Q&A: The Pac-10
Football writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz breaks down the Pac-10.
With the potential return of LeGarrette Blount, will Oregon be able to contend with USC for a Pac-10 championship this year?
Pundits change their minds about Oregon more often than the Ducks change their uniforms.
After the Boise State debacle, the multicolored crew seemed destined for a rebuilding season. Then Oregon coach Chip Kelly strung together a few wins against capable Purdue and Utah teams. After dismantling Cal, the Ducks are being mentioned as USC’s top contender for the conference throne.
Junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has led the resurgence with confident play that was lacking from the offense earlier in the year. And even though its defense has been hobbled by injuries, the Ducks have found answers to early-season issues on that end, too.
A Halloween trip to Autzen Stadium looms large for the Trojans, especially given the recent buzz about the potential reinstatement of senior Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount.
The Ducks’ top offensive threat was thought to be sidelined for the year after punching Boise State linebacker Byron Hout and engaging in a postgame melee with Boise State fans. But Kelly announced last week that Blount had an opportunity to return to the playing field if he fulfills certain requirements.
But even if the star running back can meet the conditions, Blount has been ruled out to return before Nov. 7 — a week after the Trojans go to Eugene, Ore. Kelly has drawn criticism for retreating from the supposed season-long ban, but the coach deserves praise if he’s willing to keep Blount out of what might turn out to be the Pac-10 game of the year.
The Ducks can beat USC without Blount — the team’s other running backs have found their stride and “The Zoo” is a notoriously treacherous setting for road teams. And because the team gets USC, Arizona State and Oregon State at home with Cal already in the rearview mirror, Oregon can see its path to the Rose Bowl ahead.
But even if Oregon gets Blount back, the Trojans will likely enter the game as the favorite — assuming both teams win out over the next two weeks.
Can Stanford keep on winning?
Quick — name the team at the top of the Pac-10 standings.
It’s a bit of a trick question, because three teams are still undefeated in conference play. But at 3-0, Stanford finds itself in unfamiliar territory — first place.
The Cardinal has gotten off to a fast start by establishing a clear team identity. Senior Toby Gerhart is the offense’s workhorse at running back and freshman Andrew Luck comes up with enough critical plays in the passing game to keep the attack balanced. A scrappy defense and great special teams play have made the early going easy.
But Stanford might be in for a rude awakening in the second half of the season.
The team’s schedule is backloaded, with games against USC and Oregon still to come. By the time the Cardinal faces Cal and Notre Dame at the end of the season, it might be lucky to have barely made itself bowl eligible.
This is coach Jim Harbaugh’s best team in his three years at Stanford. But the team’s lone loss at Wake Forest shows how far it has to come.
Until the Cardinal can beat the conference’s best on the road, it won’t be able to break through to the upper tier of Pac-10 teams. Barring that breakthrough, the team should be happy to simply compete for a shot at the postseason.