September 2008 Archives

Not much in the way of movement this week, which makes sense because almost everyone won. I almost gave Summit a place in the rankings, but I couldn't justify knocking anyone out to do it. So the SkyHawks are No. 11.

1. Redlands East Valley (3-0)
The REV offense improved a bit, with QB Tyler Shreve and WR Gary Walker making some big plays. But the Wildcats' chances at making a CIF run is going to coincide with the effectiveness of their defense. So far, so good in that regard.

2. Upland (4-0)
The Highlanders smacked around Lancaster Eastside 47-14. Not exactly surprising, as Upland is rolling and should put on a clinic again this week against Bloomington. No, the most noteworthy news was Josh Nunes' commitment switch from Tennessee to Stanford. I can't blame him, the Tennessee orange is way too reminiscent of a creamsicle.

3. Miller (3-0)
Moving up during a bye week is always a good thing for the Rebels, who start Citrus Belt play Friday night at Rialto. Or wherever the mutant fire ants at Rialto High School decide the game should be played.

4. Hesperia (3-0)
The Scorpions beat Pacific, 54-0. Who cares you say? Well, Hesperia only scored 10 points on the Pirates last year. The offense has continued to improve, making the Scorpions an even tougher out this season.

5. Serrano (3-1)
I feel kind of bad for Palmdale Highland. After Serrano dropped a tough one to Upland, you knew that Highland was going to get the business. Like Hesperia, Serrano seems to have found a more explosive element in its offense.

6. Los Osos (2-1)
Maybe dropping Los Osos three spots for losing at Vista Murrieta was severe, but I think at this point Upland (who Serrano lost to) is better that the Broncos (who almost lost to Colton and Redlands). In fact, perhaps Colton will be annoyed by not being in this slot.

7. Colton (2-1)
Let's be honest; the Yellowjackets' offense is a work in progress, as the youngsters haven't quite figured out the double-wing. But the Colton defense makes plays and these guys scrap, as evidenced by Devan Hussey's 100-yard fumble return to turn a loss to Palm Springs into a heart-pounding win.

8. Cajon (3-1)
The Cowboys get a tough win over Kaiser. Cajon has quite a bit of flash, with perhaps a couple of the more talented athletes in the county, but the Cowboys responded to Kaiser's physicality nicely.

9. Aquinas (4-0)
I saw these guys on Thursday and oh boy, the Falcons can play. Watching the Falcons be equally proficient spreading the field and throw as they are pounding up the middle on the ground in the power-I formation was pretty enlightening. These guys have a great chance at Josh Henderson's third CIF title if they tighten up the defense some.

10. Rancho Cucamonga (3-0-1)
Normally a tie is looked down upon by me, but Charter Oak is a pretty darn good football team. No harm in tying them, as Rancho continues to look like a darkhorse for the Baseline League title.

Just missed the cut: Summit (4-0), Chino Hills (3-0), Ayala (3-1).

Sutton Burnard, the senior Big Bear linebacker who has been hospitalized since being injured in the Bears' game Friday night, had a good day on Sunday - less than 48 hours after having emergency brain surgery at Riverside Community Medical Center in Moreno Valley.

"Things are looking a lot better right now," said Big Bear coach Dave Griffiths, who drove down to the medical center to stay with Burnard today. "He's made some strides and is progressing at a better rate than was expected."

Burnard, who slipped into unconsciousness before surgery Friday night/Saturday morning, is still being held in intensive care at the facility, but was able to talk and interact with visitors without a breathing tube. He also was able to sit at a bit of an incline, enough to where he was able to watch television.

"We talked about a bunch of stuff," Griffiths said. "He was awake and aware the entire time. We were watching the Chargers game for a while because Sutton is a big fan. He was definitely happy to see them win."

No specific timetable is in place for Burnard's departure from the hospital, and Griffiths plans on heading back down on Monday to check in on his progress. Either way though, it seems as if Burnard is on the right path after an extremely scary situation for himself, his family and the entire Big Bear community. We'll keep updating the situation as news develops.

This week pretty much took college football as we knew it and blew it up. You can thank Oregon State, Ole Miss and Michigan for that.

1. Oklahoma (3) - The Sooners were the only team in the top 4 not to totally vomit on itself, and that is good enough to give it this top spot. Enjoy it Sooners.

2. Alabama (8) - The Tide makes a massive jump up, but that tends to happen when you go on the road and destroy the No. 2 team. Nick Saban has it rolling.

3. LSU (6) - Yeah, it wasn't the most impressive win over Mississippi State. But it, coupled with the Auburn win last week, jumps the defending champs up a few notches.

4. Missouri (5) - I guess I could have kept Mizzou above LSU, but I don't like jumping people too high during bye weeks. Call me a freak or whatever.

5. Texas (7) - The Horns made a mockery of Arkansas and are quietly moving up the rankings. The Red River Shootout in a couple weeks could be epic.

6. Penn State (13) - The Nittany Lions move up a ton, half because of the losses of other top teams and half because they finally played a team (Illinois) with a pulse and won. Oh yeah, the Oregon State win a few weeks back gained significance too.

7. Texas Tech (8) - Red Raiders move up just cause. They still haven't played anyone yet. We'll see how long they stay up here.

8. Georgia (2) - I basically switched them out with Alabama. I was tempted to put them lower, but losing to Alabama isn't nearly as bad as losing to some of the teams other high-ranked teams fell to.

9. USC (1) - That Oregon State game was bad and quite frankly, the Trojans are fortunate that Florida and Wisconsin had similar brain farts, or this would be worse.

10. Ohio State (11) - I've been slow to move the Buckeyes up, partially because I'm self-correcting where I ranked them after the USC loss. I can't rank them ahead of USC by
any means, but Terrelle Pryor looked good against the Gophers.

11. BYU (12) - Creeping up the polls. The Cougars still have the nation's longest win streak, but they had a bye. And you know what that means.

12. Florida (4) - Of all the losses this weekend, the Gators falling to Ole Miss might have been the most shocking. At least Georgia was playing a top 10 team and USC and Wisconsin were on the road. Florida has no such excuses.

13. South Florida (14) - Another team that's quietly keeping its nose clean and winning. If they continue that, the Bulls will be a factor in the national title race.

14. Auburn (15) - The Tigers won. I guess that's good. Still, Auburn isn't losing style points and will be passed if they continue to scuffle on offense.

15. Utah (18) - The Utes continued to roll by beating Weber State. But better than that, they got a big prestige bump by Michigan's win over Wisconsin. Makes the season-opening win look better.

16. Kansas (17) - The Jayhawks got a week off to sort through the carnage around them. With four Big 12 teams in the top 7, plenty of opportunities for the Jayhawks to erase the South Florida loss.

17. Wisconsin (9) - The Badgers will be kicking themselves all year for their collapse against Michigan. Being up 19-0 at halftime and losing is definitely a kick to the head.

18. Vanderbilt (20) - Don't look, but the Commodores are actually leading the SEC East right now. If they beat Auburn next week, which isn't a pipe dream, look out.

19. Boise State (21) - The Broncos were on a bye, but they are where they always seem to be at this time of the year, undefeated and slowly climbing the polls.

20. Oregon (22) - After losing at home to Boise State, the Ducks were peeved. They made Washington State pay with a 63-14 beatdown. Ouch.

21. Virginia Tech (23) - The Hokies got a nice win tonight, winning at Nebraska. I don't care how down the Huskers are, that's never an easy place to get a W.

22. Fresno State (NR) - UCLA certainly didn't lie down against the Bulldogs. But Fresno came down and got a big victory, for morale and recruiting.

23. Oklahoma State (NR) - The Cowboys' spread offense is putting up points at a ridiculous clip. Sure, they are playing terrible teams, but wins are wins. Ask USC.

24. Wake Forest (16) - It's weird. I moved every ranked team that lost 8 spots except for Georgia. Not sure if Wake had a letdown game, but you can't overlook Navy.

25. Northwestern (NR) - More undefeated smart people. After a comeback road victory at Iowa, the Wildcats move to 5-0 for the first time since 1962. That's good enough to make it on here.

On the cusp: Connecticut, Kentucky, California.

Dropped out: No. 19 Clemson (lost to Maryland), No. 24 Illinois (lost to Penn State), No. 25 East Carolina (lost to Houston)

I fell off a bit on my picks against the spread, but actually finished above .500 when it came to straight-up picks. I guess you have to take every little victory.

Denver (-9.5) at Kansas City
What's worse? The Kansas City offense or the Denver defense? It's hard to say, but the Denver offense doesn't have to apologize. And if Kansas City can't be competitive against the Raiders or Falcons, they won't show up against the Broncos.
Denver 35, Kansas City 20

Cleveland (+3) at Cincinnati
Games between bad teams are always tough. Unlike the Missouri teams, which were supposed to stink, the Ohio teams were supposed to be decent. But they aren't. I'll go with the home team grudgingly here.
Cincinnati 26, Cleveland 21

Houston (+7) at Jacksonville
The Jags are coming off a pretty huge victory at Indianapolis, while the Texans are still a little frazzled with all of the outside Hurricane Ike influences. Houston typically plays the Jags tough, but I don't see it this time.
Jacksonville 23, Houston 14

Arizona (+1) at N.Y. Jets
You have the NFC West there for the taking Cardinals. So take it. The Jets have had two tough losses since the opener, but they were playing some pretty darn good teams. I don't know how good Arizona is, but I'm thinking a Cards win.
Arizona 23, N.Y. Jets 20

San Francisco (+4) at New Orleans
Dare I say it, but J.T. O'Sullivan kind of looked like a 49ers quarterback of yore last week. Then again, they were playing the Lions and I was sunburned. Either way, SF is showing a pulse, making this matchup a good one.
New Orleans 28, San Francisco 23

Atlanta (+6.5) at Carolina
This seems like really easy money. Yes, the Falcons are 2-1, but those two wins came against the Chiefs and Lions. The Panthers are a significant step up - a step the Falcons aren't ready to make.
Carolina 28, Atlanta 9

Minnesota (+3) at Tennessee
This should be a good one. The Vikings are 1-2, but the one win (Carolina) was quality and the two losses (Green Bay and Indianapolis) weren't to slouches. The Titans are 3-0, but its not a sound 3-0. I'll take the upset.
Minnesota 21, Tennessee 17

Green Bay (+1.5) at Tampa Bay
Chris Berman always dubs this game "The Bay of Pigs". Chris Berman is also highly annoying. This should be another good game to watch, as the Pack has looked pretty good and Brian Griese is coming off a 67-pass performance for the Bucs. I don't see that happening again. Wow, what a limb I just went out on.
Green Bay 20, Tampa Bay 17

Buffalo (-8.5) at St. Louis
The Bills are a surprising 3-0 with Trent Edwards quarterbacking, but the Rams are terrible. And now apparently, they are a team divided between Marc Bulger and Trent Green. This game could be bad.
Buffalo 27, St. Louis 12

San Diego (-7.5) at Oakland
I think the Chargers have finally awoken, although their defense still is a concern. I think Lane Kiffin has done a wonderful job considering all the bull he has to put up with in Oakland, but the Raiders don't have enough to hang in this game.
San Diego 34, Oakland 14

Washington (+10.5) at Dallas
The Cowboys are friggin good. No real way to say anything otherwise. They have the most talented roster in the NFL and they look like a force. However, their series with the Redskins always takes weird turns. No, Washington won't win, but don't be surprised if the Cowboys break a sweat.
Dallas 28, Washington 20

Philadelphia (-3) at Chicago
This is a tricky game for the Eagles, as the Bears might have the second-best 1-2 team out there besides San Diego. However, the Eagles are probably the second or third best team in the league right now. In fact, the NFC East has the three best teams, which is crazy. I'm tempted to pick the Bears, but I can't.
Philadelphia 24, Chicago 19

Baltimore (+5) at Pittsburgh
The Steelers embarrassed the Ravens on Monday Night Football in Pittsburgh last November, pretty much sealing the fate of Redlands native Brian Billick as the coach of the Ravens. This Baltimore team is 2-0 and won't be embarrassed, but I can't see them winning at Heinz.
Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 10

Straight up: 22-24. Against the spread: 21-24-1.

