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Gas up the family station wagon and hit the Holiday Road. The Ultimate Road Trip is back! Over the next couple of weeks we're going to look at each week during the 2014 season and pick the can't-miss game (and maybe for Thursday/Friday games, we'll work in two). Start planning accordingly. The Ultimate Pac-12 Road Trip continues. Welcome to Week 12. Thursday, Nov. 13
Saturday, Nov. 15
Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats Arizona State Sun Devils at Oregon State Beavers Utah Utes at Stanford Cardinal Byes: Colorado Buffaloes, Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, Washington State Cougars
My choice: Free pass Why: Only two-thirds of the league is active this week, so rather than force-feeding a game down you’re throat, we’re going to leave you to your own devices and pick the game that is best for you. The Pac-12 blog isn’t copping out by not picking one. But rather all four have their own element of interest that it’s pretty much impossible to go wrong. So Sean Hein, go to Tucson with a clear conscious and enjoy the game. For starters, you have the Bears visiting the Coliseum. I’m just as curious as everyone else to see what both teams are going to look like this late in the season. Has Cal found its footing with Sonny Dykes and are all of those yards the offenses is gaining translating into points? Or is his seat hotter? And we’re nearing the end of Steve Sarkisian’s first season as USC’s head coach. With a big game against UCLA looming next week, it’s going to be interesting to see exactly where the Trojans are at this late in the game. The last time Washington went to Tucson, the Huskies got whipped 52-17 behind four Matt Scott touchdown passes. Last year they returned the favor with a win at home -- though it’s safe to say those trips to the desert haven’t treated the Huskies well the last couple of seasons. By this point in the season, chances are these two teams will be jockeying for bowl placement, adding an extra element of excitement for both fan bases. The same can be said for ASU’s trip to Oregon State. Unless there has been catastrophic setbacks, both of these teams will likely be bowl eligible by this point in the season (or will need this game to become bowl eligible) so any game down the stretch takes a sense of urgency. And when you combine two of the top quarterbacks in the league in Sean Mannion and Taylor Kelly, you have the makings of an exciting offensive showdown. And finally there is a rematch of one of the biggest upsets in the Pac-12 last season. If Arizona over Oregon was No. 1, then Utah over Stanford was 1A. Yet despite getting that “signature” win they’d been looking for since joining the league, the Utes weren’t able to capitalize on it as they were plagued (again) with quarterback injuries. The Pac-12 blog was extremely impressed with the game plan then-offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson cooked up for the Cardinal. It will be interesting to see if Dave Christensen takes a similar tack. You can see the rest of the road trip here.
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