Arizona State vs Arizona
Saturday, September 26
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: Always one of the biggest games on the Pac-12 season – at least when it comes to rivalries – it’s scheduled to get going right out of the gate with the open date at the end of the season in case it has to be moved. Arizona State has won three straight Territorial Cups and four of the last five. At home, Wildcat head man Kevin Sumlin really, really needs a win.
Just a hunch – the defenses will be ahead of the offenses early on in this really, really strange season. The ASU defensive front seven should be a killer all throughout the year – it’ll be among the Pac-12’s best – in what might be a bit of a grind. Herm Edwards pulls out another tight one.
First Thought Prediction: Arizona State 27, Arizona 23
First Thought Line Guess: Arizona State -4.5
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Stanford vs Washington
Saturday, September 26
Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA
Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: There’s no biggest Pac-12 X factor than the Stanford Cardinal. Crushed by injuries last season, they finished 4-8 with no offensive pop and with the defense collapsing late.
But they beat Washington 23-13.
It’s the first game for new Huskies head man Jimmy Lake, and it’s a huge one considering Oregon, Utah and USC are on the road – for whatever road games are going to mean this year. UW will win, but it’s going to be a fantastic battle in the trenches with the Dawg D line holding its own against the outstanding Cardinal front five.
Stanford will lose, but it’ll look like it’s back to form.
First Thought Prediction: Washington 27, Stanford 24
First Thought Line Guess: Washington -5.5
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– Preseason Pac-12 Predictions For Every Game
USC vs UCLA
Saturday, September 26
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: Good luck finding a Week 1 game – no matter when Week 1 is for each conference – with two coaches who need to win more in impressive fashion.
Find the wins on the UCLA schedule. There are too many 50/50 games, no sure-thing victories, and a whole lot of concerns, but beat USC for the second time in the last six tries, and the world around Chip Kelly can breathe a sigh of relief after he lost his first two season-openers.
Clay Helton can’t lose this game.
He has a loaded group of veterans, he has the high-powered offense, and his team is far, far better than UCLA.
Do the Bruins have the secondary to handle Kedon Slovis and the passing game? Sort of, but they won’t have the firepower to keep up.
First Thought Prediction: USC 44, UCLA 20
First Thought Line Guess: USC -16
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