Pac-12 Football: Predictions for Every Week 2 Game
Week 2 of the 2014 college football season is devoid of a plentiful feast of exciting games, but the Pac-12 has two such contests that will serve as a main-course extravaganza to fans throughout the country.
Then there's the matter of upholding the conference's growing reputation in the other nine games, each of which you'd expect the Pac-12 school to emerge victorious from.
The action begins on Thursday and will conclude just as the sun begins to set over the Pacific Ocean Saturday evening. Here are predictions for every Week 2 matchup in the Pac-12.
Arizona at UTSA
1 of 11
When: Thursday, Sept. 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Alamodome
TV: Fox Sports 1
Line: Arizona (-7)
UTSA isn't a school that's going to scare you on paper, partly because you probably didn't know it played football but mostly because it's a non-power-five conference team that's not named Boise State, BYU or Notre Dame.
While it's true that the Roadrunners are far from the toughest test on the Wildcats schedule, coach Larry Coker knows what it's like to face off against good teams, having coached Miami to a championship.
Look for Wildcats signal-caller Anu Solomon to struggle to hit 400 yards on this occasion, and if he does, he's better than advertised and at a much earlier point in his career too. UTSA may have begun the season with an impressive 27-7 win against Houston, and it'll put up a fight, but the Wildcats' rushing attack will ultimately prove to be too much in the second half.
Prediction: Arizona 38, UTSA 20
Washington State at Nevada
2 of 11
When: Friday, Sept. 5 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mackay Stadium
TV: ESPN
Line: Washington State (-4)
Washington State should be downright mad after blowing a late lead to Rutgers in Week 1 and dirtying up the record right off the bat. The Cougars have no one to blame but themselves, but it must be frustrating to have an offense that looks unstoppable one moment and like it's wading through wet cement the next.
The only thing you need to know about Nevada is that the Wolfpack no longer have Colin Kaepernick (hopefully you knew that after a few years). While that isn't exactly fair to current quarterback Cody Fajardo, who threw for 300 yards in a Week 1 win over Southern Utah, it means the playmakers just aren't there to hang with Mike Leach and company.
Look for Washington State to come out sharp early and put last week behind it. If that doesn't happen, the Cougars could be staring at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings very soon.
Prediction: Washington State 41, Nevada 24
Sacramento State at California
3 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: California Memorial Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Line: N/A
Two weeks ago, this looked to be Cal's best chance at a victory in 2014. Now, after an impressive road win at Northwestern, it's a chance to double the win total from 2013 and set its sights on a bowl berth.
Quarterback Jared Goff and his offense don't want to get too far ahead of themselves, however, as a loss to a team like Sacramento State would do irreversible damage with spirits actually on the rise for a change.
If the Bears want to be competitive against the conference heavyweights, this has to be a game where the team comes out firing on all cylinders and leaves little doubt by halftime. Sonny Dykes should have his team prepared to do just that, culminating in a rout.
Prediction: Cal 49, Sacramento State 17
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Eastern Washington at Washington
4 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Husky Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Line: N/A
An FCS team means an easy victory, right? Not if you're Oregon State in 2013, and certainly not if you're facing the Eastern Washington Eagles. Once again, just ask the Beavers.
Led by dual-threat quarterback Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington may be the best team at the FCS level, and Adams has the talent to start at 75 percent of schools in the FBS. The defense isn't what it needs to be to face a team like Washington, however, and even though the Huskies struggled against lowly Hawaii, quarterback Cyler Miles is going to start this one.
That should bring experience along with a little more talent to the position and the offense as a whole. The Eagles will keep this interesting well into the third quarter behind the legs of Adams, but the Huskies will pull away in the end.
Prediction: Washington 42, Eastern Washington 28
Fresno State at Utah
5 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Line: Utah (-10.5)
After seeing USC obliterate Fresno State in Week 1, what are your expectations for Utah? Are the Trojans so good that a close Utes' victory is OK, or does Kyle Whittingham's team need to put on a similar performance?
Either way, the Utes must win this game after seeing what a fellow Pac-12 South member did last Saturday. Look for the Bulldogs to come out a little angry and show more fight in Rice-Eccles, but they don't look like a group capable of hanging with anyone in the Pac-12.
Then again, perhaps the Trojans are so good that we're in for a hotly contested game here. But it's more likely that the Utes will follow in USC's footsteps and carry over a strong opening-game effort into Saturday.
Prediction: Utah 40, Fresno State 21
Colorado at UMass
6 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Gillette Stadium
TV: ESPN3
Line: Colorado (-17)
Losing to Colorado State by a pair of touchdowns was the exact opposite of how the Buffaloes had hoped to open the season, and now they face a must-win game back east against UMass. Fortunately for Mike MacIntyre's team, the Minutemen are coming off a 30-7 loss to Boston College and a 2013 campaign in which they won just one game.
