2. Stanford (9-1, 7-1 Pac-12)
LW: 1
Stanford’s dream season upended by Oregon two years running. Defense was unable to stop Oregon’s ground game. Still a shot at the title if Oregon loses two and Cardinal beat Bears on Saturday. Win out and Fiesta Bowl berth also a possibility.

3. USC (8-2, 5-2)
LW: 3
Dominant win over Washington after dropping the last two to the Huskies on last second field goals. No bowl game? No problem for these Trojans. #KiffinHatersForKiffin

4. Utah (6-4, 3-4)
LW 7
Utes Capture third conference win in a row and bowl eligibility. Good turn around for a team that started out 0-4 in conference play. Games against WSU and Colorado remaining make an 8-4 season a very real possibility for the newbies.

5. Washington (6-4, 4-3)
LW: 4
No last minute heroics for the Huskies this time, the score wasn’t even close. Huskies have beaten ok and bad teams, but lost poorly to the top teams they have faced. Washington will need to finish strong to avoid a dissapointing end to what started as a promising season. Defense continues to be a problem, and O-line is not helping either.

6. Cal (6-4, 3-4)
LW: 8
Bears join the Utes in earning a bowl spot this week with win over struggling Oregon State team. Can Cal pull the upset in this years edition of the Big Game or will Stanford take out its frustrations on them following the Oregon loss?

7. UCLA (5-5, 4-3)
LW: 5
Bruins were unable to make it three in a row, losing soundly to Utah in a cold, windy game in Salt Lake City. Not exactly what the sons of Westwood are used to weather wise. One thing not cooling off is the hot seat Rick Neuheisal is sitting on. Bruins have two more shots to make the post season.

8. Washington State (4-6, 2-5)
LW: 11
Stunning upset and spectacular QB outting by freshman Connor Halliday. Win out and Cougs will be playing in the post season for first tiem in years, might even save Paul Wulff’s job if they are competitive in final games.

9. ASU (6-4, 4-3)
LW: 6
Turns out the UCLA loss wasn’t a fluke after all. Arizona State, once the Pac-12 South presumptive champion is in a free fall after a strong start. Giving up 500 yards through the air is a tough way to win football games. Maybe the frigid, snowy Pullman weather got to the Sun Devils.

10. Colorado (2-8, 0-6)
LW: 12
Another upset, Buffs climbing out of the cellar with win over Arizona and earning Colorado’s first Pac-12 victory. Arizona State is going to be pulling for another upset win for the Buffs over UCLA.

11. Oregon State (2-8, 2-5)
LW: 10
This season has been nothing short of a disaster for the Beavers starting with the opening weekend loss to Sacramento State. Only where to go from here is up, but likely not soon as the remaining games are against Washington and Oregon.

12. Arizona (2-8, 1-7)
LW: 9
Arizona didn’t just lose to Colorado, they lost bad. Wheatever spark they had in the UCLA game following former coach Mike Stoops firing has dissipated. Rivalry game tommorow and then non-conf matchup against Louisianna Lafeyette to end the season for the Wildcats who get to “enjoy” the bottom for while.

You need four things to make your own soap: a 5-gallon bucket, washing soda, borax and Fels Naptha soap. You can also use Zote soap or something equivalent.

Grate the Fels Naptha and put it in a saucepan.

Cover it with warm water and put it over medium-low heat, stirring until the soap dissolves.

In the meantime, put one cup of washing soda and half a cup of borax in the five gallon bucket.

When the soap is dissolved, pour the soap mixture into the bucket and stir until the powders are dissolved.

Fill the bucket the rest of the way with warm water and set it aside. The bucket will be heavy (duh).

In the morning, stir it again. Then, fill an empty laundry container with half water, half soap solution. Give it a shake. If you have a top loader, use a cup of your mix for each wash. Front loaders, use a third of a cup.

Some folks swear by using a little vinegar during the rinse cycle to keep colors bright as well.

Voila! It’s that easy.

If you’re crunchy, you can also pat yourself on the back since soap is more environmentally friendly than detergent because its ingredients biodegrade more readily.

1. Stanford (9-0, 7-0 Pac-12)
LW: 1
Oregon States defense proved to be suprisingly stout in this game, shutting out the Cardinal in the first quarter and limiting them to only 38 points. In fact it was surprisingly close OSU trailed by only 4 points until Stanford pulled away late in the third quarter. The Cardinal will have to perform better on offense if they hope to beat the other Oregon school. On the other hand the defense did more than enough, limiting the Beavers to 13 points and only 33 rushing yards.

2. Oregon (8-1, 6-0)
LW: 2
Stanford’s offense wasn’t the only one that struggled relative to its usual results last weekend. Oregon was held to under 35 points for the first time since the season opening loss to LSU, and half those points were gift wrapped for the Ducks thanks to big Husky mistakes. Still the defense, like Stanford’s, was stout. Against Andrew Luck and the Cardinal on Saturday they will have to be if they hope to come away with a win.

3. USC (7-2, 4-2)
LW: 3
One week after the Trojan’s triple overtime loss to Stanford, the Trojan’s bounced back and then some, dominating beleagured Colorado in a 42-17 romp. Can Matt Barkley and co. break former Trojan coach Steve Sarkisians run of two against his former team? My guess is yes, the Trojans aren’t battling the same second half sloppiness on D that helped the Huskies win games the past two years. Any other season and we’d be looking forward to seeing this USC team in the Pac-12 championship game.

4. Washington (6-3, 4-2)
LW: 5
How do you move a team up after a loss, especially one in which the offense played so poorly? It was a tough call. The gap between 3 and 4 is huge at the moment in my mind, but I still think the Huskies are one of the best mid-tier Pac-12 teams right now. More on that below. The Huskies need to bounce back from that offensive egg they laid in the final home game in Husky Stadium until 2013 if they hope to have a chance of threepeating against USC this weekend.

5. UCLA (5-4, 4-2)
LW: 7
Like a lot of people I’d written off the Bruins as dead, but they have shown an impressive fortitude in bouncing back after the blowout loss to Arizona. I still think they Huskies are better than the Bruins, hence the 4-5 ranking of the two, but i’m giving UCLA the nod over ASU this week even though its probable that the Sun Devils would win that game more often than not.

6. ASU (6-3, 4-2)
LW: 4
ASU went from controlling its own destiny to need the Bruins to drop a couple down the stretch if they hope to make it to the Pac-12 title game this year. A surprising upset for a team many felt would have a breakout year. Still plenty of time to bounce back, and a game against tumbling Washington State provides the perfect opportunity to do so.

7. Utah (5-4, 2-4)
LW 6
The Utes picked up their second conference victory and are one win away from being bowl eligible. Utah was able to capitalize on three Arizona turnovers to pull ahead early and stay ahead in this Pac-12 south matchup. An 8-4 finish is very doable for the youngest members of the Pac-12, but first up a surprising UCLA team.

