Golden Blogs Staff Pac-12 Picks Week 9: All Twelve Teams Play! Can Cal or Wazzu Pull Off Upsets?

Hello and enjoy our picks for Week 9 of College Football, specifically Pac-12 and Cal, action. Let's take a look at our standings through Week 8.

Woah woah woah. Just a few weeks ago it looked like Nam would run away with the whole thing and all of a sudden we have a tie for first place! Ruey is only 4 points back and even last place Kevin and Nik (me) are only 13 points behind. I got a little help by being the only one who picked USC, only to give it back by being the only one to pick Oregon State. Also, we all got Cal wrong. Oh well.

Let's get to the picks. All teams are in action, including two that play on Thursday.

Lines are from the ESPN app as of Tuesday morning and some of them are different now.

OREGON @ ARIZONA STATE (THURSDAY 7:30 PM, ESPN)

Arizona State is a 2.5 point favorite

Slight majority sees the home team pulling out the win. Everyone sees a high scoring affair.

Nik Jam: Ducks are back.

PerryScope: The Ducks with Vernon Adams are a much better team.

Ruey Yen: Can see either team win, but when in doubt, go with the home team.

Berkelium97: This one is particularly intriguing, as both teams are coming off a bye week. It should be a high-scoring affair, as both pass defenses are bad. I'll give ASU the edge, as a hometown night crowd should ensure a rambunctious environment.

Andrew G Miller: Here are two pretty up and down teams, both coming off a bye. I think Oregon's athleticism makes the difference in this one.

KWBears: I'm expecting a shoot-out with the Sun Devils exploiting the Oregon D enough to win the game.

CAL VS. USC (SATURDAY NOON, FOX)

Cal is a 6 point underdog

We have a split! Three of us have Cal pulling off the big upset, but a majority sees USC pulling off yet another win against the Bears.

Nik Jam: I have a good feeling about this one... and it should be high scoring because Cal cannot win without getting to 30.

Nam Le: WE GONN WIN

PerryScope: Trenches will be our downfall

Ruey Yen: Gut feeling or homerism

Berkelium97: I've read this story before. It ends badly.

Andrew G Miller: Nope nope nope nope nope. The Bears won't be as bad as last week (how could they be?) but USC is doing their post-firing-a-head-coach-revival thing and also are probably the better football team.

KWBears: At this point, I have no faith in Cal's line play - on both sides. I'm expecting a slaughter by the Trojans at home.

COLORADO @ #24 UCLA (SATURDAY NOON, PAC-12 NETWORKS)

UCLA is a 21 point favorite

Huge spread for UCLA. Can they cover? They beat Cal convincingly but a majority doesn't think Colorado will be put away that easily.

Nik Jam: UCLA might look past this game and Colorado could give the Bruins are scare.

PerryScope: Trap Game possibility. Let's see if Colorado can keep it close

Ruey Yen: UCLA wins but don't cover

Berkelium97: Bad Rosen could return and UCLA would still easily win this.

Andrew G Miller: UCLA cruises, but 21 points seems a little generous. The second half of the season is just brutal for the Buffs.

KWBears: What's the point of playing this game?! I do expect the Buffs to put-up a fight and limit the Bruins scoring a bit, but the Buffs will definitely lose.

OREGON STATE @ #13 UTAH (SATURDAY 5:00 PM, PAC-12 NETWORKS)

Utah is a 24 point favorite

Another high spread. This time, most think Utah should be able to cover the high spread.

Nik Jam: Utah may get to the over/under without Oregon State's help.

PerryScope: Again with the big underdog. Oregon State will most likely lose big but 24 points is a lot.

Ruey Yen: Utah bounces back with a vengeance

Berkelium97: Utah should cruise to a blowout victory over a woefully overmatched OSU squad.

Andrew G Miller: No one says I have to be logically consistent between my picks. Utah is about to unleash some anger after losing to USC.

KWBears: Again - what is the point of playing this game?! The Utes are mad and OSU really stinks. They should enact the mercy rule for this one.

