Utah Utes
Current Record: 5-0
Notes: Yes, if I was still doing power rankings, Utah would be on top of the PAC-12. However, not everyone is on the bandwagon, yet. Jerry Palm has no PAC-12 team in the playoffs, with Stanford going to the Rose Bowl and Utah going to the Fiesta Bowl.
Expected Wins:
Arizona State
Oregon State
Washington
Arizona
Colorado (Least difficult remaining game)
Toss Up:
USC
UCLA (Most difficult remaining game)
Optimists Outcome: 12-0
Pessimists Outcome: 10-2
Post-Season Outlook: It may be time to get ready for a trip to Santa Clara to the PAC-12 championship game. It is within smelling distance.
This week's game:
Utah has yet to beat Arizona State since joining the PAC-12. The last two games have been close, however, but still no victory. Not to mention, this is a trap game for the Utes, between a good Cal team and a still to be respected USC. If I was to mark a breakthrough for Utah in the PAC-12 it would be winning this game on Saturday. Utah should get some payback and breakthrough this week.
Utah 34 Arizona State 20
BYU Cougars
Current Record: 4-2
Notes: Injuries and suspensions are nothing new in Provo. A lot has been made of Taysom Hill, but the defensive depth has been decimated. That is part of the reason East Carolina almost beat BYU last week, and why almost nothing will be easy going forward.
Expected Wins
Cincinnati
Wagner (Least difficult remaining game)
San Jose State
Fresno State
Toss Up
Missouri
Utah State (Most difficult remaining game)
Optimists Outcome: 10-2
Pessimists Outcome: 8-4
Post-Season Outlook: Vegas Baby.
This week's game:
I would have been flamed like a Whopper if I would have told you at the beginning of the season that Cincinnati was BYU's most important game. Let me tell you why. If the Big 12 expands, there are three ways to go. BYU/Boise State or Memphis/Cincinnati or UCF/USF. If BYU wants to take a step to remove doubt about where the Big 12 should expand to, this game is critical. BYU's defensive depth means that the offense is going to have to string together long-sustaining drives. Something they are not that good at. This one will be closer than it should be, and high scoring.
BYU 48 Cincy 42
USU Aggies
Current Record: 3-2
Notes: Chuckie will be back for Boise and USU will pull off an upset. Well, no. But expect the Aggies to breeze through the rest of the conference schedule.
Expected Wins:
San Diego State
Wyoming (Least difficult remaining game)
New Mexico
Nevada
Expected Loss:
Boise State (Most Difficult remaining game)
Toss Up:
BYU
Optimists Outcome: 8-4
Pessimists Outcome: 7-5
This Week's Game: This is not your father's Boise State team. This one may not be over by half-time, USU should make a game of it for a while, but I expect BSU will pull away late.
Boise State 34 USU 23
Post Season Outlook: Aggie fans should feel safe in booking a flight to the Poinsettia Bowl.
Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Current Record: 3-2
Yes, SUU has won 3 straight games, none of them closer than 4 touchdowns, but I'm not exactly putting them in the field of 24 yet. They still have a lot of work to do.
Expected Wins:
Sacramento State (Least difficult remaining game)
UC Davis
Northern Arizona
Expected Loss:
Portland State (Most difficult remaining game)
Toss Up:
Montana State
Cal Poly
Optimists Outcome: 8-3
Pessimists Outcome: 6-5
Post Season Outlook: Beat Montana State and Cal Poly and I can just about guarantee SUU will be in the NCAA football championship tournament, provided they don't trip up against Sacramento State, UCD or NAU.
This Week's Game: I expect that the current SUU win streak, no blowout streak, will continue. They haven't yet got the attention of the rest of the conference. Even if they did, Sacramento State doesn't exactly have the power to make a statement in Cedar City. If this game is close, it's because SUU plays down to their level.
SUU: 45 Sac State: 12
Weber State Wildcats
Current Record: 3-3
Weber State was able to pull off a big, or perhaps not so big, upset of Montana in Missoula this last week to even their record. And they didn't even have to get good play from the quarterback to do it. Weber can win if they simply don't turn the ball over.
Expected Wins:
UC Davis (Least difficult remaining game)
Idaho State
Expected Loss:
Eastern Washington (Most difficult remaining game)
Toss Up:
North Dakota
Northern Arizona
Optimists Outcome: 7-4
Pessimists Outcome: 5-6
Post Season outlook: To even be considered for the NCAA playoffs, they would have to win out. But on the bright side, at least we are still talking about the possibility.
This Week's Game: North Dakota, like Weber State, is also are having a season that is reminiscent of a Katy Perry song. According to Sagarin, the only difference between the Wildcats and the No-Names is that WSU will be home. If the 'Cats do not turn the ball over, they may eek out another close one.
Weber State 27 North Dakota 23
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