I just got off the phone with Dave Griffiths, who filled me in on some details about the timeline between Burnard's injury and the emergency surgery he faced last night.

As he was being taken in an ambulance to the trauma center in Moreno Valley by the on-site EMS personnel at San Jacinto High School, Burnard was awake and aware, talking to his parents. He continued to talk with Griffiths and the Big Bear coaching staff and administration, which quickly made the trip to the trauma center at the conculsion of the game. At that point, Burnard was awake and conversing, asking the coaches about how the rest of the game went.

"He wanted to know how it ended," Griffiths said. "We were talking about the game and things in general when his status went downward. We thought he was taken in for observation for a possible concussion and were shocked to see his condition go in that direction."

Burnard lost consciousness and went into surgery, which took what Griffiths said was a few hours. The Big Bear contigent accompanied the Burnard family throughout the night, staying with the family until the neurologists came out of surgery.

"This is such a tough thing for everyone in the Big Bear community," Griffiths said. "Sutton is one of the best young men I've ever come in contact with and you never want to see something like that happen to anyone, much less a great kid like him. I've never heard anyone say a critical thing about Sutton."

Burnard made it through the surgery and is resting in ICU, where he has been all day today and where he will be for an undetermined amount of time as he undergoes further testing. According to Griffiths, Burnard has shown signs of improvement and has squeezed his father's hand.

Griffiths returned to Big Bear Saturday to meet with his players and give them a status report on Burnard. He is planning on going back down to the trauma center Sunday to stay with the Burnard family and relay updates to a concerned Big Bear High School community, who is rallying behind Burnard with get-well cards and posters.

"You just want to make sure he's OK and he makes it," Griffiths said. "All you can do is sit and wait and hope for the best. Everyone is praying for Sutton right now."

As far as the injury itself, the Big Bear coaching staff has gone over the film and still hasn't positively identified which play it happened and how it might have been caused.

Big Bear senior linebacker Sutton Burnard was in intensive care Saturday night at the Riverside Community Medical Center in Moreno Valley after suffering a severe head injury late in the Bears' 14-14 tie at San Jacinto Friday night.

"He's resting right now and from what I heard, he was improving," Big Bear coach Dave Griffiths said. "It's an extremely tough thing for him to go through and my heart is out to him and his family."

After San Jacinto scored the tying touchdown, Burnard came over to the sideline and seemed off, according to what the Big Bear trainers told Griffiths. The EMS was called and Burnard was taken off in an ambulance and transferred to the medical center, which specializes in neurological treatment. He underwent surgery late Friday night.

"It's a very scary situation," Griffiths said. "I don't even know what play it happened, but my trainers noticed something was wrong and called the EMS.

"He's in intensive care, but he has passed a share of obstacles. I'm just praying that he makes it out of this all right."

Three days after changing his verbal status from a solid verbal to a soft one, Upland quarterback Josh Nunes switched verbal commitments altogether, has he is now committed to Stanford University. Judging by his statements in a press release sent out by Tim Nunes, Josh's father, his committment to the Cardinal looks to be rock solid.

Said Nunes: "I would like to apologize to the University of Tennessee as I had mistakenly thought that I would not have an opportunity to play at Stanford. Stanford has always been my dream to attend and for the past three years, ever since I've been coached by him at his camp, it's been my dream to play for Coach (Jim) Harbaugh. Stanford is the only school I've camped at for the past few years and I believe that I have to follow my heart."

Nunes is currently a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com. He is the No. 12-rated pro-style quarterback and the No. 201-rated recruit overall according to Rivals.

Doing this a day early thanks to the USC game being tonight. Decent week last week, going 6-4 against the spread. Hopefully I'll surge back above .500 after this.

USC (-24) at Oregon State
This line has gone down a point over the past couple of days. Perhaps bettors just watched the ESPN segment profiling the Trojans' recent troubles in Corvallis - a place where they are 1-2 this decade. However, this Oregon State team can't stop anyone. So past OSU issues or not, USC will rule this game.
USC 40, Oregon State 10

Fresno State (-7.5) at UCLA
Ok, I think its safe to expunge the Tennessee victory out of the consciousness - especially since the Vols seem to have their own problems. UCLA is not good, nor will it be good this year. Fresno State almost lost to Toledo in a letdown game last week, but will be up for a trip to the Rose Bowl. That's not good for the Bruins.
Fresno State 27, UCLA 16

Stanford (+2.5) at Washington
At this point, Tyrone Willingham would probably do just about anything - at least anything that won't get him throw in jail - to get the Huskies a win. Stanford is improved, but they haven't exactly lit the world on fire since beating Oregon State in the opener. However, they should win this.
Stanford 28, Washington 24

Oregon (-21.5) at Washington State
The Ducks were disappointing in losing to Boise State and now are down to a true freshman quarterback, but it doesn't matter. Nothing really matters against Wazzu, which is truly and deeply horrible.
Oregon 38, Washington State 7

Alabama (+6.5) at Georgia
I guess Georgia is wearing black uniforms on Saturday. In the South, that must pass for breaking news. Either way, it doesn't matter if these guys are wearing black uniforms or leisure suits, this game will be intense. This win would further prove that Bama is back, but I'll take the Dogs.
Georgia 31, Alabama 20

TCU (+18) at Oklahoma
Their last meeting is September 2005 still gives Oklahoma fans nightmares, as a TCU team came into Norman and shocked the national runners-up 17-10. You know the Sooners will be talking about that loss in preparation for today and it should help, but TCU is too solid of a team to get blown out. Look for a weak backdoor cover.
Oklahoma 28, TCU 13

Illinois (+16) at Penn State
The Nittany Lions have been destroying everything in their path, but besides Oregon State, that path has been littered with the dregs of college football. This spread seems inflated to me, as Illinois has a darn good team, a team capable of going to PSU and winning. I think the Nits win, but don't cover.
Penn State 33, Illinois 24

Virginia Tech (+7) at Nebraska
This is a benchmark game for the Huskers. While they are 3-0, it's not like they've played the elite of the nation to get to that point. Va. Tech is winning ugly, but that's pretty much their MO. I see another ugly game and another gory Hokie win.
Virginia Tech 19, Nebraska 17

Tennessee (+7) at Auburn
I'm really not sure what Vegas is seeing in this game. Tennessee has looked bad in losses to UCLA and Florida, while Auburn is a legitimate Top 15 team. I guess Vegas expects the Vols to step it up and show some pride, or Auburn to let down after losing late to LSU. I think Auburn rolls.
Auburn 27, Tennessee 10

Wisconsin (-6) at Michigan
I shouldn't write about this game, but I will. This spread shot up from 3 to 6.5 before stabilzing and starting to move down a tiny bit. What does this mean? Who knows? I could see Michigan hanging tight with the Badgers, but it's probably too much to ask for them to win this game.
Wisconsin 21, Michigan 17

Overall record: 30-10. Record against spread: 19-20-1

Perfection may be unattainable, but my performance last week was about as close as one could get to it. I went 22-1 last week, only missing the Twentynine Palms-San Jacinto game. Let's see if we can do better this week.

Aquinas at Azusa
This game is set for tonight and that's where I'll be in a few hours. Aquinas continues to impress, smacking around Riverside Notre Dame for a prodigious "Holy War" victory. Azusa is surprisingly 3-0, but I don't see them hanging with a red-hot Falcons team.
Aquinas 37, Azusa 19

Redlands East Valley at Compton Dominguez
This would typically be a battle of two heavyweights, but Dominguez is 0-3 after having lost to Compton High for the first time in a quarter-century. While REV isn't hitting on all cylinders right now, it won't have to be to win this.
REV 27, Dominguez 14

Los Osos at Vista Murrieta
Now this is a true battle of heavyweights. The Grizzlies come in an impressive 2-0 after wins over Bishop Amat and Cajon and have a week of rest. However, the Broncos have only lost twice in the past two-plus seasons and have two impressive pelts on their wall in Redlands and Colton. I expect Los Osos to join that wall, with the home team winning a classic.
Vista Murrieta 24, Los Osos 23

Hesperia at Pacific
The Pirates were actually pretty scrappy against Hesperia last year, only losing 10-0. However, this Hesperia squad is more explosive on offense, which will make it impossible for Pacific to hang around very long.
Hesperia 38, Pacific 0

Serrano at Palmdale Highland
The Diamondbacks may have lost 37-21 to Upland last week, but they made the Highlanders truly work hard for the victory. While Upland was able to victimize Serrano in the air and while Highland has a potent passing attack, the experience of playing Josh Nunes and company should help Serrano a ton in this game.
Serrano 34, Highland 17

Colton at Palm Springs
This is the game I'm covering tomorrow. Quite frankly, I'm excited to see what kind of hand the Yellowjackets have right now. From their first two games, it seems like they have a lockdown defense. The offense is still a work in progress, but the Colton D should suffocate Palm Springs.
Colton 17, Palm Springs 6

Cajon at Kaiser
This will be a great Xs and Os game. Cajon has the home-run athleticism on offense with running back Walter Kazee and wide receiver Marlon Pollard, but Kaiser's stifling defense makes teams have to dink and dunk down the field. It will be low-scoring, but I think the Cowboys will get this win.
Cajon 16, Kaiser 14

Victor Valley at Apple Valley
The Battle for the Bell hasn't been much of a battle lately, as Apple Valley has won the last four overall against Victor Valley teams that have had a hard time winning any games. But lo and behold, the Jackrabbits are undefeated and the Sun Devils are winless. I'll go with Victor Valley to break the Sun Devil streak.
Victor Valley 27, Apple Valley 24

Granite Hills at Summit
We know one thing - one of these teams will be giving up their first points of the 2008 season. Actually, I guess this could end in a 0-0 tie, but I will guarantee that someone will score. Both of these teams are great stories, and one will continue into October undefeated. I'll go Summit.
Summit 23, Granite Hills 14

San Gorgonio at Yucaipa
San G has had as tough of a two-game stretch as you would want, opening up with Hesperia and REV. They have the athleticism and speed capable of beating a lot of teams though. Yucaipa is included in that group, as the Thunderbirds will lose in a good one.
San Gorgonio 22, Yucaipa 17

Other games of note
Upland 37, Lancaster Eastside 10
Arrowhead Christian 12, San Diego Midway Baptist 6
Etiwanda 36, Carter 10
Eisenhower 34, Norte Vista 9
Covina Charter Oak 24, Rancho Cucamonga 23
San Bernardino 28, Fontana 12
Big Bear 25, San Jacinto 16
Twentynine Palms 23, Banning 19
Beaumont 30, Yucca Valley 14
Palm Desert 35, Silverado 20
Barstow 27, Quartz Hill 23
Rim of the World 20, Bishop 13
Palmdale Knight 27, Sultana 24
Arroyo Valley 21, Don Lugo 10

Overall record: 54-10-1

According to Volquest.com, the Rivals website for the University of Tennessee, Upland quarterback Josh Nunes informed the Volunteers' coaching staff that he is now a "soft verbal" commitment, meaning that he is opening up his recruitment a bit.

