Oregon Magazine

Cover

Pigskin Pete
Finally! Football Season
Opens With Key Matchup

By Fred Delkin

Oregon Duck fans have been filled with aspirations for a triumphant season, based on equal measures of talent and Autzen appearances scheduled by their key Pac10 rivals. However, the Quackers could fail in their season opener at Boise State, with a national TV audience watching. The host Broncos upset the Ducks at Autzen last season and return a majority of the cast that relished in that accomplishment. This is new UO head coach Chip Kelly's debut and he has honed his troops in preseason to get revenge on the royal blue astroturf in Boise.

Kelly can be expected to unveil another awesome offense led by veteran QB Jeremiah Masoli and featuring that human rushing missile LeGarrette Blount. The question about Duck success revolves around the defense, which was the 2008 weak link , partially due to spending an inordinate amount of time in play, thanks to the swift and accomplished UO scoring attack. We expect a close, exciting match, but think the Ducks will triumph. OREGON by 3.

Oregon State should have no trouble vanquishing a visiting Portland State squad on the Beavers' home turf, but should be reminded that two years ago a fellow Division IAA team, Appalachian State, upset mighty Michigan before 100,000+ shocked Wolverine supporters. This will be the best PSU squad in recent years, capable of scaring their hosts. OSU by 20.

Washington has scheduled perennial power LSU as a home opener, and though loyal to our alma mater, we have to predict that new Husky head coach Steve Sarkisian canot produce a miracle, despite having the services of QB Jake Locker, who would bed a Heisman contender with a better, more experienced supporting cast. LSU by 21.

Washington State opens at home versus Stanford and the Cougars can be expected to justify our opinion that they will go winless in 2009, with a serious dearth of Division I talent. STANFORD by 35.

California, a serious contender for the Pac10 title with a veteran group, hosts a Maryland team that hasn't enough returnees to give the Golden Bears much trouble. CAL by 28.

SC, is of course, the odds-on favorite to gain yet another Pac10 title. San Jose State poses no obstacle for the Trojans, whose most serious challenge should arrive on a late October visit to Oregon. USC by 42.

Arizona State wil also bring its championship aspirations to Autzen in November, but should be ashamed of scheduling an opener against the Big Sky's Idaho State, which hasn't the personnel to hreaten their Division IAA foes, let alone frighten the Sun Devils. ARIZONA STATE by 50+.

Arizona also picked a patsy to begin their 2009 campaign, hosting lowly Idaho. We do not expect the terrors of Tucson to have a good season, but they'll start with an easy win. ARIZONA by 32.

UCLA opens the second season under slick Ricky Neuheisel as a solid oddsmakers' favorite to drub visiting San Diego State. The Aztecs have never lived up to their southern California recruiting opportunities and shouldn't be a serious road bump for the Bruins. UCLA by 28.

So, there you have it, our crystal ball-gazing view of the opening of 2009 Pac10 action. We have made only a single change in our previous prediction of Pac10 placement at season's end, expecting Cal to replace Arizona State as a top 3 contender. As for Portland State, they should be a Big Sky title threat, but that will be deciden early-on, when they travel to perennial champion Montana on September 19. The Grizzlies gained even more stature when Oregon's QB backup Justin Roper chose UM as his best hope to create NFL notice without sacrificing a year of eligibility by transferring.