8. Cal (5-4, 2-4)
LW: 9
In a must win game if the bears were to have a good chance at making the post-season the Bears were dominant. Now they need to continue to play as well against Oregon State this weekend. Win and they reach 6 and bowl eligibilty, which given the record of the rest of the Pac-12 plus USC’s bowl ban, all but gaurentees a spot in a Pac-12 affiliated bowl game.

9. Arizona (2-7, 1-6)
LW: 8
Arizona meanwhile is out of the race for post season play after a loss to Utah. Three turnovers, two of them INT’s by the otherwise impressive Nick Foles set the Wildcats up for failure. All thats left is to play for pride. Losing to Colorado on Saturday would be a kick in the gut to this allready reeling program.

10. Oregon State (2-7, 2-4)
LW: 11
Oegon Sate too will be staying home for the holidays, the loss to Stanford, although surprisingly competitive until late is still a loss and the Beavers are staring straight into the face of a 2-10 season with final games against Cal, Washington and Oregon.

11. Washington State (3-5, 1-4)
LW: 10
Paul Wulff says that he inherited the worst BCS team in the country when he bacame coach, and he may be right, but that was four season ago and with the Cougars on course to a 3-9 finish on the year all he can console himself with is the knowledge that the program is better than where he found it. But better and good enough aren’t the same thing. Short of a miracle 3-0 final run, its fairly safe to say we are seeing the last days of Wulff as the Cougars head man.

12. Colorado (1-8, 0-5)
LW: 12
Another week, another blow out loss by the Buffs. Colorado’s best chance to climb out of the bottom of this list and notch another conference victory is this weekend with a game against Arizona, but its not a great chance. Colorado is just no that good.

I am saddened to discover that my fears have come true. And this isn’t a “scandal” in the lame NCAA sense, where some kids drove cars around when they shouldn’t have because the NCAA has stupid rules. No, this scandal is the worst thing ever to happen to a college football program. We’ve all been shocked and saddened by the allegations that young boys were molested by a former Penn State coordinator. The crimes are heinous. And the repercussions are only beginning.

Many columnists have written what they think should happen to those who let this abhorrent crime continue on their watch. And I had opinions on it as well. But those are moot now, for Paterno has been fired. The post-Paterno world that all Penn State fans knew was coming is here. In a way that even the most pessimistic believed was impossible.

I’m saddened. Saddened because of what happened to so many young boys. Saddened that more wasn’t done to prevent this. And also saddened that Paterno’s legacy will be remembered this way. Saddened that people will forget what he contributed to education, to civil rights, to the community of State College, PA.

A tweet from the Macworld writer Jason Snell says it well: “It’s a crying shame that this is how Joe Paterno’s career ends. But it had to be done, and he brought it on himself.”

1. Stanford (8-0, 6-0 Pac-12)
LW: 1
It was an epic matchup between the Cardinal and the Trojans, a thrilling triple overtime battle that ended in Stanfords favor to preserve their perfect season and potentially a shot at the National Championship Game. Oregon still to come however. This week a gimme against Oregon State.

2. Oregon (7-1, 5-0)
LW: 2
After a nearly flawless performance against Colorado the Ducks looked far from perfect in this matchup against a mediocre Washington State even with the return of LaMichael James and Darron Thomas. Perhaps looking ahead to this weekends game agaisnt bitter rival Washington?

3. USC (6-2, 3-2)
LW: 3
Trojans were THIS close to pulling the upset, but a costly fumble in the third overtime ended their efforts. Probably the best USC has played all season. Look for them to win easily at Colorado tonight.

4. ASU (6-2, 4-1)
LW: 4
Nothing but smooth sailing for the Sun Devils who rolled Colorado. A win over UCLA secures them a spot in the Pac-12 championship game, likely against Stanford or a rematch with Oregon. Regardless, the Sun Devils are going bowling after notching their 6th win.

5. Washington (6-2, 4-1)
LW: 5
An exciting game against a surprisingly competitive Arizona team, but improved defense and a standout performance by Husky RB Chris Polk, who became the first Husky to gain over 100 yards in both rushing AND reciving in a single game, proppeled the Dawgs to victory and bowl eligibility. A far cry from the 0-12 team of 2008. Did I mention Chris Polk’s 5 TD’s?

6. Utah (4-4, 1-4)
LW9
Congrats to the Utes on their first Pac-12 conference win and taking another step towards post-season play. With four games remaining against the Pac-12’s mediocre to bad bottom half the Utes might end up 8-4 by seasons end, but 6-6 should be a gimmee. Don’t go Cougin it now newbs.

7. UCLA (4-4, 2-3)
LW: 10
They get knocked down, they get up again, the Bruins are yo-yoing through this season. Will they make a bowl, perhaps saving Rich Neuheisals job or are the Westwood faithful fed up with watching their teams mediocrity year after year despite numerous talented players. I’d say short of a season ending victory over USC, this is a team looking for a new coach for next year. For now though, enjoy the 7 spot Bruins.

8. Arizona (2-6, 1-5)
LW: 8
For about 3 quarters the Wildcats played up to the Huskies level, especially on offense, but injuries and physical play from the Dawgs wore them out and the final quarter of the game turned out to be too much for Arizona. Wildcats may pull of a win at home vs Utah and will certainly win against Colorado, but I think there is little chance they win against ASU. Expect Arizona to pull up short at 5-7, cursing the week 5 loss to Oregon State that kept them out of a bowl game.

9. Cal (4-4, 1-4)
LW: 6
Bears dropped a much needed game against UCLA to fall back to .500 on the season. A loss to WSU this weekend would be devestating as it would mean the Bears need an upset win over Stanford, ASU or BOTH to reach a bowl game. Is it time for Tedford to be done?

11. Washington State (3-5, 1-4)
LW: 8
Cougars were surprisingly competitive against Oregon, in the game until late in the 3rd quarter. Even more surprising is how much closer the game could have been but for some key red zone misses by Wazzu. However even head man Paul Wulff has said the time for moral victories is long gone. WSU will probably be another team spending the holidays at home this year.

11. Oregon State (2-6, 2-3
LW: 7
You just notched your second win in a dominant offensive performance against WSU, and how do you follow it up? With a pathetic 8 points against Utah? Sorry Beavers but you’ve earned this spot. Lucky for you Colorado has all but locked up the bottom spot for the rest of the season. Beavers fans should just stat planning for next year.

12. Colorado (1-8, 0-5
LW: 12
Could the Buffs season get any worse? Probably not, but its also not going to get aany better. I see no reason to believe Colorado won’t lose out and spend the rest of the year at the bottom of this (and mnay other) lists. Tough road ahead for Coach Embree and company.

1. Stanford (7-0, 5-0 Pac-12)
LW: 1
The Cardinal made a strong statement on Saturday with their pummeling of the Huskies, the only team on their schedule so far who has a winning record. Stanford dominated on both sides of the ball, especially up front. As they continue moving through the meatier part of their schedule, the Cardinal can help themselves in the BCS standings with wins while hoping more teams at the top stumble. With games left against USC and Oregon, plus the Pac-12 championship game (likely against Arizona State), Stanford stands a reasonable shot at playing for the national title.

