Pac-12 Football Picks: Look What Future President Herbert Hoover Started in 1892
Lots at stake as we enter the final two weeks of the Pac-12 Conference regular season.
Oregon has clinched the Pac-12 North title but still is chasing a College Football Playoff berth. So is Utah, but the Utes also must hold off USC to secure the South title.
Neither Cal nor Stanford is hoping to sway the playoff committee, but both still are vying for bowl eligibility.
And then there is the little matter of the Big Game, Version 122.0.
They’ve been playing this since March 19, 1892, when Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd U.S. President and Herbert Hoover, who would become the 31st U.S. President, was the Stanford ballboy.
It was a busy year: Ellis Island opened in 1892, James Naismith published his rules for the new game of basketball, the diesel engine and telegraph were patented, General Electric began operation, the Sierra Club was founded, and the Nutcracker ballet was first performed.
Around 10,000 tickets were sold for the first game (not yet called the Big Game), but 20,000 people showed up at the Haight Street Grounds in San Francisco to watch Stanford beat Cal, 14-10.
This week's picks . . .
All picks against the spread
Lines taken from vegasinsider.com (opening lines used)
Last week: Jeff 3-2, Jake 1-4
Season: Jake 38-40, Jeff 36-42
Oregon (minus-16) at Arizona State
Jake: The Ducks still have big plans while the Sun Devils are fading out of sight. Pick: Oregon
Jeff: Both division leaders visit the desert this week. Why not cut out the middle man and just let them square off now? Pick: Oregon
Utah (minus-24) at Arizona
Jake: The Utes keep getting better, and the Wildcats keep getting worse. Pick: Utah
Jeff: Utes are eager to impress the College Football Playoff committee. Pick: Utah
Cal (plus-1 1/2) at Stanford
Jake: This one is hard to pick since we don’t know who Cal’s quarterback will be. But Stanford has won this game nine times in a row. Pick: Stanford
Jeff: Embarrassed by its performance against USC, Cal’s defense will turn back into itself for the Big Game. Pick: Cal
Washington (minus-14 1/2) at Colorado
Jake: The Huskies would be assured of a losing conference record if it drops this one. They won’t let that happen. Pick: Washington
Jeff: I don’t see the Buffaloes winning but they might cover that big spread at home. Pick: Colorado
Oregon State (plus-15 1/2) at Washington State
Jake: The Cougars seem to have their offense in gear again. Pick: Washington State
Jeff: Anthony Gordon is on pace to throw for 5,157 yards this season, and gets another large chunk of them here. Pick: Washington State
UCLA (plus-10) at USC
Jake: USC’s passing game has been impressive in recent weeks, and no one can cover the Trojans’ wideouts. Pick: USC
Jeff: The College Football Playoff committee ranked the Trojans ahead of Appalachian State this week, so they’re feeling pretty good about themselves. Pick: USC
