Golden Blogs Pick-Em Week 11: Big Test for #4 Washington

We’re almost in the home stretch! Three weeks left in the regular season and the games are becoming bigger and bigger. With one last tuneup before the biggest game of all - the Big Game, the Cal Bears look to get a huge upset win at WSU and have a little breathing room in the quest for six (wins) that’ll take place during the final homestand.

Elsewhere though, we have a huge showdown between Washington, looking to finish the season undefeated to earn a playoff spot, and USC who looks to play spoil and keep pace with Utah and Colorado in the South. Stanford/Oregon and UCLA/Oregon State feature three teams trying to salvage their season... and Oregon and UCLA in particular pretty much need to win if they want to go bowling.

It is time to show our picks for this week’s action. But first... last week’s results.

The only games with success was Arizona/WSU when 7 of 8 correctly predicted the romper than the Cougs put on the Cats. Other than that, and the Wild Card, there’s a lot of red. The problem was many of the games had double digit spreads. While the favorites won every time, Colorado and Stanford weren’t able to cover. Hopefully this week will be better with fewer big underdogs (besides our Cal Bears... sads).

You’ll notice this article was posted on Friday. Wasn’t there a game Thursday? Yes. But I was busy and there’s been a lot going on. But we did pick the game.

These are all VegasInsider lines as of Tuesday morning. I admittedly have not looked up what they’re at now.

#15 UTAH @ ARIZONA STATE

Arizona State (home team) was a 5.5 point underdog. There was a 58.5 point over/under.

Everyone picked Utah. Everyone was correct. The only split was the Over/Under. The Overs have it. Utah nearly got the over by themselves.

STANFORD @ OREGON

SATURDAY 1PM on Pac-12 Network, Oregon, Bay Area

Oregon (home team) is a 3 point underdog. Over/Under is 57.

Everyone except me has picked the Cardinal. Remember, an Oregon loss eliminates them from bowl contention, so this is a big one for them. Nonetheless, 7 of 8 don’t see them making a bowl game.

Nik Jam: Oregon needs the win more than Stanford does, and its in Eugene. So I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Ruey Yen: Oregon is bad this year

boomtho: Oregon vs USC was instructional in how Oregon would face against upper-conference talent.

Berkelium97: An increasingly healthy McCaffrey is going to run all over this Ducks defense.

Piotr T Le: McCaffrey will run Oregon down.

#20 USC @ #4 WASHINGTON

SATURDAY 4:30PM on FOX

Washington (home team) is an 8.5 point favorite. Over/Under is 62.5

Perhaps the biggest match of the Pac-12 season so far and seven of eight think the Huskies will get the two possession victory. Only Perry picked the Trojans, and he doesn’t make it clear whether he thinks UW will win a close one or if USC will win outright. Will you be watching this one?

Nik Jam: This is one the Huskies absolutely need to boost their resume. I think they show up.

Ruey Yen: UW pulls away late

boomtho: UW wins, with a decent margin. Such a complete team.

Berkelium97: USC has been good recently. But they haven't been THAT good.

Piotr T Le: Huskies will dominate on defense. I just feel it.

OREGON STATE @ UCLA

SATURDAY 6PM on Pac-12 Network, Oregon, Los Angeles

UCLA (home team) is a 12 point favorite. Over/Under is 50.5

You’d think this will be a slam dunk but there’s some respect given to the Beavers here. In fact, a 5-3 majority thinks this will be a close game or even an outright Beaver win.

Nik Jam: This will be a grinder, I think UCLA wins in overtime or at the last possession.

Ruey Yen: Even without Rosen, UCLA should take care of OSU

boomtho: 12 is a lot of points for a team that can't score w/o Rosen.

Berkelium97: I don't think OSU will win, but I'm not confident that this UCLA team can beat anyone by double digits.

Piotr T Le: UCLA wins on a FG in an underwhelming game.

#12 COLORADO @ ARIZONA

SATURDAY 7PM on Fox Sports 1

Arizona (home team) is a 15.5 point underdog. Over/Under is 57.5

Perry stands alone again as the only one giving faith to the Wildcats. A Colorado blowout seems impending.

Nik Jam: Wildcat fans have seen a lot of horror, and I don't see that changing. Get ready to leave at halftime.

Ruey Yen: Easy rout here

boomtho: 15.5 is a lot of points but AZ really is that bad.

Berkelium97: A ranked team visits Tuscon in November? Normally this is a recipe for one of those typical Arizona upsets, but Arizona has been atrocious. They'll probably get shut out.

PerryScope: Trap game alert

CAL @ #23 WASHINGTON STATE

SATURDAY 7:30PM on ESPN

Cal (road team) is a 14.5 point underdog. Over/Under is 83.5

Just like last week, a 50/50 split between Cal losing in blowout fashion and Cal merely losing close/winning outright. Wonder if Big Game and Cal/UCLA will feature more homerism or if its doooooom from here on out.

Nik Jam: Sad face

Ruey Yen: Cal makes this one interesting

boomtho: Wheels falling off at the wrong time for Cal.

Berkelium97: Cal's pass defense had trouble with communication/handing off assignments last week and they were repeatedly burned deep. Wazzu will feast on defenses like that.

Piotr T Le: First to 70 points wins.

PerryScope: Boy what a shootout we have on our hands

WILD CARD: LOCK OF THE WEEK

#12 Penn State -6.5 (@ Indiana)

#11 West Virginia +2 (@ Texas)

#19 LSU -7 (@ Arkansas)

Tulsa -1.5 (@ Navy)

Vanderbilt +3.5 (@ Missouri)

South Florida -3 (@ Memphis)

Other

Penn State gets the plurality as they travel to Indiana and there is a conflicting Indiana pick. Conflicting picks with Texas and West Virginia is also there.

Nik Jam (Texas): I imagine West Virginia will be a popular pick (Whoops), but I like Texas at home so I will try to pick up points on everyone else.

WILD CARD: UPSET OF THE WEEK

South Carolina (12 point underdogs @ #22 Florida) [3]

Kentucky (12.5 point underdogs @ Tennessee) [3]

Texas Tech (12.5 point underdogs @ #17 Oklahoma State) [3]

Georgia Tech (13.5 point underdogs @ #18 Virginia Tech) [3]

#25 Baylor (15.5 point underdogs @ #9 Oklahoma) [3]

Pittsburgh (20.5 point underdogs @ #3 Clemson) [3]

Iowa (21 point underdogs @ #2 Michigan) [3]

Illinois (26.5 point underdogs @ #7 Wisconsin) [4]

Maryland (28 point underdogs vs. #6 Ohio State) [4]

Mississippi State (29 point underdogs @ #1 Alabama) [4]

OTHER [2-5 based on point spread]

The above 10 teams, and others selected, lose. [1]

Every week has seen a choice win. Nonetheless Nam and I don’t see an upset. Texas Tech and Kentucky each get two picks, and there’s also Baylor & South Carolina.

Ruey Yen (Kentucky): Hurd transferring demoralizes the Vols

boomtho (South Carolina): Florida without their QB.

Piotr T Le (Texas Tech): Tortillas everywhere.

CLOSING

Hang in there, Bear fans, we need everyone in good spirits for Big Game, regardless of what happens tomorrow. Go Bears!