Courtesy 124 UCLA Athletic Department
The all important Pacific-10 Conference portion of the schedule finally begins this week.
The first conference game of the season will take place Saturday when UCLA visits Washington at Husky Stadium. However, the seven other Pac-10 teams slated to play will continue playing non-conference opponents this weekend.
Stanford is the only Pac-10 team on a bye week, and their next game will be on Sept. 25 against USC.
UCLA (1-1 overall) at Washington (0-1)
Behind a strong offensive performance last weekend, UCLA now faces the Huskies in Seattle.
The Bruins totaled 481 yards in their 35-17 victory over Illinois on the road last weekend. It was the highest offensive output, in terms of total yardage, under the tenure of UCLA second-year head coach Karl Dorrell.
Washington’s defense gave up 137 rushing yards in their 35-16 loss to Fresno State. The Huskies’ offense struggled just as much after throwing for two interceptions, along with one fumble, that resulted in three Fresno State touchdowns.
In the two teams’ history, UCLA leads the series 33-28-2 with the Bruins having won the last three games against the Huskies.
No. 1 USC (2-0)
at Brigham Young (1-1)
In their first trip ever to Provo, Utah, the Trojans put their 11-game winning streak on the line against BYU.
This game will mark the return of USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow to BYU, where he spent 27 years (1973-99) as an assistant coach.
In their first ever meeting last season, the Trojans defeated BYU 35-18 in Los Angeles.
USC is coming off a dominating 49-0 win at home against Colorado State last weekend. BYU lost to Stanford 37-10 at home last Saturday night.
Washington State (1-1)
vs. Idaho (0-2)
Both teams enter the contest having lost their last game.
Washington State was defeated
20-12 to Colorado at home, while Idaho lost their second straight game, 14-7 to Utah State, to start
the season.
Sophomore quarterback Josh Swogger looks to regain control of the Washington State offense completing just six of 27 passes for only 77 yards.
Oregon State (0-2)
vs. New Mexico (1-1)
This game will be the rematch of last year’s Las Vegas Bowl, in which the Beavers trounced New Mexico 55-14. Oregon State, though, will try to avoid their first 0-3 start to a season since opening the 1996 campaign 0-5.
The Beavers are led by receiver Mike Haas, who set a Pac-10 record with 293 yards on 12 receptions in last week’s 55-34 loss at Boise State. Haas, a junior from Portland, was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week. For the season, Haas has averaged 171.5 receiving yards per game (first in the NCAA).
Oregon State has won two of the teams’ past three meetings, including last year’s Las Vegas Bowl victory and a 28-20 win in Albuquerque, N.M., in 2000.
