October 2009 Archives

Probably the toughest set of rankings to come up with yet. Positions 3-7 are basically interchangeable at this point.

1. Redlands East Valley (8-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Carter, 41-14. Up next: Friday vs. Miller (4-4)

2. Colton (7-1)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Cajon, 38-9. Up next: Friday at San Gorgonio (2-6).

3. Rancho Cucamonga (7-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 34-14. Up next: Friday at No. 7 Upland (7-1)

4. Colony (7-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Chaffey, 35-13. Up next: Friday vs. Don Lugo (5-3).

5. Redlands (7-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Miller, 28-27. Up next: Friday at Rialto (0-8).

6. Etiwanda (6-2)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. No. 7 Upland, 18-16. Up next: Friday at Los Osos (4-4).

7. Upland (7-1)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: lost to No. 6 Etiwanda, 18-16. Up next: Friday vs. No. 3 Rancho Cucamonga (7-1).

8. Serrano (6-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Hesperia, 42-6. Up next: Friday at Ridgecrest Burroughs (4-4).

9. Silverado (7-2)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Ridgecrest Burroughs, 35-21. Up next: Friday at Granite Hills (6-2).

10. Kaiser (5-3)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Summit, 13-7. Up next: Friday vs. Bloomington (3-5).

Just missed the cut: Rim of the World (8-1), Chino Hills (6-2), Los Osos (4-4), Barstow (6-2).

Dropped out: No. 6 Chino Hills (6-2).

Saw Redlands win a classic over Miller. Great game.

Aquinas 63, Arrowhead Christian 3
Arroyo Valley 27, San Gorgonio 21
Barstow 36, Sultana 3
Big Bear 32, Desert Mirage 0
Bloomington 28, Jurupa Valley 7
Colony 35, Chaffey 13
Colton 38, Cajon 9
Damien 17, Ayala 7
Diamond Bar 34, Chino 17
Eisenhower 32, Rialto 20
Etiwanda 18, Upland 16
Glendora 24, Chino Hills 23
Granite Hills 21, Victor Valley 14
Kaiser 13, Summit 7
Los Osos 54, Claremont 21
Oak Hills 43, Laguna Beach 29
Ontario Christian 55, California Military Institute 0
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Alta Loma 14
Redlands 28, Miller 27
Redlands East Valley 41, Carter 14
Rim of the World 31, Apple Valley 0
San Bernardino 44, Pacific 14
Serrano 42, Hesperia 6
Silverado 35, Ridgecrest Burroughs 21
Twentynine Palms 37, Yucca Valley 20
Yucaipa 27, Fontana 6

I'm nothing if not average as far as college football is concerned. If only I knew which five I'd get every week - I could be rich. But alas, I'm not.

USC (-3) at Oregon
The game of the Pac-10 season by far, as the Ducks have destroyed everything in their path lately while the Trojans have kept winning, albeit in heart-stopping fashion at times. The Trojans have already won in Columbus, Berkeley and South Bend, so there will be no intimidation here. This is a type of game that the Trojans just don't lose, and that's what I'm going with.
Pick: USC

UCLA (+9.5) at Oregon State
Having a chance to watch the Bruins live in Tucson last week was eye-opening. UCLA is really not good, as they couldn't cover despite Arizona giving them five turnovers. The Bruins' best hope is an Oregon State letdown after its close loss to USC, but I don't see it. Easy money for the Beavers here.
Pick: Oregon State

California (-6.5) at Arizona State
The Bears seem to have recovered from whatever swine-flu like disorder plagued it during the Oregon and USC games. But Cal does not do well on the road and while Arizona State is hardly a power this year, they have played pretty well at Sun Devil Stadium. I have a feeling ASU keeps it close.
Pick: Arizona State

Washington State (+28) vs. Notre Dame
This game is being played in San Antonio for some reason, with the Cougars expected to play the role of the sacrifical lamb to Notre Dame. However, Wazzu has been very good at covering obscene spreads. It still gets killed, but killed by less than the spread. Considering that ND revels in closer games, I expect the Cougars to stay within four touchdowns, if just barely.
Pick: Washington State

Texas (-9.5) at Oklahoma State
Good news, bad news scenario for the Cowboys. The good news is that star RB Kendall Hunter will be back from injury but WR Desmond Bryant has been ruled ineligble, which, obviously, is the bad news. Okie State finds creative ways to lose to Texas and likely will again, but they always seem to be heartbreaks. Translation: Take the points.
Pick: Oklahoma State

Georgia (+15) vs. Florida
The "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" is going a bit under the radar this year, with the Bulldogs meandering around .500 and the Gators somewhat struggling despite being No. 1. Florida has owned this series of late, but these Gators seem more like the 2006 champions than the 2008 ones, meaning take the points and watch Florida ugly out another win.
Pick: Georgia

Central Michigan (+5.5) at Boston College
Why am I picking this game? A couple reasons. The first is that its not a very good week for college football in the ACC or Big East. The second is that this is a sneaky-good matchup, as the Chippewas have won seven in a row while BC has been as pesky as it normally is. Central has won at Michigan State and I think they'll win in the Northeast.
Pick: Central Michigan

Penn State (-17.5) at Northwestern
Yeah, its a crappy week in the Big Ten too, with Iowa playing Indiana and Ohio State playing New Mexico State randomly. So I guess this game gets my pick. Penn State impressed by destroying Michigan and could be ripe for a letdown, but Northwestern, although 5-3, just isn't that good. I'll take Penn State to cover and continue its surge.
Pick: Penn State

South Carolina (+6) at Tennessee
The Volunteers lead the nation in moral victories, as the Vols have given Florida and Alabama tough tussles on the road, coming within a blocked field goal of shocking the Crimson Tide. But they are still 3-4 and South Carolina is a pretty darn good team. I think you have to take the points, especially with Tennessee on letdown alert.
Pick: South Carolina

Kansas (+6.5) at Texas Tech
Reason this game is included is because of this awesome press conference rant by Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, which I've added below.

That being said, I expect Texas Tech to be a little more focused this week, which is bad news for Kansas.
Pick: Texas Tech

Last week: 5-5
Overall: 39-39-2

Heading out to Colton in a bit for a rare Thursday night showdown. Missed Barstow-Silverado, the Los Osos upset of Rancho Cucamonga and Arrowhead Christian last week.

Cajon at Colton
This was the game last year where Cajon overpowered Colton in the second half to grab a blowout victory and wrest the San Andreas League title from the Yellowjackets' grasp. Well, it looks like its time for Colton to do the wresting. Cajon has not been very effective against quality competition and Colton is the best team its faced to date. Like the Yellowjackets to roll right now.
Colton 28, Cajon 6

Kaiser at Summit
Another great Thursday night bash, as SoFo goes to NoFo for a matchup that should be dope, yo. Anthony Brown has been running around crazy for the Cats in recent weeks, scoring eight touchdowns in two Sunkist League games. If he can continue that clip of production against a Summit defense that's pitched consecutive shutouts, Kaiser will roll. He likely won't, but I'll pick Kaiser anyway.
Kaiser 24, Summit 16

Redlands at Miller
The first of three titanic Citrus Belt League showdowns from now until the end of the season, as Redlands has won six in a row and Miller has won four in a row. It will be interesting to see how well the resurgent Miller offense does against the stingy Terrier defense. I personally think that Redlands comes in to Miller and pulls one out.
Redlands 20, Miller 14

Upland at Etiwanda
The classic battle between the explosive offense (Etiwanda) and the suffocating defense (Upland). With Rancho inexplicably slipping up to Los Osos, this game all of a sudden is a battle for first place. While Angel Santiago and company are enjoyable to watch, in a battle like this, I almost always go with defense. Upland will choke 'em out.
Upland 21, Etiwanda 10

Colony at Chaffey
The Tigers took it to Colony last year, going to the southside and defeating the Titans to grab the Mt. Baldy League title. You know that the Titans, who have won six in a row, are looking to settle the score and get this rivalry back in their favor. Chaffey will have some success, but this might be the best Colony team that Anthony Rice has had, which says a lot.
Colony 27, Chaffey 14

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Silverado
Having gone up the 15 and blasted Barstow, Silverado - winners of six straight games - can put a hammerlock on the Desert Sky League with a victory against a Burroughs team that has split heart-wrenching games to Barstow and Granite Hills. The Hawks have some pretty solid pelts and are on a huge roll, a roll I don't expect the Burros to stop.
Silverado 30, Burroughs 20

Glendora at Chino Hills
Finally, the cream of the Sierra League crop is actually going to play each other. After two weeks of pretty bad games, this one should be OK. I'm only going with OK because Glendora isn't quite what it's been the last two years. Chino Hills, on the other hand, is looking pretty strong and should have its way here.
Chino Hills 28, Glendora 16

Apple Valley at Rim of the World
It's been a tough two weeks for the Sun Devils, who have lost close games to Granite Hills and Serrano that very easily could be wins. It doesn't get much easier for Apple Valley, as they head up the hill to face a Rim team that traditionally gives it fits. The Sun Devils don't need to win this to make the playoffs, which is good for them, because I see the Fighting Scots fighting on.
Rim of the World 20, Apple Valley 17

Aquinas at Arrowhead Christian
Sort of a weird vibe coming into this game, as ACA is the team that comes in with a CIF ranking while Aquinas hasn't won on the field since Oct. 2. The Falcons aren't winless during that time, as the two-time defending Christian League champions got a forfeit win over La Verne Lutheran, but they want to show ACA that the road to the Christian title goes through them still. They will.
Aquinas 24, Arrowhead Christian 9

Yucca Valley at Twentynine Palms
The De Anza co-champs have been resurgent of late, as Twentynine Palms has won four straight after starting 0-4 while Yucca Valley has won back-to-back games after an 0-5 start. The winner of The Victory Bell takes control of the league championship race and while I like what Yucca has done, the Wildcats take this at home.
Twentynine Palms 28, Yucca Valley 13

Other games of interest:

Chino 48, Diamond Bar 40
Garey 30, Ontario 10
Los Osos 23, Claremont 20
Rancho Cucamonga 45, Alta Loma 0
Redlands East Valley 48, Carter 14
Yucaipa 35, Fontana 20
Rialto 42, Eisenhower 36
Big Bear 21, Desert Mirage 16
Granite Hills 23, Victor Valley 21
Serrano 27, Hesperia 6
Don Lugo 31, Montclair 10
Arroyo Valley 34, San Gorgonio 27
San Bernardino 38, Pacific 20
Ayala 28, Damien 17
Bloomington 35, Jurupa Valley 7
Barstow 28, Sultana 12
Murrieta Mesa 24, Citrus Valley 18
Laguna Beach 30, Oak Hills 24

Week: 26-3
Overall: 179-49

The Cajon-Colton bash, which will likely determine the San Andreas League champion, will be played on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Colton High School instead of Friday as was originally scheduled during the summer.