The story, which is available to premium customers on Rivals.com, had an e-mail from the Nunes family to the staff at Volquest.com, citing distance from Southern California as a primary concern. The e-mail read like this:

"I have changed my commitment at Tennessee to a soft verbal. My reason is based on the distance and difficulty getting there from my home. On my first trip, distance and flying posed a problem when we could not get home in the case of a family emergency. My recent official visit made me realize what I would put my family, grandparents, relatives and friends through in traveling and expense especially knowing my family would try to attend every game. I did inform the Tennessee coaches of my intentions before this past game and losing had nothing to do with this decision. I plan on taking my remaining official visits. I am not closing the doors at UT from my side and I still think highly about the program, especially the players, recruits, and coaches. I feel that I do owe UT the time to adjust their recruiting in case things change for me."

Nunes picked Tennessee out of a final group of eight that included Arizona State, Florida, Stanford, BYU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Harvard. Considering that Florida and Harvard are even farther than Tennessee and Nebraska and Oklahoma represent significant hikes, it seems as if Stanford, where Nunes camped earlier this summer, could be a player, as could Arizona State - which has received a verbal commitment from Upland WR/DB Osahon Irabor. Nunes has only been on one official visit - to Tennessee this past weekend - and has not scheduled any others according to Volquest.com.

We'll keep you posted on any further developments.

According to this story on ESPN.com, Los Osos senior girls basketball player Cierra Warren verbally committed to North Carolina after visiting the campus this past weekend. Warren, a 6-foot-4 center, is regarded as the No. 31 prospect in the country by ESPN and was a first-team all-County and all-Inland Valley selection last season, when she helped the Lady Grizzlies to the CIF-Division II-AA championship game and a berth in the state playoffs.

Warren averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots a year ago for Los Osos. The Sun/Bulletin will have a more indepth account of this story in the print edition within the next couple of days.

Here's my Top 25 in advance of the polls. Nothing too crazy here.

1. USC (1) - A game, bye week. A game, bye week. Only thing stopping the Trojans from winning right now is their schedule.

2. Georgia (2) - A questionable No. 2 coming into the week, the Bulldogs reinforced their credentials with a big win at Arizona State.

3. Oklahoma (3) - Sooners take a break from kicking everyone's butt. The nation is thankful.

4. Florida (4) - The Gators made Tennessee look real bad - in front of Upland QB Josh Nunes, who was taking his official visit. Hope Florida didn't ruin his weekend.

5. Missouri (5) - I was tempted to give this to LSU after the Tigers' win at Auburn, but gave Missouri the nod because Buffalo is quickly improving.

6. LSU (6) - Getting a tough road win at Jordan-Hare Stadium - a place where LSU has traditionally struggled - is huge for the Tigers' inexperienced quarterbacks.

7. Texas (7) - Another game, another blowout win. Ho hum for the Horns until the Big 12 season starts.

8. Texas Tech (8) - The Red Raiders massacred UMass. Had Marcus Camby been playing, I might have moved Tech up. But alas, he's with the Clippers (I think?)

9. Wisconsin (9) - Badgers didn't play, so they don't move anywhere. Wisky starts the Big Ten next week against a wounded Michigan squad.

10. Alabama (12) - The first upward mover this week, the Tide rolls into the Top 10 after destroying Arkansas. Big game next week at Georgia.

11. Ohio State (11) - Terrelle Pryor's first start or not, the Buckeyes have to do better than a 14-10 lead entering the fourth against Troy. OSU is definitely in neutral right now.

12. BYU (15) - The Cougars keep shooting up the rankings. While hotshots (see East Carolina and Fresno State) have flamed out, BYU has kept the mid-major BCS-buster flag hoisted high.

13. Penn State (17) - Yes, I know the Nittany Lions are playing against awful competition, but unlike a lot of teams, they are pulverizing the weak. The season starts this week against Illinois though.

14. South Florida (16) - The Bulls got lucky that a bunch of teams around them lost. Typically beating a terrible Florida International team by 8 won't move you up in this poll. Count your lucky stars Bulls.

15. Auburn (10) - I didn't drop Auburn too far despite their loss from LSU. Maybe its because I dropped them for their win over Mississippi State. Either way, the Tigers are on notice.

16. Wake Forest (18) - The Demon Deacons won ugly Saturday. However, any time a team like Wake Forest, which isn't exactly a traditional football player, can put the clamps on Florida State three years in a row, it deserves props.

17. Kansas (19) - Kind of a boring win over Sam Houston State. But it was a win and a step in the right direction after a loss to South Florida - a step the Jayhawks will take willingly.

18. Utah (20) - Tough win against Air Force, but the Utes came through. If they can get by TCU, the battle of the Beehive State with BYU in November could have major BCS ramifications.

19. Clemson (21) - They shut out South Carolina State. Big whoop. Clemson still needs to pick it up.

20. Vanderbilt (24) - The Cinderella story of the BCS conferences so far, the Commodores improved to 4-0 with a big road win against an improved Ole Miss squad. Don't look, but Vandy looks like its legit.

21. Boise State (NR) - I don't care if Oregon played a true freshman quarterback. Getting a win at Autzen Stadium is quite a feat.

22. Oregon (13) - The Ducks took too long to get untracked against Boise State and paid dearly for it. However, freshman QB Darron Thomas could be the real deal.

23. Virginia Tech (25) - It's not a win that's going to get much pub, but the Hokies deserve a lot of credit for overcoming a 17-3 deficit to beat a quickly-improving North Carolina team.

24. Illinois (23) - Whatever. The Illini didn't play this week and struggled against the Ragin' Cajuns the week before. Illinois can earn its respect by beating Penn State though.

25. East Carolina (15) - I was tempted to dump the Pirates out of the poll entirely, and probably should. I just wasn't in love with any of the other prospective teams to do so.

On the cusp: Fresno State, TCU, Colorado.

Dropped: No. 22 West Virginia (lost at Colorado).

I have to say that the Los Angeles Crenshaw-Miller game was one of the more entertaining games I've covered in a while. The action itself was pretty good, though kind of erratic, as the chess match between Jeff Steinberg's spread offense and the Crenshaw defense - which had some truly huge human beings - was definitely something a football fan could appreciate.

I also appreciated the Crenshaw band. The Cougar band stole the halftime show, marching out with horns blaring, drums drumming and members marching in a highly-regimented style that more resembled a college band than anything I've seen in high school. The drummers were intense, invoking images from the movie Drumline starring Nick Cannon, while the dancers and color guard were pretty into their routines.

In fact, the dancers were so into their routines that one of them lost their weave while executing a manuever toward the end of the performance. The girl was a champ, continuing her routine without fail as her hair sat on the 40-yard line, where it would remain until a second before the two teams returned for the second half. I'm sure it was a moment that the dancer would want to forget, but she gets credit for not losing her cool and finishing her performance.

Here are the rankings, which will be released Monday. It was tough dropping Kaiser out, but Rancho Cucamonga deserves to be in the top 10 at this point.

1. Redlands East Valley (2-0)
The Wildcats certainly won't get the high marks for artistic interpretation that they got last year with Chris Polk. But REV keeps on winning, which is good enough to keep it perched atop the rankings. They have an intriguing road test at Compton Dominguez this week.

2. Upland (3-0)
The win over Serrano was a good test for the Highlanders, who were punched in the mouth by a tough, scrappy team but rose off the canvas to grab a big win. After a tough first three weeks, Lancaster Eastside should be a relative breather.

3. Los Osos (2-0)
Got the week off, which is good because they have a big battle with Vista Murrieta coming. They survive that, and visions of Baseline-League dominated CIF title games might come to fruition.

4. Miller (3-0)
The Rebels got quite a test against Crenshaw and aren't quite all there yet on offense, but showed a great deal of scrap and heart to pull out the victory. Now they have two weeks to oil the machine before starting CBL play.

5. Hesperia (2-0)
The Scorpions are showing that last year's breakthrough was no fluke. It seems as if their offense has taken the next step, which should have the Hesperia faithful pretty pumped up.

6. Serrano (2-1)
The Diamondbacks fall, but not very much. Although they lost by 16 points, they played against probably the most talented team they'll face all season in Upland and hung right with them. That will only help them once the MRL starts next month.

7. Colton (1-1)
It's becoming apparent that the Yellowjackets will be able to play some serious defense this year. The offense seems to be a work in progress, but that's to be expected with a brand-new offensive line. With Friday's win over La Quinta, Colton could conceivably come out of their four-game season-opening road tour with three wins.

8. Cajon (2-1)
The Cowboys were dazzling against Sultana, more than making up for their struggles against Los Osos. If sophomore quarterback Thomas Carter continues to mature, this is going to be a dangerous team in SAL play. Big game this Friday at Kaiser.

9. Aquinas (3-0)
The "Holy War" was about as competitive as the Grenada conflict, as Aquinas overwhelmed Riverside Notre Dame. The Falcons, with their new-found balance, might have a CIF championship formula brewing.

10. Rancho Cucamonga (3-0)
Yes, Damien, Canyon Springs and Carter may be down a bit. But Rancho is straight pulverizing people right now and deserves to be on this list. If it takes down Charter Oak this week, then its place will be safe.

Receiving consideration: Kaiser (1-1), Chino Hills (2-0), Eisenhower (2-0), Ayala (2-1), Barstow (3-0).

