Ducks Preparing for a Wildcat Strike

Take a nap, put on a pot of coffee and let the kids stay up for this late-night October surprise in the Pacific 10 Conference.

The surprise isn’t Oregon, the Pac-10’s most fundamentally sound program for the last five years under Coach Mike Bellotti.

The surprise is Arizona, picked to finish eighth in a preseason media poll after leading the conference into the abyss last year.

You remember Arizona, no? The Wildcats began 1999 as the nation’s No. 4 team after a 12-1 season, lost to Penn State in the opener, 41-7, and finished 6-6.

With lowered expectations this year, Arizona has thrived. Despite having given up 47 points in last week’s triple-overtime win over Washington State, Arizona’s young defense has held opponents to 16.3 points a game and has caused 25 turnovers.

Unfortunately, a win at Oregon will give Arizona the inside track to the Rose Bowl, unearthing reminders that Arizona remains the only team from the Pac-10 or Big Ten never to have played in a Rose Bowl game.

But let’s not jump too far ahead. The chances of Arizona upsetting Oregon at Autzen Stadium are about as good as UCLA’s and Washington’s earlier this year.

Oregon is the team to beat in the Pac-10. The Ducks have won 18 consecutive games at home and have already dispatched three of their toughest conference foes, UCLA, Washington and USC. After Arizona, Oregon plays at Arizona State and Washington State, hosts California on Nov. 11 and then visits Oregon State on Nov. 18 with the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth possibly at stake.

The line: Oregon by 9

RATING THE TV GAMES

**** Whoa, Nellie

*** The yardwork can wait

** OK to pay bills while watching

* For XFL scouts only

** No. 20 Notre Dame (4-2) at West Virginia (4-2), 9 a.m., Channel 2.

His job safe for now, Bob Davie leads Irish toward the slippery slopes of Morgantown.

The line: Notre Dame by 3.

* Tulane (3-3) at Army (0-6), 9 a.m., FSN.

Bush says fact Army and Navy are a combined 0-12 is proof U.S. armed forces have been stretched too thin.

The line: Tulane by 3 1/2.

*** No. 17 Purdue (5-2) at Wisconsin (4-3), 9 a.m., ESPN.

This could be like spitting into the wind for Purdue quarterback Drew Brees, 0-2 against the Badger defense.

The line: Purdue by 4.

** Illinois (4-2) at Penn State (2-5), 9 a.m., ESPN2.

Penn State used the bye week to replace every player on its roster.

The line: Penn State by 1 1/2.

** Colorado (1-5) at Kansas (3-3), 9:30 a.m., FSN2.

After six back breakers, Colorado faces a team that’s only broken even.

The line: Colorado by 1 1/2.

** No. 2 Virginia Tech (6-0) at Syracuse (3-3), 4 p.m., ESPN.

For what it’s worth, the home team has won the last nine games in series.

The line: Virginia Tech by 13 1/2.

** No. 5 Clemson (7-0) at North Carolina (3-3), 2:30, ESPN2.

Some writers attending game only to pick up feature story on new Tar Heels’ basketball Coach Matt Doherty.

The line: Clemson by 18 1/2.

*** Texas Tech (5-2) at No. 10 Kansas State (6-1), 4 p.m., FSN.

Heads up, K-State. Tech Coach Mike Leach ran the Oklahoma offense last year. The line: Kansas State by 32.

*** Alabama (3-3) at Tennessee (2-3), 12:30 p.m., ESPN.

Neither school is ranked. Neither school has a winning record. Not quite what ESPN had in mind.

The line: Tennessee by 3.

* Hawaii (1-4) at Rice (1-5), 12:30 p.m., FSN.

Can anyone explain how Hawaii gets on TV more often than Notre Dame?

The line: Rice by 11.

*** California (2-4) at No. 9 Washington (5-1), 3:30 p.m., Channel 9.

The chances of this game going to triple overtime are . . . very good.

The line: Washington by 16.

*** No. 13 Mississippi State (4-1) at Louisiana State (4-3), 6 p.m., ESPN2.

What could be worse for LSU Coach Nick Saban? He could still be at Michigan State, preparing for Michigan this week.

The line: Mississippi State by 6.

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. A chance for a headline writer to pen: “Cool Brees Chucks It Past Long.” Purdue quarterback Drew Brees needs 169 yards against Wisconsin to break Chuck Long’s Big Ten passing mark of 10,461 yards. Where is Long now? The former Iowa star is the passing-game coordinator for the third-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

2. A voting coach with a clue. Hello, coaches. Will you and/or the sports information directors who cast your weekly votes in the USA Today/ESPN poll please try to keep up with the action? This week, the brilliant men who put together weekly game plans have Washington ranked ninth and Oregon at No. 11. We’ll say this once: Oregon beat Washington.

3. Some angry e-mails. This, after we state that while Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick is the most talented player in the country, he is being handed the Heisman Trophy based on his performance in last year’s Sugar Bowl. Vick is completing only 51.4% of his passes and has had some key fumbles and interceptions. Dare we suggest that Clemson’s Woodrow Dantzler, Oklahoma’s Josh Heupel, Texas Christian’s LaDainian Tomlinson and Florida State’s Chris Weinke are all, to date, having better seasons than Vick?

4. The Oklahoma Omen. Fans dreaming of an Oklahoma-Miami matchup for the national title in the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl are going to love this one. Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Florida State two weeks ago, is a sophomore transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; Junior College in Miami, Okla.

5. Baylor at Nebraska. You can pick the final score in this one, unless Baylor Coach Kevin Steele follows through on his threat to slip one of his assistant coaches into the starting lineup. The Bears’ running backs coach is Tommie Frazier, who led Nebraska to consecutive national titles.

THE OTHER GAMES

SATURDAY

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FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Arizona State 1 at Washington State at Pittsburgh 3 1/2 Boston College at Air Force 11 1/2 New Mexico at Navy 7 1/2 Rutgers Miami 22 at Temple at Georgia Tech 30 Duke at Maryland 13 1/2 Wake Forest Minnesota 6 1/2 at Indiana at Western Michigan 6 Northern Illinois at Nebraska 49 Baylor at Texas 22 Missouri at Auburn 32 Louisiana Tech at Ohio 24 Central Michigan at Brigham Young 13 1/2 San Diego State South Carolina 6 at Vanderbilt Ohio State 18 at Iowa Texas A&M; 3 at Iowa State at Michigan 15 1/2 Michigan State at Florida State 31 1/2 Virginia at Ala. Birmingham 11 Middle Tennessee San Jose State 16 at Nevada New Mexico State 4 at Arkansas State Idaho 10 1/2 at Utah State Georgia 8 at Kentucky Texas Christian 27 1/2 at Tulsa at Marshall 20 Kent at Nevada Las Vegas 21 1/2 Wyoming at Utah 1 1/2 Colorado State at Memphis 9 Houston at Texas El Paso 3 Fresno State

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