PNCLL Week #9 (3/29-4/4) -- Predict, Scores & Discuss
Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:32 pm
Wednesday, March 29th
Loyola-Marymount 14 Oregon State 13
Friday, March 31st
Sonoma State 10 Oregon 9
Chapman 14 Oregon State 10
Saturday, April 1st
Cal-Poly 14 Oregon 13 (2 O.T.)
Western Washington 17 Central Washington 7
Pacific Lutheran 22 Albertson 9
Simon Fraser 12 Boise State 6
Gonzaga 16 Idaho 6
Sunday, April 2nd
Albertson at Puget Sound
Boise State 8 Washington 7
Whitman 9 Central Washington 6
With an unexpected delay in the trial I am sitting as a juror on, I will take this chance to do a quick preview for Week 9's games
The onset of April always means big games are on the slate, and 2006 proves to be no exception. Freshly annointed with its highest-ever national ranking, Oregon (5-0; 10-0) faces second-ranked Sonoma State (3-0; 7-1) with a great deal on the line. The Seawolves handled the Ducks easily (16-6) a year ago. UO returns to the scene of the crime, where the rabid 'Noma fans will certainly have some "welcoming" cheer in store for the visitors from Eugene. An Oregon upset would no doubt boost the Ducks even higher in the rankings, while a loss could send them tumbling from among the elite teams. Oregon will spend the night in town and then battle #13 Cal-Poly (1-0; 7-4) in another OOC game which is critical to both teams. The Mustangs are surely hurting from two O.T. losses at the HIT in Seattle, and can gain a large measure of redemption against the higher-ranked Ducks.
Oregon State (5-0; 7-3) completes its ambitious 20056 OOC schedule games at Chapman (0-2; 8-5) and LMU (0-1; 4-7). The Beavers sit tied atop the PNCLL standings with in-state rival Oregon, yet are unranked largely because of OOC losses to unranked Stanford and Missouri. But the Beavs also have impressive wins over SFU and Texas. After the tough loss at Chico to start the current road-trip, Oregon State could force the pollsters to seriously consider the Beavers if they could upset Chapman.
The race for the final A Division playoff spot should be clarified greatly after Boise State (0-2; 4-3) completes a weekend road-trip at Simon Fraser (1-2; 5-4) and Washington (0-3; 2-6), and after Idaho (0-2; 0-2) travels to Gonzaga (0-2; 2-8).
The B Division also has some important match-ups on the schedule. Albertson (2-3; 2-3) is at PLU (2-2; 4-6) in a "must win" game for both teams. Western Washington (5-1; 5-3) travels to Ellensburg for a key B-North contest against Central Washington (2-1; 2-2). An Albertson upset of the Lutes combined with a CWU upset of the Vikings could threaten pre-season favorite PLU's chance of even making the post-season in 2006. Albertson also needs to beat UPS (1-3; 1-5) Sunday to keep alive a playoff dream.
CWU also hosts Whitman (3-1; 5-3) on Sunday, in yet another crucial game for defining the B Division playoff picture. If the Wildcats were to sweep both the Vikings AND the Missionaries, Central would take over 2nd place all alone in B-North, while simultaneously positioning themselves to win the Division outright. A Whitman win, however, puts the Missionaries in 2nd place by themselves and almost guarantees the team an '06 playoff spot. Two losses by Central would seriously jeopardize the Wildcats' post-season hopes.
Loyola-Marymount 14 Oregon State 13
Friday, March 31st
Sonoma State 10 Oregon 9
Chapman 14 Oregon State 10
Saturday, April 1st
Cal-Poly 14 Oregon 13 (2 O.T.)
Western Washington 17 Central Washington 7
Pacific Lutheran 22 Albertson 9
Simon Fraser 12 Boise State 6
Gonzaga 16 Idaho 6
Sunday, April 2nd
Albertson at Puget Sound
Boise State 8 Washington 7
Whitman 9 Central Washington 6
With an unexpected delay in the trial I am sitting as a juror on, I will take this chance to do a quick preview for Week 9's games
The onset of April always means big games are on the slate, and 2006 proves to be no exception. Freshly annointed with its highest-ever national ranking, Oregon (5-0; 10-0) faces second-ranked Sonoma State (3-0; 7-1) with a great deal on the line. The Seawolves handled the Ducks easily (16-6) a year ago. UO returns to the scene of the crime, where the rabid 'Noma fans will certainly have some "welcoming" cheer in store for the visitors from Eugene. An Oregon upset would no doubt boost the Ducks even higher in the rankings, while a loss could send them tumbling from among the elite teams. Oregon will spend the night in town and then battle #13 Cal-Poly (1-0; 7-4) in another OOC game which is critical to both teams. The Mustangs are surely hurting from two O.T. losses at the HIT in Seattle, and can gain a large measure of redemption against the higher-ranked Ducks.
Oregon State (5-0; 7-3) completes its ambitious 20056 OOC schedule games at Chapman (0-2; 8-5) and LMU (0-1; 4-7). The Beavers sit tied atop the PNCLL standings with in-state rival Oregon, yet are unranked largely because of OOC losses to unranked Stanford and Missouri. But the Beavs also have impressive wins over SFU and Texas. After the tough loss at Chico to start the current road-trip, Oregon State could force the pollsters to seriously consider the Beavers if they could upset Chapman.
The race for the final A Division playoff spot should be clarified greatly after Boise State (0-2; 4-3) completes a weekend road-trip at Simon Fraser (1-2; 5-4) and Washington (0-3; 2-6), and after Idaho (0-2; 0-2) travels to Gonzaga (0-2; 2-8).
The B Division also has some important match-ups on the schedule. Albertson (2-3; 2-3) is at PLU (2-2; 4-6) in a "must win" game for both teams. Western Washington (5-1; 5-3) travels to Ellensburg for a key B-North contest against Central Washington (2-1; 2-2). An Albertson upset of the Lutes combined with a CWU upset of the Vikings could threaten pre-season favorite PLU's chance of even making the post-season in 2006. Albertson also needs to beat UPS (1-3; 1-5) Sunday to keep alive a playoff dream.
CWU also hosts Whitman (3-1; 5-3) on Sunday, in yet another crucial game for defining the B Division playoff picture. If the Wildcats were to sweep both the Vikings AND the Missionaries, Central would take over 2nd place all alone in B-North, while simultaneously positioning themselves to win the Division outright. A Whitman win, however, puts the Missionaries in 2nd place by themselves and almost guarantees the team an '06 playoff spot. Two losses by Central would seriously jeopardize the Wildcats' post-season hopes.