Arizona State CB Omar Bolden, a Colony graduate, almost caused Kirk Herbstreit and Brent Musberger to have side-by-side heart attacks, as he made a leaping deflection of a long Georgia pass in the end zone. Bolden, now a sophomore, has started since midway through last year and looks to be a serious player at the Division I level.

Definitely one of the weirder picking weeks I've ever had. On one hand, I was awesome against the spread, coming a Chicago-Carolina push away from having a 10-win week. However, I was completely pathetic straight up, actually guessing wrong on 10 of the 15 winners. I would have been more successful playing darts blindfolded.

Anyway, lets see if we can get some more winners this week. If not, I'll lose whatever remaining credibility I might have.

Kansas City (+5.5) at Atlanta
These two teams are pretty bad. One, the Falcons, has a rookie quarterback, a couple decent RBs and nothing else. The Chiefs have three bad qbs and a frustrated Pro Bowl running back. However, I can't see how the Falcons should be favored by this much over anyone (except the Lions apparently). I'll go with KC to cover in an ugly game.
Atlanta 13, Kansas City 12

Oakland (+9) at Buffalo
The Bills look to be legit. Marshawn Lynch is a Pro Bowler in waiting, the defense is opportunistic and QB Trent Edwards is improving. I like what the Raiders did in KC, but there's still too much drama in Oaktown right now. It's a large number to give, but I'll do it.
Buffalo 26, Oakland 13

Houston (+4.5) at Tennessee
I really don't think the Titans are that good (seriously, Kerry Collins at QB), but the Texans have had quite an ordeal with Hurricane Ike and its aftermath. Between taking care of family, dealing with housing damage and just overall drama, its going to be hard for the Texans to do much against a good Titan defense.
Tennessee 23, Houston 10

Cincinnati (+13.5) at N.Y. Giants
Once again, this seems like a big number to give. However, the Giants have looked great in both of their games, while the Bengals might have the most dysfunctional family this side of Marlon Brando. Ok, old reference, but the Giants are humming on both sides and I don't see Cincy putting up much resistance.
N.Y. Giants 30, Cincinnati 14

Arizona (+3) at Washington
Are the Cardinals truly ready to take that step towards becoming a playoff contender? A win here would definitely do that. Washington is no slouch, as it showed by defeating New Orleans. I'm going with the Cardinals, though this one could seriously go either way.
Arizona 21, Washington 20

Miami (+12.5) at New England
The Patriots silenced a few doubters last week by beating the Jets, but Miami linebacker Joey Porter wasn't impressed, proceeding to talk an insane amount of trash for a person who's team is 1-17 since he joined last year. However, I'm still not sold on the Patriots being able to score much. They'll win, but I'll grant the Dolphins a weak cover.
New England 21, Miami 10

Tampa Bay (+3) at Chicago
A year ago at this time, Brian Griese was getting booed by impatient Bears fans. Now he takes the Bucs into Chicago against what looks to be an improved Chicago offense. Rookie RB Matt Forte looks to be the real deal, and the Bears look to be closer to the 2005-06 versions than the substandard version of a year ago.
Chicago 21, Tampa Bay 16

Carolina (+3.5) at Minnesota
It's really hard to believe that the Panthers are getting points. I guess the oddsmakers are expecting the absence of Tavaris Jackson to give the Vikings a boost. I don't know, but I'll take the Panthers with Steve Smith returning over Minnesota with Gus Frerotte starting.
Carolina 19, Minnesota 14

St. Louis (+9.5) at Seattle
The Seahawks are 0-2, lost to the 49ers at home and are taking out ads on Craigslist for wide receiver help. I applied, but I haven't heard back from Mike Holmgren. I guess they are busy preparing for the Rams, who are somehow last in offense and defense in the NFL. I can't pick them to cover any spread against any team right now.
Seattle 28, St. Louis 13

Detroit (+4.5) at San Francisco
I'll actually be at this game tomorrow. It's definitely nothing to brag about, as both of these teams are pretty bad. The Niners should win this game, but they won't for two reasons. No. 1 is that the Lions defense knows the Mike Martz system in and out, as Martz was the offensive coordinator in Detroit last year. Second is that the Lions are 4-0 in the last four games I've attended dating back to Thanksgiving 1997. Never mess with a streak.
Detroit 24, San Francisco 22

New Orleans (+5) at Denver
This might be the most entertaining game of the day, as Drew Brees and Jay Cutler could both threaten 400 yards passing in this game. There will be touchdowns galore and many fantasy football owners will exult. As far as the actual game, I'll go with the home team here.
Denver 36, New Orleans 27

Pittsburgh (+3) at Philadelphia
I'm somewhat upset that I have tickets to the Niners game because it means I'll miss this one. And the battle for Pennsylvania should be a battle indeed. The first two weeks have identified these teams as Super Bowl contenders, and the battle between Philly's offense and the Pittsburgh D should be intense. I'll take the Eagles in a good one.
Philadelphia 24, Pittsburgh 20

Jacksonville (+4.5) at Indianapolis
The Jaguars, regarded as Super Bowl contenders by many, will be desperate coming into this game. There is no way they can afford to be 0-3 and reach their lofty goals. The Colts, while struggling, have a win under their belt, which takes a bit of the desperation out. I'll go with the most desperate team here.
Jacksonville 17, Indianapolis 15

Cleveland (+2.5) at Baltimore
These first two weeks have been hell for the Browns, who have gone 0-2 and seen Pro Bowl WR Braylon Edwards drop every pass in sight. Apparently there are Vegas bookies who are taking over/under bets on the number of Edwards' drops Sunday. That's bad news. What isn't is the Ravens and rookie QB Joe Flacco. Cleveland gets on the board.
Cleveland 17, Baltimore 16

Dallas (-3) at Green Bay
This might be the first time these two teams have played in Wisconsin since the Ice Bowl. I don't think the NFL has been punishing the Packers for that -14 degree game for making them play the Cowboys in Dallas constantly, but its pretty weird how uneven the discrepancy is. Both of these teams have looked great on offense, but Tony Romo is pretty untouchable - at least until December.
Dallas 31, Green Bay 24

New York Jets (+8.5) at San Diego
Talk about desperate. The Chargers, after two last-second losses and one prodigious officiating screw-up, are ready to eat glass at this point. Meanwhile, it doesn't seem as if the Jets are completely comfortable with gunslinging Brett Favre as their quarterback. Their play-calling has been conservative, which won't get it done in this game.
San Diego 28, N.Y. Jets 17

Straight up: 12-18. Against the spread: 14-15-1

The downward spiral of my college picks continue, as I went a pretty crappy 3-6-1 a week ago against the spread. I'm just going to stop picking Michigan games, or just stop picking them to win.

Luckily (for the reading audience and for the alum), the Wolverines don't play this week.

Arizona (-3) at UCLA
All I have to really say is wow. That's in reference to both teams, but more to UCLA. 59-0? Really, Bruins? I thought BYU would win, but I didn't think UCLA would lose in a way that they haven't since the Great Depression. I also didn't think Arizona would lose to a winless New Mexico team. The Wildcats aren't quite ready for Primetime, but the Bruins from the first-half of the Tennessee game (four turnovers) are what we are more likely to see for the time being.
Arizona 27, UCLA 13

Georgia (-7) at Arizona State
The Sun Devils were caught looking ahead badly last week, losing to a UNLV team at home that only has eight wins in the past four seasons. Just bad tidings all around. Georgia had issues of its own with South Carolina, needing a gift Gamecock fumble at the Georgia 1 to avoid overtime. However, South Carolina would work UNLV. I should pick Georgia to cover, but after the Tennessee-UCLA game, I refuse to question the West Coast theory again. This will be entertaining.
Georgia 30, Arizona State 27

Boise State (+10) at Oregon
The Broncos have accomplished quite a bit over the last five years - winning four WAC titles, going undefeated and beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago, having a ton of local stars (Ryan Clady, Gerald Alexander, Ian Johnson, Ryan Putnam, etc.). However, Boise State hasn't done well against the Pac-10 on the road. And while Oregon is down to its third- or fourth-string quarterback (I'm not sure which), it keeps rolling. I'm taking the Ducks and Rancho Cucamonga graduate Patrick Chung.
Oregon 33, Boise State 21

San Jose State (+8) at Stanford
If I get another Stanford game wrong in this space, I'm not picking a Cardinal game ever again. Ok, I'm not serious with that, but Stanford hasn't exactly followed up its Oregon State win gracefully. And San Jose State, which gave Stanford problems during the Tyrone Willingham era, isn't completely awful. But I think the Cardinal are ultimately on the right track and should take this game.
Stanford 38, San Jose State 20

LSU (-2.5) at Auburn
Auburn had possibly the most unlikely win as far as score is concerned last week, somehow beating Mississippi State 3-2. Yeah, I've never seen that in a college football game either. I did see Michigan (sorry) beat Purdue 5-0 in a snow/ice storm in 1995, but that's as close as I can come. LSU has had its issues at Auburn and I just don't trust the LSU QBs in this environment. Auburn wins a nailbiter.
Auburn 10, LSU 9

Florida (-7.5) at Tennessee
Yes, that's two SEC games in a row and three so far that involve SEC schools. But quite frankly, the SEC is the best conference going right now (especially after the Pac-10's ofer against the Mountain West last week) and are already into their conference slate. My opinion of Tennessee has gone down quite a bit since the season has started and wasn't helped by UCLA's loss to BYU. While the Vols, embarrassed by Florida 59-20 last year, will be hungry, I don't think they have the guns to win this fight.
Florida 34, Tennessee 19

Notre Dame (+9) at Michigan State
After the win over Michigan last week, Notre Dame is supposedly back on the map. However, six Michigan turnovers - one of which the ND defense scored on and two of which set up TD drives from inside the Michigan 15 - made last week easy for the Irish. Michigan State plays Notre Dame tough traditionally and with senior RB Javon Ringer, will wear down ND on the ground. I see Sparty wearing Notre Dame down.
Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 21

Wake Forest (+4.5) at Florida State
If you look at the talent dispersal, you wonder how Florida State would ever lose to the Demon Deacons. But Wake has had FSU's number, tattooing the Seminoles 30-0 two years ago in Tallahassee and beating them again in Winston-Salem last year. Its hard to really get a gauge on Florida State, which has killed two I-AA teams, but Wake makes more out of its talent than any BCS-conference team.
Florida State 21, Wake Forest 20

Miami (Fla) (-3) at Texas A&M
When this game was set up 5-10 years ago, it looked like a September battle between a college football power (Miami) and a tradition-rich, fairly-good program (A&M). Quite frankly, its none of that. The Hurricanes are picking up the pieces from the Larry Coker era, an era that has left them completely bare offensively, while the Aggies have already lost to Arkansas State this season. Not Arkansas, Arkansas State. It will be ugly.
Miami (Fla) 16, Texas A&M 12

Alabama (-9) at Arkansas
Both of these teams are undefeated, but that doesn't make them equal. The Crimson Tide made a statement early, bombing what was a top-10 ranked Clemson team opening weekend. With top notch talent coming in, Alabama should be near the top of the SEC before long. Arkansas, meanwhile, had to have crazy fourth-quarter comebacks to beat I-AA Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. That's not going to be possible tomorrow.
Alabama 37, Arkansas 17

Overall record: 23-7. Record against spread: 13-16-1

My win percentage went down a bit this week, as I went 19-6-1 and Barstow fooled me yet again. I guarantee that I'm picking the Aztecs this week - even if they were playing the Dallas Cowboys.

