It’s time to break out the Justin Wilcox picture. Wilcox reportedly turned down the Oregon job last year. Think he regrets that today? Cal is 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-12. Let’s look at the Cal offense: Cal offensive SP+ rankings, four year trend: 2018: 116th, 2nd worst in P5 (Rutgers) 2022: 110th, 4th worst in P5 (Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Boston College) Moving on … Continue reading It’s Cal Week! Did You Forget?

Like Lincoln Riley, I don’t care about the College Football Playoff rankings. But I do care about the Pac-12 race and who plays in the championship game. So I spoke to a Pac-12 defensive coordinator Tuesday who watched the game films of the Arizona-USC game about the conference race. “Oregon is better,” the coach said. “Right now, (quarterback) Bo Nix better. “But the big difference … Continue reading Morning Buzz: Is USC-Oregon Game Inevitable?

USC coach Lincoln Riley said all the injured players (Jordan Addison, Mario Williams, Andrew Vorhees, Eric Gentry) participated in Tuesday morning’s practice but some did not go the entire practice. “My gut feel is that we’ll get a few back,” Riley said. Look, it’s Cal this week. Should anyone be too stressed if everyone plays? Especially with Colorado the following week. “Ask all my friends … Continue reading USC Notes: Don’t Ask Lincoln Riley About CFP Rankings

QUARTERBACK Caleb Williams didn’t need Jordan Addison or Mario Williams. He kept making throw-after-throw and it didn’t help that Arizona had an anemic pass rush. But let’s be clear. Williams again was why USC won the game. Grade: A- RUNNING BACK Travis Dye just produced another workmanlike 100-yard performance. For all the talk of rotating backs at the beginning of the season, Austin Jones hardly … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC-Arizona Report Card

Here’s a play that typifies the Pac-12. A lot to take in on USC's first touchdown that came on a 3rd down play. First, UA's LB's aren't ready at the snap. Manu ends up being a step late in his man coverage on the RB. Second, both the LG and the RB (who catches the TD pass) false start on this play. pic.twitter.com/O1SWQSqfRC — Blair … Continue reading Pac-12 Football At Its Finest

Arizona did something Saturday that I can’t believe other teams haven’t done more often against USC: It targeted cornerback Ceyair Wright ahead of Mekhi Blackmon. Blackmon always covers the top receiver but teams have been pretty consistent in not letting that bother them. Blackmon had six tackles vs. Rice; six vs. Stanford; seven vs. Washington State and six vs. Arizona State. It was the Oregon … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Arizona Tried Something No One Else Did