If Sefo Liufau really is the answer at quarterback moving forward, and he certainly looks the part so far, this is the kind of game that he needs to take over from the very start.
If there's one way for Colorado to reverse any negative momentum from the opening week, it's to go out, play a tremendous game and put this thing away quickly. The Buffaloes don't look like a team capable of managing that by halftime, but they should end up ahead by a comfortable margin.
Prediction: Colorado 37, UMass 18
USC at Stanford
7 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Stanford Stadium
TV: ABC
Line: Stanford (-3)
Here's where things start to get fun, because Week 2 of the Pac-12 slate brings us a game that will have a major impact on the conference race and potentially the four-team playoff as well.
USC looked better than anyone thought it would in a rout of Fresno State last Saturday. The young players looked ready to compete at an elite level, and the defense was stout. Perhaps most importantly, quarterback Cody Kessler played in control and was effective throughout the entire contest.
All Stanford did was allow UC Davis to cross the 50-yard line once, and that came on the game's final play. In short, this game will tell us if the Trojans are a team to be reckoned with on a national level right away. Or, it will reaffirm what the Cardinal have shown us the past few years: Defense matters, and Stanford isn't going away anytime soon.
Prediction: Stanford 24, USC 21
Michigan State at Oregon
8 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Autzen Stadium
TV: Fox
Line: Oregon (-12)
The other big game taking place in the Pac-12 is Michigan State vs. Oregon. The Spartans aren't in the conference, but it feels as if the Ducks will be carrying the league mantle on Saturday after Stanford gave it up to Michigan State in the Rose Bowl in January.
Mark Dantonio's team isn't necessarily bigger than Oregon, but the Spartans play a style that seems to have fooled the Ducks in recent years. They'll rely on the strength of the offensive line to create space for running back Jeremy Langford, and they'll give quarterback Connor Cook manageable throws to help move the chains. In addition, the defense will be as rugged and physical as ever.
Can a great defensive effort win it for the Ducks, or will the offense have to play big as well? If so, what's the number it needs to put up? In big games that look like a toss-up, sometimes you have to go with the team with the best player. That should give you an idea about the pick here.
Prediction: Oregon 31, Michigan State 24
Arizona State at New Mexico
9 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: University Stadium
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line: Arizona State (-25)
There really isn't a whole lot to discuss about the Arizona State vs. New Mexico game, other than it looks like yet another dress rehearsal for the Sun Devils, who will be happy to head home healthy.
Only events nearly outside the realm of possibility could cause this contest to remain close into the fourth quarter. But if you plan on watching it to stay up-to-date on how every team in the Pac-12 looks, keep an eye on Todd Graham's defense.
The offense can score against anybody, but if the defense has another loud performance, it will give the unit confidence heading into tougher matchups later in the month against Colorado and UCLA.
Prediction: Arizona State 52, New Mexico 10
Memphis at UCLA
10 of 11
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: Rose Bowl
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Line: UCLA (-24)
UCLA's performance against Virginia raised a few eyebrows, and not because it was dominant or impressive in any fashion. The defense looked great, sure, and scoring three touchdowns from that side of the ball is difficult to do against anybody. But the Cavaliers finished with two wins last year, and the Bruins, a team expected to be in the national hunt, won by just eight points.
Memphis should be the perfect antidote, because the Bruins offense needs to get everything going. The offensive line has to be better in both pass protection and run blocking, while the receivers need to hold onto the ball. Penalties must also be limited.
UCLA is going to win by several scores regardless, but if the victory is once again filled with sloppy play, it will be an ominous sign about the rest of the schedule.
Prediction: UCLA 45, Memphis 10
Oregon State at Hawaii
11 of 11
When: Saturday Sept. 6 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Aloha Stadium
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line: Oregon State (-10.5)
This is a tougher game to predict than the 10.5 betting line would suggest, mainly because Hawaii is coming off a one-point loss to Washington—a team that on paper looks a bit tougher than Oregon State.
Then again, the Huskies seemed to bring their D game. Of course, this is when the devil's advocate points out the Beavers only beat Portland State by 15 points at home. Sean Mannion and the offense failed to gain any sort of rhythm, which is exactly what nearly caused Chris Petersen's squad to lose to the Rainbow Warriors in the first place.
Whew, so where does the dust settle in the argument? In this case, it's with the talent, most of which belongs to the Beavers. Oregon State will bounce back from a sloppy Week 1, but don't be shocked when Hawaii gives another valiant effort.
Prediction: Oregon State 34, Hawaii 24
All stats via CFBStats.com. Betting lines via OddsShark.com, along with start times and television information.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