2. Oregon (6-1, 4-0)
LW: 2
The Ducks played a nearly flawless game, their only real mistake was allowing a safety, and ruining their shutout game against the Buffalo. Without star players La Michael James and Darron Thomas no less. I doubt WSU will give them much trouble this week.

3. USC (6-1, 3-1)
LW: 5
Notre Dame was picked to win by at least a touch down. The Irish were rolling and were going to make it two straight against the Trojans with a victory in this game. Someone apparently forgot to tell the Trojans that. They beat the Irish by a two TD margin. Afterwards a number of Trojan players commented that it looked like the Irish defense gave up towards the end. Yeah I think this rivalry is alive and well. With the win USC SHOULD have become bowl eligible, but of course the NCAA sucks.

4. ASU (5-2, 3-1)
LW: 4
The Sun Devils had a week off to like their wounds from the beat down Oregon’s backups gave them. Still the odds on favorite for the Pac-12 South Championship and a possible rematch with the Ducks in December.

5. Washington (5-2, 3-1)
LW: 3
That thud you hear is the sound of the Cardinal O-line knocking out the Huskies D-line. The Huskies have improved dramatically since bottoming out in 2008, but still have a way to go before they can be an elite team in the conference again, especially on defense. Still Washington SHOULD notch their sixth win and bowl eligibility on Saturday against Arizona at home, as long as they aren’t looking ahead to the matchup with bitter rival Oregon.

6. Cal (4-3, 1-3)
LW: 9
Two teams with winless conference record entered Memorial Stadium AT&T Park on Saturday but the Bears left with the win in lopsided fashion. Despite 8 penalties against them Cal controlled the ground and the air, holding the Utes to under 180 yards of offense (including a mere 13 on the ground) while getting more than double that total themselves. Three winnable games ahead for the Bears, who only need two to reach a bowl.

7. Oregon State (2-5, 2-2)
LW: 10
Despite a rough start to their season the Beavers aren’t rolling over just yet. An upset win over WSU moved OSU to 2-2 in conference, but the path to a winning season is going to require more dramatic wins with games against Stanford, Washington and Oregon still to come.

8. Arizona (2-5, 1-4)
LW: 12
How would the Wildcats react two weeks after losing their head coach? Quite well it turns out. They walloped the visiting Bruins by 36 points. However their brief resurgence could be cut short by a visit to Washington on Saturday night.

9. Utah (3-4, 0-4)
LW: 6
Freshman blues continue for Utah after dropping another conference game and slipping to 3-4 overall. They can still salvage their season and earn their first conference win against Oregon State. The remainder of their schedule is filled with fellow teams from the conferences bottom half so the Utes can prove they don’t belong at the bottom…or that they do.

10. UCLA (3-4, 2-2)
LW: 7
The Rick Neuheisal farewell tour continue on with a humbling loss to Arizona whose last FBS win came against the Bruins last year. The race is on to see whether Slick Rick can outlast his fellow coach on the hot seat Paul Wulff.

11. Washington State (3-4, 1-3)
LW: 8
Speaking of Paul Wulff, things are not rosy in Pullman, when even the student paper is calling for your head. The cries will undoubtedly get louder after the Cougs inevitably lose in Eugene on Saturday. Despite slow improvement it may not be enough for the Coug faithful. Perhaps WSU can use some of their revenue from the new Pac-12 media deal to afford a better coach. As a Husky fan I sure hope Wulff gets one more year.

12. Colorado (1-7, 0-4)
LW: 11
If Utah thought it was rough being the new kid in town they can at least be glad they aren’t Colorado. The Buffs would have been better off just staying home on Saturday. In addition to being humiliated on the field, two more players were added to Colorado’s already high injured list. Oh yeah, the Buffalo also became the first bowl ineligible team for the Pac-12 (excluding of course unfairly ineligible USC).

1. Stanford (6-0, 4-0 Pac-12)
LW: 1 North
A bit of a slow start for the Cardinals against an improved Washington State team, but it was a blowout by games end. Stanford becomes the first bowl eligible team for the Pac-12. Expect Oregon to join them this weekend, and Washington and ASU the following week.

2. Oregon (5-1, 3-0)
LW: 2 North
Not only were the Ducks ok without star running back LaMichael James, turns out they didn’t need starting QB Darron Thomas either, who was injured in the early second half of the game on Saturday. True freshman back up Bryan Bennett led the Ducks on four scoring drives from that point on to secure the 41-27 win. Maybe that money they’ve been playing to steer recruits to Eugene has been worth it after all!

3. Washington (5-1, 3-0)
LW: 3 North
The score for the Huskies win over Colorado was an impressive 52-24 and it could easily have been a lot bigger after head coach Stever Sarkisian and the Huskies coasted to the finish for an entire quarter, with backup QB Nick Montana in starting with the last drive of the 3rd quarter. Washington has become a bit of a dark horse candidate to take the Pac-12 North. If they can upset Stanford on the road this weekend don’t be surprised if they don’t run the table from here on out. Thats a big if though.

4. ASU (5-2, 3-1)
LW: 1 South
Arizona State had a chance to make a statement against Oregon on Saturday but fell far short. The second half defensive collapse against a depleted (but still potent) Oregon offense showed that the power in the Pac-12 is in the North this year. The Sun Devil’s continue to be their own worst enemy with sloppy play and unneccesary and ill-timed penalties killing game changing opportunities. ASU may have used its agressive, contentious style to get where it is but its not going to get much further without cleaning up its act.

5. USC (5-1, 3-1)
LW: 2 South
USC rolled over Cal in this one, holding the Bears scoreless in the first half and to only 9 points for the whole game. Expect a better game from the opponent this week in the annual match up against Notre Dame. Despite comments by USC AD Pat Haden that the players don’t treat this rivalry as important as in years past, players have come out to claim they do indeed feel the intensity. We’ll see if they can bring it this weekend and #OccupyNotreDameStadium.

6. Utah (3-3, 0-3)
LW: 4 South
I’m jumping the Utes back over the Bruins based on a quality win at Pittsburgh and the fact that the Utes three conference losses come against the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ranked teams above. The Utes could easily go 6-0 over the remaining schedule since they don’t play Oregon or Stanford. Barring a complete collapse I expect the Ute’s to be bowl eligible by seasons end, probably much sooner. That said I think the next four teams are largely interchangeable at this point.

7. UCLA (3-3, 2-1)
LW: 3 South
A must win game for the Bruins tonight against a reeling Arizona. Lose this one and Rick Neuheisal almost certainly finds himself in the unemployment line alongside former Wildcats head coach Mike Stoops. Win and the Bruins have a real shot at making a bowl game and keep Slick Rick around for another year. I’m picking fUCLA for the win tonight.

8. Washington State (3-3, 1-2)
LW: 5 North
WSU continues to show improvement, hanging with Stanford for a half is impressive, but they have a long way to go as evidenced by the second half performance. A must (and should) win for the Cougs against Oregon State this weekend, they have a much tougher road to the post-season than either Utah or UCLA. Oregon, ASU, Washington, and Utah are all still to come, even Cal might not be a win for the Cougs. That last minute loss to UCLA really hurt.

9. Cal (3-3, 0-3)
LW: 4 North
I continue to wonder how long Jeff Tedford will hang on to his job. Yes he showed some success with the Bears in the past, but that good will has to be wearing thin, especially after the woeful performance last Thursday. Five turnovers and a non-existent running game had the Bears looking more like Cubs. A win against newcomer Utah would certainly help things for the Bears who have a very winable slate over the next four weeks, but given their play of late it looks pretty loseable too.

10. Oregon State (1-5, 1-2)
LW: 6 North
There is a pretty clear line between the top 5 and the middle 4 in the Pac, and another clear line between the middle 4 and the bottom 3. For now, Oregon with their one conference win sits precariously atop this bottom trio. A huge missed opportunity at home versus BYU. Perhaps 1 or 2 more wins on the schedule for the Beavers but a 1-11 season looms large for the current Pac-12 North doormats.

11. Colorado (1-6, 0-3)
LW: 5 South
Following a pounding by Stanford the Buffs headed to Seattle where they suffered another big defeat at the hands of fellow Rick Nueheisal abuse victims Washington. As I said last week the Buffs will be 1-9 when Arizona comes to town for the fight for the bottom of the Pac-12 South.

12. Arizona (1-5, 0-4)
LW: 6 South
The good news for the Wildcats? They didn’t lose last week. The bad news? Its only because they didn’t play. Nick Foles is about the only positive you’ll find on this team and his skill probably won’t be enough to will Arizona to victory tonight, even against a mediocre UCLA team.

NORTH

1. Stanford (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12)
LW 1
No surprises from the Cardinal who steam rolled both UCLA and Colorado. Andrew Luck continues making his case for the Heisman and a visit to Pullman, WA to take on the Cougars this weekend doesn’t look to be any different than the previous five games.

2. Oregon (4-1, 2-0)
LW 2
It was another slow start for the Ducks, but the end wasn’t even close. The downside for the Ducks? An injury to star running back LaMichael “Arms aren’t supposed to bend that way” James who will be out for an indefinite period. Can Backup Kenjon Barner fill the void left by the talented James? Will it matter given the success of the rest of the Duck’s O?

3. Washington (4-1, 2-0)
LW 3
After a strong showing against new comer Utah the Huskies had their bye week before taking on the other freshman of the league Colorado this weekend. The Huskies offerense continued to perform but the surprise was the imrpovement of the Huskies previously porous defense. Could they have taken the next step or is Utah worse than we thought?

4. Cal (3-2, 0-2)
LW 4
Second straight loss for the Bears who fall to 0-2 in conference play. After being walloped by Oregon last Thursday (and how bad were those all white uniforms?!?) can the Bears turn it around against USC this Thursday? I doubt it. Cal may stumble to a 6-6 finish with games against Utah, UCLA, WSU and OSU to play but I don’t expect a win against the Trojans this week.

5. Washington State (3-2, 1-1)
LW 5
The Cougs followed up an impressive last minute come from behind victory over Colorado with a dissapointing 4th quarter collapse against UCLA. Washington State is hampered by the continued absence of QB Jeff Tuel but that may not be enough to stave off the calls for a coaching change if Paul Wulff can’t eke out at least 6 wins this season. Losing a very winnable game against the Bruins doesn’t give much wiggle room with games against Pac-12 top dogs Stanford, Oregon and ASU still to come.

6. Oregon State (1-4, 1-2)
LW 6
No winless season for the Beavers who knocked off a struggling Arizona team at home on Saturday. Still Oregon State doesn’t have much to brag about, they nearly blew it, allowing Arizona to pull with 3 early in the fourth quarter despite an ealier 24 point lead. Perhaps they can copy fellow Pac-12 member Utah’s performance when they take on BYU on Saturday, but even with the Cougars struggles at QB its still a long shot for the home team.

SOUTH

1. ASU (5-1, 3-0)
LW 1
With wins against USC and Utah now behind them ASU is the official front runner for the inaugural Pac-12 South title. A trip to Oregon this weekend looks to be the only strong challenge for the Sun Devils who finish out the season against a slate of bottom tier conference opponents. Can they upset last years conference champ? Without leading rusher LaMichael James, Oregon is as vulnerable as it might get.

2. USC (4-1, 2-1)
LW 3
USC took an early lead before allowing Arizona back in it in the second half in a shootout in the Coliseum. Stil the Trojans came out with a win and Matt Barkley had a record setting day throwing for 468 yards and 4 TDs. Like a number of other Pac-12 teams USC has had no problems on offense, but struggled on defense. Trojan’s were off last week prepping for Thursdays matchup against a struggling Cal Bears team.

3. UCLA (3-3, 2-1)
LW 4
Despite a blowout loss to Stanford and almost losing at home to visiting Washington State the Bruins rise to number 3 in the South largely due to how bad the rest of the division is right now. With QB Richard Brehaut out witha broken leg the Bruins will have to rely again on former starter Kevin Prince to lead them down the stretch. Fortunately for the Bruins they have very winable games against Arizona, Cal, Utah and Colorado still to come. Rick Neuheisal might survive another year yet.

4. Utah (2-3, 0-3)
LW 2
Some, including yours truly, expected the Utes to possibly contend for the Pac-12 south. At this point it seems clear that just getting to a bowl game may be a tough challenge for the Utes. Proof that they can’t cut it in the big leagues? Some might say so but I don’t think its the conference grind that are hurting the Utes, I think this team just isn’t as good as Ute teams of the past. Also keep in mind that USC, ASU and Washington are three of the better Pac-12 teams this year. Remaining games against fellow bottom dwellers like Arizona and Colorado could be much more winable. On the other hand they just lost starting QB Jordan Wynn, so it could be a tough road from here on out regardless of who they play.

5. Colorado (1-5, 0-2)
LW 5
The Buffs let an opportunity slip away as they were unable to hold a 10 point lead in the waning minutes of their October 1st game against WSU. Then Stanford absolutely pounded them in a 48-7 loss. Next up for the Buffs? Washington, Oregon, ASU, and USC. Expect Colorado to be a dismal 1-9 and bowl ineligible by the time their next winnable match against Arizona in a month.

6. Arizona (1-5, 0-4)
LW 6
How bad are the Wildcats? Bad enough they lost to previously winless Oregon State at home on Saturday. Bad enough that they haven’t won a game against an FBS opponent since beating UCLA on October 30th last year, over 10 games ago. Bad enough that head coach Mike Stoops was canned yesterday. If the Wildcats win another game this year I’ll be shocked.

My passion followed me to college, where I had MY first Mac, a PowerMacintosh G3 tower. I even had a couple Apple posters on the walls in my dorm room. Two years later when my brother went to college he got my G3 and I upgraded to a shiny new G4 tower. From there it kept going. A G4 iMac, a G5 iMac, and my current iMac a Core2 Duo machine. I’ve owned every model of iPhone since the first one, and I use my iPad more than my desktop computer. I’ve followed the keynotes, watched the videos, and truly enjoyed using your products, so many of them ground breaking, over the years.

But I think my favorite moment relating to Apple technology happened just this summer. Earlier this spring my nephew was born, the first in a new generation of our family. He and his parents were living in Chicago at the time so it was hard for the whole family to get to see him in person, especially my elderly grandparents, whose health isn’t what it used to be. While visiting them in California this summer, someone, I can’t recall who, remarked that it was too bad we didn’t have a fast enough computer or internet connection (they still only have dial up!) to do a video chat so they could see and interact with their great grandson for the first time in something other than pictures. At that moment it hit me, we DID have a way to do it. I had my iPhone 4, and a healthy 3G connection at their house! We made the arrangements and one afternoon we got Grandma and Grandpa together in the kitchen together, made the call and then I handed them my iPhone. It was, as you would say, a truly magical moment. The joy on their faces as they saw their great grandson in action for the first time, as they talked to him, listened to him make those cute noises babies make, and saw him moving around, it was like the weight of their age lifted off their shoulders for those few minutes.

So for inspiring me to a life of passion about computers I thank you, but my biggest thanks is for helping to enable moments like the ones my grandparents were able to share with my nephew. That story and millions of others like it are the legacy you have left behind. Today we lost a true visionary, your family lost a loved one, and we all mourn for that loss, but we also celebrate the creations you have helped usher in that have changed and enriched our lives. I regret that I never had the opportunity to meet you, but even without that personal connection you have touched my life and so many others. Thank you Steve. Rest in peace.

NORTH
1. Stanford (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12)
LW 1
Official bye week for the Cardinal (as opposed to the unofficial ones in week 1 and 2 against SJSU and Duke). Up next? A home date with UCLA. The Cardinal may have the easiest schedule in the nation at this point.

2. Oregon (3-1, 1-0)
LW 2
The Ducks took an early lead as LaMichael James racked up an impressive 288 rushing yards for the day. Arizona started to cut into the lead in the third quarter but their rally fell short thanks to the impressive offensive performance of Oregon. The Ducks’ D was less impressive, allowing Wildcats QB Nick Foles to throw for nearly 400 yards. A problem for a team that hopes to repeat as conference champs with a long shot chance at making it back to the national championship.

3. Washington (3-1, 1-0)
LW 3
The first half of this game looked just about the same as the rest of Washington’s season so far. Strong offensive performance while the defense let the opposing QB seemingly throw at will. It wasn’t until the second half that the defense began to hold in key situations, holding the Bears to just 3 points and making a key last minute goal line stand to hold off Cal. QB Keith Price continues to shine, but the defense will need to show dramatic improvement if the Huskies hope to improve on last year’s 7-6 finish. Had this not been a home game, it very well could have gone the other way.

4. Cal (3-1, 0-1)
LW 4
Cal’s offense was impressive early on in this game, including a record-setting 90 yard pass to score the opening TD in the game. The second half saw an offense that couldn’t finish its drives in part due to key plays by the Husky D, but also due to mistakes on their own part. In the end, despite a +2 turnover advantage, the Bears couldn’t get it done and now face a tough stretch of games against Oregon, USC and Utah.

5. Washington State (2-1, 0-0)
LW 5
A week off for the Cougs to recover after a loss to San Diego State. Two very winnable games ahead for the Cougars against Colorado and UCLA, but they are both on the road. There is little room for error for a team trying to make it back to a bowl game for the first time in years and to save the job of Coach Paul Wulff.

6. Oregon State (0-3, 0-1)
LW 6
An embarrassing loss for the Beavers, who are looking to secure their place at the bottom of the Pac-12. Redshirt freshman QB Sean Mannion was no more effective than benched former starter Ryan Katz in leading Oregon State to victory. Could be a long, possibly winless season for the Beavers.

SOUTH
1. ASU (3-1, 1-0)
LW 3
Huge win for the Sun Devils pursuing the first ever Pac-12 South title. Not only did they beat one of the two likely competitors in USC, they snapped a losing streak that lasted beyond the past decade with their first win over the Trojans since Brendan and I were freshman roommates at USC, and Paul Hackett was the coach. ASU finished strong while the Trojans sputtered. Expectations were high for this year’s team, but that’s been true before for ASU, and they haven’t lived up to the hype. Maybe this year, they will. They passed a key test with this win. Saturday’s game against woeful Oregon State should be a cakewalk.

2. Utah (2-1, 0-1)
LW 2
Week off for the Utes to savor a huge victory against a bitter rival and prepare for visiting Washington in their Pac-12 home opener. Could be another high-scoring affair. Utes are favored, but Washington’s offense will test the Utah defense.

3. USC (3-1, 1-1)
LW 1
USC hadn’t lost to ASU since 1999. Not only did they lose, they lost big, and that was after pulling ahead by 1 in the third quarter. Embarrassing loss for the Trojans, who just couldn’t finish. A sign of the lack of post-season possibilities getting to the Trojans? Poor Kiffin coaching? Can the Trojans rebound at home against Arizona? If not, it could be a long season for the Men of Troy.

4. UCLA (2-2, 1-0)
LW 6
UCLA has won two close games against terrible opponents. They also lost against a mediocre Houston team and a decent Texas. Honestly, I’ll be shocked if the Bruins get to six wins and a bowl game this year. I’d have ranked them lower if either of the other two teams below had put up a fight.

5. Colorado (1-3, 0-0)
LW 5
The game in Columbus wasn’t close; the final score by Colorado came in the final minutes to make it look slightly less bad. The Buffaloes committed 9 penalties and gave up the ball twice on turnovers. Savor that week 3 win Buffaloes, it may be one of very few this season.

6. Arizona (1-3, 0-2)
LW 4
Yes, Arizona has played 3 ranked opponents in a row, but they haven’t really been competitive in any of those games. They briefly pulled within 11 of Oregon on Saturday, but then the Ducks rattled off a pair of TDs to put the game out of reach. That week 1 win against hapless Northern Arizona counts for very little at this point, certainly less impressive than Colorado’s lone win. Arizona has lost 8 straight games against FBS (Division I-A) competition since starting 7-1 and rising into the Top 15 last season. Welcome to the bottom, Wildcats.

NORTH
1. Stanford (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12)
LW 1
Stanford continues pummeling weak opponents, although Arizona put up more of a fight than either of the first two. Andrew Luck continues to pad his stats against weaker teams, something that he’ll get to do for another 3 weeks as the Cardinal take on UCLA, Colorado, and Washington State.

2. Oregon (2-1, 0-0)
LW 2
For a brief period there was some panic in Eugene. Did lowly Missouri State really just score on the might Ducks (pun intended)? How can we be losing to a team like that? Sadly for the Bears it was but a brief glimmer of hope as Oregon quickly asserted itself by scoring the final 56 points of the game unanswered. Running back and Heisman hopeful LaMichael James didn’t go easy on the Bears, posting a 200+ yard rushing game for the fourth time in his career.

3. Washington (2-1, 0-0)
LW 3
For 3 out of 4 quarters Washington was Nebraska’s equal. The 3rd quarter however, everything seemed to fall apart. Perhaps the Huskies were unnerved by a pair of terrible calls by officials, both on punts that helped swing the game back in Nebraska’s favor. Perhaps they were just worn out. Regardless it was a game that got away from the Dawgs. Offense hasn’t been a problem for the Dawgs who posted their 3rd 30+ point performance, but the defense continues to be a concern.

4. Cal (3-0, 0-0)
LW 4
Cal is 3-0, so why aren’t they ranked above Washington? Well the near miss against Colorado last week coupled with what Seattle Time’s Bob Condotta called a glorified scrimmage in this weeks game against Big South cellar dweller Presbyterian doesn’t give a lot of reason to be confident in the Bears. Washington’s performance against Nebraska, despite the loss was more impressive than most expected. Luckily we’ll have a more definitive answer after next weeks matchup between the two north schools in Seattle.

5. Washington State (2-1, 0-0)
LW 5
It felt like old times again this week as WSU Coug’d it in their game against San Diego State. For awhile it looked like they must might pull it off. However a 24-14 lead early in the 4th quarter quickly evaporated as the Aztecs scored an unanswered 28 points to secure a 42-24 victory. Still, the Cougs have the chance to get back on track with games against Colorado and UCLA in coming weeks before hitting the brick wall that is Stanford.

6. Oregon State (0-2, 0-0)
LW 6
The Beavers had a bye this week, which is fortunate since their first two games were embarrassing. Still my money is on Oregon State in this weekends Pac-12 pillow fight against UCLA.

SOUTH
1. USC (3-0, 1-0)
LW 2
The Trojans seemed to have little problems with the visiting Orange wrapping up a favorable home slate before their first road test against the Sun Devils. USC looked much better in this game then the previous two weeks and should have a good shot at a 4-0 start.

2. Utah (2-1, 0-1)
LW 3
Utah’s victory was so one sided that not even the angel Moroni himself could have helped BYU in this one. Utah’s defense took the ball away from the Cougars seven times. Meanwhile Utah’s offense was prolific scoring a shocking 47 unanswered points. If the Utes can continue this type of performance throughout the season they can still contend for the Pac-12 south title.

3. ASU (2-1, 0-0)
LW 1
Arizona State’s sloppy football finally caught up to them in Champaign Illinois. 3 turnovers and nearly 100 yards worth of penalties hurt the Sun Devil’s chances in this game. They will have to clean up their game if they hope to beat the visiting Trojan’s and position themselves strongly for a Pac-12 South title run.

4. Arizona (1-2, 0-1)
LW 4
Another big loss for the Wildcats as they reach the halfway point of a brutal 4 game stretch against ranked opponents. Stanford led the entire way. Arizona is looking at a losing season if it can’t pull a few upsets along the way at this point.

5. Colorado (1-2, 0-0)
LW 6
After a rough first two games the Buffalos finally earned a win against in state rival Colorado State. If they can put in another solid performance there is a real possibility of an upset win over an Ohio State team that struggled against Toledo and lost to Miami in the past two weeks.

6. UCLA (1-2, 0-0)
LW 5
Almost nothing could make this Trojan Husky happier than seeing Slick Rick’s Bruins drop into the bottom spot. A blow out loss at home to Texas in front of few fans can’t be making the hot seat any cooler for Neuheisal. On top of that the Bruin’s benched starting QB Keith Prince after he threw 3 interceptions in the first quarter. Looks like former starter Richard Brehaut will have the ball again for now.

NORTH
1. Stanford (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
LW 1
Another easy win against an easy opponent. Andrew Luck was impressive, but how will he and the Cardinal fair against an opponent with a pulse?

2. Oregon (1-1, 0-0)
LW 2
Ducks bounced back from their loss to LSU by pounding Nevada. A virtual bye this week playing FCS foe Missouri State.

3. Washington (2-0, 0-0)
LW 5
Huskies secondary was picked apart by Hawaii just as it was by Eastern Washington the week before, but the Husky offense featuring a monster performance by QB Keith Price powered the Dawgs to another close win. Did I mention the Huskies had a defensive 2 point conversion?

4. Cal (2-0, 0-0)
LW 3
A back and forth battle against Pac 12 South basement team Colorado, with Cal squeaking out a win in OT isn’t exactly a confidence booster for the Bears, but its still a 2-0 start.

5. Washington State (2-0, 0-0)
LW 5
Cougars fans are feeling good with a 2-0 start for the first time in years, but WSU’s opponents make Stanford’s look tough. Will they be able to win against a foe that can fight back?

6. Oregon State (0-2, 0-0)
LW 6
After an embarassing close lose to FCS Sacramento State the Beavers just rolled over and played dead for Wisconsin who shut out Oregon State. A home game against struggling UCLA gives them a shot to turn things around.

SOUTH
1. ASU (2-0, 0-0)
LW 2
It wasn’t a pretty win, the two teams contributed for 23 total penalties, but it was a win against a ranked opponent and QB Brock Osweiler had an outstanding performance with 43 completions for over 600 yards and 5 TDs. Still one has to wonder if the Sun Devil’s sloppy play will catch up to them.

2. USC (2-0, 0-0)
LW 1
The Trojans game against the Utes, the first Pac 12 game ever, was closer than he final score indicated, a score that didn’t even become set until two hours after the game. This is still not the dominant USC of the past decade.

3. Utah (1-1, 0-0)
LW 3
Like I said the game was closer than the final score would indicate, the Trojans scoring as the clock expired to extend the lead. The Utes showed they can compete in a Pac-12 game, now can they start winning them?

4. Arizona (1-1, 0-0)
LW 4
Arizona didn’t stand a chance in this game after being shut out 21-0 in the first quarter. Now its home games against the top two Pac-12 teams Stanford and Oregon. Rough way to start the year for the Wildcats.

5. UCLA (1-1, 0-0)
LW 5
An unimpressive win against an unimpressive team. The Spartans of San Jose State were in the game til the end. A mere 43,000 fans made it out to the game. Win or no, Rick Neuheisal is sitting on the hottest seat in the conference right now.

6. Colorado (0-2, 0-0)
LW 6
A near win may be a move in the right direction for the beleaguered Buffalo but its still not an actual win. So far Colorado looks the same in its new home as it did in its old home. When will this former power return to glory? Not this year, thats for sure.

Part of it, most of it I suppose, is that while I have lots of thoughts about September 11, 2001 kicking around my brain, they don’t easily line up into any sort of easy narrative to be placed on the page. I have lots of observations and so very little structure. I was honestly tempted to just scrap the whole thing and just put up a piece about Superman maybe using an abbreviation for taking the Lord’s name in vain. But that felt like a cop out, like letting myself off the hook a bit too easy. No worries though, you’ll still be able to read how I feel about that whole Superman thing later in the week.

In any case, please bear in mind my remarkable lack of cohesion in putting this together and do your best to be kind if it all feels a bit…jumpy.

In reviewing the article I wrote on the 11th and the few days that followed (which was reprinted here on Friday) I was surprised by what I do and do not remember from those days. The details…they slip away. I had forgotten about the heartbreaking makeshift signs proclaiming a solidarity that proved ever so fleeting, even more fleeting than most of America probably realized. The bomb threats, the phone call from my professor…those I had blanked on as well. Hell, I cannot even remember watching the footage live. I know I did, I must have. We were locked down, we had nothing to do but stare glassy eyed at our TV sets or try our useless phones. But I don’t remember any of it.

The feeling of it I can recall instantly. The weird conflict of wanting to just hide running up against the desire to be out there doing something, doing anything, because, well, damn, those were my cities burning on the television.

I do remember that one plane and how such an innocuous sound could be so staggering, so frightening. I remember chasing down rumors about old friends and classmates who might have been at Ground Zero and finding, thankfully, none were real. And I remember talking to my dad and finding that people he knew and worked with were there and feeling profoundly unequipped to say anything about these people I never met, that my dad probably did not know very well, who when nonetheless found ourselves missing.

In DC, September 11 became a season that blanketed the city. In actuality, the Pentagon is across a sizable body of water from DC. For most residents, there was no real threat at all. What came after was when things really began for us. The bomb threats. The anthrax. The anthrax scares. I was evacuated from where I was interning twice for suspicious packages that, thankfully, came to nothing. People interning for Senators and Representatives had to find new office spaces when the packages they received turned out not to be so empty.

My then girlfriend, now wife, had a roommate who only left the room for class and internship and spent the rest of her time relentlessly writing about her day for what she claimed was going to be a book about living in DC during those days. I look back now and realize she was very likely wrestling with what my DSM-IV refers to as Acute Stress Disorder.

And yet…I loved DC. I loved my time at American. I met my wife and now, ten years later, we have a new baby daughter. I met people who I wish I kept in better touch with me because they were great. Fun, smart, energetic…we went to class everyday and internship everyday despite what had happened, what was happening. We walked past men with guns on our way to Starbucks, we attended basement raves near hotels that let people on to the roof to see the smoldering remains of the Pentagon. I wish September 11 never happened, but I can hardly imagine my life without it. And I imagine I am hardly the only one. For good or for ill, for ten years it has been an event that many, maybe most, of us wove tightly into our clothes, our skin, our souls.

So understand when I say this I mean no disrespect. I am so ready to be done with September 11. I think we should continue to honor and mourn the heroes. I think we should build monuments to their bravery and as an affront to the hateful barbarism of that day. But I am ready to put it in the past. I have no desire for this to become my generation’s Vietnam, not in terms of an intractable war but in terms of it being the cloud that hangs over every election for years. We did a lot right after September 11 and we did a lot wrong. I know this and while you may disagree about what falls on the right and wrong sides of the equation, I imagine most of you do too.

But I don’t want to fight those battles ad nauseum. We lost so much that day, I want to be done feeding that wound. We need to stop pretending that we get the difference between people who are Christian and do terrible things and Christians in general but that we cannot seem to make our minds do the same when it comes to Muslims. We need to stop doing things to make ourselves feel safer when they don’t actually make us safer at all. We need to learn the difference between casting off naiveté and embracing suspicious cynicism.

That’s my small prayer, I suppose. Or hope, if the idea of prayer makes you uncomfortable. That we can mourn without holding on. That we can remember without reliving. That we can stop thinking of the day in the context of horror and start remembering it as a day, a time, of heroes. Because “moving on” is not forgetting. Moving on is realizing that we have as much a responsibility to the living that survived as we do to the brave that did not.

When my daughter, two months tomorrow, asks about September 11, as I am sure she will, I will tell her what happened. We will talk about terrorism and loss and ramifications that echoed for years. Because it is important to be honest about these things. But I will also tell her about college hallways filled with classmates comforting one another despite not knowing each other even a month. I will tell her about giving blood. I will tell her about men and women who ran towards fire and ash and broken concrete. I will tell her about people who tried to do something, anything, because, well, damn, those were our cities.

It ran in the September 14th edition of the Voice, as it was/is a weekly paper. I had my notes, but was unable to find my original file of it amongst my digital archives. But thanks to the Voice and current editor-in-chief Jazmine Hughes, I was able to get my hands on a scan of the paper. It appears here almost exactly as it did there, except for minor grammatical changes and the inclusion of a moment involving a military plane that appeared in my notes but for some reason (probably length) did not make the final copy.

My plan is to reprint this today as a visit to the past, and then to write “September 11, ten years on” on Monday as a look to today and, hopefully a future where it is less raw.

Richard Rivas ran into the room and announced what many in the nation already knew.

“Everything is on fire. It’s on TV. It’s terrorists,” he said, nervously pacing the lobby of Congressional Hall.

At first, no one reacted.

“I’m serious, I’m serious,” he insisted.

His classmates remained frozen in place, unbelieving. Natalie Hirt was first to break out of the stupor.

“Oh God,” she whispered before running back to her room, “I have to call my parents.”

It was in this way that the majority of students enrolled in the American Politics program of American University’s Washington Semester first heard about the series of hijacked plane crashes that literally rocked the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

As Hirt departed, another student said aloud, “Thank God it isn’t Thursday.” All American Politics students work at their internships on Thursdays, the majority of which are located in downtown Washington.

The rest of the students listlessly returned to their dorms just in time to see the second World Trade Center tower collapse. It was a scene that would be played often throughout the day in dorm rooms and the lounge at Federal Hall. Many of the Tenley campus students split their time between the television and the computer lab, searching desperately for more details.

Some students chose to avoid the television, instead sitting huddled in the halls with cell and cordless phones pressed to their ears, hoping for some sort of respite from the overtaxed phone service. Most would have no such luck and hung up after a few minutes of frustration.

“I can’t get an outside line,” Gerardo Rodriguez, a student from Guatemala explained, clearly annoyed, “I’ve been trying for twenty minutes. How do I call my family?”

Others, concerned about friends and family in New York, waited impatiently for phone service to be restored.

A female student, shaking her head with slight embarrassment after checking her voicemail for the eighth time in twenty minutes explained, “My boyfriend lives in the city. I know he is, like, nowhere near there, but I just want to know for sure.”

As more images of the Pentagon burning flashed across the screen, Rodriguez expressed disbelief, “This is America. How does this happen?”