Makes for a great Thursday of football, as Kaiser and Summit will also butt heads at 7 p.m. at Miller High School.

Upland makes the leap to No. 1 with Rancho's loss, with Colton right behind them. Serrano and Silverado were the big winners in the Eastern Division, and deservedly so. Don't get why Palm Desert is No. 2 and Silverado, which whipped them a few weeks back, is No. 4 though.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. Upland
2. Colton
3. Rancho Cucamonga
4. Colony
5. Chino Hills
6. Ayala
7. Etiwanda
8. Elsinore
9. Cajon
10. Arroyo Valley
Others receiving consideration: West Valley, Chaffey, Los Osos

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Citrus Hill
2. Palm Desert
3. Serrano
4. Silverado
5. San Jacinto
6. Rim of the World
7. Barstow
8. Kaiser
9. Norte Vista
10. Victor Valley
Others receiving votes: Riverside Notre Dame, Coachella Valley, Granite Hills, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Summit

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

1. St. Margaret's
2. Campbell Hall
3. Maranatha
4. Santa Paula
5. Kern Valley
6. Sage Hill
7. Sierra Canyon
8. Arrowhead Christian
9. Fillmore
10. Frazier Mountain
Others receiving votes: Brethren Christian, Twentynine Palms, Brentwood

INLAND DIVISION

1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona Centennial
3. Vista Murrieta
4. Norco
5. Rancho Verde
6. Redlands
7. Great Oak
8. Chaparral
9. Arlington
10. Roosevelt
Others receiving votes: La Sierra, Miller

A little late on this after getting back from Arizona. Nothing too crazy this week.

1) Florida (1) - Not pretty, but still undefeated. And the Gators were prettier than No. 2.
2) Alabama (2) - Huge sigh of relief from the Tide after ekeing one out over Tennessee.
3) Texas (3) - Looked as good as they have all season in rolling Missouri 41-7.
4) USC (4) - Passed part one of the Oregon double-dip this week. Part two should be tougher.
5) TCU (6) - Their destruction of BYU moves them into the top 5. Previous victim Clemson's win over Miami helps too.
6) Boise State (5) - Sucks to win 54-9 and still move down. Such is life in the WAC.
7) Cincinnati (7) - Just imagine if Boise hadn't won by 45. Cincy would definitely be in their spot.
8) Iowa (8) - Hawkeyes pull off last-second win at Michigan State to remain undefeated.
9) LSU (10) - Looked good against a fading Auburn team. Kind of quietly lurking in the shadows.
10) Georgia Tech (12) - Yellowjackets roll on to a spot in the top 10. Watching them run the triple-option is a thing of beauty.
11) Oklahoma State (11) - Big test comes this week with Texas rolling into town.
12) Penn State (13) - Made surprisingly easy work of Michigan for first win in Ann Arbor in 13 years.
13) Oregon (16) - Still probably have the Ducks rated too low, but a win over USC will definitely fix that. I promise.
14) Virginia Tech (14) - Had a bye. Not much else to say here really.
15) Pittsburgh (17) - Panthers continue to surge, though their schedule will get tougher in the last month of the season.
16) Houston (18) - Kept winning, which is all you can really do when you are a Conference USA team.
17) Miami (Fla) (9) - Overtime loss to Clemson sends Hurricanes downward.
18) Mississippi (20) - Best output of season thus far in win over Arkansas.
19) Ohio State (21) - Whipped Minnesota in nice bounce-back from upset loss to Purdue.
20) Utah (22) - Had to go overtime to topple Air Force.
21) South Carolina (23) - Ugly win over Vanderbilt, but a win is a win as they say.
22) BYU (15) - I didn't drop them farther because I think TCU is legit.
23) Oklahoma (NR) - Nice impressive win at Kansas gets the Sooners back in the poll after a brief hiatus.
24) West Virginia (NR) - No real signature win, but having six of them gets WVU a spot.
25) Arizona (NR) - Almost put Central Michigan here, but the Wildcats beat Central in the season opener. Hence Zona making the cut.

Receiving consideration: Central Michigan, Notre Dame, California
Dropped out: No. 19 Texas Tech, No. 24 Nebraska, No. 25 South Florida

Redlands East Valley junior wrestler Chris Mecate won first place in the 119-pound class at the Super 32 high school wrestling tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Saturday. Mecate was the best of a field of 145 wrestlers in the 119-pound class from all over the country. According to Mecate's father Perry, Chris defeated two All-Americans, two state champions and three other state placers en route to the title. The 119-pound class included eight All-Americans, 23 state champions, 57 state placers and 68 regional placers, respectively.

Back above .500 last week. Don't know why it happened, but I'm happy it did.

San Diego (-5.5) over KANSAS CITY
Indianapolis (-14.5) over ST. LOUIS
Chicago (even) over CINCINNATI
CLEVELAND (+9) over Green Bay
Minnesota (+6) over PITTSBURGH
TAMPA BAY (+15.5) over New England
HOUSTON (-3) over San Francisco
N.Y. Jets (-6) over OAKLAND
Buffalo (+7) over CAROLINA
MIAMI (+6.5) over New Orleans
Atlanta (+4) over DALLAS
N.Y. GIANTS (-7) over Arizona
Philadelphia (-7) over WASHINGTON

Last week: 8-6
Overall: 49-40

A little late, but this is it. REV is No. 1 now.

Sun Top 10

1. Redlands East Valley (7-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Rialto, 49-6. Up next: Friday vs. Carter (3-4)

2. Upland (7-0)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 42-7. Up next: Friday at No. 8 Etiwanda (5-2).

3. Colton (6-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. San Bernardino, 41-7. Up next: Friday vs. Cajon (5-2).

4. Rancho Cucamonga (6-1)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: lost to Los Osos, 31-28. Up next: Friday at Alta Loma (0-7)

5. Colony (6-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Garey, 55-7. Up next: Friday at Chaffey (4-3).

6. Chino Hills (6-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Chino, 49-7. Up next: Friday vs. Glendora (4-3).

7. Redlands (6-1)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Yucaipa, 35-13. Up next: Friday at Miller (4-3).

8. Etiwanda (5-2)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Claremont, 24-21. Up next: Friday vs. No. 2 Upland (7-0).

9. Serrano (5-2)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Apple Valley 13-7. Up next: Friday vs. Hesperia (3-4).

10. Silverado (6-2)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Barstow, 40-12. Up next: Friday vs. Ridgecrest Burroughs (4-3).

Just missed the cut: Ayala (6-1), Kaiser (4-3), Rim of the World (7-1), Miller (4-3)

Dropped out: No. 7. Barstow (5-2).

A quickie scorelist before I get on the road to Arizona. For further updates, check out Clay Fowler's blog. And we'll have a new number one this week.

Cajon 33, San Gorgonio 17
Chaffey 35, Montclair 6
Chino Hills 49, Chino 7
Colony 55, Garey 7
Colton 41, San Bernardino 7
Don Lugo 34, Ontario 13
Etiwanda 24, Claremont 21
Fontana 42, Eisenhower 27
Kaiser 31, Riverside Norte Vista 8
Los Osos 31, Rancho Cucamonga 28
Miller 32, Carter 10
Oak Hills 62, Palm Desert Xavier Prep 13
Redlands East Valley 49, Rialto 6
Ridgecrest Burroughs 14, Granite Hills 7
Rim of the World 35, Sultana 6
Riverside Patriot 33, Bloomington 7
Serrano 13, Apple Valley 7
Silverado 40, Barstow 12
Summit 57, Jurupa Valley 0
Upland 42, Alta Loma 7
Victor Valley 21, Hesperia 0

Back at .500, which feels pretty darn good. Let's get above .500 and make some money - figuratively and not literally of course.

Oregon State (+20.5) at USC
It's safe to say that the Trojans have had this game circled on the calendar for a while, as it was a loss at Oregon State last year that effectively eliminated USC from national title contention. Circumstances have USC is good position despite the Washington loss and this game won't do anything to hurt the Trojan cause.
Pick: USC

UCLA (+7.5) at Arizona
I'll actually be in the house for this game, as the newspaper group is using me this week as a pinch-hitter for UCLA beat writer Jon Gold. Anyway, this will be a tough task for a Bruins defense that's been fleeced by Stanford and Cal the last two games. Arizona's offense has blossomed since Nick Foles has been made the starting QB and will flourish again.
Pick: Arizona

Oregon (-10) at Washington
The Huskies are literally the hardest team to figure out from week to week. Last week it looked like they were a cinch for a cover against Arizona State, tying the game late in the fourth, only to allow a touchdown pass in the final seconds. Cost me by a half-point. Either way, Washington has been tough at home and while Oregon is surging, I'm putting my pick on the gang in purple again.
Pick: Washington

Washington State (+35.5) at California
The bye week apparently cured whatever ills Cal had offensively, as they fleeced UCLA for 45 points at the Rose Bowl last week. That's not a good sign for a Washington State team that's, quite frankly, years away from being competitive. However, Wazzu has covered these large spreads so far, so I'll go with them to stay within, say, 31 points.
Pick: Washington State

Arizona State (+6.5) at Stanford
The Sun Devils and Cardinal represent a pack of 6-7 teams in the Pac-10 that are pretty much equal. It seems like these teams take care of business at home but fall short on the road. It held up last week, as Stanford lost at Arizona in OT and Arizona State pulled out a home win late against U-Dub. I see no reason to pick the road team here.
Pick: Stanford

TCU (-2) at BYU
The battle of the Mountain West season to date will take place in Provo, as the Horned Frogs get a chance to make a national statement with a road victory over a team that's beaten Oklahoma. However, BYU is a tough place to play, the weather could be cold and the Cougars have a potent offense. You can see where I'm going with this.
Pick: BYU