Now for the rest:

Kaiser at Riverside North
This has almost been like an NFL divisional matchup, as the Cats have played North two times a year for the last two years. However, its been a Chargers-Raiders type pairing, with North playing the Chargers and the Cats taking the role of the Raiders. Kaiser looked great against Apple Valley Friday, but you can't bet against a streak.
Riverside North 21, Kaiser 13

Serrano at Upland
A great matchup and quite frankly, I'm jealous of Lou Brewster for getting to cover it. Serrano coach Ray Maholchic was hilarious in describing the Upland talent, making a quip about possibly getting postgame autographs. Maholchic is sandbagging a bit, as the Diamondbacks will get in Upland's face. The Highlanders will win, but they'll have to pack a lunch, because this game is going the full 48 minutes.
Upland 31, Serrano 24

San Gorgonio at Redlands East Valley
A very intriguing matchup due to the proximity of the schools. The East Highland area is basically split between the two, which should make for a passionate game. I was impressed with the skill level of San G's Tre Meadors and T.J. Smith when I saw them Thursday, but REV has too much size and too much depth. The Wildcats wear the Spartans down.
REV 34, San Gorgonio 13

Los Angeles Crenshaw at Miller
Crenshaw has been all over the place on offense. After scoring 34 points in their opener against Lakewood, Crenshaw was shut out at Norco last week and now plays a Miller team that has only given up 13 points in two games. The Rebels' defense has allowed the offense to get its feet under it, a process that results in another win on Friday.
Miller 27, Crenshaw 6

Canyon Springs at Hesperia
Canyon Springs, the Central Division runner-up last season, was bombed by Rancho Cucamonga in its opener 30-0. Now it'll play Hesperia, which looks to be improved offensively from its 9-2 squad a year ago. The Scorpions will send Gavin Santos up the middle, Ricky Yell on end-arounds and Jerone Waddell deep for a nice home-opening victory.
Hesperia 31, Canyon Springs 10

Colton at La Quinta
The Yellowjackets rarely lose season openers and would laugh in my face if I suggested that their 15-14 loss to Vista Murrieta was a moral victory, but that was what I'd call a good loss. It doesn't get much easier with a trip to the Low Desert to play La Quinta, but I think Colton gets a win.
Colton 22, La Quinta 20

Riverside Notre Dame at Aquinas
Even if Aquinas wasn't ranked, there's no way I'm not writing about "The Holy War." This game is always hard-fought, often entertaining and usually has a fair amount of star power. The Falcons got over the Big Bear hump with a big win Saturday and I have a feeling that their star power, led by QB Tyler Stirewalt, will do the same.
Aquinas 26, Notre Dame 20

Sultana at Cajon
Yeah, Cajon didn't look awesome in losing to Los Osos. But Los Osos is a pretty good team and it was apparent that star RB Walter Kazee is still getting his legs under him after sitting out much of the preseason with a knee injury. I expect Kazee will look more like his old self this week, which is bad news for the Sultans.
Cajon 27, Sultana 15

Carter at Rancho Cucamonga
Carter's run through the Baseline League continues with a game against the Cougars, who have been dominating in whipping Damien and Canyon Springs. Irregardless of whether those two teams are down or not, Rancho has been extremely impressive. I don't expect much to change against a Carter team in flux.
Rancho Cucamonga 30, Carter 14

Summit at Fontana
The SkyHawks have won two in a row for the first time in school history, while the Steelers were embarassed by Banning. While this isn't a great Fohi team, a Summit win here could really launch its program. I see Summit pulling this win out and getting its first three-game win streak.
Summit 28, Fontana 21

Other games of note:
Arrowhead Christian 20, Twin Pines 3
Arroyo Valley 34, Rialto 16
Los Angeles Carson 24, Redlands 14
Eisenhower 27, Palmdale Knight 17
Yucaipa 24, San Bernardino 17
San Jacinto 29, Twentynine Palms 16
Victor Valley 26, Yucca Valley 14
Big Bear 23, Beaumont 17
Granite Hills 25, Pacific 10
Barstow 32, Antelope Valley 21
Ridgecrest Burroughs 27, Apple Valley 22
Quartz Hill 27, Silverado 25
Rim of the World 33, Cathedral City 14

Overall record: 32-9-1

Here's my top 25 for this week. Arizona State takes the huge tumble of the week after being upset by UNLV at home.

1) USC (1) - The Trojans pretty much put a hammerlock on this spot by destroying Ohio State on Saturday. Beanie Wells or not, 35-3 is pretty impressive.

2) Georgia (2) - The polls dropped the Bulldogs for a 14-7 win over South Carolina. I won't, because inter-conference road games are always tough.

3) Oklahoma (3) - Just rolling along after smacking down feckless Washington.

4) Florida (5) - Gators didn't play, but move up anyway. Thanks Ohio State.

5) Missouri (6) - Three games, three wins where the Tigers have scored 50 or more points.

6) LSU (7) - Didn't let remnants from Ike dampen a 41-3 rout of North Texas.

7) Texas (9) - Horns move up two despite having their game with Arkansas pushed back two weeks because of Ike.

8) Texas Tech (10) - The Red Raiders smacked down SMU. They basically moved up because they looked less feeble than other teams.

9) Wisconsin (11) - Gotta give the Badgers credit here. Winning at Fresno State is no small task.

10) Auburn (8) - Tigers win on the road in-conference, but drop because they won 3-2. Guess Auburn grad Frank Thomas hit a three-run shot in the seventh.

11) Ohio State (4) - Buckeyes were beat up and beat down by USC. But they'll be back toward the top of the Big Ten.

12) Alabama (13) - Tide did well against Western Kentucky. Western Kentucky just joined Division I-A last year.

13) Oregon (16) - Ducks get a bump after a gutty OT comeback win at Purdue.

14) East Carolina (15) - Tulane almost upset the Pirates and killed their BCS-buster dreams. But the Pirates survived the "letdown game".

15) BYU (17) - UCLA fans will be having the shakes over losing 59-0 to BYU Saturday for weeks, if not years.

16) South Florida (18) - The Bulls' last-second field goal win over Kansas saved the reputation of the flagging Big East - for now.

17) Penn State (20) - The Nits have looked pretty great in their first three games. Of course, Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and Syracuse aren't exactly a murderer's row.

18) Wake Forest (19) - Moved up despite not playing. Have a big one this week at Florida State.

19) Kansas (12) - Jayhawks get seven-spot drop for a loss, but a Friday night loss on the road to a top 20 team isn't the end of the world.

20) Utah (22) - The Utes' signature win at Michigan has probably lost some luster, but their 42-14 win over UNLV last week has definitely gained some back.

21) Clemson (21) - The Tigers beat N.C. State, who looks really bad. Still not sold on Clemson moving up any time soon.

22) West Virginia (24) - Mountaineers will get a decent test Thursday at Colorado.

23) Illinois (NR) - Illinois' 20-17 win over Louisiana-Lafayette didn't really do much for me, but a lot of losses in this region of the rankings moved it up.

24) Vanderbilt (NR) - This is definitely my shocker of the week, but the Commodores have looked good in going 3-0. They are definitely a sleeper.

25) Virginia Tech (NR) - It wasn't pretty, but that win over Georgia Tech was a good one. Plus, that ECU loss isn't looking so bad anymore.

On the cusp: Tennessee, Florida State, Fresno State, Arizona State, TCU

Dropped: No. 15 Arizona State (lost to UNLV), No. 23 California (lost at Maryland), No. 25 Fresno State (lost to Wisconsin).

Definitely saw some fluctuation in the bottom five this week, as one would expect this early into the season. The top 5 is looking pretty formidable right now.

1) Redlands East Valley (1-0)
The Wildcats keep their No. 1 ranking with a gut-check win. Despite special teams breakdowns and despite star QB Tyler Shreve being banged up, REV stepped it up late and defeated an accomplished North team. Good way to start the season.

2) Upland (2-0)
The Highlanders got their revenge against Glendora in impressive fashion and, quite frankly, are just as qualified for the top spot as REV is. They'll get another chance to pad their resume this week by hosting Serrano.

3) Serrano (2-0)
The Diamondbacks have shown an explosive nature that belies their normal "play defense and pound you to pieces on the ground" attack. If they go into Upland and grab a victory, that will be a huge statement.

4) Los Osos (2-0)
While QB Richard Brehaut gets most of the headlines (and deservedly so when he performs as well as he did in the first half against Cajon), the Grizzlies' defense seems to have stepped up their game. If Los Osos can continue to throttle opposing offenses, the Grizzlies will make some serious noise.

5) Miller (2-0)
The Rebels' offense made some more strides this week against Palmdale Highland, which you would expect. The defense also looks to be fierce, led by senior LB Jacob Guzman, which will help keep the pressure off the O.

6) Kaiser (1-0)
Dick Bruich's club jumps up from No. 9 and while losses by SAL teams helped a bit, their 42-3 destruction of Apple Valley was eye-poppingly impressive. A matchup against their recent tormentor, Riverside North, will really tell us how close the Cats are to being elite.

7) Hesperia (1-0)
The Scorpions go from unranked to this spot thanks to a complete 34-17 win over San Gorgonio. While the Hesperia defense wasn't as dominating Thursday as it was a year ago, an offense with a lot of returning starters seems capable of carrying the load.

8) Colton (0-1)
The Yellowjackets don't fall much, dropping from No. 6 to No. 8, in this poll. Playing at Vista Murrieta with a young team isn't easy, yet Colton only lost 15-14. A win at La Quinta next week would do wonders.

9) Aquinas (1-0)
Maybe I'm going a little crazy ranking the small-school Falcons here, but after beating Big Bear for the first time since 2004, I think they've earned it. Quarterback Tyler Stirewalt seems to give Aquinas a passing element that it doesn't normally have.

10) Cajon (1-1)
Friday wasn't good for the Cowboys, as they lost to Los Osos 20-7 and saw starting QB Ronald Sereno get knocked out by an injury. But losing to the Grizzlies is nothing to be ashamed of, therefore Cajon barely stays in the top 10.

Colony (No. 8) and Arroyo Valley (No. 10) were dropped from the poll. Other teams under consideration: Etiwanda (1-0), Chino Hills (1-0), Eisenhower (1-0), Arroyo Valley (1-1) and Rancho Cucamonga (2-0).

I was pathetic last week, finishing below .500 straight up and against the spread. I probably should have my picks status revoked, but luckily (or unluckily if you actually used my picks for anything besides toilet paper) I get another chance.

Here it goes. I'm going to wait on the Baltimore-Houston game just to make sure it goes off as scheduled.

Oakland (+3.5) at Kansas City - Kansas City 23, Oakland 17
Tennessee (even) at Cincinnati - Cincinnati 21, Tennessee 17
Indianapolis (-2) at Minnesota - Minnesota 24, Indianapolis 20
New Orleans (even) at Washington - New Orleans 27, Washington 21
Green Bay (-3) at Detroit - Green Bay 28, Detroit 13
Chicago (+3) at Carolina - Chicago 20, Carolina 14
N.Y. Giants (-8.5) at St. Louis - New York 27, St. Louis 13
Buffalo (+5) at Jacksonville - Jacksonville 19, Buffalo 17
Atlanta (+7) at Tampa Bay - Tampa Bay 24, Atlanta 12
San Francisco (+7) at Seattle - Seattle 23, San Francisco 20
Miami (+6.5) at Arizona - Arizona 27, Miami 16
New England (+1.5) at N.Y. Jets - New England 16, N.Y. Jets 14
San Diego (-1) at Denver - San Diego 28, Denver 24
Pittsburgh (-6) at Cleveland - Cleveland 24, Pittsburgh 23
Philadelphia (+6.5) at Dallas - Philadelphia 28, Dallas 25

Straight up: 7-8. Against the spread: 5-10.

We suffered a bit last week after a good week one, but I'm confident that Week 3 will be the one that gets us on track. Or at least I think I am.

Ohio State (+11) at USC
For a game that's been hyped as much as the Buckeyes-Trojans tilt has been this week, the spread is more similar to a game between, say, TCU and Stanford. I figure Vegas is still impressed by USC's beatdown of Virginia and skeptical of the Buckeyes' lackluster performance against Ohio. Add in the West Coast theory (Eastern team travelling west) and you have a lopsided spread.
I have been hemming and hawing about this game, first picking the Buckeyes - on an aside, Beanie Wells will be playing, I don't care what Ohio State says his status is - then switching to the Trojans. After some deliberation, that's where I'll stay. After UCLA's win over Tennessee, I'm not going against the West Coast Theory ever again.
USC 31, Ohio State 17

UCLA (+8) at BYU
It's been quite a week-and-a-half since the Bruins played Tennessee. First, coach Rick Neuheisel attempted to make a helicopter landing at Los Osos to watch Grizzlies QB Richard Brehaut and Bishop Amat DB Sheldon Price, both Bruin verbal commits. Then UCLA's opponent, BYU, wins partially because of an egregious unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Washington QB Jake Locker on an apparently game-tying score with two seconds left.
What does this mean? I have no idea. This game is a tossup as far as the spread is concerned.
BYU 28, UCLA 19

Oregon (-8) at Purdue
The next two games are the opposite of the West Coast Theory, as Pac-10 teams head east to play seemingly overmatched opponents. Traveling to Big Ten country won't intimidate the Ducks, who destroyed Michigan in a similar situation last year. This Oregon team is rolling, scoring 109 points in its first two games, and while Purdue has weapons, Oregon will be too much.
Oregon 41, Purdue 28

California (-14.5) at Maryland
The interesting thing about this game is the start time. This matchup will be kicking off at noon eastern, meaning it will be 9 a.m. on the bodies of the Bears. Drowsiness will be the only thing that can hold Cal back in this, as the Terps are fresh off a loss to Middle Tennessee State. After some groggyness, Cal will cover.
California 31, Maryland 13

Oklahoma (-20.5) at Washington
I really feel for the Huskies. One of the best programs on the West Coast (arguably second in the Pac-10 behind USC historically) has turned into a mere footnote on the schedule. Back in the day, this game would have been a pretty hyped intersectional bash. But back in the day, I was in elementary school. The U-Dub players will likely wish they were back in elementary school after this game.
Oklahoma 37, Washington 13

Stanford (+13.5) at TCU
This game will likely be played pretty quickly, as its already been moved up into the morning because of Hurricane Ike, which should still be pretty strong when it hits the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The weather conditions should be windy, meaning that Norco grad Toby Gerhart will get his share of carries for the Cardinal. It's a tough spot for Stanford, but I think they'll barely cover.
TCU 27, Stanford 17

Kansas (+3.5) at South Florida
The second-best non-conference game this week happens tonight, when the majority of us will be at various high school football games. The Jayhawks haven't been as explosive on offense yet this season, but the D looks good. However, South Florida is tough on D and have an athletic QB in Matt Grothe that can turn chicken spit into chicken salad, as they say. Going with the Bulls.
South Florida 29, Kansas 21

Wisconsin (-2) at Fresno State
Technically, the West Coast theory isn't as strong with this game, as Wisconsin is in the Central time zone. However, these are the type of games that Fresno State coach Pat Hill has made his living on. He loves taking on the big boys and, more often than not, beating them. He's beaten the Badgers in the past and I'm confident that he'll beat them now.
Fresno State 23, Wisconsin 21

Michigan (-2) at Notre Dame
One of the great early-season rivalries in college football has been reduced to mediocrity for the second straight year. Last week in this space, I said that I didn't trust Notre Dame as any kind of favorite - an impulse that served me well. However, Michigan hasn't exactly lit the world on fire with its 114th-ranked offense. However, the Wolverine pass rush has destroyed ND the last two years and should be the difference in this one.
Michigan 17, Notre Dame 13

Georgia (-7) at South Carolina
I will admit, this spread is throwing me off. The Bulldogs have looked just as good as USC in their first two games, while South Carolina struggled with a bad N.C. State team and lost to Vanderbilt. I really can't fathom any reason why this spread is so small and while Vegas may know something, I can't see the Gamecocks sticking in this game.
Georgia 26, South Carolina 10

Overall record: 16-4. Record against spread: 10-10

I got off to a good start last week with a 13-3 record. Let's see if we can't pick it up a bit more this week.

Los Osos at Cajon
This should be a fun matchup, as there is Division I-level talent dotting both sidelines. Cajon proved a lot last week by going down to Orange County and shellacking El Toro, but I like the battle-tested Grizzlies to have the edge.
Los Osos 27, Cajon 23

Riverside North at Redlands East Valley
A veritable battle of heavyweights here, as you have a two-time CIF championship North team going against the only team to defeat it during that run. There's also a student-teacher dynamic going on, as new North coach Scott Pearne assisted under Kurt Bruich at REV from 2002-04. I'll take the home team in a complete toss-up.
REV 23, North 21

Silverado at Serrano
This is typically one of the fiercer desert battles, with Silverado typically the class of the Desert Sky and Serrano a Mojave River League force. While the Hawks should win the DSL again, going into Snowline Stadium and winning at this point of the season seems like too tall an order.
Serrano 34, Silverado 10

Miller at Palmdale Highland
Highland gave up over 400 yards rushing to Barstow. That means that the Rebels, especially junior running back David Dash, should have a field day. Look for Miller to put up some ridiculous yardage totals while winning going away.
Miller 44, Highland 20

Colton at Vista Murrieta
The Yellowjackets come into their opener with perhaps the most inexperienced team of the Harold Strauss era, as they return only five starters and are green in the trenches. Against a Vista Murrieta team that ruined Redlands' stadium opener, that's not a good thing.
Vista Murrieta 28, Colton 16

Apple Valley at Kaiser
Molloy Stadium on the campus of Kaiser High School opens with a pretty good game, as the Sun Devils and Cats are both ground-oriented, hard-hitting squads. Don't expect many passes in this game, but expect the Cats to open up the stadium - and the last season for legendary coach Dick Bruich - with a hard-nosed win.
Kaiser 19, Apple Valley 13

Arroyo Valley at Hemet West Valley
The Hawks were impressive last week in winning at Pasadena and will try to pull off another road non-league win against West Valley, the No. 5-ranked team in the Central Division. Arroyo, ranked ninth, will play tough, but I don't see a second road win coming Friday.
West Valley 28, Arroyo Valley 25

Hesperia at San Gorgonio
The Spartans are eager to get 2008 going and erase the bad memories from a trying 2-7 season that saw coach Randy Stevens suffer from a tear in his stomach lining. However, Hesperia is coming off perhaps the most successful year in school history and have plenty coming back. That will rule in a close game.
Hesperia 20, San Gorgonio 14

Barstow at Rialto
Two of the three winners that I missed last week are in this game. Sorry fellas. Anyway, a 2-0 start would be huge for both of these teams, one with a new coach (Barstow) and the other who has already equaled their win total from a year ago (Rialto). I'll go with the home team in what should be quite a battle.
Rialto 23, Barstow 22

Big Bear at Aquinas (Saturday)
This is one of the better small-school rivalries in the area, but its one that has been dominated by Big Bear, which has won the last four meetings between the schools. Both teams look potent at QB, with Tyler Stirewalt (Aquinas) and Craig Hall (Big Bear) capable of big days. I'll pick Aquinas to break the streak.
Aquinas 30, Big Bear 27

Other games of note:
Granite Hills 24, Rubidoux 7
Alta Loma 26, Carter 13
Chino 36, Pacific 9
Redlands 25, Clovis East 20
Eisenhower 31, Riverside Patriot 19
Fontana 28, Banning 24
Summit 21, Hemet Tahquitz 12
Jurupa Valley 27, San Bernardino 15
Lancaster Eastside 21, Victor Valley 16
Bloomington 30, Ontario 13
Palm Desert 33, Sultana 21
Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 38, Yucaipa 17
Rim of the World 34, Desert Hot Springs 13
San Jacinto 27, Yucca Valley 14
Twentynine Palms 28, Riverside Notre Dame 26
Arrowhead Christian 15, Webb 6

While various websites (maxpreps.com and calpreps.com) have the Big Bear-Aquinas game on Friday, it is on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. according to the schedule on the school's website. While we'll call tomorrow for confirmation (little late to call tonight), fans should prepare being at Aquinas High School on Saturday rather than Friday.

Here's my late college top 25. Note East Carolina as a fast riser.

1. USC (1) - Trojans had a bye, but its still hard to forget how complete their destruction of Virginia was.

2. Georgia (2) - Looked very good in a rout of a pretty solid Central Michigan team.

3. Oklahoma (4) - Sooners get props in hanging half-a-hundy against a pretty-good Cincinnati team. They definitely deserved to jump up.

4. Ohio State (3) - Looked pretty bad against Ohio U, trailing going into the final quarter as 34-point favorites. However, all will be forgetten if the Buckeyes beat USC Saturday.

