California might be the best team in the country

California just might be the best team in the country right now despite the season opening loss to Tennessee. Washington's schedule is rated the ninth toughest in the country, and I think the Bear's are arguably the best team on the schedule this year which included Oklahoma, USC, and Oregon.

What California brings to the table is excellence, and balance. The defense is one of the finest units in the country, and the offense can beat you with the run as well as the pass. The Bear's usually score a lot of points so last weekends 21-3 win over WSU while a quality win surprised many because of the low amount of scores in the game. It looked like Cal would roll big time after going up 21-3 in the first half, but the Cougars to their credit held them scoreless in the second half.

The Bear's are a pretty good bet to win out the rest of the year, but that one early loss may keep them out of the BCS title game. Texas, and Auburn need to lose again for that scenario to happen, and Texas simply doesn't have anyone left on the schedule that can take them. So in the end the Bear's may just have to be happy with a Rose Bowl. Since they haven't been to a Rose in quite some time I am sure that works for them.

On offense the Bear's are led by QB Nick Longshore, WR DeSean Jackson, and TB Marshawn Lynch. These guys play at a high level and are the best in the conference at their respective positions. The Bears are precise and deep on offense. Washington will be playing against the best guys in the conference at most positions, and the Bear receivers are by far the best group in the Pac Ten.

Defensively the Bear backfield shuts teams down. Even if the offense has an off day like last weekend against WSU they shut teams down. The defense is the main reason I feel the Bear's are playing better ball than anyone else in the country right now. The Bear's have become the old Huskies. Players that used to go to Washington from the Bay Area such as the Hoffmans, Fountaines...Etc... Are now going to California. Even local Washington players are gravitating toward the program as they have snagged a couple Washington coveted from O'Dea the past two years.

For Washington to win, or even keep it close it is going to take a Herculean effort. Even with Isaiah as QB Washington was going to be faced with a lot of challenges based on there most recent outing against Oregon State. Like PrrBrr said Ty is going to have to throw everything but the kitchen sink against them from the get go to have a chance at being competitive against a team that has handed Washington three straight humiliating trouncings.

Expect it to be business as usual for Tedford. No matter who the QB is he is going to apply pressure from the get go because he isn't going to be frightened to give up a long one provided Washington can find the time to throw the ball that long. Washington needs to be able to run the ball to keep the California D honest. Washington also needs to be able to burn them deep when Cal sends everyone. Whatever our coaches come up with it will be a daunting task.

Can Washington beat California?

The old saying is that on any given day any team can put together an upset of mammoth proportions. For Washington to win they are going to need plenty of turnovers and a short playing field. Washington's defense would have to play at a higher level then they have played in any game this season. Good example would be how they shut down UCLA in the second half, but Cal is way more potent than UCLA ever dreamed of being. Bonnell, or whoever they go with is going to have to have an incredible day. I think everyone on the team including the coaches would have to put together their best performance ever to have a chance to beat California.

Tidbits

Isaiah's injury isn't that common today among athlete's, but two other Huskies in recent years have had similar surgery. This injury was common in the 18th century for horsemen who fell out of their saddle and were hung up in the stirrup. Lisfranc injuries occur at the midfoot, where a cluster of small bones forms an arch on top of the foot between the ankle and the toes. From this cluster, five long bones (metatarsals) extend to the toes. The second metatarsal also extends down into the row of small bones and acts as a stabilizing force. The bones are held in place by connective tissues (ligaments) that stretch both across and down the foot. However, there is no connective tissue holding the first metatarsal to the second metatarsal. A twisting fall can break or shift (dislocate) these bones out of place. Operative treatment is needed to stabilize the bones and hold them in place until healing is complete. Pins, wires or screws may be used. Afterwards, the patient will have to wear a cast and limit weightbearing on the foot for six to eight weeks.

Stanford announced Tuesday that senior quarterback Trent Edwards will miss the final five games of the season after breaking a bone in his foot early in Saturday's game against Arizona. Edwards finishes his Stanford career seventh on the school's career total offense list.

These players are done for the season and will be sorely missed by their teams: Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson (broken collarbone), Georgia tailback Thomas Brown (torn ACL), Navy quarterback Brian Hampton (dislocated knee).

The ACC should ban the Hurricanes from playing in a postseason bowl game as punishment much like Clemson and South Carolina did after those teams fought during their 2004 finale. The hot-tempered Hurricanes probably wouldn't enjoy Boise, Idaho, in December anyhow. If you got a chance to see it on TV it was pretty out of control.

No coach has had a more trying 2006 than IU's Terry Hoeppner (15). He had offseason brain surgery, then three weeks into the year had to have additional surgery to remove scar tissue. By the time Hoeppner came back to the sidelines his team had lost at home to I-AA Southern Illinois and UConn. Then came an utter crushing at the hands of Wisconsin and its renegade band. But the Hoosiers and their coach showed some remarkable resilience the past two weeks, rallying from 20 points down to beat Illinois on the last play Oct. 7 and then shocking the No. 15 Hawkeyes. Hard not to applaud that.