Oklahoma (-8) at Kansas
This is a weird game. Oklahoma is 3-3 but its hard to find five defenses in the country that are better than what the Sooners have. Bad luck and injuries have derailed what should be a BCS-level team in a way that hasn't been seen in college football in quite a while. Kansas, despite losing to Colorado, is no slouch and can score. Not saying that OU will lose, but they seem too snakebit to cover this on the road.
Pick: Kansas

Iowa (+1.5) at Michigan State
Couple of trends colliding with each other in this one. One is Iowa's success as a road dog, as they have won outright as road dogs at Penn State and Wisconsin. The other is a line that's moving quickly in MSU's direction. Last time that happened against Michigan, they covered. However, Iowa seems to win and shouldn't be the underdog in this one.
Pick: Iowa

South Florida (+6) at Pittsburgh
While Cincinnati appears to be the class of the Big East, these two teams - along with West Virginia - are definitely fighting for the No. 2 spot. South Florida missed its shot at Cincy last week, while Pittsburgh came off of a nice win at Rutgers. I sense a bit of a letdown from the Bulls in this game, which should benefit Pitt nicely.
Pick: Pittsburgh

Tennessee (+14.5) at Alabama
The traditional "Third Saturday of October" rivalry games is taking place on the fourth Saturday for whatever reason. Not that it seems to matter. Tennessee, despite a nice win over Georgia two weeks ago, is an inconsistent work in progress and the Crimson Tide have been surgical in winning their first seven games. I expect no less in game 8.
Pick: Alabama

Last week: 5-4-1
Overall: 34-34-2

Dropped four last week, a slight move in the wrong direction from the week before. But I'm feeling a perfect week coming this week. Or I'm coming down with swine flu. Either way, good times for all.

Silverado at Barstow
The Desert Sky League is ballin' this year and this should be the marquee matchup of the league slate. The Hawks and Aztecs played two great games last year in Victorville, with Silverado taking the regular season meeting and Barstow winning in the Eastern semifinals. I like what the Hawks have done during their five-game win streak, but I'm feeling Barstow at home.
Barstow 28, Silverado 24

Miller at Carter
The Rebels have made everyone forget about their 0-3 start (at least everyone but me) by putting the hurt on CBL foes Fontana, Rialto and Yucaipa. Of course, I picked Yucaipa last week, so I looked really dumb. I won't make the same mistake this week, although Carter is much improved from a year ago. Going with Miller to bump its CBL win streak to 12.
Miller 38, Carter 27

Rancho Cucamonga at Los Osos
The Grizzlies may be the best 2-4 team out there, as Los Osos has lost to Vista Murrieta (No. 3, Inland), Upland (No. 2 Central), Redlands (No. 7 Inland) and Riverside North. Unfortunately for Los Osos, it'll be the best 2-5 team out there when all is said and done, as they won't be able to take Rancho, the No. 1 team in the Central Division.
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Los Osos 17

Riverside Norte Vista at Kaiser
Typically the Sunkist is Kaiser, a few other teams, and some other teams thrown in for fun. Norte Vista is usually one of the teams thrown in for fun, but not this year, as the Braves have a perfect 6-0 record and the No. 8 record in the Eastern Division. But they aren't ready to sit at the big-boy table with Kaiser just yet. The battle-tested Cats will overpower Norte Vista.
Kaiser 22, Norte Vista 13

Cajon at San Gorgonio
We know that Cajon can go off on completely overmatched teams and can get throttled by very good teams. San G is somewhere in between, which makes for an interesting matchup. The 2-4 Spartans would love to get a signature victory under first-year coach Ron Gueringer, while the Cowboys want to prove that they can beat a team with a pulse. I'll pick the latter in a high-scoring affair.
Cajon 38, San Gorgonio 28

Garey at Colony
It's really hard to find a game worth picking from the Mt. Baldy League, so I went with this one. The Vikings aren't that bad, beating a decent Pomona team and fending off Montclair last week. But Colony is a darn good team with some pretty good pelts (Chino Hills, Kaiser) mounted on its wall. Garey is intriguing, but not intriguing enough to make me think about this prediction.
Colony 35, Garey 10

Serrano at Apple Valley
The Diamondbacks impressed the heck out of me last week, making Rim of the World tap out due to a physical, unrelenting defense. Apple Valley presents a few more looks than Rim did, as they've expanded their offense a bit past star running back Daryon Mosley. But Serrano has some elite talent to go with its traditional brawn, both of which will be too much for the Sun Devils to handle.
Serrano 28, Apple Valley 14

Chino Hills at Chino
Yeah, the Sierra League slate is that bad this week. It was either this or the Diamond Bar-Ayala game, another 0-6 vs. 5-1 matchup, so I went with the two county teams. I guess I could have gone without a Sierra game at all, but I'm not that mean. I'm not talking about this game much because there's not much to talk about. Chino Hills will win and it will likely be ugly.
Chino Hills 48, Chino 0

Twentynine Palms at Desert Mirage
Left for dead by some after an 0-4 start, the Wildcats have roared back by winning three straight games and not only look like the class of the De Anza League, but a contender in the East Valley playoffs as well. Desert Mirage runs the ball well and could be a sleeper, but I can't see them making this kind of leap just yet.
Twentynine Palms 27, Desert Mirage 11

Yucaipa at Redlands
Yucaipa is in week 3 of the CBL gauntlet, having dropped games to Redlands East Valley and Miller the last two weeks. While its not necessary for the Thunderbirds to beat Redlands to make the playoffs, it would make life a lot easier for Yucaipa. I wouldn't count on it happening though, as Redlands has consistently stepped up its game with each passing week.
Redlands 26, Yucaipa 13

Other games of interest:

Upland 36, Alta Loma 0
Etiwanda 48, Claremont 24
Ontario Christian 27, Western Christian 17
Fontana 41, Eisenhower 30
Redlands East Valley 63, Rialto 6
Yucca Valley 18, Desert Hot Springs 14
Ridgecrest Burroughs 27, Granite Hills 21
Rim of the World 42, Sultana 7
Chaffey 36, Montclair 12
Don Lugo 31, Ontario 6
Arroyo Valley 54, Pacific 7
Colton 58, San Bernardino 6
Ayala 38, Diamond Bar 13
Riverside Patriot 24, Bloomington 10
Summit 45, Jurupa Valley 3
Arrowhead Christian 20, Huntington Beach Brethren Christian 16
Victor Valley 21, Hesperia 17
Oak Hills 30, Palm Desert Xavier Prep 10
Big Bear 42, Citrus Valley 6

Week: 23-4
Overall: 153-46

Los Osos wide receiver Sean Alston made a verbal commitment to Fresno State today according to Rivals.com. Alston is one of the leading pass-catchers in the county this season, hauling in 31 passes for 552 yards and seven touchdowns for the Grizzlies.

Alston is the third Grizzly to go Division I in the last two seasons, joining QB Richard Brehaut (UCLA) and RB Arby Fields (Northwestern). Los Osos is almost assured of getting a fourth by National Signing Day in February, as defensive end Tony Washington holds several D-1 offers at this point.

A couple of significant volleyball tournaments will take place this weekend as Redlands East Valley and Ayala host tournaments for teams looking to cram for playoff play in a couple of weeks.

The 2009 REV Volleyball Classic -- a one-day, 12-team tourney on Saturday -- will feature the Wildcats, the No. 1 team in the most recent CIF-SS Division II-AA polls. Along with Redlands East Valley, the field includes Sultana, Yucaipa and several teams from Riverside County, most notably Division 2-A No. 1 Wildomar Elsinore and 3-AA No. 3 Palm Springs. Action starts at 8 a.m. with three four-team pools - pool A (Elsinore, Riverside Poly, Sultana, Yucaipa), pool B (REV, Temecula Chaparral, Riverside King, Paloma Valley) and pool C (Palm Springs, Corona, Temescal Canyon, Norco).

The Bulldog Classic at Ayala will take place Friday and Saturday. Joining the host Bulldogs will be Rancho Cucamonga -- the No. 9 team in Division 1-A -- and San Andreas League leader Cajon.

Football recruiting also is going strong right now as Aquinas quarterback/wide receiver Jim Jones verbally committed to UTEP last week, according to Scout.com.

The 6-foot-1, 177-pound Jones, a first-team all-Sun pick at wide receiver last year, led the county with 64 receptions for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has played much of this season at quarterback for the Falcons and has run and passed for eight touchdowns.

With the fall signing period coming up next month, basketball recruiting is starting to pick up. Three county players have made verbal commitments to Division I schools.

Ayala senior Rhema Gardner verbally committed to UCLA earlier this week according to ESPN.com, joining her older sister and former All-Sun first-team selection Rebekah Gardner. The 6-foot-2 Gardner averaged 12.9 points and 11.1 rebounds for the Bulldogs last season.

Chino Hills guard Derek Brown also made his choice according to Scout.com and picked San Jose State after an official visit last month. Brown, a 6-foot-2 senior, won Sierra League MVP honors by averaging 16.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

But it wasn't just seniors who committed this week. Etiwanda junior swingman Byron Wesley, an all-Sun first-team selection at Cajon last year, committed to USC according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-5 Wesley averaged 18.7 points and 7.4 rebounds as a sophomore.

The granddaddy of all Inland Empire cross country meets starts Friday at Mt. San Antonio College as the Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational gets underway.

The two-day event features virtually every high school cross country team in Southern California along with several others from other parts of the state. The teams will be broken down into five divisions, with the smaller-school divisions (divisions 3, 4, and 5) running Friday and larger school divisions (divisions 1 and 2) running Saturday.

Friday's events start at 11 a.m., with the team sweepstakes events being run from 4:29-5:45 p.m. Saturday sees the meet start at 7:30 a.m. and continue until 4:19 p.m. The team sweepstakes events will be relatively early in the day, with the girls division 1 and 2 races going off at 9:35 a.m. and the boys division 1 and 2 races following at 10.

Meant to write about this before, but I headed out to Eisenhower High School Saturday afternoon for their 50th anniversary celebration. It was quite an event, with a car show, all the food you could possibly want, live music, student performance and, oh yeah, the naming of the football stadium after Ronnie Lott.

