Pac-12 Picks, Week 14: Let's get ready to rumble! (in the Rockies)

Game Picks

Last week: 4-2-0
Season: 44-35-2
Home team in CAPS.

Friday, November 28th, 12:30 PM PST
#13 Arizona State (+2.5) over #11 ARIZONA

• Have you ever read this rivalry's Wikipedia entry? U of A comes off as whiny and bad at football:

  The rivalry became particularly heated in the late 1950s amid the political contention over turning Arizona State College into an official university, a change opposed by the University of Arizona and many of its alumni. In 1958, the year the measure was to be put to a statewide vote, Arizona State defeated Arizona 47–0.

  And then...

  Another notably heated game came in 1968. The contest was expected to decide which team would go on to the Sun Bowl, but before the game, Arizona coach Darrell Mudra issued an ultimatum to the Sun Bowl committee that his team would not play in the bowl unless they were selected regardless of who won. The committee chose Arizona, who promptly lost to Arizona State by a score of 30-7 in what became known as the "Ultimatum Bowl".

• In other Territorial Cup news, the Arizona - Arizona State rivalry was determined by scientists to be the most intense rivalry in the country. Thanks, science!

12:30 PM PST
Stanford (+6) over #8 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

• They look really happy to be there:

  Blessed to provide a team Thanksgiving meal w/ families at our L.A. hotel. All eyes on the turkey. #HappyThanksgiving pic.twitter.com/g8N59vEdf3

  — Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) November 28, 2014

• Injured Bruin WR Sam Handler stood at midfield during the USC Marching Band's pre-game show, which usually includes a drum major dressed up as a Trojan stabbing the field with a sword. I have some questions here: Why did security escort Handler off, when he's a UCLA football player? Why doesn't the Trojan drum major play drums?

  #UCLA walkon WR Sam Handler tried to stand on the logo to prevent USC from stabbing field. Security took him off. pic.twitter.com/10p8Kk7Dtw

  — Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) November 23, 2014

  And if UCLA wants its midfield logo to be left alone, maybe they shouldn't do stuff like this:

  UCLA player vandalized @ASU logo before game http://t.co/siMaNwZWlb pic.twitter.com/FU1S3gdvU0

  — azcentral (@azcentral) September 27, 2014

Saturday, November 29th, 10:00 AM PST
COLORADO (+9) over #25 Utah

• Did you know this rivalry's name is the Rumble in the Rockies? I didn't either and it sounds stupid. Plus, Colorado's rivalry with Colorado State is already called the Rocky Mountain Showdown, which sounds too similar.
• Huh, maybe being super cold makes you lose 42-10.

  Travis Wilson does not find Utah cold, Anu Solomon does pic.twitter.com/ZtmUmuh1M6

  — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 22, 2014

12:30 PM PST
Notre Dame (+7) over SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

• Snoop Dogg/Snoop Lion took to Instagram and offered some pretty in-depth (and NSFW) analysis of USC's loss to rival UCLA.

1:30 PM PST
CALIFORNIA (-4) over Brigham Young

• Because Pac-12 referees are really bad, Cal should have lost by less last Saturday.

5:00 PM PST
OREGON STATE (+20) over #2 Oregon

• Bleacher Report ranked the Civil War as the 2nd best rivalry name, behind Bedlam (Oklahoma-Oklahoma State). Three other Pac-12 rivalries were ranked in the top 10, but I'm just glad the Rumble in the Rockies didn't make the list.

7:30 PM PST
Washington (-3.5) over WASHINGTON STATE

• What is the Apple Cup? Is it a cup specifically designed for holding apples? Or a cup made out of apples? Or is it a cup that looks like an apple?
• Rivalry jokes are always fun.

Song of the Week

Because the radio has brainwashed me to love this song, here you go: