Well, sadly the bye week last week was the Cougs best Saturday in a while: they got some much needed rest, extra planning for UCLA, and for the first time in four weeks the Saturday did not result in a Pac-10 loss. I really think that this team is better than their record, and it is taking some time for them to get used to their new coaches. I think that with the bye week, a few tough losses behind them, this is the week that we finally get to see how well this team can play. The defense was steadily improving prior to the Oregon debacle, and I think that they can pick that back up this weekend. I’m becoming a bit of a broken record but I think that the key emphasis for the Cougs should be (might not be, but should be) to focus on holding their opponents to field goals in the red zone. Considering that it takes five scoring drives of field goals to get more points than two TD drives, it’s not tough to see how holding firm when it’s critical can really turn the tides of the game.

Looking around, I’m not the only one who thinks that this is the week for WSU to get win number 1 in the Pac-10, Rivals.com, typically quite pessimistic about the Cougs so far this year puts them at 28-21 over the Bruins and on the other side of things the Vegas line as of right now has UCLA as six point favorites in Pullman.

Look, if there is one team that WSU is built to beat it’s UCLA. The Bruins are currently 9th in the conference in passing offense; the one area where the Cougars have had the most problems stopping their opponents. UCLA also gives up a lot of TDs in the air (t.8th in conference) and WSU has thrown for the most TDs in the conference. So finally, this is a matchup that favors WSU, which to me would make them slight favorites to win the game. Add in the fact that they are playing at home, and play very well at home, and it means that WSU should pull of a win much in the realm of the Rivals.com prediction.

UCLA 24
WSU 30

And since I’ll be at the game… I really hope I’m right!