No. 5 Ohio State @ No. 1 USC 5:00 PM (9/13) ABC
It’s here. Two teams with explosive offenses and stout defenses will square off on national television in what could be a preview of the championship game this year. It is important to note that Ohio State starting running back Chris Wells rested last game with a foot injury and could very well be the reason Ohio State wins or loses. However, he was listed as doubtful on Thursday by head coach Jim Tressel. Remember Terrelle Pryor? The nation’s top recruit had included Oregon as a possible destination before signing his letter of intent with Ohio State. He may play a large role in this game if USC’s defense is able to penetrate the offensive line of Ohio State. Mark Sanchez looks to make an impression on Heisman voters with a successful outing in this game. This may very well be the regular season game of the year. If you have a television, watch this game.
Key Stat: Both teams are allowing an average of 7 points per game from their opponents
UCLA @ No. 18 Brigham Young 12:30 PM (9/13) Versus
After beating Tennessee in the season opener, UCLA has had plenty of time to prepare for this game with its two-week break from play. BYU has a one-two punch with quarterback Max Hall and running back Harvey Unga. Both are explosive players who avoid turnovers, with Hall having thrown just one interception in two games and Unga having yet to fumble the ball in three seasons at BYU. UCLA does not have the most daunting secondary, so Hall may be able to add to his 824 passing yards (second in the nation) he has already amounted this season.
Key Stat: Four different receivers for BYU have at least 10 catches, led by Dennis Pitta’s 21.
No. 3 Oklahoma @ Washington 4:45 PM (9/13) ESPN
Upset? Doubtful. Washington showed some promise before losing to BYU on a blocked extra point, but with an 0-2 record the team will likely be playing from behind all game, pressuring Jake Locker to force more passes – which should go right with Oklahoma’s game plan. The Sooners can put points on the board, whereas Washington is the 112th-ranked defense in the nation. Expect a blowout.
Key Stat: In both of Oklahoma’s wins, it’s scored more than 50 points.
UNLV @ No. 15 Arizona State 7:00 PM (9/13) FSN AZ
If ASU is not careful, UNLV could sneak away with this game. ASU is set to play Georgia next week, so if there are players overlooking this game, they could find trouble. The Sun Devils have been very good this year, however, and have done so behind a solid offensive attack led by Rudy Carpenter and his 733 passing yards through two games.
Key Stat: ASU has just one turnover on the season.
Arizona @ New Mexico 5:00 PM (9/13) CSTV
Arizona has had the high flying offense as expected so far this year, led by quarterback Willie Tuitama passing and the ground game of running back Nic Grigsby. Grigsby has run for over 300 yards and five TDs this season, surprising many in this pass-oriented offense. New Mexico has been less then stellar, scoring only three touchdowns this season, all of which were on the ground.
Key Stat: Arizona’s defense has allowed 16 points through two games this season.
No. 23 California @ Maryland 9:00 AM (9/13) ESPN/ESPN 2
Cal QB and Oregon native Kevin Riley continues to impress, coming off a 66-3 smashing of Washington State in which he threw and ran for touchdowns. He wasn’t alone in this creaming, as Cal RB Jahvid Best ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Maryland will try to stop a potent Cal running game, but the combo of Best and Shane Vereen may be too much.
Key Stat: Maryland has not yet registered a sack this season.
Washington State @ Baylor 5:30 PM (9/12) FSN
After suffering the worst loss in school history, Wazzu looks to bounce back against a Baylor team coming off a 51-6 victory over Northwestern State (La.). The QB that will receive the most snaps for Wazzu is unknown, as none of the three have pulled away with the job. Baylor, on the other hand, has a quarterback on the rise in true freshman Robert Griffin, coming off a 336-yard, four-touchdown performance last week.
Key Stat: Baylor has not beaten a Pacific-10 Conference team since 1996.
Stanford @ TCU 10:00 AM (9/13) The Mountain
Although their statistics may show the Cardinals allowing quite a few points, their defense really is the best part of their team. It will be the first defense to swarm the backfield that TCU will face this season. Stanford’s downfall could be if TCU can throw the football downfield, as the Cardinal secondary is fairly weak. TCU would rather beat Stanford on the ground with a solid day from both Ryan Christian and Joseph Turner.
Key Stat: Stanford has allowed six passing touchdowns this season.
Hawaii @ Oregon State 1:00 PM (9/13)
In a game that’s not even listed on the official Pac-10’s website, you can’t expect many people to be excited about it. In last week’s loss to Penn State, OSU did find one thing to be excited about: running back Jacquizz Rodgers. The true freshman ran for 99 yards and two scores and will become the focal point of the offense this season and possibly beyond. Hawaii has recently settled on quarterback Tyler Graunke to replace the departed Colt Brennan.
Key Stat: This is OSU’s first 0-2 start since 2004.