It's the last part which I went out to cover. Knowing that the ceremony would be pretty chaotic, I went early, schmoozing Rialto Unified School District Public Information Office Syeda Jafri well enough to get an invitation into the VIP area, where I schmoozed with Congressman Joe Baca, among others, waiting to get my time with Lott.

A bit of a shakeup in the Eastern Division with Serrano beating Rim and Silverado taking down Victor Valley.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. Rancho Cucamonga
2. Upland
3. Colton
4. Colony
5. Chino Hills
6. Wildomar Elsinore
7. Ayala
8. Etiwanda
9. Cajon
10. Glendora
Others receiving votes: Claremont, Arroyo Valley, Chaffey

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Perris Citrus Hill
2. San Jacinto
3. Barstow
4. Palm Desert
5. Serrano
6. Rim of the World
7. Silverado
8. Riverside Norte Vista
9. Kaiser
10. Palm Springs
Others receiving votes: Victor Valley, Coachella Valley, Granite Hills, La Quinta

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

1. St. Margaret's
2. Campbell Hall
3. Sage Hill
4. Arrowhead Christian
5. Maranatha
6. Santa Paula
7. Kern Valley
8. Brentwood
9. Fillmore
10. Sierra Canyon
Others receiving votes: Frazier Mountain, Aquinas

INLAND DIVISION

1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona Centennial
3. Vista Murrieta
4. Temecula Chaparral
5. Norco
6. Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
7. Redlands
8. Temecula Great Oak
9. Riverside Arlington
10. Riverside La Sierra
Others receiving votes: Corona Roosevelt

I finally did it, bumping up Alabama and dropping Texas. I was tempted to put the Tide one higher than I actually did.

1. Florida (1) - Only reasons they are holding this position is because they are the defending national champs and because they haven't lost. That's about it.
2. Alabama (3) - Playing better than anyone in the nation right now. And it doesn't seem close.
3. Texas (2) - Barely beating an Oklahoma team without Sam Bradford isn't enough to avoid the drop.
4. USC (7) - Coming back around on the Trojans as they have three darn good road wins now.
5. Boise State (5) - It will be hard for Boise to move much higher than this. They need to beat teams like Tulsa by more than 7 at the very least.
6. TCU (6) - Nice smackdown of Colorado State leaves Horned Frogs undefeated.
7. Cincinnati (9) - With their road wins, the Bearcats probably have the most upside of teams 5-7.
8. Iowa (10) - Another tough road test conquered for the Hawkeyes. Got another one at Michigan State upcoming.
9. Miami (Fla) (11) - Canes are the second-best one-loss team behind USC.
10. LSU (12) - Got a nice bump up despite being on a bye. Must be nice.
11. Oklahoma State (13) - Cowboys are doing a good job of grinding despite not being at full strength.
12. Georgia Tech (19) - Yellowjackets opened some eyes this week by running over Virginia Tech. Big jump for Ga. Tech.
13. Penn State (14) - Probably had their best win of the season to date against Minnesota. Says more about their schedule so far though than anything else.
14. Virginia Tech (4) - Walked right into an ambush at Ga. Tech. Guess we got carried away with the Hokies a bit.
15. BYU (15) - Won a tougher-than-expected game with San Diego State
16. Oregon (18) - I'm starting to self-correct a bit on the Ducks. Its clear that they are part of the "Sweet 16"
17. Pittsburgh (NR) - And this is where the rankings get goofy. If it was possible to leave No. 17 blank and leave the Panthers at, say, No. 20, I'd do it.
18. Houston (24) - Get a bump based more on what teams they've beaten in the past have done more than anything else.
19. Texas Tech (NR) - Sizable upset win at Nebraska puts Red Raiders in top 20 - and helps Houston get its bump.
20. Mississippi (23) - Definitely a bump up based more on teams losing than what the Rebels did against UAB.
21. Ohio State (8) - Buckeyes take a huge tumble after dumping one against 1-5 Purdue.
22. Utah (25) - The Utes kill UNLV to get a little bit of a move up.
23. South Carolina (20) - Gamecocks hung with Alabama for the most part, so I'm not trashing them.
24. Nebraska (21) - Probably should have these guys dropped lower, but there aren't many candidate to put ahead of them.
25. South Florida (22) - Losing to Cincinnati is no insult.

Receiving consideration: Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan
Dropped out: No. 16 Kansas, No. 17 Oklahoma

Not much change here. Serrano whipped Rim of the World, so the Diamondbacks rejoin the rankings while the Scots fall out after a one-week appearance. And I must say, I'm getting very tempted to jump REV over Rancho.

Sun Top 10

1. Rancho Cucamonga (6-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Claremont, 52-24. Up next: Friday at Los Osos (2-4)

2. Redlands East Valley (6-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Fontana, 48-0. Up next: Friday at Rialto (0-6)

3. Upland (6-0)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Los Osos, 17-0. Up next: Friday vs. Alta Loma (0-6).

4. Colton (5-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Arroyo Valley, 31-14. Up next: Friday at San Bernardino (1-5).

5. Colony (5-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. Ontario, 55-10. Up next: Friday vs. Garey (3-3).

6. Chino Hills (5-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Damien, 38-6. Up next: Friday at Chino (0-6).

7. Barstow (5-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Ridgecrest Burroughs, 28-21. Up next: Friday vs. Silverado (5-2).

8. Redlands (5-1)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. Eisenhower, 49-7. Up next: Friday vs. Yucaipa (3-3).

9. Etiwanda (4-2)
Previous ranking: 10. Last week: def. Alta Loma, 61-17. Up next: Friday at Claremont (4-2).

10. Serrano (4-2)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Rim of the World, 35-7. Up next: Friday at Apple Valley (3-3).

Just missed the cut: Ayala (5-1), Kaiser (3-3), Rim of the World (6-1), Silverado (5-2)

Dropped out: No. 9. Rim of the World (6-1).

Back to .500 this week, which I'll take after getting smacked around in week 4.

Kansas City (+6) over WASHINGTON
Houston (+5) over CINCINNATI
PITTSBURGH (-14) over Cleveland
Baltimore (+3) over MINNESOTA
JACKSONVILLE (-9.5) over St. Louis
N.Y. Giants (+3) over NEW ORLEANS
Carolina (-3) over TAMPA BAY
GREEN BAY (-14) over Detroit
Philadelphia (-14) over OAKLAND
SEATTLE (-3) over Arizona
N.Y. JETS (-9.5) over Buffalo
NEW ENGLAND (-9) over Tennessee
ATLANTA (-3) over Chicago
Denver (+3.5) over SAN DIEGO

Week: 7-7
Overall: 41-34

Little late because I was up in the mountains. I should just get a cottage up there.

Arrowhead Christian 21, Western Christian 7
Ayala 44, Chino 13
Barstow 28, Ridgecrest Burroughs 21
Cajon 42, San Bernardino 6
Carter 33, Rialto 25
Chaffey 28, Don Lugo 13
Chino Hills 38, Damien 6
Colony 55, Ontario 10
Colton 31, Arroyo Valley 14
Garey 34, Montclair 14
Granite Hills 34, Apple Valley 28
Hesperia 21, Sultana 14
Kaiser 32, Riverside Patriot 6
Miller 39, Yucaipa 14
Oak Hills 16, Aquinas 13
Rancho Cucamonga 52, Claremont 24
Redlands 49, Eisenhower 7
Redlands East Valley 48, Fontana 0
Sage Hill 25, Citrus Valley 6
San Gorgonio 56, Pacific 14
Serrano 35, Rim of the World 7
Silverado 26, Victor Valley 11
Summit 29, Bloomington 0
Upland 17, Los Osos 0

Another 5-5. I'm consistent if nothing else.

USC (-10) at Notre Dame
On the surface, it seems pretty high, as USC takes a true freshman on the road in a rivalry game against a halfway-decent team. But Matt Barkley has already won at Ohio State and at Cal and quite frankly, Notre Dame's defense is awful. The Irish are a middle of the pack team and USC seems to excel in this matchup.
Pick: USC

California (-3.5) at UCLA
It's hard to believe that Cal is favored in this, as they have been unspeakably awful their last two games. Then again, UCLA isn't very good either, as evidenced by its 0-2 Pac-10 record. I'll grudgingly go with a more experienced Cal team to cover here.
Pick: California

Stanford (+4) at Arizona
Both of these teams seem just on the cusp of great things. However, they are just a little too young or a little too lacking in key areas to really jump up and bite someone of consequence, especially on the road. That last statement should tell you which way I'm leaning.
Pick: Arizona

Washington (+6.5) at Arizona State
On the surface Washington has been an enigma, but their formula is simple - great at home, not so much on the road. Arizona State is generally mediocre and their near-miss at Georgia isn't as cool as it looked originally. I think Washington, even on the road, keeps this tight and maybe wins.
Pick: Washington

Oklahoma (+3) vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout is an interesting predicament, as the No. 3-ranked Longhorns are only a field-goal favorite despite the Sooners having two losses. Makes me wonder if Oklahoma is ripe for a hostile takeover in this series. But I can't see it. I'm going with the Horns to win by a touchdown.
Pick: Texas

Virginia Tech (-3) at Georgia Tech
The Hokies have been straight ballin since losing their opener to Alabama, taking out Nebraska and Miami (Fla) en route to the No. 4 ranking. They get a tough test this week, as Ga. Tech's triple option is tough to stop. I think the Hokies will stand up enough on defense and get some big plays against Ga. Tech's questionable defense.
Pick: Virginia Tech

South Carolina (+18) at Alabama
This could be a bit of a letdown game for Alabama. With a big win over Mississippi last week and a rivalry game with Tennessee next week, South Carolina might be catching Alabama at the right time. Don't think the Gamecocks win, but I think they make the Crimson Tide uncomfortable for a while.
Pick: South Carolina

Iowa (+2.5) at Wisconsin
Iowa has had some close shaves in going 6-0, most recently against Michigan. Wisconsin has gone 5-1, but are coming off a loss to Ohio State where they shot themselves in the foot by throwing two pick-6s. Iowa seems ripe for a loss, but I think they are one of those teams that just finds a way.
Pick: Iowa

Texas Tech (+11) at Nebraska
The best offense in the Big 12 goes against the best defense. The Cornhuskers seem to be back to being "The Blackshirts" as their defense throttled Missouri last week and is giving up less than 10 points per game. Texas Tech scored 66 against Kansas State last week. Both teams will deviate closer to the mean in a competitive game.
Pick: Texas Tech

Arkansas (+24.5) at Florida
Gotta head out to Lake Arrowhead so I'll keep this brief. Tebow goes off and goes off for a lot in this game.
Pick: Florida

Week: 5-5
Season: 29-30-1

Shaved another loss off the old total this past week, putting me down to three. Either I'm starting to get a handle on this season, or some of the teams are deciding to humor me. Guess we'll find out with most of the leagues starting this weekend.