5. Florida (5) - The 23-point win over Miami wasn't nearly as decisive as it looked. However, always good to get one over a rival.

6. Missouri (6) - The Tigers whupped Missouri Southern. Big deal.

7. LSU (7) - Defending national champs didn't play because of damage from Hurricane Gustav. Now their game this week against North Texas might be moved.

8. Auburn (9) - Tigers have good D and their offense showed signs. Definitely a team to watch.

9. Texas (10) - First team since Florida without Tigers as a mascot. Also have been efficient in steamrolling two overmatched opponents.

10. Texas Tech (11) - The Red Raiders showed some good defense in beating Nevada. If they can continue with that, Tech could be a player in the Big 12.

11. Wisconsin (12) - Marshall was feeling all cocky after going up 14-0 early. Too bad the Badgers threw down 51 straight points after that.

12. Kansas (13) - The Jayhawks' offense gets almost all the pub, but the defense ruled the day in a 29-0 shutout of Louisiana Tech. They have an interesting matchup with South Florida Friday.

13. Alabama (14) - I guess after the big win over Clemson, it was normal for the Tide to have a letdown against Tulane. But efforts like Saturday's won't keep them this high for long.

14. Arizona State (15) - Nice, decisive win over a spunky Stanford team. ASU might be the biggest Pac-10 threat to USC.

15. East Carolina (25) - I threw the Pirates a bone after their win over Va. Tech. After their whupping of previous No. 8 West Virginia, its clear that East Carolina wants a little bit more to chew on.

16. Oregon (17) - The Ducks' offense seems to be doing pretty well without either Dennis Dixon or Nathan Costa, putting up 109 points in Oregon's first two games.

17. BYU (16) - The Cougars get penalized for the cheap way that their one-point win over Washington went down. The official that penalized Jake Locker for celebrating should be embarrassed.

18. South Florida (18) - In one of the most overlooked, yet most entertaining games, of the weekend, the Bulls beat Central Florida in OT. USF has a chance to salvage Big East pride against the Jayhawks.

19. Wake Forest (19) - In another great game, the Demon Deacons beat Ole Miss in the final seconds. Its amazing how effective Wake is at maximizing its less-than-hyped talent.

20. Penn State (21) - Nittany Lions get some props for waxing Oregon State - or the Beavers get penalized for being truly horrible.

21. Clemson (20) - Giving up 17 points to The Citadel wasn't what Clemson wanted after being waxed by Alabama.

22. Utah (22) - The Utes didn't have much of a letdown after beating Michigan, dispatching UNLV 42-14.

23. California (23) - The Bears embarrassed Washington State 66-3 on the road. I think that says more about how truly bad Wazzu is though.

24. West Virginia (8) - The Mountaineers stay in the rankings - barely. Have to wonder how confident WVU fans are in new headman Bill Stewart after the 3-point effort against East Carolina.

25. Fresno State (25) - The Bulldogs have a great chance to prove their worth when they host Wisconsin Saturday.

On the cusp: UCLA, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Florida State.

Here's a more in-depth version of the Sun's Top 10, which ran in the paper this morning. I'll have this released earlier in the upcoming weeks.

1. Redlands East Valley (0-0)
I almost dropped the Wildcats from this perch, but felt like they should have the opportunity to defend that preseason ranking in a game before they do that. If REV can beat two-time defending CIF-SS Central champ Riverside North Friday, it will earn this ranking.

2. Upland (1-0)
After the way the Highlanders trashed Colony in Ontario on Friday, I almost convinced myself to have them jump REV. While Colony is young, a 42-7 win is a statement. Upland has another statement to make against Glendora, the team that eliminated it from the playoffs last year.

3. Serrano (1-0)
The Diamondbacks also made a definitive early statement, taking down a very good Paraclete team and moving up a spot in the process. They should continue to roll in their rivalry game with Silverado.

4. Los Osos (1-0)
The Grizzlies kept up with their Baseline League rivals with a nice victory over a traditionally strong Bishop Amat team. They have a tough road game at Cajon this week.

5. Miller (1-0)
Juan Flores' first game at Miller went pretty well, while the defense looked stout in a 21-3 victory over Palm Springs. Both good signs for the Rebels.

6. Colton (0-0)
This might be the most intriguing game of the week from my perspective, as a relatively green Yellowjackets team has to go on the road to face a Vista Murrieta team fresh off ruining Redlands' stadium debut.

7. Cajon (1-0)
The Cowboys have been slow starters traditionally, which makes their victory over El Toro on the road Friday that much more important. If they take out Los Osos, a top 5 ranking is imminent.

8. Colony (0-1)
Losing to Upland is nothing to be ashamed of. Losing 42-7 is something to be ashamed of. I guess I could have bounced the Titans out of the rankings altogether, but two straight CIF titles give Colony more rope than most.

9. Kaiser (0-0)
The last year of the Dick Bruich era starts with the grand opening of a brand-new on-campus stadium and a good game against the Sun Devils. Confidence is high at Kaiser.

10. Arroyo Valley (1-0)
This was the game I was at Friday and I was impressed by the hard-running of DeMarcus White and the discipline of the Hawks' front seven defensively. White runs forward with very little wasted motion while the defense does a good job of funneling ball-carriers toward tacklers.

Others to watch: Hesperia (0-0), Chaffey (0-0), Redlands (0-1), Ayala (1-0).

I got busy with high school stuff and forgot to pick the Redskins-Giants game, so it will be a shortened slate this week. The first week is always one of the toughest to handicap, so here we go.

Cincinnati (-1.5) at Baltimore
I personally can't wait for the debut of Chad Ocho Cinco. The fact that we have to refer to him in stories as that gives me a lot of joy. Seriously. I guess the Joe Flacco era in Baltimore is premiering too, but I'm not nearly as stoked about that.
Bengals 21, Ravens 13

N.Y. Jets (-3) at Miami
ESPN's Mark Schlereth actually picked the Jets as a Super Bowl sleeper because of Brett Favre. I almost threw up in my mouth. Favre is a Hall of Fame and top 10 all-time QB, but I'm sick of hearing about him. Picking a minor upset here.
Dolphins 20, Jets 16

Kansas City (+15.5) at New England
Yep, the Patriots looked awful in the preseason. Yeah, apparently Brady has a sore foot. No, I don't think the Chiefs have any shot to win. No, the fact that Upland graduate Tyron Brackenridge is on the team doesn't change my mind.
Patriots 34, Chiefs 17

Houston (+6) at Pittsburgh
It's too bad the Texans are in the brutal AFC South, because they are a playoff sleeper in any other division. Their defense is going to be a borderline killer. However, I can't see the Steelers losing their home opener. Houston will cover though.
Steelers 23, Texans 21

Jacksonville (-3) at Tennessee
Two years ago, Vince Young was the hottest thing since sliced bread. Now, he looks barely able to run an NFL offense. However, VY was good enough to get the Titans to the playoffs last year and should be good enough to beat a distracted Jags team.
Titans 19, Jaguars 13

Detroit (-3) at Atlanta
It's boggling to me that the Lions could ever be favored on the road. But for the second straight year, it's happened. Of course, it helps when you are playing terrible teams like the Falcons in Week 1. Detroit covers this nicely.
Lions 24, Falcons 13

Seattle (+1) at Buffalo
At first, this line threw me for a loop. All I've heard about the Bills lately is their desire to move to Toronto at a later date. But Buffalo has been extremely scrappy (ask the Cowboys) and Seattle has every receiver but Nate Burleson nicked up. I'm going with Vegas on this.
Bills 21, Seahawks 17

Tampa Bay (+3) at New Orleans
Really tough game to call. On one hand, the Saints were forced to spend the entire week in Indianapolis because of Hurricane Gustav. However, the Saints tend to rock out in NO after returning from natural disasters. I think Tampa takes this, though I wouldn't put money on this game unless my life depended on it.
Buccaneers 24, Saints 23

St. Louis (+8) at Philadelphia
The non-Cowboys hype out of the NFC East has been directed toward the Eagles, and for good reason. Donovan McNabb is 100 percent and the Eagles were one of the tougher outs during the last half of last season. St. Louis is kind of a mess, which is what this game will be.
Eagles 27, Rams 13

Dallas (-5.5) at Cleveland
This game should be the most entertaining of the weekend. Both the Cowboys and Browns can pass and score with the best of them, so expect the scoreboard at Cleveland Browns Stadium to get a workout. I have more faith in the Dallas D than the Dawg Pound though.
Cowboys 35, Browns 24

Carolina (+8.5) at San Diego
This was a tough matchup for the Panthers away. Without Steve Smith and with a still shaky Jake Delhomme, its near impossible. I can't see any way the Panthers win this.
Chargers 28, Panthers 10

Arizona (-2.5) at San Francisco
I don't know what it is, but the 49ers have some sort of hex on the Cardinals. San Francisco was putrid last year, but still grinded out two wins against an Arizona team that otherwise would have likely gone to the playoffs. You see where I'm going with this.
49ers 17, Cardinals 16

Chicago (+9.5) at Indianapolis
This rematch of Super Bowl XLI could be pretty boring. Who knows how healthy Peyton Manning really is and who knows if the Bears are capable of scoring on any defense in the NFL. I say the Colts grind out an ugly one.
Colts 20, Bears 10

Minnesota (+2.5) at Green Bay
Guess what the storyline here is going to be? If you guessed "Where's Brett?", you win. I'm not sure what you win besides my respect, but really, what more do you need? I'm guessing the Packers take this.
Packers 20, Vikings 14

Denver (-3) at Oakland
Both of these teams should be better than Kansas City. Besides that, I don't know what to expect. Jay Cutler looks ready to roll, but has no one to throw to with the absence of Brandon Marshall. Even if Marshall was there, the Raiders' 1-2 CB combo of Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall are fierce. I'm going with the home team.
Raiders 23, Broncos 20

I'm heading up to Michigan this weekend to see my alma mater, the University of Michigan, hopefully get its first win of the year. Don't worry, I'm not going to make you read my assessment of that game. But after a 6-4 week, I'll try to build on the good start.

