Title race remains cluttered
By Brett Williams
Oregon Daily Emerald
Arizona State (4-4,3-2)
at Southern California (3-5,1-4)
Arizona State entered last week
end’s contest with Oregon right in
the thick of the Pacific-10 Confer
ence race. The Sun Devils still have
Rose Bowl chances even after a 20
17 loss to the Ducks but need a win
against USC to stay alive.
On the flip side, a season that
once looked promising for Trojan
football has now turned sour.
USC finds itself in a battle with
UCLA and Washington State to
escape the Pac-10 cellar.
' The Sun Devils blew a huge lead
last season against the Trojans in
Los Angeles, a venue Arizona State
is 3-3 at all-time. Entering the fourth
quarter with a 24-13 lead, the Sun
Devils self destructed and allowed
USC to score 22 unanswered points
and steal the victory.
Arizona State running back J.R.
Redmond — who burned the Tro
jans for a school-record 350 all
purpose yards, including 214 on
the ground, a season ago — re
turns to the field after a one-game
suspension. The day before the
Oregon game, Redmond was sus
pended for violating NCAA rules.
The Sun Devils will need a stel
lar performance from their de
fense to win. Despite the Trojans’
losing record, USC can put points
on the board in a hurry. The play
of Trojan receivers Kareem Kelly
and R. Jay Soward are major rea
sons that USC is No. 22 in the na
tion in scoring offense, averaging
more than 33 points per game.
California (4-4,3-2)
at Oregon State (5-3,2-3)
Usually, Reser Stadium — for
merly Parker — welcomes Pac-10
foes with open arms at this time of
the season, daring them to lose to
the mediocre-at-best Beavers.
This season, however, Oregon
State has been playing its best
football in 27 years. The Beavers
have a sense of urgency to get a
sixth win, which would assure
them of a winning record and give
them an excellent chance at a
_ ... , ... Scott Barnett Emerald
Tailback Willie Hurst and the Huskies have the inside track to the Pac-10 title.
bowl berth.
California is eager to return to
the postseason as well. The Gold
en Bears haven’t been to a bowl
since current San Francisco 49ers
coach Steve Mariucci led them to
the Aloha Bowl in 1996.
Last season, California was out
played by Oregon State, but the
Beavers committed six turnovers
and virtually begged the Golden
Bears to win the game.
Don’t expect the same result
this time. Oregon State sports an
explosive offense, led by running
back Ken Simonton, who has ran
over and around Pac-10 defenses
all season.
If anyone, however, can slow
the explosive Simonton, it could
be California. Simonton — who is
second in the Pac-10 in rushing
and first in scoring — hasn’t seen
a defense of the Golden Bears’ cal
iber yet this season. California is
tied for No. 21 in the nation in
rushing defense, allowing oppo
nents only 109 yards per game.
When the Beavers pass or find
themselves in a special teams sit
uation, they have to keep the ball
away from California comerback
Deltha O’Neal. He is ninth in the
nation in kickoff returns, and he
provided the difference in the
Golden Bears’ win over USC last
week with a 67-yard interception
return for a touchdown and a key
60-yard punt return to set up a
California field goal.
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Bob Welch
__The Register-Guard
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w Game of the Week
Washington (5-3,4-1) at Arizona (6-3,3-2)
Washington proved it means business with a 35-30 win over Stan
ford last week, With three Pacific-10 Conference games remaining,
the Huskies now control their own destiny in the Rose Bowl race.
But getting past the Wildcats won’t be easy. Last season, No, 14
Arizona traveled to Seattle and beat the No, 20 Huskies on Wildcat
quarterback Oretge Jenkins’ acrobatic somersault touchdown with
four seconds remaining.
Arizona went on to win the Holiday Bowl, while Washington had
to settle for a visit to the Oahu Bowl, which ended with a loss to Air
Force.
Ttiere are similar bowl implications this season. If Arizona wins,
the Wildcats would be the front-runner for second place. If Stanford
loses its final two games, Arizona could find themselves in Fasade
„ na, Calif.
Washington has the unenvious task of shutting down the Wild
cats’ two playmakers, running back Trung Canidate and wideout
Dennis Northcutt. That tandem leads an Arizona attack that has
scorched opponents for 475 yards of total offense per game and
could have a field day against a Washington defense that ranks only
seventh in the Pac-10.
On the other side of the ball, Arizona’s defense has a big Job on its
hands as well. The Wildcats, who are fourth in the conference in to
tal defense, can’t let Huskies’ quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo have
a big game.
Tuiasosopo earned Pac-10 offensive player of the week honors after
his performance last week against Stanford. The Junior from Wood
in viile, Wash., had one of the best outings ever by a Pac-10 quarterback
against the Cardinal. Tuiasosopo racked up 509 yards of total offense,
as he became the first player in Pac-10 history to account for more than
300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in one game.
, Arizona needs linebacker Marcus Bell to play a key role in slowing
the Huskies attack. Bell was named Pac-10 defensive player of tire
week after his 21-tackle performance against UCLA last week.
If Washington’s offensive line is unable to stop the Wildcats’ front
four, it could be a long day for the Huskies. Arizona recorded nine
sacks for losses totaling 78 yards against the Bruins.
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