Serrano at Rim of the World
I'll spend my second straight weekend taking Waterman Street up the mountains, as the D-backs and Fighting Scots face off in what should be a doozy. Both teams have great running backs in Serrano senior Dionza Bradford and Rim junior Dillon Pretzinger, but the game might come down to which quarterback can perform well enough to take pressure off the running back. I'm going with an experienced Serrano team in a minor upset.
Serrano 20, Rim of the World 14

Arroyo Valley at Colton
Both of these teams come in with identical 4-1 records, but its safe to say that Colton's 4-1 mark - complete with victories over Kaiser, Palm Springs, La Quinta and Apple Valley - is a little more impressive than Arroyo Valley's conquests over the Alta Lomas and Rialtos of the world. I see the Yellowjackets being a little too much to handle.
Colton 33, Arroyo Valley 16

Los Osos at Upland
This is always one of the more hotly contested games in the county but for the first time since 2005, its not a Brehaut vs. Nunes affair. Los Osos is still passing the ball quite well behind senior quarterback Blake Loncar, but has fallen short in some close games. Upland's played some stifling defense, something I expect will continue in this one.
Upland 21, Los Osos 13

Miller at Yucaipa
If any one is going to challenge the Redlands teams for Citrus Belt League supremacy, its one of these schools. Miller has started league with two routs of CBL underlings while Yucaipa hung with REV for a half before falling 35-7 last week. Both teams can score from anywhere on the field, so this game should be entertaining if nothing else.
Yucaipa 28, Miller 27

Silverado at Victor Valley
The battle for Victorville has been a one-sided affair of late, but this game sees the Jackrabbits coming in 5-0 and ranked No. 8 in the Eastern Division. Silverado is Silverado, winning four in a row after starting its season 0-2. The Hawks also have some big wins, taking out Summit, Palm Desert and Arroyo Valley, and I expect that to help them take this one as well.
Silverado 31, Victor Valley 24

Chino Hills at Damien
If you are Damien, you have to hate life right about now. After playing teams like Rancho Cucamonga, Charter Oak, Bishop Amat and St. John Bosco in the nonleague season, they start league with a very good Chino Hills squad. Perhaps Damien's brutal nonleague death march will help them, but I think the Huskies have a little too much mojo right now.
Chino Hills 24, Damien 17

Riverside Patriot at Kaiser
These teams battled in the season finale last year for the Sunkist League title, a game that Kaiser won going away. I expect much of the same this time around. Kaiser is the best 2-3 team in the county - heck, maybe in Southern California - and Patriot just got slapped down by Victor Valley. Expect the Cats to get in a few shots.
Kaiser 30, Patriot 10

Don Lugo at Chaffey
The Conquistadores, with DL George Uko and DB Steven Bethley, have the star power and three straight wins. But Chaffey had an ambitious nonleague schedule and employs a physical attack that belies its 2-3 record. I think you'll see the defending league champion Tigers triple-team Uko and just pummel the rest of the Don Lugo defenders.
Chaffey 26, Don Lugo 16

Yucca Valley at Big Bear
No one really expected these teams to come in with a combined 1-9 record, as both went to the East Valley quarterfinals a year ago. But as the De Anza League season opens, that's exactly where the Trojans and Bears lie, with a Big Bear victory over Oak Hills two weeks ago being the only non-loss. So it should be intense, though I'll go with the home team to make it two in a row.
Big Bear 23, Yucca Valley 14

Granite Hills at Apple Valley
Another crosstown rivalry in the High Desert that should be infinitely more entertaining than it usually is. Apple Valley has been outstanding offensively over the last two weeks, putting up 67 on San Bernardino and 56 on San Gorgonio, while the Cougars are off to a program-best 4-1 start. Granite is improved and will give the Sun Devils a game, but this will go the way it normally does.
Apple Valley 34, Granite Hills 23

Others games of note:
Etiwanda 40, Alta Loma 13
Rancho Cucamonga 38, Claremont 14
Arrowhead Christian 28, Western Christian 17
Carter 38, Rialto 15
Redlands East Valley 48, Fontana 10
Redlands 46, Eisenhower 12
Twentynine Palms 27, Desert Hot Springs 10
Barstow 33, Ridgecrest Burroughs 27
Hesperia 42, Sultana 13
Garey 28, Montclair 20
Colony 41, Ontario 7
San Gorgonio 55, Pacific 0
Cajon 49, San Bernardino 10
Ayala 44, Chino 6
Summit 34, Bloomington 16
Newport Beach Sage Hill 58, Citrus Valley 6
Aquinas 28, Oak Hills 20

Week: 21-3
Overall: 130-42

Ronnie Lott will be honored at Eisenhower High School as part of their 50th anniversary celebration Saturday, as the Ike football field will be named after the former graduate, who was a Hall of Fame safety for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders and New York Jets.

Lott will be honored at a ceremony Saturday night and will be one of eight former Ike graduates inducted into the Eisenhower Hall of Fame during a 6:30 p.m. ceremony according to Rialto Unified School District Public Information Office Syeda Jafri. Five of those are athletes, as joining Lott will be current Denver Broncos offensive lineman Ryan Clady, former Green Bay Packers cornerback Craig Newsome, the late David Lang -- a former running back for the St. Louis Rams -- and former Major League Soccer player Ted Chronopoulous.

Redlands East Valley quarterback Tyler Shreve verbally committed to Colorado State earlier this week according to REV coach Kurt Bruich.

Shreve's commitment came after an official visit to Colorado State this weekend, as Bruich said Shreve enjoyed his experience in Fort Collins, Colo.

"Tyler had a great time up there," Bruich said. "He really liked the campus and they sold him on having an opportunity to play early. Colorado State seems like its up and coming."

REV defensive end Andrew Hudson's recruitment also seems to be coming into focus, as Bruich indicated that Hudson has narrowed his focus to three schools -- Arizona, Washington and Oregon State. Hudson is taking official visits the next three weekends, starting with Arizona, before deciding.

Here's the latest from the home offices in Los Alamitos.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. Rancho Cucamonga
2. Upland
3. Colton
4. Colony
5. Chino Hills
6. Wildomar Elsinore
7. Ayala
8. Cajon
9. Etiwanda
10. Claremont
Others receiving consideration: Glendora, Don Lugo, Damien

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Perris Citrus Hill
2. San Jacinto
3. Rim of the World
4. Palm Springs
5. Barstow
6. Palm Desert
7. Serrano
8. Victor Valley
9. Kaiser
10. Silverado
Others receiving votes: La Quinta, Granite Hills

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

1. St. Margaret's
2. Campbell Hall
3. Brentwood
4. Sage Hill
5. Arrowhead Christian
6. Maranatha
7. Santa Paula
8. Kern Valley
9. Aquinas
10. Fillmore
Others receiving consideration: Sierra Canyon, Frazier Mountain, Villanova Prep

INLAND DIVISION

1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona Centennial
3. Vista Murrieta
4. Temecula Chaparral
5. Norco
6. Moreno Valley Rancho Verde
7. Redlands
8. Temecula Great Oak
9. Riverside Arlington
10. Corona Roosevelt
Others receiving votes: Riverside La Sierra, Murrieta Valley, Yucaipa, Riverside King, Riverside North, Corona Santiago

Nothing too revolutionary here. LSU takes a bit of a dive, that's about it.

1. Florida (1) - Winning at LSU at night is no joke.
2. Texas (2) - Very close to putting Alabama here. Not sure why I didn't to be honest.
3. Alabama (3) - Crimson Tide is straight rolling right now.
4. Virginia Tech (6) - Big win after Boston College gives Hokies a bump. Really playing good football right now.
5. Boise State (5) - Have tricky game at Tulsa Wednesday.
6. TCU (7) - Not pretty, but got a tough road win at Air Force in hostile conditions.
7. USC (8) - Win at Notre Dame and USC has a good shot to be back in the top 5.
8. Ohio State (9) - Two pick-6s make Terrelle Pryor's job against Wisconsin easier.
9. Cincinnati (10) - Game Thursday at South Florida may be toughest remaining test.
10. Iowa (11) - Survived against Michigan to stay undefeated.
11. Miami (Fla) (12) - Canes get well-deserved breather against Florida A&M
12. LSU (4) - This is a much more appropriate place for LSU to be ranked.
13. Oklahoma State (13) - Gutsy win over Texas A&M without Dez Bryant or Kendall Hunter. It'll be hard to maintain this though.
14. Penn State (15) - Got basically a bye week against Eastern Illinois
15. BYU (16) - Really don't get how Florida State killed this team.
16. Kansas (18) - A self-correcting measure of sorts. Gets props for staying unbeaten.
17. Oklahoma (17) - Kansas jumped the Sooners, but a win over Texas would jump them back up.
18. Oregon (19) - Looking like a dark horse in the Pac-10 race.
19. Georgia Tech (20) - Survived a shootout with Florida State Saturday night.
20. South Carolina (21) - Gamecocks win fourth straight by edging Kentucky.
21. Nebraska (24) - The Huskers pulled one out of the fire against Missouri.
22. South Florida (NR) - Shoot into the rankings despite not playing. Have huge opportunity to move up this week.
23. Mississippi (14) - Not sure I should rank these guys, but there aren't a lot of good options this low.
24. Houston (NR) - Winning at Mississippi State gets Cougars reranked.
25. Utah (NR) - Utes fill out the rankings because someone has to.

Under consideration: Notre Dame, Auburn

Dropped out: No. 22 Auburn, No. 23 Missouri, No. 25 Georgia

I got cocky last week and paid the price. I've learned my lesson and hope to get back above .500 again this week.

