The cougs will keep this game close. A little luck and they will outscore Stanford. Coach Leach will have a job next year regardless.

Per Kevin Gimmell ESPN Pac 12 Power Rankings :

Welcome to this week's power rankings. If you don't like where you're ranked, play better. (Warning: Nos. 4-8 are a mess). You can see last week's ranking here.

1. Stanford Cardinal: Congrats, David Shaw and Co. I believe you're the fifth different team to occupy the No. 1 spot in the power rankings this season. Get comfy. I'm sure nothing will change in the next few weeks. Joking aside, Stanford is simply rolling right now. It's still too early to draw the 2014 Ohio State comparison ... isn't it?

2. Washington State Cougars: A three-game winning streak in conference play means it's time to officially start taking the Cougars seriously. No, seriously. Say the defense is inconsistent. Say the special teams is suspect. But they can put up points, and they can do it quickly and they can eat up yards in chunks. In a league where parity (parody?) reigns, that makes them awfully dangerous each week.

3. Utah Utes: No one was going to make it through the Pac-12 South undefeated. And anyone who thought otherwise was embracing illusions. That said, Utah got beat in the worst way possible -- they got out-muscled, something that doesn't happen often to a Kyle Whittingham team. The good news is they are still atop the division and control their own destiny. As Whittingham said after the game, “All is not lost.”

4. USC Trojans: Beat the No. 3 team in the country and you're going to enjoy a nice bump in the rankings. The Trojans are so full of potential. The question has been consistency and execution, not talent. The team that showed up Saturday night against the Utes was not the team that lost to Washington. That said, they are still 4-3 and 2-2 in conference play. Their placement in these rankings is not without hesitation.

5. UCLA Bruins: The same can be said for USC's cross-town rival. They, too, enjoy a nice bump for beating a ranked team. But which team shows up week-to-week continues to be a mystery. If it's the team that showed up against Cal, then the Bruins still have a legitimate shot at the division. If it's the team that showed up against Arizona State and Stanford, they'll quickly fall again to the bottom half of these rankings.

6. Oregon Ducks: No question, Oregon is a better team with Vernon Adams Jr. in the lineup. And the schedule sets up nicely for the Ducks to still make a run in the division and possibly get back into the rankings at a later date. Next up is Arizona State on a national spotlight, followed by Cal, Stanford and USC before the Civil War.

7. Arizona State Sun Devils: ASU drops a bit since the LA schools both had big wins against ranked opponents while the Sun Devils were on bye. Fear not, ASU fans. Win next week at home against Oregon and you'll move back up. Scoring an offensive touchdown would help as well.

8. California Bears: The Bears have come back to earth slightly after back-to-back losses. Priority No. 1 is getting that sixth win and getting back to the postseason. And with USC, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona State left on the docket, you have to imagine at least one win is out there. Are there more?

9. Washington Huskies: Next week is going to be a huge swing game for the Huskies when Arizona comes to town. A win keeps Washington in position for a bowl game. A loss forces them to win three of their last four against Utah, Arizona State, Oregon State or Washington State. That might be a lot to ask.

10. Arizona Wildcats: Next week is equally important for the Wildcats as they make their way to Seattle trying to lock up bowl eligibility. If it's not next week, they'll have to beat either USC, Utah or Arizona State down the stretch. And since they have struggled against teams with winning records, that could be a tall order.

11. Colorado Buffaloes: Anyone who saw Mike MacIntyre's reaction after beating Oregon State on Saturday night understands exactly what breaking a 14-game losing streak in conference games means to the coach and the Buffs. They probably aren't going to get to the seven-win mark and a bowl game (remember, they have 13 regular-season games), but getting that first conference win in almost two years is a tangible sign of improvement this team can build on.

12. Oregon State Beavers: The good news is the Beavers have five games left to find a conference win. The bad news is four of those five teams have a winning record. The team that doesn't -- Washington -- has one of the best defenses in the league.

So few believers. WSU beats Stanford by 6.

Yeah, Coug's by 1. Stanford might be the real deal. Cougs will give them a scare though. Side bet?

The Cardinal O-Line and skill players will man handle the Cougs D, However the Cougs offense will beable to move the ball.... How much will dictate the score. Stanford 35 WSU 32

Hope Barber can play for the Cougs. Not sure what his status is since Leach doesn't report injuries. May need to insert another DT against the jumbo tree formation.

I saw a few wagon trains and stagecoaches with Wazzu plates heading out today.
Hopefully they make it over Disappointment Pass before game time rolls around on the Palouse prairie.
SF

Give me a little wiggle room. I'm a Coug fan.

BREAKING NEWS FROM PULLMAN:

Smoke has been seen rising from the location of Martin Stadium since 9am this morning. Thousands of concerned citizens hitched their wagons, laced their wooden shoes, secured their livestock and prized goats, to traverse the rolling hills of the Palouse to find out what was causing all the smoke. Some of the first settlers on scene reported that football coach Mike Leach, a man of few words; apparently didn't have the vocabulary extensive enough to report they were playing the Stanford Cardinal this weekend, so he lit the only tree in town on fire to signal the beginning.....of the end

Go Cougs

Breaking News from Snohomish County1

A fisherman known as Bend Over just escaped from the State Penitentiary in Monroe, Snohomish County. Suspect has no teeth and his DNA indicates he is an inbred Snohomish County bumpkin. He may be staying in a van down by the river marked Free Candy wearing a Husky Rose Bowl antique jersey.

I am in New England Patriot country for work. Will they have a hay ride and a corn maze?

No.
The elves will be busy taking a wagon load of deflated balls to Gillette by moonlight.
You might be able to hitch a ride on that and meet Tom at the rendezvous point.

One if by land, two if by sea

Going to the eastside for birds. We'll end up in Pateros. Gonna watch the game there, so if you're in the area come find us @ the only place open.

Not if the game is on ESPN. Not a motel or a bar in town that has ESPN. Brewster too.

It's on ESPN.
You could try streaming it on http://xn--athe-1ua.net/ or http://firstrowsportes.eu/football

Using those streaming sites is always quirky in getting a good stream running.
You have to find a good link and then methodically click out the ads.
You also may get pop-unders that you can get rid of easily by minimizing and clicking out.


Use a tabbed browser....you know, with the file-like tabs up at the top for an easier time fending off the re-directs.
I have never picked up any malware, but I have a pretty good fortress.

Chrome
Adblock Plus
Avast!
Malwarebytes

Some of the better links will rag on you when they detect ADP.
Simply turn it off, get the stream running and turn it back on.

So it's a PITA to do the above especially the first time you try it.
And sometimes the stream is crappy.
I've learned all the little games and stream often.
Been using Firstrow more these days.

I've been looking all over for that, antique is right

coogs lose on a ray finkle kick! for cry'n out loud!!!

Good to see the Cooging it tradition continues.
SF

laces out !!!