The USC Trojans have not had the season that most expected them to have, as their loss last week to the Oregon Ducks was their third of the season. The team has now lost two games in a row, and they’re looking to finish the season strong, starting with the Arizona State Sun Devils this week.
The Oregon Ducks are coming off a game that saw them destroy a USC Trojans defense all game long, but they’re now heading to an environment that hasn’t been kind to them in the recent past. The California Golden Bears are just 3-7 on the season, but they would love to play spoiler to the Ducks BCS aspirations at this point in the season.
No. 3 Oregon Ducks (9-0) vs California Golden Bears (3-7)
Saturday November 10, 2012
Memorial Stadium, BERKELEY, CALIF.
10:30 PM ET
Moneyline: OFF
Spread: Oregon -28 from SportsBettingOnline
O/U: 67.5
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Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks did whatever they wanted against the USC Trojans in their week 10 matchup. Kenjon Barner set a school record with 321 yards on the ground, which is the most ever allowed by a USC defense. Oregon also went for 730 total yards and 62 points in the contest, which are both also records against the Trojans.
The most dangerous part about Oregon’s attack, is that they’re not one-dimensional. If Barner were the only player making a difference, the Golden Bears could pack the middle and prepare for just him this weekend. That’s not the case, though, as redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota threw four touchdowns on 20-of-23 completions for 300-plus yards.
The Ducks did give up 51 points to the Trojans—six of which came in garbage time—but they’re more than doubling their opponents on average. This team is a good defensive squad this year, as they’re allowing just 22.9 points per game.
Against California, the Ducks need to stay the course, because this contest is being viewed as a bit of a trap game. Oregon has struggled in Berkeley in recent memory, including 2010 when they went undefeated and played in the BCS National Championship. Despite annihilating almost every team they played, the team from Eugene barely squeaked out a two-point victory against a very mediocre Bears squad. The Ducks need to come into Memorial Stadium ready to play. They are on track to challenege for a BCS title this year, but only if they continue doing what they’ve done so far. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears have disappointed up to this point in the season, and they’re looking to prevent their first streak of four losses in a row this weekend. The team is coming off a 21-13 loss to the Washington Huskies, which was their third loss in a row. They average fewer points than they allow, which is a recipe for disaster.
While the Ducks are dangerous in both the ground game and the passing game, the key to beating them is stopping the run. They have a young quarterback behind enter, and while he’s looked good so far in the year, you want to make him be the one to make plays rather than Barner or De’Anthony Thomas. Oregon thrives off of the run, and if you can take that away from them, it’s a whole new ball game.
The biggest advantage for California this week is going to be having the home crowd on their side. The Ducks don’t like traveling down to Berkeley, and while this game on paper belongs to Oregon every day out of the week, stranger things have happened in college football. Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, this is a different Ducks team than has traveled their way in the past. The crowd may rattle them early in the game, but by the time the second half rolls around, expect the road team to be the ones pulling ahead, and pulling ahead big.
Trends
O/U Pick: Over 67.5
Score Prediction: Oregon 48 – California 20
Headline: Battle of the AFC Haves and Have-Nots – Colts Visits Jags Thursday Night
Two teams going in totally different directions meet on Thursday night in what before the season could have been viewed as a close encounter for legitimacy for both teams. But Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts are miles ahead of where most could have imagined while the Jaguars… they are five steps back from where many could have imagined them at this point of the season.
With Week 9 in the books it is time to take a look at the risers and the fallers in Dave B’s weekly Power Rankings. Things have remained relatively stable at the top for a few weeks now but there are a few mid-level teams looking to break into the Top 10 with some solid recent play. The cream is really starting to rise to the top – the sludge keeps sinking to the bottom.
The last tournament of the year comes our way this weekend from… the happiest place on earth – Disney’s Magnolia and Palm Golf Clubs. There is still a ton on the line for many of the golfers this week – exemptions to name just one!
For the second week in a row the Mississippi State Bulldogs showed they are not quite among the elite in the SEC. This time at home to Texas A&M they were stormed out of the gate by the Aggies.
I doubt we are going to see a headline “Shocker from the Swamp” but this Lafayette team in respectable. They are in the middle of the Sun Belt and last week handed Louisiana-Monroe their first conference loss – yet that Monroe team that was making the SEC look silly.
The Cyclones were not totally embarrassed against Oklahoma last week. The game wasn’t really close but they kept it reasonbly respectable. They are still looking for their 6th win but it is going to be hard to get it this weekend.
The Nets have definitely upgraded their talent over the last couple of years. However, I am still left wondering why they went after Joe Johnson and his monster contract.
Both Ohio (8-1) and Bowling Green (6-3) are at 4-1 in the MAC East standings and each trails Kent State, who each has to play to end the season.
The NBA has just gotten underway, and college hoops is next on the schedule to tip off. It’s quite a ways until March and the Madness, but it is never too early to start betting on college basketball. In fact, the best college basketball bettors often take advantage of soft lines early in the season.
2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Team Previews—Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines were a regular season contender last season who couldn’t get it done when tournament time came around. They enter the 2012-13 season once again with buildup surrounding the program, but this time they hope to finish what they start when March finally rolls around.
The North Carolina Wolfpack are coming off an incredible 2012 NCAA tournament run, and they’re bringing all that momentum with them into the 2012-13 season. The team from Raleigh, N.C. is ranked sixth in both the preseason AP and USA Today polls, and they look to be the favorite in the ACC to begin the year.
The UCLA Bruins are coming off a disappointing 2011-12 college basketball season, but a top-quality recruiting class has helped propel them into the top 25 to begin the season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be without standout star Jarred Sullinger for the 2012-13 season, but that hasn’t prevented them from coming into the year with a lot of promise and potential. The team has been ranked the fourth-best team in the country by both the AP and USA Today Polls.
The Indiana Hoosiers basketball team has taken another giant leap toward greatness this year, as they’ve been named the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason AP and USA Today Polls. The team hasn’t been ranked first overall since 1979, but fifth-year head coach Tom Crean has been remarkable for the recovery of a program struggling to match up to its renowned tradition.