Minnesota (-10) over ST. LOUIS
KANSAS CITY (+8) over Dallas
Washington (+4) over CAROLINA
PHILADELPHIA (-15) over Tampa Bay
Oakland (+15.5) over N.Y. GIANTS
BUFFALO (-6) over Cleveland
BALTIMORE (-9) over Cincinnati
Pittsburgh (-10.5) over DETROIT
Atlanta (+2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
New England (-3) over DENVER
Houston (+5.5) over ARIZONA
Jacksonville (+1) over SEATTLE
Indianapolis (-3.5) over TENNESSEE
MIAMI (+2) over N.Y. Jets

Week: 5-9
Overall: 34-27

My new rankings for this week. We finally welcome Rim of the World and their 6-0 start.

Sun Top 10

1. Rancho Cucamonga (5-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Covina Charter Oak, 48-28. Up next: Friday vs. Claremont (4-1)

2. Redlands East Valley (5-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Yucaipa, 35-7. Up next: Friday vs. Fontana (2-3)

3. Upland (5-0)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Los Osos (2-3).

4. Colton (4-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Kaiser, 14-6. Up next: Friday vs. Arroyo Valley (4-1).

5. Colony (4-1)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday vs. Ontario (1-4).

6. Chino Hills (4-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Damien (1-4).

7. Barstow (4-1)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. San Bernardino, 49-33 . Up next: Friday at Ridgecrest Burroughs (3-2).

8. Redlands (4-1)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Fontana, 34-7. Up next: Friday at Eisenhower (0-5).

9. Rim of the World (6-0)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Granite Hills, 21-6. Up next: Friday vs. Serrano (3-2).

10. Etiwanda (3-2)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: lost to Covina Charter Oak, 27-26. Up next: Thursday vs. Alta Loma (0-5).

Just missed the cut: Ayala (4-1), Victor Valley (5-0), Kaiser (2-3), Serrano (3-2).

Dropped out: No. 10 Kaiser (2-3).

Just got back from Lake Arrowhead, which is why this is later than usual.

Apple Valley 56, San Gorgonio 28
Arrowhead Christian 31, Palm Desert Xavier Prep 22
Barstow 49, San Bernardino 33
Carter 47, Eisenhower 6
Claremont 49, Chino 7
Colton 14, Kaiser 6
Covina Charter Oak 27, Etiwanda 26
Garey 26, Pomona 14
Los Osos 47, Valencia West Ranch 7
Lucerne Valley 27, Citrus Valley 6
Miller 56, Rialto 12
Oak Hills 56, Pacific 6
Rancho Cucamonga 48, Temecula Valley 28
Redlands 34, Fontana 7
Redlands East Valley 35, Yucaipa 7
Ridgecrest Burroughs 61, Hesperia 25
Rim of the World 21, Granite Hills 6
San Dimas 21, Bonita 13
Silverado 31, Arroyo Valley 20
Victor Valley 35, Riverside Patriot 14

Another break-even week leaves me a game short of .500. We'll try to be humble and finally get over the hump this week.

Oregon (-3.5) at UCLA
This game has been another textbook example of a reverse line movement (see Michigan-Michigan State last week) where the majority of the bettors pick one side but the line moves the other way because it gets the big money. The line has gone 2.5 points toward UCLA's direction, mostly because of concerns about Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli's health I'd guess. Still, I have a hard time believing that Kevin Craft is capable of this win.
Pick: Oregon

Arizona (-4) at Washington
Which Washington team will show up? The one that beat USC, lost to Notre Dame in overtime in a game it should have won and the one that gave LSU a run for its money? Or the one that was beat down by Stanford? It's hard to tell how good or bad Arizona is. If the Huskies don't have a hangover from Notre Dame, they should win.
Pick: Washington

Stanford (even) at Oregon State
This game started out with Stanford being favored and even though the majority of bettors are picking the Cardinal, the spread has moved two points in the Beavers' direction. October is typically a good month for Oregon State and while Stanford has impressed, it isn't ready for this win yet.
Pick: Oregon State

Arizona State (-21) at Washington State
Oregon State gave the Sun Devils a bit of a reality check last week, blasting ASU in Tempe. Washington State doesn't need a reality check - it's well aware of how bad it is. It won't get much better for the Cougars this week.
Pick: Arizona State

Florida (-7.5) at LSU
Will Tim Tebow play? That's the huge question coming into this game, as Florida's all-everything quarterback/missionary got a concussion two weeks ago, putting his status up in the air. Either way, this is a lot of change for the Gators to cover, considering LSU hasn't lost in 32 consecutive home night games.
Pick: LSU

Alabama (-5) at Mississippi
The money is going to the Rebels in this one and quite frankly, its time for Ole Miss to put up or shut up. After all the hype it got before the season, it needs to win against what has probably been the nation's most complete team to date to validate it. I don't think the Rebels will win, but they'll go down trying.
Pick: Mississippi

Wisconsin (+16) at Ohio State
A pretty big line considering that the Badgers are undefeated right now. Wisconsin's schedule hasn't been the greatest, but it got a nice win last week at Minnesota. Ohio State has rolled since losing to USC, but I'm not sure it's worthy of getting more than two touchdowns here. I look for the Badgers to stay somewhat close.
Pick: Wisconsin

Michigan (+8) at Iowa
The Wolverines' overtime loss at Michigan State took a little luster off this matchup, even though Gameday will be in Iowa City for it. Weird game, as Iowa won at Penn State but had to escape against Northern Iowa (17-16) and Arkansas State (24-21). I'd expect more of the Penn State effort from the Hawkeyes, though I'm not sure they are potent enough on offense to win this by more than a touchdown.
Pick: Michigan

Boston College (+13.5) at Virginia Tech
Boston College is an enigma to me. They don't exactly have a lot of talent, they don't really recruit that well but somehow, some way, they win games. These teams have been frequent battlers, with BC winning the last two games in the regular season while VT has won the ACC title game battles. I say VT wins this, but its close.
Pick: Boston College

Connecticut (+7) at Pittsburgh
Yes, I know this game isn't good. But I didn't want to pick another SEC or Big Ten game and all the Big 12 games this week were more blah than this one. I don't expect much scoring in this one, as UConn is good at playing ugly while Pitt isn't great at playing offense. Think low score and competitive, which favors the underdog.
Pick: UConn

Last week: 5-5
Season 24-25-1

Much better this week, as I only missed four games. Maybe there's hope for me yet. Who knows.

Redlands East Valley at Yucaipa
Ike actually hung with REV for a half, going into intermission down 21-20. REV did end up winning 69-26, but maybe that performance gives an explosive Yucaipa team some hope. Then again, Yucaipa had to scratch and claw to beat Rialto, so maybe not. Yucaipa will score a bit, but REV will score a lot.
Redlands East Valley 48, Yucaipa 21

Fontana at Redlands
The Steelers were given a bit of a reality check last week, as Miller exposed a lack of Fohi team speed in its 41-16 win. Redlands doesn't have many sprinters playing football, so that should work in Fohi's advantage a bit. But not enough, as the Terriers have steadily improved with each passing game.
Redlands 28, Fontana 6

Colton at Kaiser
You'll need a hard hat to watch this game, as both of these teams will come at you and pop you in the mouth. This is Colton's first road game of the year and Kaiser is looking for its first home win, as the Cats are 0-2 at home and 2-0 on the road. I have been pretty wrong on Kaiser games the last two weeks, so take this prediction with a grain of salt.
Colton 21, Kaiser 16

Silverado at Arroyo Valley
This should be a fun game with two of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the area, as Jemeryn Jenkins leads Silverado against a 4-0 Arroyo Valley team led by junior Michael Yearwood. I was going to call Arroyo Valley the Hawks, but Silverado is the Hawks too. I'll go with the home Hawks in what should be a dandy.
Arroyo Valley 30, Silverado 27

Granite Hills at Rim of the World
This matchup of unbeatens provides by far the stiffest test for the Cougars, who have only given up 12 points this season, as Rim - ranked No. 3 in the Eastern Division - has the county's leading rusher and scorer in junior RB Dillon Pretzinger. The Scots also have two straight shutouts. The defense won't get a third, but it'll do enough.
Rim of the World 31, Granite Hills 16

Rancho Cucamonga at Temecula Valley
The Cougars got a week off to get refreshed for their matchup against the Bears, who lost a scorefest with Etiwanda a couple weeks ago. The Rancho passing offense, led by QB Greg Watson and TE Randal Telfer, should go off for some big yards.
Rancho Cucamonga 42, Temecula Valley 23

Etiwanda at Covina Charter Oak
Charter Oak has probably had its fill of Inland Valley teams at this point, losing to Rancho Cucamonga two weeks ago and struggling with Damien last week. Now in comes Etiwanda's explosive offense with QB Angel Santiago and WR Bobby Ratliff. The Eagles will test Charter Oak, but I'll take the Chargers at the end
Charter Oak 36, Etiwanda 31

Aquinas at Twentynine Palms
The Falcons will be foaming at the mouth to play Twentynine Palms, as the Wildcats were the source of both Aquinas losses a year ago, including a 40-0 loss in the East Valley semifinals. Twentynine Palms has struggled a bit with a tough nonleague schedule, but got a win last week. I expect this game to be close, with Aquinas getting a modicum of revenge.
Aquinas 24, Twentynine Palms 19

San Gorgonio at Apple Valley
Interesting game here. The Spartans have lost three in a row, but their last trip to the High Desert was their one win - a 21-6 victory over Hesperia. Apple Valley is coming off its best performance of the season, throwing up 67 points to San Bernardino. This game is basically a coin flip to me, so I'll go with the home team.
Apple Valley 27, San Gorgonio 25

Riverside Patriot at Victor Valley
One of the best stories in the High Desert this season has been the resurgence of the Jackrabbits, who have won The Bell and ascended to a No. 8 ranking in the Eastern Division thanks to a 4-0 record. However, Patriot may be their toughest test to date. I expect the Jackrabbits to pull this one out late.
Victor Valley 24, Patriot 22

Other games of interest:
Carter 45, Eisenhower 32
Miller 38, Rialto 14
Summit 38, Sultana 9
Barstow 51, San Bernardino 22
Menifee Paloma Valley 24, Bloomington 17
Claremont 43, Chino 14
Citrus Valley 17, Lucerne Valley 16
Los Osos 23, Valencia West Ranch 20
Riverside Norte Vista 37, Montclair 17
Oak Hills 23, Pacific 17
Arrowhead Christian 24, Palm Desert Xavier Prep 13
Ridgecrest Burroughs 27, Hesperia 23
St. Margaret's 48, Western Christian 15
Cerritos Valley Christian 30, Ontario Christian 26

This week: 23-4
Overall: 109-39

Summit senior forward Maiya Michel has become the third SkyHawk girls basketball player in the last two seasons to commit to a Division I college, verbally committed to the University of Denver after an official visit to the school a couple weeks ago.