At 11:00, American University was officially closed down. All events and classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. Later, Mayor Anthony Williams announced that Washington, D.C. was in a state of emergency.

On campus, RAs knocked on doors and attempted to compose a list of missing students. A group from the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China was initially reported missing. They returned just prior to one o’clock, having made the trip back, on foot, from the Social Security office, where they were filing for American Social Security cards.

Professor Richard Semiatin, a Connecticut College graduate, called each of his students individually to tell them classes were cancelled and that he would be available to talk if they wanted. He expected the other professors were offering a similar service to students on both Tenley and the main campus.

A hastily planned religious service and prayer hour was offered in the spiritual center. Some students did take advantage of the service, but more seemed content to sit outside the center and simply discuss how they felt with friends and classmates. As the service ended and students and faculty emptied into the campus, a lone military plane flew by above. All stopped and turned their eyes skyward. The sense of the crowd simultaneously holding their breath in anxiety was palpable.

The streets of the city were unusually quiet on Wednesday morning. The usual hustle and bustle of the downtown was replaced with respectful mourners who offered warm hellos. Buses were full all day as those who went to work seemed reluctant to use their cars or the metro.

On telephone poles, small signs read, “United We Stand,” with a computer generated American flag above the words. Police armed with machine guns staked-out corners of the streets and watched cars as they drove past. In Georgetown and downtown, soldiers in fatigues with crossing guard vests acted as police. They seemed to be stationed every twenty feet.

After a quiet Wednesday, dual bomb threats, made within an hour of each, shook American University once more. The campus shut down for the day, then reopened for a discussion session entitled, “Looking at Our Common Humanity.”

On Friday, another session will discuss the bomb threats. The goals of the session are simple, to find meaning in the tragedy and to assure one another that the worst has passed. American University, like the rest of the nation, is looking to one another for security and comfort.

Of course an expanded Pac would mean redoing the recently created divisions. So how would that shake out? There are a few options.

For reference keep in mind the four regional groupings of teams the Pac-16 would contain:

WEST vs EAST
The one most people assume would happen is a simple East/West split that would reunite the original Pac-8 schools in the West and the expansion teams in the East. It’s geographically logical, easy to remember, preserves the tradition of the west coast schools and competitively balanced with marquee schools like USC and Texas in each division.

Scheduling would be simple as well. Each year a team would play its seven division members and two cross division members. Likely you’d pair an east team with one California school and one Northwest school a year, and like wise the west with one Mountain and one Red River school.

Simple right? Well there is a hitch, the Arizona schools aren’t going to be thrilled with losing connections with the California schools, neither is Colorado for that matter, who also gets re-paired with four of the eleven schools it just left. So what other options are there for the Pac-16?

NORTH vs SOUTH
Still geographically based, a north south/split would alleviate the concerns of the Mountain schools by moving Colorado and Utah into the existing Pac-12 North, while the four Red River schools would move into the South. Everyone is paired with two California schools, Colorado isn’t paired with the Big XII schools. Everyone wins right?

Not so much. First, the California schools have made it absolutely clear that playing each other annually is top priority for them. Assuming you guaranteed that, then that would mean the four Northwest schools along with Colorado and Utah would NEVER play the L.A. teams, and the Arizona and Oklahoma and Texas schools would NEVER play the Bay Area teams. As if that weren’t enough of a deal breaker, think about the competitive and recruiting imbalance. USC AND Texas AND Oklahoma in the same division? Texas AND L.A. in the same division recruit wise? I can’t imagine the North schools being at all happy with that arrangement.

THE ZIPPER
I was a big supporter of the zipper divisions for the Pac-12. It would have preserved the regional rivalries while providing more equal geographic access. Larry Scott however preferred simpler splits so people would know who was in what division, unlike the ACC’s Atlantic and Coastal divisions or the BigTen’s Legends and Leaders. Still we can consider how this would work. Eight team divisions with rivals split. But what would the divisions look like? Washington and Oregon would need to be paired, Texas and Oklahoma, USC and Stanford, UCLA and Cal. So perhaps?

Division X: Washington, Oregon, USC, Stanford, Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech
Division O: Washington State, Oregon State, UCLA, Cal, Utah, ASU, Oklahoma, Texas

Assuming you pair rivals at the end of the season, thats 8 games decided (division + protected cross-over). If the California schools all play each other your back to the same problem described above, where no cross-over games would involve California and non-California schools. Maybe you can talk them out of it, they are still getting 2 of 3. Assuming that, that would mean you play each non-rival cross division team 1 out of 7 times. Assuming home/home games in pairs, thats 14 year cycles before you’d play a team from the other division again. Hardly seems an ideal way to build a conference. Add to that the confusing divisions and its a sloppy solution that creates more problems than it solves.

FOUR DIVISIONS
How about instead of two groupings, you go with four. Each team would play 3 teams from its own region and two each from the other three. It allows better rotation of opponents, but creates new sets of problems. First, would the NCAA and other conferences even allow it? Even if they did, how do you determine the champion? A two team championship game? A four team playoff? How often will you have multiple teams with the same “division” record of 3-1 or 2-2? Maybe the top two teams from different divisions based on total conference record? It’s creative, but likely too complicated to put in place.

WEST vs EAST POD SCHEDULED
This option takes the scheduling aspect of the four division option, but teams are still grouped into East and West divisions. The advantage here is no need to get special approval from the NCAA, you are still two divisions with a two team championship game, and you’d have more mixed scheduling among the two divisions, but you’d end up missing not one but TWO teams from your OWN division each year. It could easily happen that Washington and USC or Utah and Oklahoma both go undefeated in the same seasons. Who is the division champ? Isn’t the whole point of divisions to play the team IN your division? Ok, so the “divisions” are meaningless so why not…

NO DIVISIONS
So why go with divisions at all? Simply take the two teams with the best record at the end of the season and pair them off for a championship game. Pod scheduling like above to balance out the teams. It solves a lot of problems, but it would require a rule change that the NCAA and other conferences might not be willing to go with, and what happens when you end up with multiple teams with the same record at the end of the season? Lots of tiebreakers come into play and that can get ugly.

CONCLUSION
I still think East/West is the likely outcome of a Pac-16 super conference forming. The Mountain Schools might be a little miffed but it causes the least problems with the NCAA, is easy to follow and remember, makes travel sense, and is obvious. For other sports you’d have more flexible options with not all schools competing in all sports, and more games per season. Still maybe i’m wrong, maybe one of these other scenarios ends up being the preferred choice. Maybe the Northwest schools decide they are sick of California and pair with the Red River four. Maybe a giant earthquake swallows the California schools and the Pac-16 goes back to being 12. Maybe the world ends on December 21, 2012 and none of this matters. Or the Pac-12 stays the same and expansion fizzles. Maybe. ]]> http://www.brendanloy.com/lrt/2011/09/splitting-the-pac-16/feed/ 19