Stanford (+14) at Arizona State
With USC and UCLA on byes this week, I'll start with what has become a pretty intriguing matchup all of a sudden. Stanford got off to a great start last week, upsetting Oregon State thanks to the 147 yards rushing of Norco grad Toby Gerhart, while Arizona State, featuring Colony grad Omar Bolden at CB, is expected to challenge for the top 10. I don't expect another upset from Stanford, but I do expect them to give the Sun Devils a fight.
Arizona State 35, Stanford 27

California (-13.5) at Washington State
Over the past few years, Cal has been one of those teams that seems to perform better on the road than at home. If you think about some of the big Cal games (the 2004 game they barely lost to USC, the 2007 thriller against Oregon), you realize that they usually happen on the road. That doesn't bode well for a crappy Washington State team.
California 34, Washington State 14

Oregon State (+15) at Penn State
There were concerns over the Beaver D, concerns that were well-founded after watching Stanford hit up OSU for 36. Now the Beavers have to go clear across the country to face a Penn State team that put up 66 in its first game. However, that first game was against Coastal Carolina. With rain from Hurricane Hanna evening the playing field a bit, expect OSU to slop the game enough to cover.
Penn State 27, Oregon State 21

BYU (-9) at Washington
This seems like easy money. Stealing candy from a baby. Getting tickets to a Florida Marlins game. What ever analogy you choose to lose, its hard to envision Washington, fresh off being embarrassed by Oregon, being able to hang with the team that has the nation's longest winning steak. Usually games that seem this cut-and-dried make me think, but I'm taking the advice of Crash Davis and Clay Fowler. Don't think, just pick.
BYU 40, Washington 21

San Diego State (+22) at Notre Dame
This game really stinks from a bettor's standpoint. On one hand you have the Fighting Irish, who were historically pathetic last year in going 3-9. On another hand you have the Aztecs, who somehow managed to lose to Cal Poly for the second straight year. My logic in this game is that Notre Dame somehow has to be better than it was last year, while San Diego State stinks something awful. But still, I can't lay 22 points with Notre Dame until I see it play.
Notre Dame 28, San Diego State 12

West Virginia (-7.5) at East Carolina
This is a very interesting game. For the Mountaineers, ECU should provide a real defensive test toward Pat White and his new-found passing abilities (sorry, not buying Villanova as a real opponent, 5 TD passes or not). For the Pirates, this - coupled with their upset of Virginia Tech - could launch them into BCS-buster talk. Expect the Pirates to come out flying, but get worn down late.
West Virginia 34, East Carolina 17

Miami (Fla.) (+22.5) at Florida
Fun fact: Florida hasn't beaten the Hurricanes since 1983. Another fun fact: The Canes have tortured the Gators this decade, defeating Florida in two bowls - 2001 Sugar and 2004 Peach - and overcoming a 23-point third quarter deficit to shock the Gators in their last regular-season meeting in 2003. Unfortunately for Miami, Florida knows all this and has the personnel to extract a really horrible payback. This could get bad quick.
Florida 41, Miami (Fla) 13

Cincinnati (+21.5) at Oklahoma
Brian Kelly is one of the best coaches that you've never heard of, as he led a downtrodden Central Michigan team to the top of the MAC before somehow extracting 10 wins out of the Bearcats in his first year in Cincy. When Notre Dame fires Charlie Weis, Kelly is a guy who the Irish will look at. Unfortunately, none of that matters against Oklahoma. The Sooners like to embarrass people early and will have their way with Cincy.
Oklahoma 45, Cincinnati 19

Georgia Tech (+7) at Boston College
The Pac-10 isn't the only conference playing random early-September conference games, with the Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles pulling that trick. Ga. Tech's new triple-option offense went off nicely against Jacksonville State, but then again, its Jacksonville State. Boston College is one of those teams no one ever talks about that ends up doing pretty well. That statement should tell you where I"m going with this.
Boston College 24, Georgia Tech 14

Texas Tech (-10) at Nevada
Whatever the over is on this game when you bet it (currently 67.5), take it and don't feel the least bit bad. The Red Raiders have been near the top of Division I in passing yards and touchdowns for about five years now, while the Wolfpack are explosive in their own right with sophomore dual-threat QB Colin Kaepernick. I think Tech has a little more D in its bag, but there will be fireworks.
Texas Tech 51, Nevada 42

Straight-up through one week: 8-2. Against the spread: 6-4.

It seems like its been forever, but high school football is finally back in the Inland Empire. Quite frankly, I'm happy as a clam right now, probably even happier. So here we go.

Pacific at Summit
I'm feeling a pretty decent jump up in quality for the SkyHawks today. They are sitting on some talent in North Fontana and with a senior class, now is the time for Summit to break out and sit at the big-boy table. I like Oscar Torres' attitude at Pacific, but its going to take some time to see progress.
Summit 27, Pacific 14

Upland at Colony
This is quite a heavyweight matchup for Week 0, the Inland Empire's response to the Mater Dei-Carson game. I don't expect a triple OT game, but I expect both of these teams to bring it. The Highlanders dealt two-time defending CIF champ Colony its last loss in Week 5 last year, something you know the Titans have discussed. I'll look for Upland to repeat the favor in a classic.
Upland 27, Colony 24

Paraclete at Serrano
It's going to be hopping in the desert tonight, as the Diamondbacks (11-1 last year) host Paraclete, which went one better in going 12-1. Expect a lot of hard-nosed, physical play in this game, with Serrano making enough plays to get a victory in front of the home crowd.
Serrano 23, Paraclete 21

Bishop Amat at Los Osos
These two teams played an instant classic last year, with the Grizzlies prevailing 41-38 in the final minutes. With Los Osos QB Richard Brehaut and RB Arby Fields back, expect more fireworks. I'll take the hosts in another barnburner.
Los Osos 35, Bishop Amat 30

Palm Springs at Miller
A.J. Springer's coming out party as first-team All-County QB for the Sun and as the Daily Bulletin's All-Valley MVP came in this game, as he accounted for five touchdowns in a 35-18 win. Can new Rebel QB, junior Juan Flores, do the same? Maybe not, but with guys like junior RB David Dash, he won't have to.
Miller 31, Palm Springs 14

Cajon at El Toro
This game came about pretty randomly, as Bloomington accidentally forsaked its contract with Cajon and scheduled El Toro. Per CIF rules, Cajon and El Toro were partnered together. Good thing too, as a trip to Orange County should be a good test for the Cowboys. I'll take Cajon in another close one.
Cajon 28, El Toro 23

Vista Murrieta at Redlands
The opening of Dodge Field consists of one heck of a game, as Vista Murrieta has been atop the Southwestern League the last two years. Redlands finished only 3-7 last year, but returns 16 starters and gave the Broncos a run for their money a year ago. I'll pick the home team...barely.
Redlands 20, Vista Murrieta 19

Arroyo Valley at Pasadena
This is an entertaining interdivisional matchup, as Marcus Soward makes his debut against a pretty solid Pasadena team. If the Hawks can get the passing game going to complement senior RB DeMarcus White and their hulking offensive line, they'll be tough to beat.
Arroyo Valley 27, Pasadena 26

San Bernardino at Rialto
Anytime the CBL and SAL butt heads in the non-league season, it makes for a good time. Both of these teams are in their second year under their current coach and looking to make a move. I'll take the SAL in this one.
San Bernardino 16, Rialto 10

Compton at Bloomington
The Tarbabes, thrown together at the last minute after a prospective game with El Toro fell through, will be a tall order for the new-look Bruins. While Bloomington will get its share of yards on the ground, Compton's speed will be a little too much for the Bruins to handle in Tom Conner's debut.
Compton 36, Bloomington 22

Other area predictions:
Aquinas 31, Costa Mesa Estancia 12
Gardena Serra 33, Silverado 20
Twentynine Palms 27, Indio 17
Palmdale Highland 14, Barstow 12
El Centro Central 26, Yucca Valley 10
Big Bear 38, Grace Brethren 26

A little new thing I'm doing this year is giving my top 25 for college football. I don't have an AP vote or anything official like that, but this is how I see college football after week one.

1. USC - The offense was outstanding against Virginia. I expected the defense to be sweet right away, but I in no way expected the Trojans to hang half-a-hundy.

2. Georgia - Could be the most complete team right now, but injuries, namely to Knowshon Moreno, have the Bulldogs second.

3. Ohio State - Received a huge scare with Beanie Wells' injury Saturday. He seems to be OK, though he likely won't play next week against Ohio.

4. Oklahoma - I have one question for the Sooners after beating Chattanooga 57-2. How the heck did you give up a safety, of all things, as your only score allowed?

5. Florida - The Gators could average 45-50 points per game this year. The defense still is a question mark though.

6. Missouri - We all knew the Tigers could score with anyone. Giving up 42 points to Illinois, however, is somewhat concerning.

7. LSU - Congrats LSU. You avoided being App-Stated. I expect Lloyd Carr will be getting a thank you note in the mail this week.

8. West Virginia - Pat White actually passed for five touchdowns this week. That's not a misprint. Then again, the Mountaineers were playing Villanova.

9. Auburn - The Tigers ran very effectively out of their new spread offense, blistering Louisiana-Monroe for well over 300 yards. The passing game needs to improve though.

10. Texas - Impressive opener for the Horns, taking out Sun Belt champ Florida Atlantic 52-10. Maybe Howard Schellenberger will think a second before calling the 'Horns weak again.

11. Texas Tech - The Red Raiders got the win over Eastern Washington, but the 24 points given up have to be a cause for concern.

12. Wisconsin - We didn't really learn much about the Badgers this week. They ran the ball a lot, which they always do, and have some defensive questions.

13. Kansas - Good opener for the Jayhawks. Then again, 99 percent of D1-A teams would say the same if they played Florida International.

14. Alabama - A big upward mover for good reason, as the Tigers blew out a Clemson team expected to win the ACC. Not a bad way to start year two of the Saban era.

15. Arizona State - Their starters outscored Northern Arizona 27-0. Their backups were outscored 13-3. Sun Devil fans better hope ASU stays healthy.

16. BYU - Guess who has the longest win streak in the country right now? Yep, that's right, BYU. Northern Iowa marked 11 victories in a row.

17. Oregon - The Ducks made a statement this week, destroying Washington in the Pac-10 and season opener for both. In the process, they might have started the beginning of the end for Tyrone Willingham with the Huskies.

18. South Florida - The Bulls beat some overmatched team. Really hard to really gather any true insight.

19. Wake Forest - Yes, this is the first ACC team in the poll. Yes, that is not good for a BCS league. No, the Mountain West won't replace the ACC in the BCS.

20. Clemson - Tigers take huge tumble after being smoked by Alabama Saturday. Definitely not the way the Tigers, who had national title aspirations, wanted to start.

21. Penn State - Joe Pa beat Coastal Carolina 66-10. Last time I had heard of the Chanticleers, they were led by Tony "Slam" Dunkin (yes, he actually found that nickname to be cool) and were getting smoked by the Fab Five in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

22. Utah - Utes get props for taking out my alma mater. Though they will need to tighten up on the penalties and turnovers, which almost allowed a Michigan comeback.

23. California - The Bears represented the Pac-10 quite nicely, turning away Michigan State in an entertaining game up on Strawberry Hill.

24. Fresno State - The Bulldogs went east and smoked Rutgers, 24-7, another loss in what was a forgettable opening week for the Big East.

25. East Carolina - I'm throwing the Pirates a bone after their big upset against Virginia Tech Saturday. They can further legitimize themselves this weekend against No. 8 West Virginia.

Just missed the cut: Boston College, UCLA, Virginia Tech.