With games like:

Cal/Tennessee
Arizona/LSU
WSU/Auburn
and USC/Arkansas

Can anyone remember a broader conference to conference face-off?

Ironically, I think Cal will win the first game with defense and rushing. So much for East Coast based stereotypes. Cal has two 1,000 yard rushers returning and all three defensive units - DL,LB,DB - are consistently ranked around the top 5 in the country in all of the preseason mags. The only other team with similar broad defensive favoritism is USC - another irony.

Arizona will get a great measurement of where they're at under the leadership of "the lesser Stoops" hitting the road against LSU. I haven't heard a dissenting voice in discussions regarding the program's future, but this game will let them know how much further they need to go to meet those expectations. A recent nail-biter against Oregon State at home has shown that the Tigers aren't invulnerable to middle of the Pac teams in Death Valley.

WSU/Auburn. If WSU wins this game, the "War Eagle" should be euthanized. WSU is a program in crisis and is being led by the most severe lame duck in the sport. WSU is only 2 seasons out from a string of top 10 finishes that ended when Mike Price's magic wore off. Bill Doba was able to milk the talent Price had collected for a successful season his first year, but things have fallen off the deep end ever since. Looking over the last 2 seasons, 8 of WSU's 11 losses have been by less than a TD, but what is more concerning is who those close losses have been to - teams struggling with their own problems, Washington, Stanford and last year's Oregon State.

Lastly, does anyone SERIOUSLY give Arkansas a chance in this game? I know it's fun to throw around the idea of USC's untested QB, Arkie's thirst for revenge after last year's blood letting, etc., but seriously? I think Arkansas narrows the gap, but they're still not playing on the same level as the USC program currently resides.

I'm a little down on Arizona's return. I think they're still a year away and will have trouble with the middle of the Pac-10 as much of the conference will rebound.

You think WSU is in crisis? I guess I'd disagree. Doba's become a steward/shepherd of the program, much like Larry Coker at Miami. Most of Price's assistants are still around so the scheme and recruiting efforts are similar, it's just one of those things where WSU follows cycles of up and down (in my opinion). They had those heights under Gesser and Leaf and Brink might actually get them in a fairly competitive spot this year.

Arkansas should nicely close the scoring gap with USC, but won't win that game. A HS coach in his first game as OC simply isn't going to get by a Pete Carroll defense.

You do realize WSU's only wins last year were Idaho, Grambling St., Nevada and Washington?

I was also looking at the decline in talent recruited:

2002-2004 saw 1 5* and 7 4*, Doba has only seen a single player rated more than 3* sign since he's been in charge, and it's not going to get any easier with seasons like the one listed above. Pullman's not a town with a lot of draw on the young folk and WSU's not yet a program that can draw talent on name alone. I think a program in WSU's situation needs a coach who is proven and can draw talent wishing to play under him. Doba's moving in the opposite direction. If he doesn't have a break-even season this year at minimum it's over.