Below are our exclusive
BootPowerRatings of the Pac-10 Conference. Each week during the football season,
we will release our secret formula rating all the Pac-10 teams. The
BootPowerRating (BPR) is calculated by utilizing a range of factors rumored to
include: past results, statistics, common-opponent comparative results,
strength-of-schedule, home-stadium environment, cheerleader attitude and an
unrevealed school spirit multiplier. The resulting rating score falls within a
1-100 scale, where 100 approximates a Rose Bowl-bound team and a score of 1 is
somewhere south of D-1.
1. USC 92 (Last:
90)
It's been more than seven years since the Maroon Marauders lost
back-to-back
games, so it comes as no surprise
that they made pillow stuffing out of Eugene Business College. Scoring 41 unanswered points,
$C's offense was firing on all cylinders but the machine stalled as the proverbial wrench
made its way into the gears by virtue of a knee-twisting hit on Matt Sanchez. Insert
Razorback transfer Mitch Mustain and they were back into fifth gear
quickly. Despite being exposed to Duck germs, Sanchez's knee appears to be just fine.
2. Arizona 87
(Last: 85)
The Boot Computer foretold of emerging TE Rob
Gronkowski's impending breakout, and he delivered with a three-score game (half a game, actually) to pace the rout of hapless UW. "Gronk" now has a Chris Carter-esque 63%
touchdown ratio on his receptions this season and, next to Toby Gerhart,
is probably the toughest solo tackle assignment in the league.
One can only wonder where 'Zona would be nationally if they hadn't hiccupped
versus New Mexico. A surprising six-point spread on the road in Palo Alto shows Vegas is
not quite sold on what could be a Tucson Mirage.
3. kal 81 (Last:
79)
Unlike his counterpart across the bay, Jeff Tedford has no qualms about swapping his
quarterbacks in and out of the lineup as their play dictates. Right now, neither one
is filling up the stat sheet, but kal's defense remains staunch (the inexplicable Maryland game notwithstanding)
as Pac-X play heats up. Positive bulletin from the weenie trainers'
office: Jahvid Best will likely return for the showdown against Arizona in two weeks.
Obligatory kal slur: How does a Stanford
student get a kal student down from a tree? With The Axe, of course.
4. Oregon 80
(Last: 83)
As Jeremiah Masoli played the part of pedestrian quarterback, you have to wonder if Quacker Backers
were calling for freshman Darron Thomas. "Terrelle Pryor Lite" hasn't seen action since his impressive
performance in nearly bringing UO back from the brink against Boise State. No worries though, as
a home game against the LA team at the other end
of the competence spectrum should continue the in one week/out the next top-25 pattern.
5. Oregon State 79 (Last: 82)
Although they choked away a chance to build on the
$C win, the Beavs took some solace in watching their rivals get pounded
by the very team they managed to piss off the week before. It is
the gift that keeps on giving. Spoiled by the stalwart reliability of Alexis Serna over
the last four years, Mike Riley may need to hold auditions for a new placekicker as
current leg man Justin Kahut isn't getting the job done, having
missed two extra points and shanking away at a 3-for-7 clip on field goals.
6. Stanford 75
(Last: 80)
Stanford fans are still scratching their collective heads over the dearth of
running attempts for workhorse Toby Gerhart, especially since he essentially had two weeks off.
Speaking of last week, Tavita Pritchard did not bring his Seattle game to South Bend,
but did snap out of his funk to lead the Cardinal on a valiant comeback effort
in the fourth quarter. Chris Marinelli fans don't despair; he and
his underclassman teammates will get another chance to taste ND victory blood next year.
7. Arizona State 69 (Last: 72)
The hits keep on coming in Tempe. Mired in a three-game losing streak
with $C looming, all indications point to Rudy Carpenter being out indefinitely. Add that
Keegan "Red" Herring's return to the backfield proved to be pointless, and you have the
makings for a collapse of Titanic proportions. When pressed for answers, Coach Erickson played the youth
card, quipping "I feel like I'm running a day-care center out
here." No wonder he feels that way as 40 percent of his starters are freshmen.
8. UCLA 55
(Last: 58)
Bruin fans might not want to hear this, but the Boot Computer is not
recognizing last week's game as a "win," due to the fact that they could only
muster 28 points against that paper mache wall they call a defense in Pullman. Offensive injuries might
be part of the problem, but when your QB has more
interceptions than touchdown passes at this stage of the season, you have bigger issues.
9.
Washington 28 (Last: 32)
Luckily for Coach
Willingham, Mike, like his brother Bob, doesn't believe in running up the score. Regardless of the
merciful final tally, Washington fell to 0-5 for the first time in 40 years,
a fact that was surely brought up at the weekly "Fire Tyrone Now" booster meeting
held in the bowels of Husky Stadium. The fact that the UW defense is composed entirely
of underclassmen should send shivers down the spine of Purple Nation,
as they have at least two more years of this futility to surrender to.
10. Washington State 26 (Last:
24)
Before you congratulate the Cougs on hanging tough
in Westwood, note that they were only down 11 with 20 minutes left to
play, so feel free to clap even louder. Clearly overmatched at every position form here
on out, at least Paul Wulff has the ear of his young team as they take
baby steps towards respectability. Some more inspired performances like this last
one just might be enough to leapfrog 'Rone's Dawgs, if that provides any motivation.
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