Pac-10 Preview

UCLA at Stanford

UCLA Report: The Bruins enter the season with high hopes and a new offense. If their defense resembles the 2006 version, and it should, UCLA will be dangerous.

Stanford Report: New coach Jim Harbaugh has rejuvenated the program with his confidence and enthusiasm, but the team still doesn’t have a lot of talent.

Scouting Report: Stanford should be pumped to open its new stadium against a Pac-10 foe. But the Cardinal should be no problem for this experienced Bruin team.

Prediction: UCLA 27, Stanford 13

Arizona at BYU

Arizona Report: Many have called this Wildcat team the sleeper in the Pac-10. Mike Stoops’ team has a new, wide-open offense and 10 starters back on defense.

BYU Report: Quarterback Max Hall, who spent a year on a Mormon mission and sat out another year after transferring from Arizona State, hasn’t played a meaningful football game since he graduated high school in 2003. But he could thrive in BYU’s passing offense.

Scouting Report: Arizona should take this game. The Wildcats have an experienced team and more talent than the Cougars, but don’t count out coach Bronco Mendenhall’s fiesty group.

Prediction: Arizona 31, BYU 17

Utah at Oregon State

(Aug. 30)

Utah Report: This is not a team that will crash the BCS party from the Mountain West, but the Utes aren’t too bad. Quarterback Brian Johnson is a solid player, and he leads an offense that could be the best in the conference.

Oregon State Report: Matt Moore is gone, and so is the elation that followed the Beaver’s 10-win season in 2006. Expect runningback Yvenson Bernard to carry a heavy load, especially during wideout Sammie Stroughter’s time out.

Scouting Report: This could be the upset of the weekend in the Pac-10. Oregon State has a new quarterback and its top wideout has left the team due to personal reasons. Utah has an experienced spread attack, and they won’t be conservative going for the upset on the road.

Prediction: Utah 27, Oregon State 24

Washington at Syracuse

(Aug. 31)

Washington Report: Tyrone Willingham’s team is serious about being a contender once again in the Pac-10, but a brutal schedule may sidetrack the Huskies this season. Watch out for new quarterback Jake Locker, who was a star recruit out of high school.

Syracuse Report: The Orange has won just five games in the last two seasons, but things look to be improving under head coach Greg Robinson. Syracuse’s strenghth is its dynamite receiving corps.

Scouting Report: A matchup of two rebuilding teams in August ““ this isn’t going to a pretty game to watch.

Prediction: Syracuse 19, Washington 10

San Jose State at Arizona State

San Jose State Report: Somehow the Spartans pulled off a 9-4 record last year. They face three road tests to start the season, though, and they aren’t exactly the most talented team in the Western Athletic Conference, so it will be tough to improve upon the successful 2006 campaign.

Arizona State Report: Dennis Erickson is back again in the Pac-10. This time he is leading the Sun Devils, a team that will rely on runner Ryan Torain and quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

Scouting Report: This is a welcoming gift from the Arizona State athletic director to Erickson. There’s no way the Sun Devils lose at home to an upstart San Jose State team.

Prediction: Arizona State 47, San Jose State 17

Washington State at Wisconsin

Washington State Report: The Cougars haven’t won a game since they beat UCLA last season; they finished their season on a three game losing streak. A tough schedule will make it a tall task for this Washington State team to make a Bowl game for the first time under Bill Doba.

Wisconsin Report: A certain top-10 team, the Badgers are led by their workhorse running back P.J. Hill. They had a surprise 12-1 finish last year, and many are saying this could be the year for Wisconsin to contend for a title.

Scouting Report: At Pac-10 media day, Washington State coach Bill Doba said he was excited for the team’s fans to get to see the atmosphere in Madison. They’d better enjoy the pregame festivities, because this game isn’t going to be close.

Prediction: Wisconsin 45, Washington State 14

Tennessee at California

Tennessee Report: Quarterback Erik Ainge is going into his fourth year as starting quarterback, and the Volunteers haven’t been a national title contender in years. The pressure is clearly on, and with September games at California and Florida, this team will have to be fast out of the gate.

California Report: Quarterback Nate Longshore is back to lead the Bears, and he’ll surely be hooking up with wideout DeSean Jackson early and often. But the biggest question for California may be running back Justin Forsett, who has the difficult job of trying to replace departed star Marshawn Lynch.

Scouting Report:This is the marquee matchup of college football’s opening weekend, and a major opportunity for California to claim revenge after a 35-18 blowout loss last year.

Prediction: California 31, Tennessee 24

Houston at Oregon

Houson Report: Art Briles has done a great turnaround job with this Houston team, leading it to a Conference USA title in 2006. This year they’ll have to do it without departed star quarterback Kevin Kolb, and they have two tough non-conference games at Oregon and Alabama.

Oregon Report: Mike Bellotti is confident that this could be the year for the Ducks. Quarterback Dennis Dixon returns for a fifth year after a summer playing baseball in the Atlanta Braves system. Running back Jonathan Stewart is one of the best in the Pac-10, if not the country.

Scouting Report: Oregon has a much more talented, experienced team, and they need to tune up for a Sept. 8 date at Michigan. If they show up on Saturday, they’ll take a 1-0 record into the Big House.

Prediction: Oregon 28, Houston 7

Idaho at USC

Idaho Scouting Report: The Vandals lost their head coach, Dennis Erickson, who bolted for Arizona State this offseason. Idaho went 4-8 last year, and it doesn’t look like they’ll do too much better this year.

USC Report: If you haven’t heard, the Trojans are ranked No. 1 in pretty much every preseason poll you can find. They have an experienced quarterback, a scary-good defense, and more could-be star running backs than some conferences. Oh yeah, and they’re coached by some guy named Pete Carroll.

Scouting Report: Carroll might not have to pick a go-to running back for another week, because all nine of them could get into the end zone in this game. If you’re an Idaho fan, you have our apologies.

Prediction: USC 112, Idaho 6

Compiled by Daily Bruin Sports staff

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