ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Some teams might prefer to ease into the new season with a less-challenging opponent. California and Tennessee can forget that. Instead of scheduling tuneup games, they face off Saturday in one of only two openers between ranked teams this week that could shape the national title chase. No. 11 Florida State plays at No. 12 Miami on Monday.
After a visit to Neyland Stadium, the ninth-ranked Golden Bears host Minnesota and follow with a favorable schedule heading into a game at Southern California on Nov. 18 that could decide the Pac-10 championship.
The No. 23 Volunteers, already written off by some observers who predict them to finish third in the SEC East division, are hoping to prove last year's 5-6 finish was an aberration and that they're ready to get back into the national picture.
"I don't think you want to live every year on playing not just Tennessee, but Minnesota, those two type teams back-to-back," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "I think this year's team is ready for this challenge, but I don't think you want to do that on a consistent basis."
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1 comment:
"...host Minnesota and follow with a favorable schedule heading into a game at [USC] on Nov. 18..."
OK, Portland State is certainly a 'favorable schedule', as well as Washington, and Arizona, WSU and OSU aren't Top 25 teams, either. But Oregon should be pissed at this quote, as well as ASU, and I'm sure UCLA would be mad b/c they think so highly of themselves - they certainly shouldn't be overlooked.
Classic East Coast bias giving no respect to anyone in the Pac-10 but USC.
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