Pac-10 Crystal Ball: Week 6

IT'S SOMETHING OF a ridiculous exercise. It's understandable that coaches want to keep the other guys guessing on if an injured player will play or not but some go to great pains to play the James Bondian cloak and dagger deep into the week and up until game time.

Take Oregon this week for example. On Wednesday, head man Dip Belly was adamant that the only quarterbacks traveling would be Jeremiah Masoli, Nate Costa and Darron Thomas.

But the travel squad released by the UO athletic department Friday morning instead showed that the Ducks will take four quarterbacks with them to Los Angeles. Daryle Hawkins, a 6-foot-4 freshman from Omaha, Neb., was added.

Kelly continues to insist who starts at QB will be a game time decision. And yet Costa has run the first team all week.

Kelly even dismissed questions on who the UCLA quarterback would be, saying that because Kevin Prince has taken all the snaps, he's their starter. Um, just like Costa has?

Sports Illustrated had already written earlier this week that Kelly's reversal concerning LeGarrette Blount hurts his credibility. Whether that's the case or not is immaterial, what's important is what it says about where the media is on him.

And the local Oregon media, reading between the lines, doesn't sound all too pleased with Kelly telling them things they have to correct the next day. Stay tuned.

Oregon @ UCLA
There really aren't many reasons why UCLA should win this game. The Ducks have been clicking and the Bruins have been muddling about. But Oregon has been hugely reliant on Masoli -- as he has gone so have the Ducks. And he looks to be out for Saturday, despite Chip Kelly playing games with the media. Oregon plays their first Pac-10 road game and they'll have to help UCLA a bit but a great big upset might just be in the offing. Wonder how the media is going to treat Chip is he loses this one.
Pick: UCLA

ASU @ Washington State
The Cougs don't have much of a chance in this one. In fact, the only chance they have is if Denny right at this very moment is waking up underneath a table at The Corner Pocket in Moscow...which is probably about a 50-50 bet.
Pick: ASU

Arizona @ Washington
The Huskies are a lot like the Ducks. When they lose, they convince themselves it's really a win. Arizona beat OSU without Nic Grigsby and now that he's back, the Huskies are going to have to pray that Stoops mucks it up somehow and gifts them a win.
Pick: Arizona

Stanford @ Oregon State
Jim Harbaugh is without his 80K home toilet advantage and the Beavs started playing tough defense again last week. As much as the media has been talking about Stanford's offense and Oregon State's defense, the decider will be if James Rodgers and Jacquizz Rodgers have big games or if Stanford blunts their effectiveness.
Pick: Oregon State