Michel, who averaged 11.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last year, joins Meghin Williams (Nebraska) and Adrienne Thomas (Arizona State) as Summit Division I basketball players.

"I'm definitely spoiled," Summit coach Alexis Barile said. "I came into this school and these type of players are here for me. It's a great thing to have as a coach."

San Bernardino High School girls basketball coach Damian Staricka has been put on administrative leave by the San Bernardino Unified School District according to Linda Bardere, the district's Director of Communications.

Cassandra Williams has been named the interim coach while Staricka is on leave, which is the result of an internal investigation according to Bardere.

"The investigation is a personnel matter that is separate from his duties as a basketball coach," Bardere said. "He's been put on leave until that investigation concludes and he is re-evaluated."

Bardere did not know when Staricka was placed on leave. At Tuesday's school board meeting, a personnel report indicated that Staricka had been approved as a coach at SBHS for the 2009-10 season as part of a standard annual review by the school district.

The 9th annual Inland Empire Cross Country Challenge will likely be switched from Glen Helen Park in San Bernardino to Prado Park in Chino, according to meet organizer Rich Morales.

Morales, the girls cross country coach at Alta Loma High School, indicated Wednesday afternoon that there is a "98% chance" that the meet will be moved because Glen Helen Park has been the staging point for firefighters battling the Wrightwood fires. An official decision will be made by this morning.

As for the meet itself, this year is expected to be the biggest one in the event's history, with over 70 teams and 2,800 racers expected to compete Saturday starting at 7:45 a.m.
"Every year we've run this it's gotten bigger and bigger," Morales said. "This is the biggest meet in Southern California behind Mt. SAC and the Woodbridge Invitational."

The teams -- consisting of schools from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties -- will be broken up into three classes (Large, Medium and Small), with varsity races running from 8:54 to 10:40. The sweepstakes races -- the featured events at the meet -- will run at 9:30 (boys) and 9:50 (girls).

The fires in the Wrightwood area over the weekend, which caused the mandatory evacuation of Wrightwood Sunday, has caused Serrano High School to make some adjustments to its schedule this week.

The school postponed a girls tennis match and a volleyball match with Rim of the World, scheduled for Monday, for October 27, as Diamondback students from the Wrightwood area scattered all over the High Desert and Inland Empire as a result of the fires.

The football team, which has its bye week this week, cancelled practice Monday and had an outside practice Tuesday after the air had cleared, but was missing some of the kids displaced by the fires.

"(Wednesday) is the first practice we expect to have everyone," Serrano football coach and athletic director Ray Maholchic said. "The air out here is fine -- the main issue is getting the Wrightwood kids back here and getting them rides to practice. That's been the main effect as far as the football team is concerned."

Maholchic did indicate that houses in Wrightwood were spared by the fires, which should help the process of returning to the everyday school routine.

The latest from the home office of the Southern Section.

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. Rancho Cucamonga
2. Upland
3. Colton
4. Colony
5. Chino Hills
6. Elsinore
7. Etiwanda
8. Ayala
9. Arroyo Valley
10. Cajon
Others receiving consideration: Claremont, Don Lugo, Glendora, Damien

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Citrus Hill
2. San Jacinto
3. Rim of the World
4. Palm Springs
5. Barstow
6. Kaiser
7. Palm Desert
8. Serrano
9. Victor Valley
10. La Quinta/LQ
Others receiving consideration: Granite Hills, Silverado

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

1. St. Margaret's
2. Santa Paula
3. Kern Valley
4. Aquinas
5. Campbell Hall
6. Sierra Canyon
7. Frazier Mountain
8. Brentwood
9. Sage Hill
10. Villanova Prep
Others receiving consideration: Arrowhead Christian, Fillmore, Maranatha

INLAND DIVISION

1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona Centennial
3. Vista Murrieta
4. Chaparral
5. Norco
6. Rancho Verde
7. Redlands
8. Great Oak
9. Riverside King
10. Arlington
Others receiving consideration: Riverside North, Roosevelt, Yucaipa, La Sierra, Corona Santiago, Murrieta Valley

Houston gave up 58 points to UTEP in a loss, which is an automatic exclusion from my poll.

1. Florida (1) - Tebow's status is big with a trip to LSU looming
2. Texas (2) - Had a bye this week and have another one next week called Colorado.
3. Alabama (3) - Tide is rolling. Nice road test coming up against Ole Miss.
4. LSU (4) - Validated their ranking a bit by winning at Georgia. Can finish the job against Florida.
5. Boise State (5) - I should drop them for playing UC Davis in October. But I won't.
6. Virginia Tech (6) - A bit of a letdown against Duke, but nothing big. Miami's win over Oklahoma makes Hokies look good.
7. TCU (8) - Kept the Golden Skillet (yes, that's a real trophy) by beating SMU. Congrats fellas.
8. USC (12) - Bit of a self-correction ranking. Had SC behind Ohio State, but beating the Buckeyes, plus killing Cal at Cal, necessitates that I put the Trojans ahead of Ohio State.
9. Ohio State (9) - Looked pretty good against Indiana. Won't get tested much in the Big Ten.
10. Cincinnati (11) - Bearcats still undefeated and looking like a national-title darkhorse
11. Iowa (13) - I wouldn't put too much stock into their 3-point win over Arkansas State. The Hawkeyes are good and won't be flat with Michigan coming to town.
12. Miami (Fla.) (16) - Won back some props by beating Oklahoma. Schedule eases up quite a bit.
13. Oklahoma State (14) - Had a bye. Not much else to say here really.
14. Mississippi (15) - I feel as if I may be overranking the Rebels. How they do against Alabama will determine if I'm right.
15. Penn State (17) - Ho hum win over a bad Illinois team. Needed it, but not too impressive.
16. BYU (19) - They get back ahead of Oklahoma.
17. Oklahoma (7) - Sam Bradford injury or not, no one expected the Sooners to have two losses at this point.
18. Kansas (20) - Undefeated but somewhat untested.
19. Oregon (22) - Followed up blowout of Cal with blowout of Washington St. It's safe to say that the first-week drama is forgotten.
20. Georgia Tech (24) - Beating Mississippi State isn't necessarily worthy of a four-jump spot, but circumstances caused it.
21. South Carolina (25) - Same thing as Georgia Tech, but even more so considering the Gamecocks beat S.C. State.
22. Auburn (NR) - Tigers are surprisingly 5-0 and even though Tennessee isn't good, a win in Knoxville is.
23. Missouri (NR) - On the cusp of being ranked these last few weeks, Tigers can prove their mettle Thursday against Nebraska.
24. Nebraska (NR) - This team played Virginia Tech tough, but hasn't beat anyone of note. Can change that Thursday.
25. Georgia (18) - Barely hanging on to its ranking, but wins over South Carolina and Arizona State are good enough to do that for now.

Receiving consideration: South Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan
Dropped out: No. 10 Houston, No. 21 Michigan, No. 23 California

Right before going to bed I looked over the San Diego State boxscore and noticed that Aztec freshman RB Walter Kazee, a Cajon graduate and the 2008 All-Sun Most Valuable Player, had a breakout game to lead SDSU to a 34-17 victory over New Mexico State. Kazee ran for 101 yards on 22 carries against the Aggies, scoring his first career touchdown on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

2007 Most Valuable Player Chris Polk also had a heck of day in a losing cause for Washington against Notre Dame. The redshirt freshman RB, a Redlands East Valley graduate, ran for 136 yards on 22 carries and caught two passes for 9 yards in the Huskies' 37-30 overtime loss to the Fighting Irish. Polk appeared to have scored on a 6-yard TD midway through the fourth quarter, which would have put Washington up 31-22 with a made extra point, but a video review ruled him down inside the Notre Dame 1. Washington couldn't push the ball in and settled for a field goal that would loom large later. He now has 452 yards rushing in five games for Washington.

So far so good in the pros, with another 10-win week making me feel cocky. We'll see if cockiness turns into covers. If not, I'll just pretend I stink again.

Oakland (+8.5) over HOUSTON
Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE
NEW ENGLAND (-2) over Baltimore
Cincinnati (-6) over CLEVELAND
N.Y. Giants (-9) over KANSAS CITY
Detroit (+10) over CHICAGO
WASHINGTON (-7.5) over Tampa Bay
INDIANAPOLIS (-10) over Seattle
N.Y. Jets (+7.5) over NEW ORLEANS
MIAMI (even) over Buffalo
St. Louis (+9.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Dallas (-3) over DENVER
San Diego (+6.5) over PITTSBURGH
MINNESOTA (-4) over Green Bay

Last week: 10-6
Overall: 29-18

Cajon drops off the face of the Earth and Kaiser barely hangs on. Will let them play for their spot against Colton.

1. Rancho Cucamonga (4-0)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: idle. Up next: Friday at Temecula Valley (1-3).

2. Redlands East Valley (4-0)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Eisenhower, 69-26. Up next: Friday at Yucaipa (3-1).

3. Upland (5-0)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Bloomington, 45-6. Up next: Oct. 16 vs. Los Osos (1-3).

4. Colton (3-1)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. Chaffey, 35-12. Up next: Friday at No. 10 Kaiser (2-2).

5. Colony (4-1)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. No. 10 Kaiser, 19-14. Up next: Oct. 16 vs. Ontario (1-4).

6. Etiwanda (3-1)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: def. Chino, 45-14. Up next: Friday at Covina Charter Oak (3-1).

7. Chino Hills (4-1)
Previous ranking: 8. Last week: def. San Gorgonio, 30-14. Up next: Oct. 16 at Damien (1-4).

8. Barstow (3-1)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Hesperia, 35-16. Up next: Friday at San Bernardino (1-3).

