
in the league. Washington will advance to 3-1 in conference action by hosting
Oregon State, which will fall to 0-3. We forecast an upset at Stanford, with
the Cards edging a hapless Arizona squad for a 1-3 record as the Wildcats
remain winless in league play.

Cal’s Golden Bears are now, we believe, the class of the league after 
humiliating the Ducks, and we expect the Bears to give SC its first loss in 
three seasons when the two meet in Los Angeles on November 18. Oregon 
is still on track to finish no worse than third in the conference and remain in
the hunt for a major bowl. The folks in Corvallis will suffer another 
embarassment this weekend in Seattle and up the sound level among Beaver 
backers howling for coach Mike Riley’s replacement. No bowl again this 
year for the Bevos. It will be intersting to see if Riley gives in to fan pressure 
and replaces underachieving senior QB Matt Moore with rookie backup Sean Canfield. There will, however, be no difference in the final outcome as 
Husky coach Tyrone Willingham gives another demonstration in how to 
motivate his talent...a lesson Riley has never absorbed in his mentoring years
in both college and pro venues (he’s 1-3 vs. the Huskies to date).

© 2006  Oregon Magazine