#8 STANFORD @ WASHINGTON STATE (SATURDAY 7:30, ESPN)

Stanford is a 12 point favorite

Who would have thought this would be the game of the week? Most expect Furd to do their business, but a few hold out hope for Wazzu.

Nik Jam: I just want to believe, okay?

Ruey Yen: Furd wins but don't cover...as much as I would love to see a Wazzu win here

Berkelium97: I desperately want the Cougs to win this, but I have a hard time envisioning anything but a big Cardinal win. Stanford dominates both lines of scrimmage to run the Pirate's Air Raid ashore.

Andrew G Miller: Stanford could run the table up to their season-ender with Notre Dame. Funny how that happens.

KWBears: There will be a lot of points scored in this one, with Furd scoring barely enough to win.

ARIZONA @ WASHINGTON

No line because of Jake Browning's status. Asked staff to pick straight up based on whether he starts or not, with a prediction of total points scored. One point if within +/- 10 of the actual score.

Surprising faith in the Huskies even if Browning doesn't play. The Wildcats haven't looked all that great. How will things play out?

Nik Jam: Arizona's just better, in my view.

PerryScope: UW defense will get them the win

Ruey Yen: I don't have a good read on this year's Arizona team. I would not take my pick here (or any of my other picks) seriously at all.

Berkelium97: Both teams are struggling, but I'll give the nod to the home team. Also, I tend to favor defense when a good defense plays a good offense (though Arizona may not even be good at this point).

KWBears: UofA wins no matter what. They can't afford to lose again.

WILD CARD: LOCK OF THE WEEK

Pick a straight up winner from the following games for two points! No one is more than a 7 point favorite or underdog.

North Carolina @ #23 Pitt
Illinois @ Penn State
Virginia Tech @ Boston College
Georgia Tech @ Virginia
Georgia @ #11 Florida
#12 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
Texas @ Iowa State

Texas, Penn State, Florida each with two picks. Georgia Tech also gets some love.

Nik Jam: Florida's only a 3 point favorite for a reason. Big respect for Georgia but Florida should get it done at home. I haven't been right in a Lock of the Week pick yet though. Sorry Gator fans, my bad if they lose.

Ruey Yen: Just because I'll likely catch glimpses of the Penn State game living in Philly

Berkelium97: I almost picked Florida over Georgia, but I like the matchup of Georgia Tech against UVA's defense.

KWBears: The Gators are a real good team this year. The Bulldogs - not so much..

WILD CARD: UPSET OF THE WEEK

Three points for a correct upset (must be straight up) or one point if correct that all favorites win. FROM NOW ON I've allowed our staff to pick Pac-12 games with huge underdogs. The underdogs still have to win straight up though. No one is better than a 9 point underdog.

West Virginia @ #5 TCU
South Carolina @ Texas A&M
Syracuse @ #17 Florida State
Rutgers @ Wisconsin
Colorado @ #24 UCLA
NC State vs. #3 Clemson
Maryland @ #10 Iowa
UNLV vs. Boise State
Vanderbilt @ #18 Houston
Oregon State @ #13 Utah
Minnesota vs. #15 Michigan
#21 Temple vs. #9 Notre Dame
Washington State vs. #8 Stanford

Three picks for Washington State! South Carolina and NC State also get love.

Nik Jam: As I said earlier. I WANT TO BELIEVE.

PerryScope: Trap Game possibility after Clemson destroyed Miami.

Ruey Yen: Given what I wrote earlier, I clearly had a change of heart in the span of 30 seconds.

Berkelium97: I want to believe.

KWBears: I think the Gamecocks will pull-off a big win against the Aggies. Just a hunch.

CONCLUSION

Hope you enjoy the Halloween weekend. Sorry I kept most of my analysis short, I have had a lot of midterms and sleep deprivation this week. Hope I can get a little pick me up with a Cal win over $C. If they lose, at least I'll get to be with all of you at Memorial.

GO BEARS!