9. Redlands (3-1)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Carter, 35-6. Up next: Friday vs. Fontana (2-2)

10. Kaiser (2-2)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: lost to No. 5 Colony, 19-14. Up next: Friday vs. No. 4 Colton (3-1).

Just missed the cut: Arroyo Valley (4-0), Rim of the World (5-0), Ayala (4-1), Victor Valley (4-0).
Dropped out: No. 10 Cajon (3-2).

What we got as of the moment.

Apple Valley 67, San Bernardino 16
Aquinas 13, San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea 10
Arrowhead Christian 21, Yucca Valley 19
Arroyo Valley 26, Alta Loma 16
Barstow 35, Hesperia 16
Chino Hills 30, San Gorgonio 14
Claremont 52, Ontario 14
Colony 19, Kaiser 14
Colton 35, Chaffey 12
Don Lugo 51, Jurupa Valley 0
Etiwanda 45, Chino 14
Glendora 16, Diamond Ranch 14
Granite Hills 35, Cathedral City 0
La Quinta 7, Cajon 0
Miller 41, Fontana 16
Pacific 43, Citrus Valley 6
Pomona 18, San Gabriel Gabrelino 7
Redlands 35, Carter 6
Redlands East Valley 69, Eisenhower 26
Rim of the World 60, Indio 0
San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's 42, Ontario Christian 0
Silverado 28, Summit 14
Twentynine Palms 6, Oak Park 0
Upland 45, Bloomington 6
Victor Valley 34, Sultana 0
Yucaipa 28, Rialto 24

For as good as the high school and pro picks have gone this year, college hasn't been so great, as I fell below .500 with my latest performance. We'll get above that mark this week I hope.

USC (-4.5) at California
A tough game to get a read on. USC has hardly set the world on fire since beating Ohio State, but the Bears are coming off a humiliating 39-point loss at Oregon. Will Cal bounce back, or fold at the first sign of trouble? USC doesn't lose many "big" games and I don't see that trend changing.
Pick: USC

UCLA (+5.5) at Stanford
The Bruins are 3-0, but its kind of an uneasy 3-0 after a ho-hum win over a bad Kansas State team two weeks ago. Stanford just pasted Washington and seems to have it dialed in under Jim Harbaugh. This UCLA team did win at Tennessee, but Kevin Craft on the road gives me the willies.
Pick: Stanford

Oregon State (+5) at Arizona State
The Beavers have done their normal September thing, that is, finish .500 or below. The Sun Devils gave Georgia a run in Athens and almost pulled off a pretty decent upset. So pick Arizona State right? Not so fast. Oregon State picks it up midseason, and we are basically at that point.
Pick: Oregon State

Washington State (+35.5) at Oregon
The Ducks came up huge last week, completely throttling California in an unexpected 42-3 ambush. Washington State actually somewhat hung with USC, only losing 27-0. Oregon will win and win handily, but the inevitable letdown keeps the Cougars in covering range.
Pick: Washington State

Washington (+12) at Notre Dame
This line has moved down from an opening of 14, meaning that there's some serious money being thrown at the Huskies. That seems to be for good reason, as Notre Dame has injury issues on offense and Washington has played well against good competition.
Pick: Washington

LSU (+4) at Georgia
The Tigers may be ranked No. 4, but they aren't getting the respect that normally comes from that ranking from the bettors. Probably because LSU has come close to losing to Washington and Mississippi State. I expect Georgia to hold serve at home.
Pick: Georgia

Oklahoma (-7.5) at Miami (Fla)
Apparently Sam Bradford isn't going to play for the Sooners. It hasn't mattered the last two games, as Landry Jones has led Oklahoma to consecutive blowout shutout victories. Miami won't be shut out, and a packed house will ensure a cover in Jones' first-ever road game.
Pick: Miami

Michigan (+4) at Michigan State
This is one of the more drastic line movements I've seen over the span of a week. The undefeated Wolverines started as a 1-point favorite, moved to 2.5 point favorite and have backslid to 4-point dogs to the 1-3 Spartans. The big money feels it knows something, but I have a hard time bending my noodle around this.
Pick: Michigan

Florida State (-3.5) at Boston College
The Seminoles are definitely the schizo team of college football. They lose a classic to Miami, have to come back to beat I-AA Jacksonville State, kill BYU at BYU then throw up a stinkbomb at home against South Florida. BC is pretty nondescript, so I guess I'll go with the Seminoles to alternate to a good performance.
Pick: Florida State

Auburn (+2.5) at Tennessee
The classic matchup of the flashy offense (Auburn) against the hard-hitting defense (Tennessee). The Tigers have been pretty prolific under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, but they haven't been tested like the Vols will test them. Tennessee can barely complete a forward pass, but they might not need to.
Pick: Tennessee

Bree Evans, a standout softball player at Rialto High School from 2005-08 and now a center fielder at the University of Michigan, was hospitalized Thursday evening in serious condition after being injured in a collison at home plate during an exhibition game with Michigan State according to an article released by annarbor.com.

Evans, a sophomore for the Wolverines, was transported by ambulance to the University of Michigan Hospital, where her condition was described as "acutely ill with questionable prognosis." The original story can be found here.

Evans started 59 games for Michigan as a freshman, batting .319 with eight doubles, two triples and 25 RBI. She also stole 16 bases.

Better last week, as I only messed up six games. Of course four of those were in my featured 10, so I'm really not sure if I've really gotten smarter. This week starts Citrus Belt League play, so it's starting to get really good. Here are my picks before I head to Fontana High School for tonight's Fohi-Miller tilt.

Miller at Fontana
Before the season, this looked to be a speedbump for the defending CBL champion Rebels, as Fontana had only won five games the previous five seasons while Miller was returning much of their offense. But two Steeler wins and an 0-3 Miller start has made this game pretty key. While Miller had a brutal schedule and Fohi beat SAL cellardwellars Pacific and San Bernardino, its clear that Fohi is improved and Miller isn't. However, I'll pick Miller to survive, albeit barely.
Miller 28, Fontana 20

Carter at Redlands
Another intriguing CBL opener, because for whatever reason, the Lions play well against Redlands. The Terriers barely escaped at Carter 7-6 during their CBL championship season in 2006, lost to Carter at home in 2007 and struggled to beat the Lions last year. The Carter offense has shown explosive qualities, but Redlands has been stingy on defense. I'll take the savvy of Redlands in this one.
Redlands 21, Carter 12

Colony at Kaiser
These teams have both been battle-tested and quality approved, with Colony beating Chino Hills and Diamond Ranch already while Kaiser destroyed Cajon last week. Both teams are feeling confident and have talent to burn. However, Kaiser gave one of the better defensive performances I've seen in my three years here, especially given the quality of Cajon. I expect them to be slightly superior to the Titans.
Kaiser 19, Colony 16

Summit at Silverado
Silverado entertained the heck out of me last Thursday, breaking five touchdowns of 50 yards or more against Palm Desert. After a slow start, it seems as if the Hawks offense is running in full gear. Summit has that capability and while only 1-2, showed well in close losses to Etiwanda and Redlands. Expect some big plays and some crazy athleticism in the High Desert, with the home team prevailing in a classic.
Silverado 35, Summit 30

Hesperia at Barstow
Very interesting litmus test for both of these schools. The Scorpion offense finally broke out against Pacific, but playing the listless Pirates doesn't really compare to facing defending Eastern Division runner-up Barstow. The Aztecs also have something to prove after falling last week to Quartz Hill in upset fashion. Hesperia is improved, but I'll go with a veteran Barstow team at home.
Barstow 30, Hesperia 21

Chaffey at Colton
If there are 10 passes combined between the two teams, I'll be shocked. Chaffey likes to pound the ball with senior RB Ronald Douglas, the county's leading rusher, while Colton has a fleet of backs to excel in the double-wing. The Yellowjackets defense seems to have settled in after a tough opener against Vista Murrieta and will subdue Chaffey enough to pull out the win.
Colton 24, Chaffey 12

Upland at Bloomington
The positive vibes the Bruins got by winning their first two games were mostly eradicated in their 51-0 loss to Corona Roosevelt. It doesn't get much easier for Bloomington, as Upland and its lockdown defense come into town. Tim Salter gets a ton of credit in my mind for reshaping the Highlanders from a big-play, somewhat finesse squad into a hard-nosed physical unit. Bloomington will be heaping praise on Upland as well.
Upland 28, Bloomington 6

San Gorgonio at Chino Hills
After impressively winning at Hesperia in its opener, the Spartans have had a tough time of it in losing to Redlands East Valley and Yucaipa. Now they are going against a team that smacked them twice last year, including 52-13 in the playoffs. Chino Hills bounced back last week with a nice win over Diamond Ranch after losing to Colony the week before and will continue to roll.
Chino Hills 34, San Gorgonio 14

La Quinta at Cajon
La Quinta hasn't had a fun time in the Inland Empire the past two weeks, losing lopsided games to Colton and Norco. They come back again to face a Cajon team who's pride is a bit wounded after being shut out by Kaiser. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys react to being punched in the mouth and how La Quinta will react to the travel. I'll go with Cajon in a close one.
Cajon 18, La Quinta 14

Indio at Rim of the World
This has all the makings of a beatdown. Indio has struggled after losing the bulk of its 6-4 team a year ago and faces a Rim of the World team that's a bit sore about losing to the Rajahs on the road a year ago. Expect the Fighting Scots to run on Indio early and often, keeping its undefeated start going.
Rim of the World 38, Indio 7

Other games of interest:
Redlands East Valley 55, Eisenhower 0
Yucaipa 48, Rialto 14
Apple Valley 31, San Bernardino 26
Arroyo Valley 34, Alta Loma 10
Ayala 47, South El Monte 3
Granite Hills 30, Cathedral City 17
Etiwanda 45, Chino 6
Pacific 28, Citrus Valley 10
Claremont 38, Ontario 14
Don Lugo 37, Jurupa Valley 9
San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's 42, Ontario Christian 13
Aquinas 28, San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea 13
Serrano 38, Santa Clarita Golden Valley 3
Oak Park 24, Twentynine Palms 13
Victor Valley 33, Sultana 16
Yucca Valley 21, Arrowhead Christian 17
Big Bear 28, Oak Hills 27

Week: 24-6
Overall: 86-35